Great Western Electrification Progress

[3973EXL]

There has been a possession on the Mains for the last four nights east of Reading. Working each night on the UM has been a train ex Swindon.

Hopefully the missing sections have all been completed as well as Maidenhead West: Ruscombe missing contact wire and Twyford to Twyford W.

I can only see two workings in the coming week at the moment, Sat & Wed nights in the Twyford area.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/B34526/2017/06/17/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/B34532/2017/06/21/advanced

 

[jimm]

Post on rmweb's thread says that notices have been issued saying that the up and down main lines and the down relief line between Scours Lane and Reading West junction - where the west to south curve on the triangle leaves the GWML - are due to be energised this weekend.

 

[jyte]

Post on rmweb's thread says that notices have been issued saying that the up and down main lines and the down relief line between Scours Lane and Reading West junction - where the west to south curve on the triangle leaves the GWML - are due to be energised this weekend.

That's not that much is it? Are they planning to energise the platforms at Reading from one end (West end or East end) or both at once?

 

[swt_passenger]

That's not that much is it? Are they planning to energise the platforms at Reading from one end (West end or East end) or both at once?

Not sure what you are asking for here. A section cannot be energised from both ends at once. It may be switchable from the normal supply source at Didcot to Kensal Green in degraded conditions, (as discussed a few weeks ago) but it will never be connected to both.

Maidenhead is the boundary, and Reading will normally be fed from Didcot.

 

[Class 170101]

I thought the GW had a separate feeder at Westbourne Park and that Kensal Green fed the WCML and the NLL / WLL.

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought the GW had a separate feeder at Westbourne Park and that Kensal Green fed the WCML and the NLL / WLL.

For a moment I had some doubts, but see later posts. I've also now confirmed it named as Kensal Green in one of those NR electrification summaries.

 

[coppercapped]

I thought the GW had a separate feeder at Westbourne Park and that Kensal Green fed the WCML and the NLL / WLL.

A new 400kV to -25 - 0 +25kV autotransformer feeder substation has been built right beside the GW line at Kensal Green and will supply the GW as far as Maidenhead. If it has not yet been commissioned it will be in the next few weeks. There has been no mention anywhere that this feeder station has anything to do with the WCML and associated lines.

The original feeders on the GW were sized only for the Heathrow Express and Connect services and are limited to supplying a maximum of three emus at any one time west of Airport Junction as far as Maidenhead.

 

[Class 170101]

There is another feeder station on the WCML which I believe is referred to as Kensal Green this is located on the WCML near Willesden Jn and it is my belif that it does supply the WCML, NLL and WLL. This feeder is supposed to support the GOB Electrification once complete.

 

[coppercapped]

There is another feeder station on the WCML which I believe is referred to as Kensal Green this is located on the WCML near Willesden Jn and it is my belif that it does supply the WCML, NLL and WLL. This feeder is supposed to support the GOB Electrification once complete.

So there are two feeder sites on different routes with the same name - that seems a recipe for confusion! The GW one is immediately to the north of the GW line, squashed between it and the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal and about a hundred yards east of the empty stock flyover at the eastern end of Old Oak yard. At that point the north bank of the canal forms the southern edge of Kensal Green Cemetery.

 

[Class 170101]

The WCML one is located on Acton Lane according to Google Street view.

 

[swt_passenger]

The WCML one is located on Acton Lane according to Google Street view.

Googling earlier I discovered that the big National Grid site at Acton Lane, between the WCML and the Canal is primarily a major facility for the various local distribution network operators, as well as providing at least major three supplies to NR, and also LUL at Neasden.

I do think it would be a bit of a stretch to describe that as being at Kensal Green though, it's almost opposite Harlesden.

In the Goblin wiring thread, the discussion did note that the project will be fed from existing supplies at Barking and Acton Lane.

 

[Elecman]

There is another feeder station on the WCML which I believe is referred to as Kensal Green this is located on the WCML near Willesden Jn and it is my belif that it does supply the WCML, NLL and WLL. This feeder is supposed to support the GOB Electrification once complete.

The WCML one is virtually opposite Willesden as is know as Acton Lane NOT Kensal Green, it does the 25 KV ac Traction the 750 V dc traction and the 11 KV domestic Feeder to Camden and Euston Station.

 

[59CosG95]

Post on rmweb's thread says that notices have been issued saying that the up and down main lines and the down relief line between Scours Lane and Reading West junction - where the west to south curve on the triangle leaves the GWML - are due to be energised this weekend.

As I understand it from the changelogs posted on here, both the DR & UR between Reading West Jct and Scours Lane are still catenary wire only; I trust the contact wire has been added in since!

 

[317 forever]

I am currently planning to ride a 387 between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington in July. The one scenario in which I may postpone it is if there is due to be a Saturday service to Maidenhead or Reading sufficiently early in 2018 to avoid coinciding with class 345s in the area.

Will there be such a window of opportunity, such as between January and May 2018?

 

[edwin_m]

Not sure what you are asking for here. A section cannot be energised from both ends at once. It may be switchable from the normal supply source at Didcot to Kensal Green in degraded conditions, (as discussed a few weeks ago) but it will never be connected to both.

Maidenhead is the boundary, and Reading will normally be fed from Didcot.

