Bristol Resignalling - from Bristol Panel Signal Box to Thames Valley Signal Centre (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[rower40]

Just a heads up.  The final stage of the Bristol area resignalling/recontrol between Bristol(excl) - Chippenham (excl) and Westbury (excl) is taking place over the weekend 11/12 May 2019.

(My bold)
Patchway/Parkway Phase 2, the introduction of Bi-Di through Filton Abbey Wood platform 2, Patchway, and Up Moves being allowed on the Down Tunnel (Patchway to Parkway) and Down Filton Main (Filton Abbey Wood to Parkway) and through Parkway platform 2, due for installation in November 2019.

Railway projects rule #4; there's never enough money to do it properly; there's always enough money to do it twice.

[Zoe]

Project phases
On completion of this work, Bristol Panel remains in service with just the south line from Parson Street towards Taunton. There is a plan to re-open the original terminal platforms at Temple Meads to provide more general capacity for trains terminating here, but the Panel Box occupies the throat. To decommission the panel, proposals are in hand to recontrol Bristol south area to TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) after 2019.

I seem to remember that when the full Plymouth/Cornwall scheme got postponed to CP6, there was a plan that when it did go ahead, control would move to Exeter rather than Didcot and that Exeter would also take over Bristol south.  Now that the full Cornish scheme has been delayed at least until CP7 and possibly CP8 (along with Glocuester and Worcester), I wonder what the latest plan for the remaining panel on Bristol PSB^▸ (Power Signal Box) is, the article above was written in 2016.

[SandTEngineer]

Just a heads up.  The final stage of the Bristol area resignalling/recontrol between Bristol(excl) - Chippenham (excl) and Westbury (excl) is taking place over the weekend 11/12 May 2019.

(My bold)
Patchway/Parkway Phase 2, the introduction of Bi-Di through Filton Abbey Wood platform 2, Patchway, and Up Moves being allowed on the Down Tunnel (Patchway to Parkway) and Down Filton Main (Filton Abbey Wood to Parkway) and through Parkway platform 2, due for installation in November 2019.

Railway projects rule #4; there's never enough money to do it properly; there's always enough money to do it twice.

Yes, but thats not really a 'Stage' just tidying up and commissioning parts of a previous one that would have made ready at the original stage.

[johnneyw]

Does this herald the fairly imminent closure of the signal control building at Temple Meads next to platform one or is this unrelated?

[Red Squirrel]

Depends on what you call imminent...

On completion of this work, Bristol Panel remains in service with just the south line from Parson Street towards Taunton. There is a plan to re-open the original terminal platforms at Temple Meads to provide more general capacity for trains terminating here, but the Panel Box occupies the throat. To decommission the panel, proposals are in hand to recontrol Bristol south area to TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) after 2019.

[TonyK]

Depends on what you call imminent...

On completion of this work, Bristol Panel remains in service with just the south line from Parson Street towards Taunton. There is a plan to re-open the original terminal platforms at Temple Meads to provide more general capacity for trains terminating here, but the Panel Box occupies the throat. To decommission the panel, proposals are in hand to recontrol Bristol south area to TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) after 2019.

CP6 after 2019.

Meaning by the end of 2024, unless further delayed. Hopefully, it will be a lot earlier than that.

[Red Squirrel]

There must be a billion pound project in the offing at Temple Meads...

Presumably opening up Platforms 0 and 1 has implications for the Bristol East Junction project, but the old signal box has to go first. It's hard to imagine the new platforms being reopened in isolation from a general redevelopment of the station, which should include opening up the east end of the subway to the new University campus. Then there's Plot 6 - the area to the north-west of the Old Station, which is to form a new main entrance for people coming from central Bristol, the redevelopment of the station incline and, last but not least, the restoration of the spire. You can see why it takes a while to pull these packages together! Let's just hope they manage to sort it all out before the roof collapses.

[ellendune]

They will need to do at least the work on the roof as well as East Junction before electrification.  I am told that doing the roof after electrification will add 10's of millions to the cost of the roof. 

[TonyK]

There must be a billion pound project in the offing at Temple Meads...

