Great Western Electrification Progress

[JN114]

Could the Didcot terminators be extended to Swindon? Any need? Could they keep pathing times?

It would need either guards training on 387s; or GWR abandoning/renogtiating their commitment to not extend DOO beyond its current sphere of operation.

Neither seem likely at present.

 

[D1009]

Given most trains stop at Chippenham, will there be any need for strengthened OLE there to allow pans to be raised at speed?

 

[cactustwirly]

Does anyone know what's being done, during this weekend's blockade at Slough?
I thought all the major work was done?

 

[The_Engineer]

Does anyone know what's being done, during this weekend's blockade at Slough?
I thought all the major work was done?

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.

From the last status report up-thread.........

 

[59CosG95]

https://flic.kr/p/JJ3P4L Slight update from Swindon: the Up Main Down Swindon Passenger Loop (through P3) has now gained its contact wire, but the registration arms are folded out of place.

 

[3973EXL]

https://flic.kr/p/JJ3P4L Slight update from Swindon: the Up Main (through P3) has now gained its contact wire, but the registration arms are folded out of place.

Just to clarify;
UM is the through line, no platform
Plat 3 is the Down Swindon Passenger Loop. London end, east of the points to the UM it becomes Up Swindon Reception. Bristol end after Swindon Jn it becomes the Up Swindon Relief to Rushey Platt.
Plat 1 is the Up Swindon Passenger Loop

 

[59CosG95]

Just to clarify;
UM is the through line, no platform
Plat 3 is the Down Swindon Passenger Loop. London end, east of the points to the UM it becomes Up Swindon Reception. Bristol end after Swindon Jn it becomes the Up Swindon Relief to Rushey Platt.
Plat 1 is the Up Swindon Passenger Loop

Ah yes, so it is. Misread the relevant page on the Sectional Appendix again.

 

[59CosG95]

On a slightly related note, today's diversions via the Chilterns for the Cardiff trains noted that all trains were going via Temple Meads & Bath to get to Swindon - perhaps more wires are going up west of Hullavington?

 

[59CosG95]

Here we go again folks - it's update time!
GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 7/5/2018 (inc. Bank Holiday)

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 *live* Didcot Relief Line (Did. RL) OLE ends at Foxhall Jct (53m 55ch); wires have now extended along the Did. RL to the existing wires at Steventon (see below).

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.
  • In preparation for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead, Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead was closed off over the Early May Bank Holiday (5/5 to 7/5); this included renewals of S&C at West Drayton & Slough West Jct, alongside HOPS work at Langley. Paddington to H&H was also closed on May 6th, and encompassed final OLE works for Crossrail, alongside (presumably) ATF installation, finishing of Platform Extensions, lift shaft installation, passenger footbridge installation, and ticket hall foundation installation.
• On May 20th, all lines between Paddington and H&H will be closed until 0800.
• Twyford platform extensions almost finished, canopy and bridge parapet works complete. Thanks to cactustwirly for the information there.
• 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 - Swindon: due to go live end of May 2018
All steelwork (including SPS) looks to be complete around Milton Junction, the last unwired section between the main Steventon-Swindon wires & the existing live section.
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 are 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 Down Steventon Goods Loop (DSGL; 55m 19ch to 56m 32ch) remains unwired.
• Wires over the Mains continue to approx MP72 1/4, where a small gap just east of Bourton X-overs remain only on the DM (the UM now being done). Both Bourton & Uffington X-overs wired.
• West of Bourton the DM wires resume, continuing to the western end of Swindon Station (see below).
  • The USGL at Stratton (Swindon Up Goods Loop) is also wired.
  • East of County Rd underbridge, the USR (Up Swindon Reception) & DSG (Down Swindon Goods) are also wired; on the USR, both wires are up to the east of the NR training centre, catenary only west of there.

