Great Western Electrification Progress

[59CosG95]

STOP. PRESS.

https://twitter.com/Clinnick1/status/989862486110240779

Wires west of Didcot are due to be energised from the end of May; as far west as Swindon.

I suspect the "gap" at the western end of the station may be to allow for a phased introduction, rather like the "gap" between Didcot & Milton Jct at present.

 

[DidcotDickie]

They'll need to finish off the gap east of the Bourton crossovers in that case. Both lines still to be wired.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

Thanks for the pics UnclePete, looks like they have gone another few hundred metres west of Rockingham Road Bridge.

 

[59CosG95]

Thanks for the pics UnclePete, looks like they have gone another few hundred metres west of Rockingham Road Bridge.

Checking the Sectional appendix, the Proposed Limit is at 53m 51ch, while Newbury is at 53m 06ch. 45ch is roughly 905 metres, so it could well be the case that all the necessary masts are now up to the west of Newbury.

 

[jyte]

Swindon by May?

That's good progress! (I think?).

Can anyone tell me how much is outstanding between Swindon and Parkway?

 

[swt_passenger]

Swindon by May?

That's good progress! (I think?).

Can anyone tell me how much is outstanding between Swindon and Parkway?

Post #6938 might help, on the previous page?

 

[Mintona]

I was chatting to someone yesterday who was saying he’d heard that the wires won’t be going to Thingley Junction anymore. They’ll be stopping London side of Chippenham station, and the stuff that’s already been installed between Chippenham and Thingley Junction is going to be removed and used on the Newbury line instead.

Anyone able to confirm anything?

 

[59CosG95]

I was chatting to someone yesterday who was saying he’d heard that the wires won’t be going to Thingley Junction anymore. They’ll be stopping London side of Chippenham station, and the stuff that’s already been installed between Chippenham and Thingley Junction is going to be removed and used on the Newbury line instead.

Anyone able to confirm anything?

That might be a slightly dubious decision, given that the Feeder Station at Thingley is still (AFAIK) going ahead. It would make sense to keep the heavy steelwork in situ, using the ATF wires to end-feed the route east of Chippenham, as all the increased use of the OLE west of Didcot (to Swindon, Bristol Parkway and beyond) will need the increased power.

What's more, most of the heavy steelwork appears to be in on the Newbury route (bar Theale-Southcote Jct), so it may only be the SPS (if any at all) that gets moved further east.

But if Grayling's enacted that decision, I can't say I'm surprised.

 

[59CosG95]

Anyhow, back to the task at hand:

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 30/4/2018

Paddington to Didcot - LIVE

• All main line tracks wired within the M25.
• TTCs near Ealing Broadway over the Down Main to replace headspans.
• Everything wired at Reading (bar P4-6 which were never in the plan). Includes the TCD & the curves, down to Reading West (see B&H section).
• Current live wires end at 54m 51ch on the Mains (just short of Milton Jct; 55m 19ch). The Didcot Relief OLE ends at Foxhall Jct (53m 55ch).

Small Points

• First few yards of Windsor and Marlow branches wired.
• ATF wires in operation from Maidenhead to Didcot; Kensal Green to Maidenhead currently only using return conductors but will be AT-ready in the near future.
  • Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead to be closed off over the May Bank Holiday, to prepare for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead; renewals of S&C at West Drayton & Slough West Jct, alongside HOPS work at Langley. Paddington to H&H will also be closed on May 6th, presumably for the ATF installation and finishing of Platform Extensions.
• On May 20th, all lines between Paddington and H&H will be closed until 0800.
• Twyford platform, canopy and bridge parapet works in progress.
• Few masts and cantilevers now up on the Didcot Avoiding Line, which finish at Appleford; Appleford LC being the limit of wires for the time being.
• Oxford Lines west of Didcot Pkwy wired as far as the loco fuelling sdg; Down Oxford as far as 53m31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m42ch. Didcot avoiding lines have sprouted masts (4 portals, 2 TTCs), with a wire pair over the Down Didcot Avoider.

