Great Western Electrification Progress

[broadgage]

Sorry to be OT and political but this was disgraceful.




I live in the USA and am out of touch - seriously - Port Talbot could close? Wow:cry:

Yes, the port Talbot steel works are at present owned by Tata of India, who have announced their intention to sell the plant.
If no one wants it as a going concern, then yes it might close.

I hope that my brief and factual reply is in order, but I respectfully suggest not diverging too much from strictly railway matters.

 

[D1009]

I live in the USA and am out of touch - seriously - Port Talbot could close? Wow:cry:

It's the No.1 news story in the UK at the moment, I suggest you look at the BBC News Channel.

 

[Andrewlong]

Meanwhile I travelled into Paddington from Reading today. Plenty of progress with masts etc which have been installed to approximately half way between Maidenhead and Twyford and then there is nothing much until masts just outside of Reading.

 

[jimm]

Had to sit on the wrong side of the train for observing progress both ways between Didcot and Reading today but what I was able to see included some overhead wires installed above the Didcot-bound fast line between Goring & Streatley and South Stoke and quite a lot more registration arms fitted to portals south of Didcot

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Yes, the port Talbot steel works are at present owned by Tata of India, who have announced their intention to sell the plant.
If no one wants it as a going concern, then yes it might close.

I hope that my brief and factual reply is in order, but I respectfully suggest not diverging too much from strictly railway matters.

Well IMHO, I assume steel is shifted out of Port Talbot by rail -or some is - and I assume the feedstock to Port Talbot (coal/coke/iron ore etc) is shifted by rail - so it would have a huge affect on rail -so IMHO relevant - but hey, sorry anyway.

 

[McRhu]

With no UK electrification for nearly 20 years the local supply chain vanished.

Airdrie - Bathgate - Edinburgh? Probably the last MK III project in the UK.

 

[jimm]

Well IMHO, I assume steel is shifted out of Port Talbot by rail -or some is - and I assume the feedstock to Port Talbot (coal/coke/iron ore etc) is shifted by rail - so it would have a huge affect on rail -so IMHO relevant - but hey, sorry anyway.

Iron ore and coal is all landed from ships at Port Talbot Bulk Terminal, right next to the steel plant. Where rail would lose out is in transport of steel out of the site - but maybe we could stick to the GW electrification here from now on?

 

[QueensCurve]

On the wider rail steel front, I believe most UK rail comes from Scunthorpe (they also export rail to France).
This is currently owned by Tata but about to be sold off to Liberty.
So rail orders will not keep Port Talbot open.

In days of yore it came from Workington.

It is now 25 years or more since I spotted the name "Collvilles" on a rail at Hartford, Cheshire.

 

[Ploughman]

In days of yore it came from Workington.

It is now 25 years or more since I spotted the name "Collvilles" on a rail at Hartford, Cheshire.

Also from Skinningrove.
However rail is already imported from Europe.
Luccini is one I can think of.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Also from Skinningrove.
However rail is already imported from Europe.
Luccini is one I can think of.

Network Rail says 98% of its rail is sourced in the UK.
Presumably some of the 2% is specialist S&C type.
I think we export rail to France for some new LGV lines.

 

[edwin_m]

Network Rail says 98% of its rail is sourced in the UK.
Presumably some of the 2% is specialist S&C type.
I think we export rail to France for some new LGV lines.

Some steel is produced at Scunthorpe but sent to France for rolling into rails before returning to the UK. I wonder which category they put that into.

 

[Class 170101]

I live in the USA and am out of touch - seriously - Port Talbot could close? Wow:cry:

It's the No.1 news story in the UK at the moment, I suggest you look at the BBC News Channel.

BBC News Channel only available in the UK. Its BBC World (News) around the globe and I doubt its a major news story globally.

 

[jimm]

Today's observations between Didcot and Reading.

Pretty much every portal between Cholsey and Moreton Cutting now registrations arms fitted, as do a number of those between Moreton and Didcot.

In terms of metalwork over the tracks in stations, Tilehurst and Goring & Strealey are both missing maybe a single portal or cantilever now, Pangbourne one or two on the reliefs (ie the platform lines), a few more still needed at Cholsey. There are also some still to be installed over the lines just north of Goring & Strealey and at Moreton/Didcot.

Several of the lower-profile portals for the Thames bridges at Moulsford and Gatehampton (near Lower Basildon) are now in place. They are tubular and the galvanising process has made then a bit darker than the standard type.

In terms of overhead wires, both the relief lines are now wired for the same distance from north of Goring up to South Stoke. Couldn't see if more wire has been strung up over the Didcot-bound fast line since last week.

 

[Mintona]

First small pieces of metalwork have appeared on top of the piles at the immediate west end of Patchway Tunnel, which I assume are the supports for the stanchions (I have no idea if that is the correct word for the upright bit).

 

[HowardGWR]

Thanks to Jimm and others for keeping us, who are so far away. informed.

Does anyone travel the Berks and Hants?

 

[Andrewlong]

Thanks to Jimm and others for keeping us, who are so far away. informed.

Does anyone travel the Berks and Hants?

I was out rambling between Midgham and Thatcham yesterday. At a both stations, I couldn't see any electrification activity.

 

[D1009]

I was out rambling between Midgham and Thatcham yesterday. At a both stations, I couldn't see any electrification activity.

I'm currently on the 1406 Paddington Penzance having been looking out between Reading and Newbury. There are no masts beyond Oxford Road Jn yet, but piles have been driven in most of the way from Southcote Jn to Newbury, though with some gaps, particularly near stations.

 

[uvarvu]

It's all kicking off here now.
The lines has been quiet for the last few days but today I saw two trains pull up, both travelling in the same direction.

