Great Western Electrification Progress

[edwin_m]

Can't be done. How long will it take to install enough water columns and water troughs. 5-10 years?

Couldn't you just drag them down the line to Chipping Sodbury and wait for the next flood?

 

[snowball]

Press release

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-way-traffic-following-essential-upgrade-work

The Cardiff Road bridge in Newport, has reopened to two-way road traffic today (Friday 29 April) after Network Rail completed essential upgrade work in preparation for the arrival of the new fleet of electric trains.

A single lane traffic management system had been in place while the bridge was replaced with a new structure, part of the Network Rail’s £40bn Railway Upgrade Plan to electrify the South Wales Mainline, which will provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers and businesses.

Andrew Griffiths, programme manager for Network Rail Wales said: “I would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carried out the upgrade of this bridge in preparation for electrifying the railway.

“The team worked hard to ensure that we completed the work on schedule and we were able to reopen the road to two-way traffic on time.

“Electrification will provide a faster, greener, quieter, more reliable railway for passengers and improve links from South Wales to major towns and cities, including London.”

Network Rail engineers will be returning to Cardiff Road in June to raise the bridge parapets and to minimise disruption to motorists the road will remain open, however the bus lane will be temporarily closed to ensure this work can be carried out safely.

Elsewhere in Newport work continues to upgrade Bridge Street Road bridge in the city centre and the road over the bridge will be closed to all traffic from Tuesday 3 May 2016 until late 2016 to safely complete this essential work.

 

[D1009]

And yet I am not aware of that ever having been a problem at that location.

Not only did I live in Bath for several years both enjoying the gardens and "Brunel's theatre of Railway" without ever hearing of a problem, I don't recall NRE ever having tweeted about a "trespass incident near #Bath Spa".

Surely the Dawlish sea wall is even worse in that respect, and there have been very few incidents there.

 

[HowardGWR]

Surely the Dawlish sea wall is even worse in that respect, and there have been very few incidents there.

Only people getting killed chasing their dogs who* strayed on the line.

I believe this is attributed to anthropomorphic psychology.

*Edit
As illustration. there is debate about 'which' and 'who' when applied to pets.

 

[Pete81E]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this so apologies if not.

Someone mentioned IEP testing this autumn. I have heard a rumour from a usually very reliable source that testing between Paddington and Didcot could start as early as the introduction of the summer tmetable in May,

Presumably this will be diesel mode, unless they can energise just a part of the route (presumably Didcot end).

Has anyone else heard this or have any updated info on testing schedules?

Regards,
Pete

Cant remember where I read it but the test section ( Tilehurst to Didcot ) was targetted for a switch on at the end of May.

I have now heard that the plan is for Scours Lane (Reading) to Didcot to be energised 10.30pm May 28. Pretty specific! As before this is from a GWR employee normally very reliable, but would welcome confirmation.

Pete

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Your source is correct Pete, Scours lane to Milton Junction from 2230 Saturday 28th will be energised and treated as "Live at all times".

 

[reddragon]

Confirms what the letter that I got said.

In the last few days the return cables went up on the A329 crossing section at Cholsey and on the Tilehurst to Scours Lane sections.

There is a lot of work going on but 28th May is going to be very tight!

 

[Mordac]

What's the point of energising that bit if it's still not ready East of Reading?

 

[edwin_m]

Have the sources actually said "energised" or just "treated as live"? The latter needs to be advised to relevant people a few weeks beforehand and will be the earliest programmed date when the wires might be energised. Actual energisation could be later.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What's the point of energising that bit if it's still not ready East of Reading?

It was always the plan to energise Reading to Didcot first for testing purposes, although I don't know if this was originally intended to link up at the same time with the existing electrification at Heathrow Junction. I'm not sure how much Class 800/801 testing will take place on the GWML as they have already been tested at Old Dalby and the ECML, but I guess the first of whatever testing takes place will be the bi-modes using diesel power to get to and from the test section.

 

[furnessvale]

What's the point of energising that bit if it's still not ready East of Reading?

With all that copper up there the sooner it is energised the less chance the 40 thieves have of nicking it.

I hasten to add, that is not the reason, honest, or H & S and defence lawyers would have a field day!

 

[ainsworth74]

With all that copper up there the sooner it is energised the less chance the 40 thieves have of nicking it.

I thought contact wires were some sort of steel rather than copper?