Swindon Station

• Wires (both Catenary & Contact) up through P4 (Down Main) & the through Road (Up Main); these terminate in the Tensorex drums at the western end of the station.
• The Catenary wire on the USR runs through P3 and onwards to the Up Relief (UR), opposite the old Swindon 'B' PSB. The UR is then fully wired west of there to the existing wires at Rushey Platt (78m 36ch). A length of contact wire has gone up through P3, but the dropper arms have not yet been fixed to it.
• All large steelwork and SPS appears to be up through the station.
• 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) is now fully wired. The Up Wootton Bassett Goods Loop (UWBGL) has also been fully wired.
• Wires on both DM & UM resume around MP 77 3/4; these continue to MP96, just west of Hullavington (see below).
• The UM gap at Hay Lane between MP79 1/2 and MP 80 1/4 has now been filled in.

The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge)
Until further notice, the 25kV transmission wires will run in a trough from Cocklebury Lane Bridge (just east of Chippenham) to Thingley Jct. Large steelwork is expected to remain in situ until wiring is authorised west of Thingley, but some specific items may be poached if required elsewhere (and duplicates aren't stored at RAF Wroughton). Details given in the "Postponements" section.

• 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 Down side between Langley Burrell & Christian Malford.
  • Masts also up (with booms) south of Langley Burrell to Cocklebury Lane Bridge (the new western limit of wiring on the route); 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.

Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge) - Thingley Jct

• 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:
  • most (if not all) masts up, many with booms attached.
  • SPS now appearing too, over all lines; the Down Badminton (DB), the Up Badminton (UB) & Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL). Still a lot left to install between the loop (104m 18ch) & the west portal of C.S. Tunnel (103m 48ch); it could be implied that work is more advanced at the Chipping end than the Old end.
• 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.
• Majority of SPS up on the STCs and TTCs to the west & east of "The Dramway" footbridge nr Ram Hill (Coalpit Heath); a pair of single masts which seem to be destined for a portal boom can be found just east of the bridge (https://flic.kr/p/23WGyV5).
• Huckford Viaduct has had bespoke mast fittings applied.
• 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

• 2 boomed masts are up at the Welsh end of Bristol Parkway, and a concrete foundation awaiting a mast can be seen next to them.https://flic.kr/p/245kEME
• 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; additionally, two at the Cardiff end & two through the P1 canopy on the weekend of April 28th/29th.
• 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.
• Piling underway at the extreme ends of P1/2 & P3/4 for future masts. One can assume portals will bridge the gap between P2 & P3, over the Through lines.

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 - Wigmore Lane LC

• From Southcote Jct past Calcot Mill FP crossing to Theale, the remaining masts, portals & cantilevers to be erected are all down to single figures.
• First SPS up in west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/2; west to Theale, most SPS is either up or beside their assigned mast awaiting installation.
• Two masts left to go up within Theale station itself; no SPS. TTCs, as predicted, are up over the Down platform.
• Platform extension works now underway at Theale.
• From Theale to Wigmore Lane, at the western end of Theale Goods Loop (42m 8ch), SPS is largely complete (except for the loop itself).

Wigmore Lane LC - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• During the April blockade, wires went up over both lines from Wigmore Lane, through Aldermaston, to the existing wires at Midgham (including Ufton/Towney Loop); this means a continuous run of OLE now runs from Wigmore Lane to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse).
  • 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 "Theale to Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
• 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.
• Work on Thatcham's platform extensions continued during the second blockade; the Down side is more advanced than the Up, but sections of platform are now on site.
• RC east X-overs still need wiring.
• All heavy steelwork at Newbury Racecourse (52m31ch) is in; TTCs over the Main lines and a portal over the western throat of the station. (moved from section below)

Newbury Racecourse - Newbury Town

• About 5x Portal booms & some STCs are left to be installed between Newbury's stations. 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.
• The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd looks roughly 60% complete; 1 of the 5 portal spans is due to go up adjacent to it.
• At Newbury (53m06ch), the new footbridge is now open (not the lifts yet); 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. About 6 masts left to install. Nothing so far between the two footbridges; presumably NR are waiting for the old bridge's removal before adding more masts.
• Canopies have been cut back during the 2nd Blockade, to allow the old footbridge to be removed.
• 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 past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; seems to be only one mast missing (the pile is, however, in).

