Great Western Electrification Progress

[haddock1000]

I'm just travelling from Chippenham to Swindon and there is a lot of SPS on pallets in the down cess just before Wootton Bassett, so it looks like there is some work going on there. After the junction a lot of the SPS looks to be installed along with the earthing wire, albeit on temporary pulleys.

 

[bastien]

Temple Meads is quite a bizarre station isn't it. On the one hand it is easily one of the UK's most beautiful, but it's really awkwardly placed in relation to the city and the streetscape, but the the platform-access underpass, and draughty-open nature of it (in winter) are not great for the principle station of one of our major cities. Is any serious refurbishment/rebuild being planned except for these minor 'tweaks'?

In fairness there used to be a lot more 'city' around Temple Meads before the Luftwaffe came along. Not to mention 1960s planners, the docks closing, etc.

 

[59CosG95]

No, you are right. There are TTCs in both directions on the P1/2 island for platforms 1, 2 and 3 (and presumably the avoiding line south of P1). The P4 ones are just for that platform (and maybe that avoiding line too).

That is what I thought - I did forget the Up Avoider though! I'll note that all down.

I'm just travelling from Chippenham to Swindon and there is a lot of SPS on pallets in the down cess just before Wootton Bassett, so it looks like there is some work going on there. After the junction a lot of the SPS looks to be installed along with the earthing wire, albeit on temporary pulleys.

Fab news - I'll put that in the changelog.

 

[edwin_m]

Temple Meads is quite a bizarre station isn't it. On the one hand it is easily one of the UK's most beautiful, but it's really awkwardly placed in relation to the city and the streetscape, but the the platform-access underpass, and draughty-open nature of it (in winter) are not great for the principle station of one of our major cities. Is any serious refurbishment/rebuild being planned except for these minor 'tweaks'?

I think the main issue is the cramped entrance/booking hall, which will get worse if P0/P1 blocks the alternative access and creates an extra flow of passengers interchanging between P0/1 and the main subway by the quickest route. The subway itself seems quite spacious, even with several shops in it.

There was a Network Rail document a few years ago that floated the idea of extending the subway underneath the forecourt to reach P0/P1. I'm not sure whether that is going ahead, and if so it won't on its own solve the congestion in the booking area. I'm not sure if anywhere else was/is planned for that - perhaps some of the buildings between P3 and the forecourt could become a ticket hall?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Perhaps slightly OT but I think not, I am actually quite enthusiastic and hopeful about the progress London -Cardiff- I feel better about this than the sad tragedy of Manchester- Blackpool - which is what - 47 miles of route electrification?. Work started in 2012 on that route - so I am really pleased about the GWML. I also think there is much to be learned from what is happening. Keep energizing sections - up to Maidenhead, then Reading, then Didcot - etc. Just got to hope when finished they will do Didcot - Oxford, then BPW-BTM and then backwards/forwards via Bath etc. Love these updates thanks to all.

 

[59CosG95]

Perhaps slightly OT but I think not, I am actually quite enthusiastic and hopeful about the progress London -Cardiff- I feel better about this than the sad tragedy of Manchester- Blackpool - which is what - 47 miles of route electrification?. Work started in 2012 on that route - so I am really pleased about the GWML. I also think there is much to be learned from what is happening. Keep energizing sections - up to Maidenhead, then Reading, then Didcot - etc. Just got to hope when finished they will do Didcot - Oxford, then BPW-BTM and then backwards/forwards via Bath etc. Love these updates thanks to all.

Reading the Enhancements Delivery Programme (Thanks @jimm for posting the link), it looks like the Bristol wiring and the Oxford wiring is set to occur in CP6; the resignalling schemes in the next half a year will pave the way for the improvements in those areas. The Thames Valley Branches (not Greenford), along with Southcote Junction to Basingstoke have also been deferred to then, according to the EDP slideshow - I'm eagerly awaiting the March '18 update.

