Euston staff were nice and let people down onto the platform to take pictures. GWR staff was also nice, I had a good chat with someone from GWR about the diversions. Diesel for now, with electric running coming later as the electric systems on the trains are upgraded.
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GWR to use Euston
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Ashley Hill
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@vuzzeho Nice photos,thanks for posting.
Why do the electric systems on the trains need "upgraded" to operate on electric power into Euston?
Sly Old Fox
Member
You can upgrade the systems on board the train as much as you like but you won’t get up the bank to Acton Wells without some wires up. I wonder if that is what was meant.
swt_passenger
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I expect it’s the Acton Wells electrification that needs to be “provided”, rather than “upgraded”. “Current”
thread here:Acton Main Line to Acton Wells Jct electrification
I hope the moderators dont mind but I thought this deserved its own thread. Reopening the old GWML electrification thread would be tediously long. I am told that work on the Acton ML to Acton Wells junction wiring starts this summer. Piling was due to start the summer bank holiday weekend...
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I expect it’s the Acton Wells electrification that needs to be “provided”, rather than “upgraded”. “Current”
Acton Main Line to Acton Wells Jct electrification
I hope the moderators dont mind but I thought this deserved its own thread. Reopening the old GWML electrification thread would be tediously long. I am told that work on the Acton ML to Acton Wells junction wiring starts this summer. Piling was due to start the summer bank holiday weekend...
The implication was that once under the wires after going up Acton Bank the unit could not run on electric power into Euston for some reason.
Class15
Established Member
Exactly. Should be able to pan up at West London Jn. And the full route to Euston will still not be wired, the SWS will be left.
swt_passenger
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A different type of electricity?
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Wilts Wanderer
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Probably because the wires are currently only planned to go as far as Acton Wells Jn, the rather crucial bit down to Willesden West London Jn isn’t currently in the wiring plan (short sighted!)
Also possible they don’t want to risk losing pans, as drivers aren’t used to doing moving changeovers manually. Usually they are done automatically on the GWML.
The GWR member of staff I spoke to said there were differences between the electric systems on the GWR IETs and the more modern 805/807. Something about electromagnetic interference, but he didn't go into detail. This wasn't an issue when they were built thanks to the modern GWR electrification but LNER's IETs needed their electric systems to be modified before entering service. He said GWR was upgrading the systems unit by unit, so eventually they'll be able to use the wires to Euston, or at least have the pan up in the station (after all the paperwork and applications and stuff is done). I wish I had more specific info to give you but that's what I know.
DailyCommuter
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There is an article in the Evening Standard about this too https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...on-elizabeth-line-hs2-christmas-b1180532.html
The article reminds me of something I discussed with the guy at Euston - where are they going to put the IETs? North Pole won't be available for them and we're not exactly swimming in stabling space for 9 car trains. What could GWR do?
Belperpete
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It could be to prevent them from generating frequencies that could interfere with older signalling systems.
It might be easier to ask where they aren’t going!! They will be appearing in some unusual places. There will be quite a few IETs using Reading TCD.
class ep-09
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Usually changeover is done manually , or rather I should say , it is always done manually across GWR network everyday .
Sly Old Fox
Member
That is categorically untrue. They are never done automatically.
Snow1964
Established Member
Nearly every Sunday during September, October seem to have 2 lines out of 4 closed in West London.
Then when works are happening in West London in November, there are periods when Berks and Hants is closed, so lots of loops and bays will be empty (also closed for few days mid December)
At end of December when Paddington is closed, there are miles of closed lines in Westbury area. Although this does mean other trains are unused and littering up depots too.
Wilts Wanderer
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There is also the back entrance into North Pole depot…
NSEWonderer
Established Member
HS2 Old Oak Common
TfL say the extra 10 are sufficient for 18tph to OOC as well as some other improvements. There are options for 13 more that would get the service level to 26/28tph to OOC from the core. I think I read somewhere that only 3 units remain in the build option, 10 of the 13 being part of the new...
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Perhaps they are just to ensure in emergencies then? But as I understand it there are eurobalises to lower the pantographs at changeover points.
Sly Old Fox
Member
There are ‘catch’ balises that will change power from electric to diesel at the end of the wires if the driver forgets. But I have never known one to be used (in anger), drivers are firmly told it will be treated very seriously if they ever set one off.
There is nothing in place to change power from diesel to electric.
Class15
Established Member
Is that the gated line from the WLL.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
North Pole is available, and there are ECS workings to/from Euston during the blocks involving reversals at Willesden SW Sidings and Kensington Olympia.
They have also been investigating alternative stabling locations. One visited Didcot Railway Center to test it a month or so ago.
The Evening Standard article also suggests crew changes will be done at Ealing Broadway and not Reading as previously suggested, and will be an operational stop only. Maybe Reading will become less operational?
The wiring is also in part to allow 345s to get to a maintenance depot at Ilford (without being dragged) as otherwise there’s only stabling facilities at Maidenhead or outstations.
The wiring is also in part to allow 345s to get to a maintenance depot at Ilford (without being dragged) as otherwise there’s only stabling facilities at Maidenhead or outstations.
If anything Reading will be canned.
It would be insane to stop at Reading. The current frequency has trains busy enough. With every journey planner recommending going to Euston from Reading as it will be faster you’ll end up with severe overcrowding.
I see the trains have already been given compulsory reservation flags so they’re clearly quite worried about overcrowding.
It wouldn't surprise me if additional boarding controls were put in place at Euston as well, with customers not holding seat reservations being last to board and in limited numbers.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
If only the mandatory reservation flag wasn't being misused it could be used to indicate them actually being mandatory on these...
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