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,
• 2/6 to 7/6,
• 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

• Thames Valley Branches: Windsor & Henley deferred to CP6, Marlow deferred to who-knows when (if ever).
• 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.
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6; presumably this will wait until Bath-Bristol resignalling is complete. All Large steelwork to remain, unless required elsewhere.
• 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, and to anyone who saw this on the Lickey Incline wiring thread by mistake!)

 

[cactustwirly]

The Twyford canopy & bridge parapet works are complete, the platform extensions are almost finished.

 

[59CosG95]

The Twyford canopy & bridge parapet works are complete, the platform extensions are almost finished.

Ah, thanks for the update @cactustwirly! I'll add that in above.

 

[3973EXL]

Reading West Station works.

Up side


Down Side

 

[swt_passenger]

Regarding the progress summary:

Bourne End and Marlow electrification is not strictly “deferred etc...” like the other 2 branches, it was explicitly removed from the project scope in late 2015. The post Hendy report Jan 16 draft EDP stated it this way, as have all subsequent reports:

“For the avoidance of doubt, electrification of Maidenhead to Bourne End and Marlow branch lines is not included, but Network Rail will support Great Western Railway and other stakeholders to develop their capacity improvements proposals for this section.”

Just in case Greenford ever gets mentioned in terms of wiring, I don’t think it has ever been proposed in the context of GWML projects, it may have been in the long grass of the 2009 electrification plan.

 

[Phil G]

Minor point but the summary incorrectly changed the earth wire location at Langley Burrel to the up side, it's very definitely on the down (IE Bristol bound) side - I go past it several times a day!

 

[59CosG95]

Minor point but the summary incorrectly changed the earth wire location at Langley Burrel to the up side, it's very definitely on the down (IE Bristol bound) side - I go past it several times a day!

Ooops. I swear I saw a photo of some of it on the Up side at Flickr!

 

[HowardGWR]

Reading West Station works.

Up side
View attachment 46367 View attachment 46368

Down Side
View attachment 46369 View attachment 46370 View attachment 46371 View attachment 46372 View attachment 46373 View attachment 46374

Interesting. That opening made in the fence at the end of Ormsby Street in the penultimate photo. Does that mean there will be two new entrances on the down side, there and Oxford St, I wonder?

 

[3973EXL]

Interesting. That opening made in the fence at the end of Ormsby Street in the penultimate photo. Does that mean there will be two new entrances on the down side, there and Oxford St, I wonder?

I would think it's just plant access.

 

[yanti]

wires up under the footbridge at Yate (just east of Westerleigh jnc)

 

[3973EXL]

Steventon

Swindon to Steventon on the Up ran last night.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/B14191/2018/05/08/advanced

Tonight & tomorrow night there is a working on the down.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/B14193/2018/05/09/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/B14193/2018/05/10/advanced

Possible that the wire gaps are being done!

 

[59CosG95]

Checked progress at Swindon on Flickr this morning; P1, P2 & the Cocklebury Through Sidings are still unwired. P3 still only partially wired.
(Were the Cocklebury Through Sidings ever part of the scope? I can't quite remember!)
The photos date from the 7th, so I suspect that these works that @3973EXL mentioned may include finishing these outstanding works off.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Interesting. That opening made in the fence at the end of Ormsby Street in the penultimate photo. Does that mean there will be two new entrances on the down side, there and Oxford St, I wonder?

The only *new* entrance (which is being reinstated, rather than brand new) will be via Platform 1, with stairs and a ramp.
Planning application can be viewed here: http://planning.reading.gov.uk/fast...=Reading+west+station&Postcode=&Submit=Search

 

[3973EXL]

Updates East of Reading

Two bridges require parapet work, no work appears to have started.
Butts Hill Road Woodley
Southbury Lane Ruscombe

Twyford Platform 4
The facing boards have not been reinstated after the canopy was cut back.

Community Notice Board, looking forward to the introduction of 345's.


Platform extensions being finished off. Next week the access road to the car park by plat 1 is shut to enable work to finish the platform.