Cardiff-Swansea doesn't seem to be so lucky however.
I have the memory of a sieve when it comes to why the section west of Cardiff got "Graylinged"; I assume cost overruns combined with a lack of concrete answers on what the Welsh Gov't wanted in the Valleys had something to do with it. (If anyone knows more about it, do post it down - I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs a reminder!)

 

[mr_jrt]

Would it ever be worth buying up the large light industrial properties over the Avon on the west side of Bath Road to realign the tracks through Temple Meads to eliminate most of the reverse curvature? They could be easily replaced on the other side of the new tracks...

 

[snowball]

Reading the Enhancements Delivery Programme (Thanks @jimm for posting the link), it looks like the Bristol wiring and the Oxford wiring is set to occur in CP6; the resignalling schemes in the next half a year will pave the way for the improvements in those areas. The Thames Valley Branches (not Greenford), along with Southcote Junction to Basingstoke have also been deferred to then, according to the EDP slideshow - I'm eagerly awaiting the March '18 update.

Cardiff-Swansea doesn't seem to be so lucky however.
I have the memory of a sieve when it comes to why the section west of Cardiff got "Graylinged"; I assume cost overruns combined with a lack of concrete answers on what the Welsh Gov't wanted in the Valleys had something to do with it. (If anyone knows more about it, do post it down - I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs a reminder!)

Here is the original statement to the Commons on the cancellation of Swansea:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/.../written-statement/Commons/2017-07-20/HCWS85/

and here is the press release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...assengers-in-wales-the-midlands-and-the-north

The announcement on Oxford, the two routes to Bristol TM and the two Thames branches (Windsor and Henley) was made eight months earlier, in Nov 2016. If I remember correctly, the term used was "deferred". It is widely expected that some or all of them will be revived in CP6 but this has not been promised and they will have to re-make their case.

I think Basingstoke dropped out at the time of the Hendy review???

If the Marlow and Greenford branches were ever included then they were dropped longer ago.

 

[59CosG95]

Would it ever be worth buying up the large light industrial properties over the Avon on the west side of Bath Road to realign the tracks through Temple Meads to eliminate most of the reverse curvature? They could be easily replaced on the other side of the new tracks...

Not without major reconstruction of Bath Road itself, along with the roundabout.

Here is the original statement to the Commons on the cancellation of Swansea:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/.../written-statement/Commons/2017-07-20/HCWS85/

and here is the press release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...assengers-in-wales-the-midlands-and-the-north

The announcement on Oxford, the two routes to Bristol TM and the two Thames branches (Windsor and Henley) was made eight months earlier, in Nov 2016. If I remember correctly, the term used was "deferred". It is widely expected that some or all of them will be revived in CP6 but this has not been promised and they will have to re-make their case.

[POLITICS] I find it almost amusing that the website said that "Disruptive electrification works would no longer be needed"; it would be funny if I wasn't so disappointed by the announcement.
Grayling's approach to this seems to be akin to an undergraduate who wants to put the absolute minimum into his studies and still graduate with a 2:1 - personally I feel that if the cancellation excuse was worthy enough then yes, it should have been cancelled, but with the excuse submitted to the Commons I would suggested postponement.
I suspect that, if the Senedd gets their act together (could take a night, could take 5 years), they might push for the job to be finished. [/POLITICS]

 

[HowardGWR]

In fairness there used to be a lot more 'city' around Temple Meads before the Luftwaffe came along. Not to mention 1960s planners, the docks closing, etc.

That's not true, if you mean 'city' to mean offices and business. The area around TM was mainly goods yards and factories pre-war. People then tended to bus, walk and cycle to the factories (cigarette packets, breweries. and other drug industries!). Yes, some used the local railway connections.

TM is now almost the centre of Bristol in the make and in any case, one can walk to what people consider the Centre in about 10 minutes, due to a much improved walking route across Queens Square. (I know, it's Queen Square but nobody in Bristol says that). Also, many frequent buses now start from the Incline, including frequent coach to the airport. The Metrobus will be less convenient, sadly, I admit.