 

[furnessvale]

I thought contact wires were some sort of steel rather than copper?

No doubt one of the experts will be along, but the last time I took a serious look at such things, the catenary wire was twisted aluminium with a single steel strand in it for strength, but the contact wire was copper.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

No doubt one of the experts will be along, but the last time I took a serious look at such things, the catenary wire was twisted aluminium with a single steel strand in it for strength, but the contact wire was copper.

Correct - similar in many ways to the UK Grid. It is Aluminium but with steel formers for strength on the UK grid. Copper is an excellent conductor - although aluminium is not bad. The contact wire is copper but I forget what the alloying element is. In the 80s and early 90s they alloyed with some cadmium (well that is what I was taught at university) but I am sure it is something different now -definitely not pure copper.

www.nktcables.com/~/media/Files/.../Railway_ProduktbroschureUK.pdf

This link suggests the alloying elements are silver(surprised me because of cost) ; magnesium and tin.

 

[ainsworth74]

Ah that's cleared that up. Many thanks

 

[alxndr]

Have the sources actually said "energised" or just "treated as live"? The latter needs to be advised to relevant people a few weeks beforehand and will be the earliest programmed date when the wires might be energised. Actual energisation could be later.

The phrasing I've seen talks about "notice of impending electrification" and "must be regarded as live and dangerous". I suspect it's the latter and the switch may not be flipped at precisely 2230hrs, but I'd certainly not be the one to want to find out.

 

[jimm]

If there is a sudden acceleration in the rate of wiring, then the end of the month may just be doable, but as I noted above, even at the end of last week there were still several portals missing in the Didcot area, including a couple under a National Grid line, which presumably requires a power shut-off to be organised to allow lifting of the steelwork underneath.

As well as all the running lines and the Tilehurst ladder pointwork, they presumably need to complete much of the overhead through Didcot Parkway station, because the main National Grid feeder station is sited west of the station at Foxhall Junction.

It was always the plan to energise Reading to Didcot first for testing purposes, although I don't know if this was originally intended to link up at the same time with the existing electrification at Heathrow Junction.

The test section will end at Scours Lane (roughly where the western connection to Reading depot leaves the up relief line) where there is a mono anchor boom - see picture here http://www.furrerfrey.ch/en/systems/Series-1.html#prettyPhoto - straddling the tracks that I assume is the place that they plan to end the overhead for the time being.

From here to Didcot was originally supposed to have been energised by the back end of last year, ahead of any other section of the line west of Airport Junction.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

A BBC article on the GW electrification.

Rail delays expected due to electrification work.

Rail passengers travelling through the west of England are being warned of delays.

A bridge at Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire is being demolished as part of work to electrify the railway between London and south Wales.

There will be one train an hour from Bristol Parkway to London via Newbury, which will add 30 minutes to journey times on Sunday and Monday.
A bus service will run between Bath Spa station and Bristol Parkway.

Great Western Railway said some trains will be running earlier than timetabled to allow for delays of up to 50 minutes and that replacement buses would be used on some routes.

It said passengers should check their website for further information.

Can someone please explain the bold part, I can't understand how such a service could operate.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A BBC article on the GW electrification.
Can someone please explain the bold part, I can't understand how such a service could operate.

Presumably the direct routes Bristol Parkway/Temple Meads to Swindon are closed for the bridge works at Wootton Bassett.
The route remaining open is (Cardiff)-Bristol Parkway-Temple Meads-Bath-Trowbridge-Newbury-Reading.
Hence Bristol Parkway-London via Newbury.
It has been quite a common diversion route recently, during the Swindon resignalling and now the bridge works.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

Presumably the direct routes Bristol Parkway/Temple Meads to Swindon are closed for the bridge works at Wootton Bassett.
The route remaining open is (Cardiff)-Bristol Parkway-Temple Meads-Bath-Trowbridge-Newbury-Reading.
Hence Bristol Parkway-London via Newbury.
It has been quite a common diversion route recently, during the Swindon resignalling and now the bridge works.

But then why do you need a bus service between Bristol Parkway and Bath Spa?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

But then why do you need a bus service between Bristol Parkway and Bath Spa?