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks1.jpg

Hope it won't be too noisy if they work during the day!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It's all kicking off here now.
The lines has been quiet for the last few days but today I saw two trains pull up, both travelling in the same direction.

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks1.jpg

Hope it won't be too noisy if they work during the day!

Thank you for the post - congratulations on your first post and welcome to the forum.

 

[D1009]

It's all kicking off here now.
The lines has been quiet for the last few days but today I saw two trains pull up, both travelling in the same direction.

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks1.jpg

Hope it won't be too noisy if they work during the day!

Welcome to the forum, but where's "here"?

 

[Class 170101]

Welcome to the forum, but where's "here"?

I think its near Bath.

 

[uvarvu]

Welcome to the forum, but where's "here"?

Apologies - the picture is taken from Westmoreland Road Goods Shed in Bath.

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks2.jpg

From that angle you can make out the eastern entrance where the trains used to enter

 

[leomartin125]

Signed up to email alerts from Crossrail about progress on Electrification, got sent this from them recently:

http://74f85f59f39b887b696f-ab656259048fb93837ecc0ecbcf0c557.r23.cf3.rackcdn.com/assets/library/document/l/original/location_letter_cu11_we02_dk_v4.pdf

A lot of work being undertaken in the Slough region regarding electrification and infrastructure east of Maidenhead is now ready and in place for wiring.

 

[jimm]

With the new footbridge's spans lifted into place at Goring & Streatley last weekend, I noticed today that the last portal needed in the station area is now in place but still a couple of portals missing just to the north of the station.

Elsewhere there are still some gaps at Cholsey station and between Moreton Cutting and Didcot and I'm not sure if all the metalwork for Moulsford Bridge is in place yet.

There may also a few more portals to go in just north of South Stoke, where I think some sort of electrical plant is being installed on the west side of the line - this area can be seen on the Save the Goring Gap campaign's website at the top left of the picture in the gallery on their home page headed Electrification in progress in the Goring Gap at South Stoke. It's the triangular area next to a cluster of extra-tall uprights at the top left. They have also helpfully posted a number of pictures showing the wires that are now in place in the area.

Yet more registration arms now in place on the portals along the parts of the line between Reading and Didcot that have yet to see wires, so I'd expect to see the wiring team make rapid progress pretty soon.

 

[D6975]

Apologies - the picture is taken from Westmoreland Road Goods Shed in Bath.

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks2.jpg

From that angle you can make out the eastern entrance where the trains used to enter

Lots of work going on this week at Keynsham too, lots of Tango men around. Work seems to be preparation work on bridges and track etc rather than the actual electrification stuff.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

-- Save the Goring Gap campaign's website at the top left of the picture in the gallery on their home page headed Electrification in progress in the Goring Gap at South Stoke. I--- They have also helpfully posted a number of pictures showing the wires that are now in place in the area.

http://www.savegoringgap.org.uk/

All joking apart, I might write and thank them for the rather good photographs showing really nice progress. You can also see the autotransformer wire positions. Nice.

 

[nlogax]

All joking apart, I might write and thank them for the rather good photographs showing really nice progress. You can also see the autotransformer wire positions. Nice.

Hah..I was just thinking the same thing. Lovely to see some decent updated images with the wires up! May drop 'em a mail to say thank you

 

[uvarvu]

Engineers are back today. I saw all the cables leading to the cabinet in the bottom left have been severed and think the track closest to me is about to be replaced. There are points to the left and right and I think these are up for replacement too. They were last used when the lines east of Bath Spa were closed and the building didn't have shake when trains passed over them!

http://www.uvarvu.com/pictures/engWorks3.jpg

 

[WelshBluebird]

Lots of work going on this week at Keynsham too, lots of Tango men around. Work seems to be preparation work on bridges and track etc rather than the actual electrification stuff.

I believe a large amount of the work being done at Keynsham is to lower the track through the area.

I was under the impression the same would be the case around Oldfield Park too but I think that is just replacement of track now. It does make me question what is going on because originally the plan was to raise some road bridges, which would have caused a fair amount of chaos locally! Then it changed to lowering the track, and not it seems neither is being done (at least in the short term). Anyone have any more detail about the plans for the Oldfield Park area?

 

[snowball]

I believe a large amount of the work being done at Keynsham is to lower the track through the area.

I was under the impression the same would be the case around Oldfield Park too but I think that is just replacement of track now. It does make me question what is going on because originally the plan was to raise some road bridges, which would have caused a fair amount of chaos locally! Then it changed to lowering the track, and not it seems neither is being done (at least in the short term). Anyone have any more detail about the plans for the Oldfield Park area?

I'm not familiar with the area but in post #2332 I linked and quoted this press release. Note that it does not mention lowering at Oldfield Park:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...tion-work-between-bristol-and-bath-approaches

Passengers travelling between Bristol and Bath from 2 to 11 April are being advised to check before they travel as Network Rail carries out work to prepare the Great Western Main Line for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains.

The work forms part of the company’s £40bn Railway Upgrade Plan to provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers and will involve the orange army working round-the-clock to deliver the railway upgrades needed for electrification. This work follows the successful track lowering project in Bath last summer and will involve:

Lowering the tracks at Keynsham station to protect the historic architecture of its footbridge, while creating the extra space needed for the overhead electric lines that will power the new fleet of electric trains to run underneath.
Platform modifications at Keynsham station following the lowering of the tracks.
Replacing the tracks at Oldfield Park station to provide greater reliability for passengers.
Installing the foundations for the overhead electric lines.

The nature of this improvement work means a temporary closure of the line between Oldfield Park and Keynsham stations is unavoidable. To minimise disruption to passengers, this temporary closure has been timed to coincide with the Easter school holidays, when fewer people use the railway.