TM has never been so well connected but one could waste a lot of the time saved by the IET in getting from Temple Way to Platform 13 - 15, which is why starting the fast service from Platform 0 and 1 will be key to its success.

 

[HowardGWR]

Would it ever be worth buying up the large light industrial properties over the Avon on the west side of Bath Road to realign the tracks through Temple Meads to eliminate most of the reverse curvature? They could be easily replaced on the other side of the new tracks...

That's already there -it's the SPM avoiding line and surrounding depots! Leaving aside the 'Arenal' project, it doesn't solve the need for the entrance from Filton, unless even more demolition would be envisaged. In fairness, the St Phillips /St Philip's Marsh area is nearly all light industry and physically could easily be removed, but Bristol's strength is its light industry and start-ups (think Wallace and Gromit - now so big it's moved!).

 

[swt_passenger]

I think Basingstoke dropped out at the time of the Hendy review???

If the Marlow and Greenford branches were ever included then they were dropped longer ago.

Southcote Jn to Basingstoke was separated from the "Thames Valley branches" a few years ago, but still appears further on in the latest EDP document as a distinct project and is still "assumed CP6'.

Bourne End and Marlow was included initially, but removed once the difficulties with rolling stock and existing platform lengths became clear. To the best of my knowledge Greenford was never considered in any published list of GWML based projects.

 

[3973EXL]

Reading West to Southcote Review.

Activity at Reading West appears to be just Murphy's work on the new footbridge and reinstatement of the down side access. There are no piles in yet for the overhead masts.
No one on site today, appears main work activity will be Saturday nights.

Views of station and old FB towards Oxford Road Junction.

View from down platform towards the to be reinstated Oxford Road access.

Piles for the new FB on the up side.

Two views towards Southcote from the station and one each way from Tilehurst Road bridge.

Second photo, right side opposite platform is the first pile south of Oxford Rd Jn.

 

[oglord]

Bristol Parkway cantilevers:

 

[3973EXL]

Reading West to Southcote cont.

It is possible to view the whole section from lineside locations. Next bridge after Tilehurst Road is the A4 Bath Road bridge.

First is back towards Tilehurst Road and the other are towards Southcote just short of the actual junction.

FP along the side of Southcote Junction looking back towards Reading West.

Five masts on the up side are recent.

Southcote Jn towards Newbury. Nearest mast has been up a while but the support is recent.

 

[coppercapped]

SNIPPED

Cardiff-Swansea doesn't seem to be so lucky however.
I have the memory of a sieve when it comes to why the section west of Cardiff got "Graylinged"; I assume cost overruns combined with a lack of concrete answers on what the Welsh Gov't wanted in the Valleys had something to do with it. (If anyone knows more about it, do post it down - I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs a reminder!)

From published articles the issue with electrifying the Cardiff-Swansea section was the paucity of suitable trains which would use it. Certainly there would be one train per hour off-peak through to Paddington and possibly one or two more during the peak travel times. Any electrically operated local services to and from Swansea would be limited to the stretch through Cardiff to Newport, there being no real source or sink for local traffic east of Newport which electric trains could reach with the exception of Bristol but that only when the wires up Filton Bank and through Temple Meads were completed. It would be possible to use bi-modes for services through Temple Meads to, say, the south coast but this means that the trains would spend most of their time off the wires.

If the Valley Lines were to be electrified at 25kV then a couple more local trains along the South Wales main line might be feasible.

All this means that the Cardiff to Swansea electrification would power about one full-length train and between two and four short(ish) trains per hour in each direction.

It would seem that making a convincing case for spending so much money on what is essentially a relatively lightly used stretch was difficult.

 

[bastien]

That's not true, if you mean 'city' to mean offices and business.

FWIW, I didn't mean that, hence the inverted commas.

 

[HowardGWR]

FWIW, I didn't mean that, hence the inverted commas.