 

[InOban]

I see that planning permission for the replacement of Steventon bridge was again delayed last night. Even though all the conservation bodies have accepted that there is no alternative, the planning committee have asked for more evidence of this before next month's meeting.

 

[DidcotDickie]

I see that planning permission for the replacement of Steventon bridge was again delayed last night. Even though all the conservation bodies have accepted that there is no alternative, the planning committee have asked for more evidence of this before next month's meeting.

Vale of White Horse DC Planning Committee to vote again in a month's time:

http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/..._plan_to_demolish_village_bridge/?ref=mr&lp=7

THE DECISION over whether to demolish a historic bridge in Steventon, closing a major route into the village for 10 months, has been delayed.

Vale of White Horse District Council's planning committee were set to vote on the controversial application from Network Rail last night but instead opted to defer.

According to outgoing council leader Matthew Barber, who tweeted after the meeting, councillors are 'demanding further information on alternatives to knocking down the bridge' and he said the committee would vote again in around a months' time.

It comes as a welcome reprieve for campaigners, including Steventon Parish Council, who have been fighting the plans since they were first proposed by Network Rail four years ago.

Businesses fear they will lose trade if the plan goes ahead.

The rail company insists the project is the only way to electrify the line after putting 'significant resources' into exploring alternatives.

Despite initial concerns, both Historic England and the district council's conservation officer have supported revised plans, which add brickwork cladding to the High Street bridge's concrete replacement.

A final report from Historic England's buildings and area inspector Richard Peats explained, following 'clarifications' from the rail company, that all other potential options were either impossible, would pose a risk to the running of the railway or would involve even lengthier closures to the other routes into Steventon.

Source: The Herald

 

[HowardGWR]

Unnecessarily delaying a planning application could cost the Council big bucks and doubtless, their officers will have reminded them of this.

 

[cle]

Regarding the progress summary:

Bourne End and Marlow electrification is not strictly “deferred etc...” like the other 2 branches, it was explicitly removed from the project scope in late 2015. The post Hendy report Jan 16 draft EDP stated it this way, as have all subsequent reports:

“For the avoidance of doubt, electrification of Maidenhead to Bourne End and Marlow branch lines is not included, but Network Rail will support Great Western Railway and other stakeholders to develop their capacity improvements proposals for this section.”

Just in case Greenford ever gets mentioned in terms of wiring, I don’t think it has ever been proposed in the context of GWML projects, it may have been in the long grass of the 2009 electrification plan.

What are the longer term plans for the branches, in terms of stock, frequency, peak throughs and so on? Still always think it's a shame Windsor wasn't added to Crossrail with a dive-under at Slough. Good all-week, commuter and counter demand... and somewhere to send 2-4tph and simplify operations.

 

[Sebastian O]

What are the longer term plans for the branches, in terms of stock, frequency, peak throughs and so on? Still always think it's a shame Windsor wasn't added to Crossrail with a dive-under at Slough. Good all-week, commuter and counter demand... and somewhere to send 2-4tph and simplify operations.

And lead to incredibly huge costs for something that adds a minor benefit to passengers currently using it. Millions wasted on something currently serviceable by two car trains a hour.

 

[swt_passenger]

What are the longer term plans for the branches, in terms of stock, frequency, peak throughs and so on?

No peak through services, I think it’s been covered numerous times in various threads. To the best of my knowledge Henley and Windsor will just be operated by 387s operating singly. All remaining mainline 387 services would be 8 or 12 car on weekdays - I haven’t ever heard anything about future splitting or joining at Twyford, but I suppose up services at least wouldn’t actually be impossible.

 

[Mag_seven]

Checked progress at Swindon on Flickr this morning; P1, P2 & the Cocklebury Through Sidings are still unwired.

Platform one now wired.

 

[59CosG95]

Platform one now wired.

Great to hear - do you know how far west the wires went?
Also, have the dropper arms for the P3 wires been attached to their contact wires? Last I saw the contact wires were there, but the registration arms were zip-tied out of place.