Southampton Tunnel to be deepened

[Oracle]

The local BBC Radio Solent have stated that Southampton Tunnel, which was originally of course a canal tunnel, is to be deepened as it were to allow taller containers to leave, and enter, the port by rail as against by road. This will start next year. This will be fun and a half for passenger traffic, and I can only recall the lovely time that was had when the tunnel works were carried out last time, with the use of SLW on alternative sides.

 

[Tom]

SWT will probably operate something like this around the blockade:

Weymouth - Dorchester - Wareham - Poole - Bournemouth - Brockenhurst - Southampton Central (reverse) - Romsey - Laverstock Curve - Andover - Basingstoke - Woking - London Waterloo

 

[Oracle]

Diesel tractors galore! I assumed that work would be done 1/2 a side at a time as before, meaning lovely waits for SLW through the Tunnel Sous Le Parc et Des Magasins

 

[5872]

it will be 159/158 from Soton - Basing I imagine and any freight will be difficult to navigate around with out reversing. Be intresting though!. I will be definately down for some diverts.

 

[thefab444]

Unless SWT do some serious modifications to the existing 73s, and some hired in ones (lowering the dellner now anyone?), it will be 159s.

Freight to Maritime will run Basingstoke - Laverstock - Romsey - Test Valley Junction and in to Maritime that way (with some services diverted via Melksham perhaps).

 

[paul1609]

In your dreams Tom!
In reality it will be split in to two divisions;
mainline serving Southampton St Denys Central and
branch line with Southamton West to Bourenmouth services.
Arriva will divert via Laverstock,
FGW will divert via Chandlers Ford.
Southern will terminate at St Denys central!

 

[Oracle]

St Denys Central! Great! Is the Down-Up #-over a ground frame or is it operated from Eastleigh?

 

[thefab444]

I suspect the Pool/slow Weymouth services will be curtailed to Southampton Airport Parkway - which is actually good news for me as I usually get on at Winchester so it might mean an emptier train if diverts are run.

 

[960012]

So this is why SWT got all those extra 158s lol

Will be interesting, surely SWT should make NR or the contractors pay for the modifications to the 73s and hired in ones to compensate for the trouble.

 

[Tom]

I suspect the Pool/slow Weymouth services will be curtailed to Southampton Airport Parkway - which is actually good news for me as I usually get on at Winchester so it might mean an emptier train if diverts are run.

St Denys more likely - better reversing facilities there plus no need for SLW to be set up.

 

[Oracle]

Excuse my ignorance but is the Down-Up #-over at St Denys main a GF or is it operated from Eastleigh? The Portsmouth line would have to reverse presumably south of the Mount Unpleasant crossing? There is the Up??? Goods Loop plus the Depot, and you have the line down to the Docks. Those with long memories will recall that Terminus was resuscitated to cope with diverted trains when electrification etc work was carried out. I would imagine though that for the main services, Parkway would be used with fleets of buses to take punters to Central. On reconsideration, perish the thought!

 

[Tom]

AFAIK that crossover you mention is a EH controlled Xover protected by a dummy ground signal - service wise I do actually reckon it'll be a case of doing through to St Denys but with buses operating either from Winchester or Southampton Airport.

 

[Hentis]

I know the decision has been made to higher the bridges and tunnels etc but I didnt think a firm decision had been made on how to go about the deepening of Soton Tunnel. If they have any sense they would do it onr linr at a time so at least they can get some of the passenger traffic through. like the last time it was done in the mid 80's.

Cheers

Hentis

 

[paul1609]

Dont think single line working is allowed with men working in the tunnel anymore.

 

[thefab444]

If they have any sense they would do it onr linr at a time so at least they can get some of the passenger traffic through. like the last time it was done in the mid 80's.

Surely, if they had any sense they'd do both tracks at once and get it over with!

 

[TheSlash]

The cross over London side of St Deny's BML1 is a groundframe released by Eastleigh Panel.
The plan is to go for a total blockade, 6 months is being mentioned, in which time, everything South of Mount Pleasant, through to Southampton Central, will be ripped out, re modelled and re laid.
As somebody who frequently goes in Southampton tunnel *shudder* it still is a canal at the Country end

 

[Oracle]

6 months? I am tempted to suggest it might take 60!