Didcot to Swindon - due to go live end of May 2018
All steelwork (including SPS) looks to be complete from Didcot to Swindon.
A note on Steventon: Wires up over the Level Crossings & under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. The discussion continues.

Steventon-Uffington-Swindon

• In the Steventon area (between MP55 3/4 and MP57 1/4), all wires over the Mains up, with just the gap between the existing live section & the A34 left to wire.
• The Mains are wired from signals SB963/SB965 (just west of the A34) to the existing wires west of Causeway Crossing, going under *that* bridge at Steventon.
• The Didcot Relief Line (Did.RL; 55m 00ch to 56m 32ch) and the Down Steventon Goods Loop (DSGL; 55m 19ch to 56m 32ch) remain unwired. As the A34 straddles all 4 of the Did.RL, DM, UM & DSGL, it can be said that all 4 lines under and east of the A34 still need to be wired.
• Wires over the Mains continue to approx MP72 1/4, where a small gap just east of Bourton X-overs remains. Both Bourton & Uffington X-overs wired.
• West of Bourton the wires resume and continue, to the western end of Swindon Station (see below).
  • The USGL at Stratton (Swindon Up Goods Loop) is also wired. However, the ATF wires appear to stop west of Stratton Green. EDIT: they go under the footbridge at the end of the loop in a trough.
  • East of County Rd underbridge, the USR (Up Swindon Reception) & DSG (Down Swindon Goods) are also wired.

Swindon Station

• SPS up through P3, but not (from internet observations) at the eastern end of P1; some still to go up around the London end of the approaches, and some over the pointwork at the Bristol end.
• Wires up through P4 (Down Main) & the through Road (Up Main); these terminate in the Tensorex drums at the western end of the station.
• All large steelwork now up in the station area.
• The gaggle of tall masts at the Bristol end of the Main lines now have cables over them; this must be for ATF purposes.

Swindon-Wootton Bassett Jct

• Wootton Bassett Jct (83m 07ch) was wired over the weekend of 24/25th March. The western half of the Up Wootton Bassett Goods Loop (UWBGL) has also been wired.
• Wires on both DM (Down Main) & UM (Up Main) resume around MP 77 3/4; these continue to MP96, just west of Hullavington (see below). A gap on the DM also exists over Wootton Bassett Jct.
• Rushey Platt (78m 36ch) has a single wire run from the UM onto the loop (only as far as approx MP78 1/4).
• The UM gap at Hay Lane between MP79 1/2 and MP 80 1/4 has not yet been filled in.

The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham - Thingley Jct

• In the Down Cess just west of Wootton Bassett Jct, a lot of SPS is stored on pallets, ready to be installed.
• Track lowering and drainage work at Dauntsey completed.
• Nr Tockenham Wick, pretty much all the masts are up, TTCs, STCs and portals alike; most have SPS fitted now.
• First few headspans (?) erected over 25/6th of Feb '17 at Dauntsey Bank (87m ish), and some (not all) of the missing masts have gone up too, plus brackets for fittings.
• Langley Burrell (east of Chippenham)
  • In the Crossing Rd area, all TTC-bearing masts appear to be up with their booms on. These masts have extended east towards Christian Malford too.
  • Most STCs here have their SPS up, folded out of the way; these masts also have ATF wire brackets fixed at the top.
  • Some of the thicker STC masts, which have TTC-style tubular booms fitted, aren't yet dressed with SPS. The TTC "Tensorex" portals at Langley Burrell don't yet bear the Tensorex drums which will eventually go up there.
  • Works compound established at Langley Green L.C.
  • Single run of earth wire on the Up side between Langley Burrell & Christian Malford.
  • Masts also up (with booms) south of Langley Burrell to Cocklebury Lane Bridge (last bridge east of Chippenham); SPS starting to appear on the thinner uprights.
  • As yet, no masts west of there but piles are in. Some mast components are in the Down side cess just west of Cocklebury Ln.
• No piles in Chippenham station, nor any masts affixed to the viaduct.