Actually all London-Cardiff services are diverted via Gloucester and there are no London trains at Bristol Parkway.
So you need a bus connection to Parkway. Today the buses seem to originate from Swindon.
Portsmouth-Bristol TM-Cardiff services are running at Filton AW.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

Actually all London-Cardiff services are diverted via Gloucester and there are no London trains at Bristol Parkway.
So you need a bus connection to Parkway. Today the buses seem to originate from Swindon.
Portsmouth-Bristol TM-Cardiff services are running at Filton AW.

Thanks that makes sense, the BBC article was very poorly worded and difficult to understand.

 

[Class 170101]

I am surprised that none of the Bristol Temple Meads haven't been extended this way. Cross Country are still running between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway.

 

[leomartin125]

Went to Reading yesterday and took a photo of some progress in the Ruscombe area, nowhere near as much as East of Maidenhead though.

https://flic.kr/p/Gm5xWN

Shows one of the new gantries for wires over the relief lines. It's not much but it's progress.

 

[jimm]

Went to Reading yesterday and took a photo of some progress in the Ruscombe area, nowhere near as much as East of Maidenhead though.

https://flic.kr/p/Gm5xWN

Shows one of the new gantries for wires over the relief lines. It's not much but it's progress.

It's hardly surprising there is less progress west of Maidenhead than east since it is scheduled to be wired later and they are still in the middle of carrying out piling for catenary foundations between Maidenhead and Reading, with work scheduled every night this week.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/great-western-route-modernisation/reading/

 

[leomartin125]

Would like to take a moment to say that I saw two huge metal pilings at the side of the tracks immediately West of Maidenhead today, presumably for piling. Good to see that Maidenhead Station itself is finally getting a bit of attention.

 

[Harlan Cage]

I live in Maidenhead too and I am surprised how little work has been carried out in and around the station area. Interestedly the original roof on the buildings on platform 4/5 has been retained and repainted! The new station canopies also have the old lift shaft grooves retained in situ; I assume this a an interim measure?

All in all I think Maidenhead Station is now a soulless cold miserable station however I live in hope that after 2 years of work that eventually the station rebuild will be completed and it will be improvement on the past!

 

[leomartin125]

I live in Maidenhead too and I am surprised how little work has been carried out in and around the station area. Interestedly the original roof on the buildings on platform 4/5 has been retained and repainted! The new station canopies also have the old lift shaft grooves retained in situ; I assume this a an interim measure?

All in all I think Maidenhead Station is now a soulless cold miserable station however I live in hope that after 2 years of work that eventually the station rebuild will be completed and it will be improvement on the past!

I bloody hope those 'new' station canapies are an interim measure, although it looks scarily like something NR would implement as a 'problem solved' cost effective replacement measure. A lot of track work has occured immediately East of Maidenhead, the slow lines have been closed over the Bank Holiday to help with that. In terms of station preparation work however, it really isn't looking like a priority, maybe NR will start a lot more work over the summer. I live in Maidenhead too and see the station every day on the way to work and it's surprising how little things change there depsite the scale of the operation in hand.

 

[swt_passenger]

I bloody hope those 'new' station canapies are an interim measure, although it looks scarily like something NR would implement as a 'problem solved' cost effective replacement measure. A lot of track work has occured immediately East of Maidenhead, the slow lines have been closed over the Bank Holiday to help with that. In terms of station preparation work however, it really isn't looking like a priority, maybe NR will start a lot more work over the summer. I live in Maidenhead too and see the station every day on the way to work and it's surprising how little things change there depsite the scale of the operation in hand.

When is Crossrail planned to reach Maidenhead? Dec 2019 IIRC. So is that a long enough period to do their outstanding work, and are they on time with respect to their own plans?

 

[JamesT]

When is Crossrail planned to reach Maidenhead? Dec 2019 IIRC. So is that a long enough period to do their outstanding work, and are they on time with respect to their own plans?

I thought GWR was supposed to be introducing new trains as soon as next year on the stretch to Reading, so Maidenhead would need to be done by then, not waiting for Crossrail?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I thought GWR was supposed to be introducing new trains as soon as next year on the stretch to Reading, so Maidenhead would need to be done by then, not waiting for Crossrail?

The Hendy milestones don't help much.
The Crossrail project only has the final date of Dec 2019 for the introduction of full services to Reading.
All their other milestones are for infrastructure east of Airport Jn.
The GW project has Dec 2017 for completion of Maidenhead-Didcot, but with "first electric train" shown as CP6 (ie not before April 2019).