Is the issue that until there are continuous wires from Maidenhead to Didcot the section east of Maidenhead can only be fed from Kensal Green with no option of switching it to Didcot as a backup? Trains on that section would them be stranded if some problem further east interrupted the supply.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is the issue that until there are continuous wires from Maidenhead to Didcot the section east of Maidenhead can only be fed from Kensal Green with no option of switching it to Didcot as a backup? Trains on that section would them be stranded if some problem further east interrupted the supply.

I was only seeking to clarify jyte's earlier question, he implies that Reading station area might be fed from both ends at once. I hope he meant that Reading would be feedable from either end, but only one at a time.

 

[jyte]

I was only seeking to clarify jyte's earlier question, he implies that Reading station area might be fed from both ends at once. I hope he meant that Reading would be feedable from either end, but only one at a time.

That was my question yes, I just phrased it badly.

Thank you.

 

[Tw99]

Wiring including contact wire is now up on the southern single track flyover at Reading ( Festival line?)

 

[swt_passenger]

Wiring including contact wire is now up on the southern single track flyover at Reading ( Festival line?)

Yes, that's the right name.

 

[spark001uk]

Just out of interest, would they likely ever consider making Reading spur into an AC/DC changeover point, just in case a 387 or similar ever needs to go up the DC lines? Just a thought.

 

[D1009]

Just out of interest, would they likely ever consider making Reading spur into an AC/DC changeover point, just in case a 387 or similar ever needs to go up the DC lines? Just a thought.

A thought it will probably remain given the appetite for electrification of the North Downs line.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just out of interest, would they likely ever consider making Reading spur into an AC/DC changeover point, just in case a 387 or similar ever needs to go up the DC lines? Just a thought.

The platforms on the relief side accessible via the underpass, 13-15, were fitted with the correct sleepers to take third rail, but I always thought the single track underpass would be the obvious place to do a changeover. Unless they are worried about accelerating up the gradient from a standing start.

 

[Feathers44]

Apologies if this has been covered in the preceding 345 pages of posts. I went through Reading for the first time last weekend (in from Clapham and home via Basingstoke) and realised that they look to be electrifying as far as Reading West.

What I couldn't work out is why. Is it for some sort of reversal facility or access to something within the triangular junction? I haven't heard that they're electrifying down to Basingstoke but I suppose I could be wrong on that one?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Apologies if this has been covered in the preceding 345 pages of posts. I went through Reading for the first time last weekend (in from Clapham and home via Basingstoke) and realised that they look to be electrifying as far as Reading West.

What I couldn't work out is why. Is it for some sort of reversal facility or access to something within the triangular junction? I haven't heard that they're electrifying down to Basingstoke but I suppose I could be wrong on that one?

They are electrifying as far as Newbury, so they will need to wire Reading West.

 

[swt_passenger]

Apologies if this has been covered in the preceding 345 pages of posts. I went through Reading for the first time last weekend (in from Clapham and home via Basingstoke) and realised that they look to be electrifying as far as Reading West.

What I couldn't work out is why. Is it for some sort of reversal facility or access to something within the triangular junction? I haven't heard that they're electrifying down to Basingstoke but I suppose I could be wrong on that one?

As well as Newbury mentioned by Peter just above, their intention is also to wire to Basingstoke eventually. The branches were always planned to be done later, and Basingstoke was listed as CP6 in NR's last enhancement plan update.

 

[spark001uk]

The platforms on the relief side accessible via the underpass, 13-15, were fitted with the correct sleepers to take third rail, but I always thought the single track underpass would be the obvious place to do a changeover. Unless they are worried about accelerating up the gradient from a standing start.

That was the other route I was thinking of, but wasn't sure if that small diveunder looked wide/tall enough take 3rd rail/catenary?

 

[swt_passenger]

That was the other route I was thinking of, but wasn't sure if that small diveunder looked wide/tall enough take 3rd rail/catenary?

It will be wide enough, the third rail is within the normal sleeper length. The question is only whether to run third rail all the way to the platforms or not.

NR have previously said electrification of the route is possible - but the detail wasn't explained. I wouldn't know where to find it again, it was in some sort of Q&A during the rebuild.

 

[JN114]

Apologies if this has been covered in the preceding 345 pages of posts. I went through Reading for the first time last weekend (in from Clapham and home via Basingstoke) and realised that they look to be electrifying as far as Reading West.

What I couldn't work out is why. Is it for some sort of reversal facility or access to something within the triangular junction? I haven't heard that they're electrifying down to Basingstoke but I suppose I could be wrong on that one?

Yes - there's a crossover immediately South of Reading West station and a backing signal to permit trains on the Down Westbury to head either round the West Curve or towards Reading Station. The electrification of this crossover and a suitable length beyond is included in the present "phase" of works to facilitate turning electric sets via the triangle if required

 

[jyte]

There is A mixture of SPS, droppers and registration arms in place on the approach roads to platform 1 and 2 at Paddington. There are also headspan like structures above the platforms (including what looks like, as a previous poster said, copper).

 

[59CosG95]

There is A mixture of SPS, droppers and registration arms in place on the approach roads to platform 1 and 2. There are also headspan like structures above the platforms (including what looks like, as a previous poster said, copper).

Assuming this is at Paddington?