All piles in and majority of masts (and cantilevers) up from the western end of the viaduct to Thingley Junction (where the feeder station will be). About 6 masts are up in the vicinity of Thingley Feeder Stn, one of which has a TTC boom affixed.

• Piles continue westwards to the next bridge.
• Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel).

Thingley Jct - Bath
No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Corsham have all had clearance works, along with Box Tunnel (track lowering) and Sydney Gardens (track lowering).

Bath to Bristol
Piles in, particularly around Saltford. Not due to see use for a while after the wiring delay. Track lowered through Bath Spa, Oldfield Park & Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

South Wales Main Line (Wootton Bassett Jct-Bristol Parkway-Severn Tunnel-Newport-Cardiff)

Wootton Bassett Jct - Bristol Parkway; apparently set to go live in September 2018.

• 11 odd miles worth of wires up from Wootton Bassett (MP 83 1/2) to around MP96, just west of (and including) Hullavington Loops & crossovers.
  • All masts and most SPS appear to be up around Acton Turville.
  • Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) and Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (101m 06ch).
  • O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (MP101 to MP103 1/2).
• Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
  • many masts up, some with booms attached.
  • SPS now appearing too. Still a lot left to install.
• From Westerleigh Jct to Bristol Parkway; fewer than 20 bases are mastless now. Most SPS is concentrated at the Westerleigh end; the central part between there still needs masts, unbelievably.
  • A run of masts (all boomed) has sprouted on the curve towards Cheltenham Spa.
• The "Blue Viaduct" over the M4 just east of BPW now has SPS up on the masts along it.
• Winterbourne Viaduct is currently mastless.
• BPW Platforms extensions complete.
  • TTCs up over all platforms as of 20/3, along with the Down Bristol Goods Loop (opposite P1).
  • Portal now up at the eastern end over all lines through the station. Nothing more up further east on the approach though.

Bristol Parkway - Pilning

• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail to be installed, 18/6/18 to 8/7/18. Track-lowering and drainage work to be undertaken in the "old" tunnel (on the Cardiff-bound line) in the same time period.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. When the conductor rail is being installed (18/6 to 8/7), wires will also be strung up through Patchway.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, piling and masts appearing towards both Cattybrook & Severn Tunnel (https://flic.kr/p/26twWMw), Platform 2 now closed. SPS going up on some portals and masts too.

Approx. 70% masts now up between BPW and Severn Tunnel.

Severn Tunnel - Newport

• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place .
• All bridge rebuilding complete from Severn Tunnel Jct (149m 14ch) to Bishton Flyover (152m 30ch).
• Masts beginning to go up between Severn Tunnel Jct & Bishton Flyover, as of 3/4/18. These include:
  • About 3 west of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side (https://flic.kr/p/2333VJs). Another can be found on the Up Side, west of the W End/Main Rd footbridge.
  • Masts (with SPS fitted) up between Bishton Flyover (including over it) and Llanwern West Jct (156m 20ch). 5 masts are currently up on the curve down from the flyover at its eastern end.
    https://flic.kr/p/23NSDKD and https://flic.kr/p/23NSCRp.
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
• 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
• Between the Maindee Jcts (157m 74ch to 158m 16ch), a cluster of piles is in beside the Down Relief; these are complemented by masted piles on the Main side (adjacent to the Up Main).

Newport

• P2 & P3 Canopies all cut back; P1 canopies still in progress.
• Masts and portals now appearing at the western end of the station, some with SPS attached. More started to appear in mid-April.
• Some concrete bases in between stn & tunnels, perhaps for portals.
• Old stn footbridge still in situ.