If the plan is to reverse the Portsmouth line trains south of St Denys, will that require closing the LC "temporarily"? Stock will need to access the depot as well. Also the Eastern Docks branch will be affected as well presumably.

Historical interest:
At the country end the tunnel was of course damaged by bombing in the war. This required major works. Trains were sent down to Terminus, then through the Docks system to the New Docks and then on to the main line.

 

[TheSlash]

I don't know how they plan to work around Northam traincare and the Eastern docks. All the S&C South of Mount Pleasant is a well and truely worn out, down to the bottom of the formation, we keep getting promised the work it needs, when the tunnel block is on.

 

[WessexWarrior]

This sounds like its going to be Hell.

 

[paul1609]

In your dreams Tom!
In reality it will be split in to two divisions;
mainline serving Southampton St Denys Central and
branch line with Southamton West to Bourenmouth services.
Arriva will divert via Laverstock,
FGW will divert via Chandlers Ford.
Southern will terminate at St Denys central!

It appears there is a practise on 12.1.08!
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/Timetablesearch/EngineeringWorks/080112SA.htm
Southern are terminating at Woolston

 

[schmoo_smith]

but think what this will do for the environment in the long run, less containers on the roads and more by rail has to be a good thing

 

[Tom]

It appears there is a practise on 12.1.08!
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/Timetablesearch/EngineeringWorks/080112SA.htm
Southern are terminating at Woolston

Old news.

Work in the St Denys area around Mount Pleasant crossing I believe on the mains, some track replacement work around the station as well.

As I understand it, the plan for some diverted peaktime services still stands on SWT. Most likely with loco and coaching stock now apparently.

 

[paul1609]

I dont believe that SWT have a safety case to operate passenger trains with locos anymore.

 

[Hentis]

I did post the following in the Infrastructure area of the forum a few days ago. You might find this of intrest.

Work starts towards the end of November 2009 onwards for the SWML W10 Freight Clearance scheme.

* 29th - 30th November 2009
Engineering work between:-
- Redbridge - Brockenhurst
- Track EA1002
- Track BK1008 Follow Up
- Enhancements W10 freight clearance scheme - Junction Road footbridge

5th - 11th December 2009 (168 hrs) 6 Days
Engineering work between:-
- Southampton - Northam Jcn
- Enhancements Southampton to Stafford freight route upgrade.
- Single Line Working over Down Main

Cheers

Hentis

 

[Tom]

I did see that - now I'm just trying to second guess train planners on what they're going to do for timetabling ....

If it takes 5 minutes from Southampton Central to Northam Junction, give it say, a 10 minute headway. That way, there will probably be the two Weymouth trains in each direction, which take 4 out of 6 available paths per hour. And perhaps the CrossCountry?

Suspect the up Weymouth fast will probably be Weymouth, Dorchester South, Wareham, Hamworthy, Poole, Parkstone, Branksome, Bournemouth, Brockenhurst, Southampton Ctl, Southampton Airport, Winchester, Woking, London...

Up Weymouth semi-fast, all stations Weymouth to Christchurch, New Milton, Brockenhurst, Ashurst, Totton, Southampton Central, St. Denys, Swaythling, Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, Winchester, Basingstoke, Clapham Junction, London.

Up Poole stopper probably a shuttle Poole - Southampton, (Portsmouth Harbour -) Eastleigh - London

 

[Oracle]

I gather/believe that Laverstock Loop is in use then? I have never photo'd any Southerns reversing at Woolston, just the Pompey service, 5th March 2006.

I do wonder whether it might have been helpful to have inserted a #-over at Parkway, though I suppose St Denys main could be used...no idea when it last was!

 

[Tom]

An additional crossover at the Airport at most would allow maybe 1 or 2 trains extra an hour, which to be honest isn't really that flexible.

Laverstock is in use this weekend yep, some of us are having a meetup on either the 0745 or 0945 off Bomo.

 

[Oracle]

Do the Laverstock X-country trains run via Chandlers Ford/Eastleigh normally as has been suggested, or reverse at Central then via Test Valley?

 

[Tom]

This weekend St Denys is shut so its a reverse at Test Valley however normally they run via Eastleigh.

 

[Oracle]

On local radio (BBC Solent) they played back a reference in Parliament by I think Mike Hancock a Portsmouth MP to the upgrade works and also to Portsmouth's new freight facilities. It seems that all-week, i.e. new weekend freight services are on the cards.