Presumably opening up Platforms 0 and 1 has implications for the Bristol East Junction project, but the old signal box has to go first. It's hard to imagine the new platforms being reopened in isolation from a general redevelopment of the station, which should include opening up the east end of the subway to the new University campus. Then there's Plot 6 - the area to the north-west of the Old Station, which is to form a new main entrance for people coming from central Bristol, the redevelopment of the station incline and, last but not least, the restoration of the spire. You can see why it takes a while to pull these packages together! Let's just hope they manage to sort it all out before the roof collapses.

Very much chicken and egg. I don't think platforms 0 and 1 will really depend on East Bristol being remodelled. The trains from there will primarily be London bound, via Parkway, so under diesel power, I can't see how they couldn't cope with the present layout. But the junction certainly needs to be altered to get the best from the four-tracking, and surely Filton Bank must be electrified at the same time. All of the preparation has been done.

[Red Squirrel]

Very much chicken and egg.

Platform 0 will need at least some new track to be laid. It is very hard to imagine that track being just kludged into the existing layout; isn't it much more likely that it will either be installed and signalled, or passively provided for, as part of the Bristol East project?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Further to that:

Bristol East Junction Enhanced Renewal and Remodelling

Project reference code: W015
HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification) driver: City capacity – Bristol
Operating route: Western
Last updated: March 2017

CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) output driver

To deliver improvements to the existing junction layout east of Bristol Temple Meads to meet current and future forecast demand, specifically the enhanced train service specifications for both the long distance and local cross-Bristol services in both directions across the greater Bristol area.

Scope of works

• Reduction of existing 58 point ends to 47 point ends
• Minor civils; waterproofing of Avon Street and structure deck replacement
• HV cable diversion – runs under two tracks on the up side
• Junction lighting – for safer maintenance activities
• Inclusion of a new transformer due to increased power usage
• Demolition of lineside buildings
• All associated signalling works inclusive of a data change (79 SEUs)
• Minor telecoms works
• Signalling gantry renewal (electrification scope)

Interfaces and assumptions

There are significant CP5 schemes linked to this project. Other interfacing schemes and their potential impact are:
• Bristol Area Signalling Renewals and Enhancements (BASRE^▸ (Bristol Area Signalling Renewal and Enhancement))
• Dr Days to Filton Abbey Wood Capacity Scheme
• Great Western Main Line electrification (GWMLe)
• Bristol Temple Platform Capacity Scheme
• MetroWest

The following critical assumptions on internal factors are being made:

• Bristol Area Signalling Renewal is a core interface to this project, particularly the phase to re-signal Bristol Temple Meads station which needs to precede this project.
• A staging area at Bristol East Depot is available

The following critical assumptions on external factors are being made:

• Bristol Temple Meads is a combination of Grade 1 & 2 listed buildings; it is assumed the infrastructure changes required to meet the growth demand will be accepted by Historic England, Local Conservation Officers and other key stakeholders following consultation
• Access will be granted to meet the programme
• Network Change will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed
• Funding is available in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024)

Activities and milestones (NR^» (Network Rail - home page))

Milestone	Description	Date	Status
GRIP▸ (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) 6 start	Start on site	CP6	Indicative
GRIP 6 completion	Infrastructure ready for use	CP6	Indicative
EIS▸ (Enters Into Service) Infrastructure authorised	Infrastructure authorised for passenger use	CP6	Regulated Output

Source: Network Rail - Enhancements Delivery Plan December 2018

[martyjon]

Very much chicken and egg.

Platform 0 will need at least some new track to be laid. It is very hard to imagine that track being just kludged into the existing layout; isn't it much more likely that it will either be installed and signalled, or passively provided for, as part of the Bristol East project?

Track will be required to serve both platforms 0 and 1 in the old train shed, platform 1 by extending the existing platform 1 track and platform 0 bt extending the existing 'Bristol High Level Siding', the siding alongside the platform 1 line which is used regularly to stable units.

[Bmblbzzz]

What on earth is

Bristol Temple Platform Capacity Scheme

?

[Red Squirrel]

I'm guessing it's W008, on p96 of the same document...

[Red Squirrel]

Does anyone have an update on Bristol PSB^▸ (Power Signal Box)? Last I heard it still controlled Nailsea to Bridgwater. For how much longer?