Newport - Cardiff

• Approx. 97 masts from Ebbw Jct (160m 7ch) to Marshfield (163m 60ch). Booms & SPS starting to appear in the area too.
• Green Lane Bridge, nr Marshfield (164m 57ch) reopened to traffic after reconstruction. Masts (with SPS) up around here too.
• Some of the masts near Duffryn have SPS affixed.
• Two TTCs, one on each side of the tracks, have been erected by the bridge at Rhymney River Bridge Jct (167m 61ch).
• About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct (168m 40ch); 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side.

Cardiff Central

• Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.

Swansea IEP Depot

• New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up but no wires.

GWML/SWML Blockades:

• 14/4 & 15/4 - Swindon; done.
• 26/5 to 28/5 - Swindon.
• 23/4 to 25/5 (exc. weekends): Swansea-Padd services will leave Swansea earlier & arrive at Swansea later.
• 30/4 to 18/5 (exc. weekends): most Cardiff-Taunton services curtailed to run between Bristol Pkwy & Taunton only. All Cardiff-Portsmouth services will run to amended schedules, some calling additionally at Patchway & STJ.
• More Blockades will follow, but GWR hasn't yet released details.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury)
Reading-Newbury set to go live from December 2018; electric trains in service from January 2019.
Reading West-Southcote Junction

• Through Reading West to Southcote Jct, perhaps 60% (up from 50%) of masts at best up.
  • These are mainly between Tilehurst Rd Bridge and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge south of Reading West; a cluster of about 6 (5 on the Down side, one on the Up) are also up just short of Southcote Jct (37m 62ch).
  • 4 additional masts on the Up (Reading) side parallel to Southcote Jct.
  • Long-standing mast at Southcote Jct by the Up line from Newbury has recently had a support added.

Southcote Junction - Theale - Aldermaston

• From Southcote Jct past Calcot Mill FP crossing to Theale, most masts are now up (less than 10% left to erect). Still some portals and cantilevers to go up.
  • First SPS up in this area at around MP 38 1/2; SPS work complete from there west to Theale, but some still to go up from there to Wigmore Lane, at the western end of Theale Goods Loop (42m 8ch).
• Masts have gone up on the Loop Platform at Theale; only bases so far on the Down side platform. These should be taking TTCs in that case.
• From Theale Goods Loop to Ufton Lane Bridge, steelwork looks pretty complete; only 3 booms are missing - which should all be installed in the April Blockade (see below). Ready for wires with those errors excepted.
• At Ufton (Towney) Loop (42m08ch to 44m11ch), all the missing masts over the Up Line opposite and over the western end of the loop are now in place.
  • SPS continues part way down the loop, with a gap at the Aldermaston end.
• The gap on the loop excepted, the majority of SPS is now up between Wigmore Rd & Aldermaston. Some patches still here and there where it does need to go up, mainly between Aldermaston & Ufton.
• In the second blockade, wires are going up in the Ufton Nervet/Towney Loop area - they seem to be going as far east as Theale.

Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• The Down platform extension at Aldermaston is mostly in, unlike at Thatcham (where work is likely to take longer than the next blockade). The missing concrete panel is now on site awaiting fitment.
• From Aldermaston to east of Midgham LC, all steelwork appears to be up; masts and SPS have gone up in Aldermaston Station alongside the platform extensions.
• Both lines are fully wired from east of Midgham LC, through Thatcham, to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse).In the second blockade, wires have started to make their way eastwards towards Aldermaston; they appear to only be up on the Down side at present.
• Work on Thatcham's platform extensions continued during the second blockade; the Down side is more advanced than the Up.
  • All 3 level crossings (Midgham, Colthrop, Thatcham) are now wired.
  • A short wire run from just east of Racecourse to just east of the overbridge linking the RC to Hambridge Lane has appeared on the Up line;
  • there is still a gap between this section and the main wired "Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
• RC east X-overs still need wiring.