Ah, I see. In fact of course, it was the old covered goods depot's rebuilding that has led the charge of offices towards TM and this type of development has spread out from there. The Luftwaffe, as you say, 'cleared' the site on the southern side of Temple Way, sadly still containing the tatty developments of the 50s and 60s, but I predict they will go in the next decades, if not sooner.

 

[59CosG95]

Bristol Parkway cantilevers:
View attachment 44113

Very encouraging signs of progress indeed! The pedant in me does think that P4 and the loop might be a mast or two short...I think at least one should still be needing to go in around here (see circled section on the attached image).

 

[oglord]

Very encouraging signs of progress indeed! The pedant in me does think that P4 and the loop might be a mast or two short...

Oi! I was rushing across the bridge this morning!

 

[59CosG95]

Oi! I was rushing across the bridge this morning!

Haha, fair enough! I'm sure something'll become clearer soon.

 

[Hellzapoppin]

If you look up at the bridge over Avon street you can still see the shrapnel holes in the steelwork when the station was bombed.

 

[Envoy]

Last night, Bristol City Council decided that a new concert hall/arena would be built on the waste land that is just east of Temple Meads = the old diesel depot. (Some councillors wanted it to go to Filton).

The Cardiff to Swansea line is actually quite busy. As well as the 800’s, local stopping trains would also have benefited from electrification - possibly offering a service between Swansea & Bath. It now looks like the Maesteg line will not be electrified because that was dependent on the Cardiff to Bridgend section of the mainline getting wired. According to posts on the South Wales Metro forum, it looks like the Welsh Government wish to take over the valley lines running north from Cardiff Queen Street and electrify them at 750volt DC for use by trams or tram/trains.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/south-wales-metro.117763/page-58#post-3375632

 

[Sean Emmett]

Bristol City Council vote re Arena at Temple Meads was only advisory. Decision will be made by Mayor Marvin Rees in May.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

The down side platform extension at Aldermaston looked to be structurally nearly complete when I passed yesterday.

As has been mentioned, progress at Thatcham (where both up and down sides are being extended) seems a bit slower, and when I arrived there the guys in orange looked to be working to re-locate cabling (contained within plastic piping) in the area where the down-side extension will go.

I also understood that the platforms at Theale are being extended, but no sign of any work on that yet as far as I could see.

 

[59CosG95]

The down side platform extension at Aldermaston looked to be structurally nearly complete when I passed yesterday.

As has been mentioned, progress at Thatcham (where both up and down sides are being extended) seems a bit slower, and when I arrived there the guys in orange looked to be working to re-locate cabling (contained within plastic piping) in the area where the down-side extension will go.

I also understood that the platforms at Theale are being extended, but no sign of any work on that yet as far as I could see.

That work may well be occurring in one of the next blockades.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

That work may well be occurring in one of the next blockades.

Indeed, I do realise there are several more to come - although hopefully not as many as have currently been scheduled will be needed - as a casual/interested observer there seemed to be a lot of progress made (in many different locations) during the first one

 

[3973EXL]

B&H Southcote to Theale.

Most of the masts are up, odd ones missing throughout. Same with cantilevers, booms/portals, odd ones missing throughout. A lot of SPS going up between MP38 1/2 and the M4 bridge.

Views Theale towards Reading.


Theale loop platform, masts and base.


Concrete piles down platform.


View west.

 

[3973EXL]

Theale to Ufton Towney UWC

SPS started to go up between Theale and Wigmore Lane.
Wigmore Lane to Ufton Lane looks nearly ready for wires (mast by Ufton bridge still to be fitted with SPS).

East end of Ufton loop area looks good. West end, where the missing masts recently went up, has at least a cantilever and a boom missing, plus SPS.

New fence and gates at the UWC.

Photos start from east of Ufton Lane.

 

[3973EXL]

Ufton Towney to Aldermaston.

Patches of SPS still to go up.
Platform to finish, joint to existing platform, one concrete panel missing.



Hopefully, during April 23rd block they can get Midgham to Theale wired!