GW Upgrades

[LNW-GW Joint]

Passing through Bristol today, I noticed bulldozers hard at work in the triangle at Patchway (between the two Cardiff lines and the Avonmouth line).
I assume this is the start of construction of the GW IEP depot.
It also marks the start of Agility (ie Hitachi) spending big money on the project, rather than Network Rail or DfT.
There was also new trackwork taking shape west of Patchway which I imagine is for the new depot access.

Meanwhile, standing on Temple Meads station, it seems a tall order to get the place and the local area ready to receive electric trains in just 3 years' time (electrification, remodelling and resignalling).
I know the High Output Plant starts work soon on the OHLE route, but it would be interesting to know what other work will have to be done before the wires get switched on, and which can be left until later.
I wonder if NR will manage to wire both routes to Bristol by 2016, or prioritise the Bath route over Badminton until the 4-tracking is done towards Filton?

 

[anthony263]

I am sure I read somewhere that Bristol wont be seing the wires til early 2017 and Cardiff later that year with the wires reaching Swansea in mid 2018 with electric services from Swansea starting in december 2018.

Network Rail did state on BBC Wales news last year that there was the possibility of some lines being electrified later than planned. The Cardiff Valley lines are expected to be completed by 2020 but it could extend to 2022.

 

[HowardGWR]

I am sure I read somewhere that Bristol wont be seing the wires til early 2017 and Cardiff later that year with the wires reaching Swansea in mid 2018 with electric services from Swansea starting in december 2018.

Network Rail did state on BBC Wales news last year that there was the possibility of some lines being electrified later than planned. The Cardiff Valley lines are expected to be completed by 2020 but it could extend to 2022.

The Network Rail page at

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/improvements/great-western-electrification-delivering-the-plans/

states:

We’re electrifying the railway between London and Bristol, including Newbury and Oxford, by 2016 and to Cardiff by 2017

I could not find any contradiction of this headline in the article, so I suppose we must assume the plans are firm.

 

[YorkshireBear]

The Network Rail page at

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/improvements/great-western-electrification-delivering-the-plans/

states:

We’re electrifying the railway between London and Bristol, including Newbury and Oxford, by 2016 and to Cardiff by 2017

I could not find any contradiction of this headline in the article, so I suppose we must assume the plans are firm.

The structures section (the section which requires a lot of work but few visible signs is getting on and almost complete). Won't be too long before HOOP arrives and starts its work. So i would tend to agree with you and LNW... i think it is still Bristol 2016. That runs in line with what i have read recently about IEP deliveries.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I am sure I read somewhere that Bristol wont be seing the wires til early 2017 and Cardiff later that year with the wires reaching Swansea in mid 2018 with electric services from Swansea starting in december 2018.

Network Rail did state on BBC Wales news last year that there was the possibility of some lines being electrified later than planned. The Cardiff Valley lines are expected to be completed by 2020 but it could extend to 2022.

It's usually the resignalling which determines upgrade timescales, often because of the possessions needed and a limited number of bank holidays to do the work in.
My impression is that all the GW signalling for the routes being wired has to be replaced as it is not immunised.
It would be nice to see a staged plan showing how all this work knits together.
There's quite a lot of focus on the eastern end (ie the Thames Valley control centre at Didcot), but nothing much has emerged yet for Bristol.
Having announced a Dec 2016 date for new electric services to Bristol and Oxford, and 2017 to Cardiff, I shouldn't think the DfT would be impressed at delays.
The Valley lines and Swansea are later additions to the scheme and are not fully planned yet.
Also the Cardiff resignalling is well under way (and has already been completed Patchway-Newport).

 

[merlodlliw]

It's usually the resignalling which determines upgrade timescales, often because of the possessions needed and a limited number of bank holidays to do the work in.
My impression is that all the GW signalling for the routes being wired has to be replaced as it is not immunised.
It would be nice to see a staged plan showing how all this work knits together.
There's quite a lot of focus on the eastern end (ie the Thames Valley control centre at Didcot), but nothing much has emerged yet for Bristol.
Having announced a Dec 2016 date for new electric services to Bristol and Oxford, and 2017 to Cardiff, I shouldn't think the DfT would be impressed at delays.
The Valley lines and Swansea are later additions to the scheme and are not fully planned yet.
Also the Cardiff resignalling is well under way (and has already been completed Patchway-Newport).