Newbury Racecourse - Newbury

• Piles almost all in, masts down to single figures. Most masts between Boundary Rd Bridge & Winchcombe Rd Bridge (the A339) are now up, a gaggle of taller masts (presumably for another ATF feeder station) can be seen opposite the Sainsbury's.
• All heavy steelwork at Racecourse (52m31ch) appears to be in; TTCs over the Main lines and a portal over the western throat of the station. The trial bores for the Down Platform have now sprouted masts.
• At Newbury (53m06ch), the new footbridge is now open; piling also taking place within the station, on the platforms. About 4 masts behind P1, along with a handful behind P2/P3 have also sprouted.
• Canopies have been cut back during the 2nd Blockade, to allow the old footbridge to be removed.
• The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd looks roughly 60% complete.
• Between the western end of the platforms at Newbury, & Bartholomew St Bridge (at the western throat of the station), all the masts have had portal booms affixed. (It can be assumed that the portal booms will extend throughout the station.)
• West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights (no booms or SPS) extend to Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station).

Proposed Limit of Wiring: 53m 51ch.
Gives ample room to reverse even a 12-car 387 formation.
Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2.

B&H Blockades:

• 12/3 to 15/3; done.
• 23/4 to 26/4; done.
• 14/5 to 17/5 (newly added to the list),
• 2/6 to 7/6 (extended),
• 9/7 to 12/7,
• 16/7 to 5/8,
• 28/8 to 30/8,
• 8/10 to 11/10,
• 19/11 to 22/11.

Project Postponements

• Appleford LC to Oxford paused, pending track realignment and resignalling of Oxford (1/7 to 22/7); if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen.
• Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling (Taunton-Parkway over Easter 2018; Temple Meads to Both in October 2018), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (to be completed by December 2018).
• Bristol Temple Meads' "Midland Shed" to be reopened in CP6, after Bristol resignalling is complete and the PSB is demolished.

As always, do let me know if I've missed anything!
(apologies to anyone who saw it in a state of source code chaos too)

 

[Phil G]

That might be a slightly dubious decision, given that the Feeder Station at Thingley is still (AFAIK) going ahead. It would make sense to keep the heavy steelwork in situ, using the ATF wires to end-feed the route east of Chippenham, as all the increased use of the OLE west of Didcot (to Swindon, Bristol Parkway and beyond) will need the increased power.

What's more, most of the heavy steelwork appears to be in on the Newbury route (bar Theale-Southcote Jct), so it may only be the SPS (if any at all) that gets moved further east.

But if Grayling's enacted that decision, I can't say I'm surprised.

This would be utter madness, subjectively the heavy steel is 75% complete and it's only about 2 miles. If you were going to limit it then do so at Chippenham station so you can pan up / down in the platform rather than half a mile from the platform.

And if the decision on Bristol is only deferred then you'd have to put it all back again later. Surely the labour, transport and machinery costs would far outweigh the cost of a bit of reused steel which should already have been ordered and paid for.

 

[59CosG95]

This would be utter madness, subjectively the heavy steel is 75% complete and it's only about 2 miles. If you were going to limit it then do so at Chippenham station so you can pan up / down in the platform rather than half a mile from the platform.

And if the decision on Bristol is only deferred then you'd have to put it all back again later. Surely the labour, transport and machinery costs would far outweigh the cost of a bit of reused steel which should already have been ordered and paid for.

I completely agree, such a scheme would be utter madness. It may only be a rumour of course, especially as NR have said that electrification between Didcot & Bristol Parkway/Chippenham is to continue later in May.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

A couple of pics of platform extension progress at Thatcham. Quite a bit done on the down side during last weeks blockade, but not much on the up.

 

[59CosG95]

View attachment 46086 View attachment 46087
A couple of pics of platform extension progress at Thatcham. Quite a bit done on the down side during last weeks blockade, but not much on the up.

Thanks for the info @Thatcham Xing! Your edits have been noted in the big ol' list above.

 

[Malcolmffc]

Should the Windsor and Henley branches be in the list of postponements? Or have they now been officially abandoned like Swansea?

 

[swt_passenger]

Should the Windsor and Henley branches be in the list of postponements? Or have they now been officially abandoned like Swansea?

Yes, they probably should be shown as postponed, or possibly as per the wording shown in the latest Mar 2018 enhancements delivery plan, “CP6”.

Like Oxford, there is no documentary evidence of them ever being “abandoned”.

 

[59CosG95]

Yes, they probably should be shown as postponed, or possibly as per the wording shown in the latest Mar 2018 enhancements delivery plan, “CP6”.

Like Oxford, there is no documentary evidence of them ever being “abandoned”.

Ahh yes. I'll add that in for the next update.

 

[CardiffKid]

Platforms 3 & 4 are currently out of use at Cardiff Central with some work happening at the west end which looks like preparation work for masts/ganteries.

EDIT: Foundation of a mast was in place at the West end of platform 4 this morning (Tue 1st May)
PHOTO: https://twitter.com/NetworkRailWAL/status/991238171311697920

 

[Dai Corner]

Four new masts have appeared over the weekend, I'm told. Two at the Cardiff end and two poking through the canopy on Pl 1.

 

[superkev]

Ahh yes. I'll add that in for the next update.

Such a shame all these postponement particularly as the Blackpool scheme is drawing to a close and much almost brand new plant is parked up with possibly no future. Politicians don't seem to understand the benefits of continuity.
K

 

[oglord]

Four new masts have appeared over the weekend, I'm told. Two at the Cardiff end and two poking through the canopy on Pl 1.

At Newport High Street, yes!

 

[3973EXL]

B&H Block last week, both lines wired from just west of Wigmore Lane Theale to the existing wires at Midgham. This includes Ufton Loop.

The wires start clear of the point work at the west end of Theale Loop.


Wigmore Lane looking east x 2. Looking west towards the start of the wires. Start of wires.
TyleMill x 2. Ufton Lane x 2. Ufton Loop x 2.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H latest wires.



Ufton Towney x 2. Padworth Lane x 2. Aldermaston x 3.

Aldermaston platform extension to finish off, like Thatcham Dn.
Thatcham Up just a hole in the ground, but platform sections are on site.



Platform work Theale.



Bedwyn no work started yet.

 

[Mag_seven]

This would be utter madness

I completely agree, such a scheme would be utter madness.

Bound to happen then!

 

[3973EXL]

B&H

Reading West to Southcote unchanged.
Southcote to Theale (trains run to Theale during block) some portals, masts, cantilevers missing, but in single figures for each. SPS starts just before MP38 1/2 through to Theale station. Patchy, but most up, or there, waiting to go up.
Theale station two masts to go up, no SPS.
Theale to Wigmore Lane looks nearly complete except for the Loop.



Newbury Racecourse station, all masts up.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H Newbury

New footbridge open, lifts not in use yet.
Old bridge fenced off.
Some masts up through the platforms. Approx. 6 more to go up.

 

[Non Multi]

I can now understand why the local council for Twyford were so insistent on a new footbridge with traditional GWR style windows. Whilst the new Newbury footbridge is airy it lacks the charm of the new one at Twyford, IMO.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H West of Newbury.

Masts to around MP53 1/2.
Looks to be only one missing. Pile, but no mast, up side furthest west.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H Racecourse to Town.

5 X Portals to go up, plus a couple of cantilevers.
The gap between the eastern most mast on the platform, and the next towards Racecourse looks too big. Maybe another pair of masts to go in?

 

[Grumpy]

I am not familiar with the Ufton Loop. What is its purpose-is it used for/by passenger trains?

 

[59CosG95]

I am not familiar with the Ufton Loop. What is its purpose-is it used for/by passenger trains?

I believe freight is its main purpose, but I'd imagine passenger trains might be able to use it if required.