In another area, excellent pictures of the Cefn Viaduct waterproofing in this weeks North Wales newsboard, also the new lines being installed at Bersham,
this was phase one by Network Rail timed to finish in September,then phase two the redouble Wrexham/Saltney work due to commence October,with some of the contractors plant kept in the area,alas this wont happen yet due to WG problems for those of you interested the Wrexham Council buildings at Bersham were used by NR as a car park with other equipment in fields at the entrance to the Old Bersham Pit,
Link http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm

 

[anthony263]

Heard today that the High output electrification train has been completed and is expected to arrive at Network Railw's electrifcation centre in Swindon pretty soon.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Heard today that the High output electrification train has been completed and is expected to arrive at Network Railwa electrifcation centre in Swindon pretty soon.

Some of us remember that when the engineering side of Railtrack ordered special wiring vehicles from Windhoff for WCRM in the 1990s, the operating half of Railtrack banned them as out of gauge...
Let's hope it goes better this time.

 

[swt_passenger]

It would be nice to see a staged plan showing how all this work knits together.

There is a top level overview in the GW route business plan, in bar chart form on page 62:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse...ture plans/route plans/western route plan.pdf

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There is a top level overview in the GW route business plan, in bar chart form on page 62:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse...ture plans/route plans/western route plan.pdf

Yes this is very detailed.
I had forgotten that the Bristol area signalling will be going into the Didcot ROC, by 2015 it says.
There's an emphasis on using diversionary routes rather than blockades and buses.
It's just that there is such a lot to do...

 

[HowardGWR]

In another area, excellent pictures of the Cefn Viaduct waterproofing in this weeks North Wales newsboard, also the new lines being installed at Bersham,
this was phase one by Network Rail timed to finish in September,then phase two the redouble Wrexham/Saltney work due to commence October,with some of the contractors plant kept in the area,alas this wont happen yet due to WG problems for those of you interested the Wrexham Council buildings at Bersham were used by NR as a car park with other equipment in fields at the entrance to the Old Bersham Pit,
Link http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm

This is most interesting, thanks. The only thing is i don't see the connection with the GW electrification thread. Perhaps Mods could open a new one or move it to an existing one.

 

[merlodlliw]

This is most interesting, thanks. The only thing is i don't see the connection with the GW electrification thread. Perhaps Mods could open a new one or move it to an existing one.

I am still on moderation,this was my quick way of getting the Cefn Viaduct work etc up for members interest today on an infrastructure thread

Bob

 

[Michael.Y]

There's a few new metal stanchion-type structures springing up east of Cardiff Central on the SWML - whether they're for new signals or for OHLE knitting I don't know, or even GSM-R.

 

[Rational Plan]

I read in Modern Railways that they are looking to reuse an old station building an build two terminating platforms for the IEP's. Also they are looking to four track from Filton to Temple Meads (when that actually happens I can't remember. There could be an extra station added at Ashley Hill with the Four tracking and Filton will be built with four platforms as it is increasingly popular and is nearer a lot of destinations in North Bristol compared to Bristol Parkway. More regional and longer distance services are expected to stop at Filton.

 

[anthony263]

Yes most of that is part of the Bristol Metro proposals including re-opening the lines to Portishead and the Henbury Loop.

The new terminal platforms will be built in the old Brunel trainshead just behind platform 1 where the Avonmouth/Severn Beach services terminate.

Ashley Hill station is a good place and would be very much welcomed. Network Rail have however said the station would only have platforms on the slow lines (ege the current lines).

As for more long distance services terminating at Filton Abbey Wood I cannot see Crosscountry nor the Express services to London via Bristol Parkway calling there although FGW are planning on increasing the Great Malvern - Weymouth service to hourly in the future so that would be one long distance service along with an hourly Gloucester - Taunton service.

Four-tracking Filton Bank cannot come soon enough as the line is already heavily congested and we have seen what happens when a steam special or freight stalls when trying to climb the bank holding up everything behind it. Th extra tracks will help when IEP's run ecs to the depot at Stoke Gifford