Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks again for your pictures, willc - and for your apposite titles for them!

CfN 

[pbc2520]

Unfortunately today's 1242 from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) was turboized.

And will be for several weeks whilst NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have a good hack at Didcot East Junction.
All Turbo's are at least running as 5/6 cars with top and tail drivers to do a speedy reversal at Foxhall Junction.

Thanks for the info.  Why does that make them turbos though?  (What's the problem reversing an HST^▸ (High Speed Train)?)

[IndustryInsider]

It just takes too long to do - by the time you've set up the ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection), done a brake continuity test, etc.  Foxhall Junction is busy enough with Voyagers and local Turbos reversing there as well as all the through HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s that are passing by regularly.  There are a couple of HST moves later in the evening when it's a bit quieter though.

[inspector_blakey]

I risk betraying my ignorance of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) operations here, but why is a brake continuity test necessary if a driver's just changing ends?

With loco-hauled trains as long as nothing is coupled or uncoupled no continuity test is necessary following an initial thorough check before the train enters service.

[IndustryInsider]

My mistake blakey, a brake continuity test isn't required when changing ends as you say.  Though a test of the vigilance system and a test of the emergency brake is required and along with setting up the ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection) (which takes about two minutes, even if you do it in the 'quick' set-up mode), and application and subsequent release of the parking brake and associated test switches means around 4-5 minutes is spend in total - longer if you have a parking brake that's slow to apply.

With a Turbo it's more like 30 seconds, hence the decision on operational grounds to replace virtually all the Sunday HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s with Turbos whilst this work is going on.

[bobm]

There are a couple of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) moves later in the evening when it's a bit quieter though.

Are the HSTs routed the same way on the return to stop them getting in the dreaded "reverse formation"?

[IndustryInsider]

I think it's the two sets for the morning service the next day - the one that stables at Worcester and the one that stables at Hereford - that's just an educated guess though, as I haven't seen the diagrams.  That would mean they are still that way round the next morning, but being in reverse formation on the Cotswold Line isn't much of an issue now that there's SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening).  A bit of forward planning would see the sets sent round the Greenford loop so that they leave Paddington in reverse Sunday evening so that they're right way round from Didcot onwards.

[bobm]

Not connected directly with that but it can be a problem at platform 4 at Reading because you can get very little warning of reverse formation.  If the train follows another one in straightaway the first you know of it is when it passes the last signal and trips the "The train now arriving at platform 4 is the..." and the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) updates.  If you are standing at the London end you can either face the prospect of walking the length of a crowded platform or an equally crowded train. 

I know they do sometimes try to put a line on the older TV departure screens - but they are not as visible.

[willc]

Apologies for the lack of updates this week but my work schedule means I have not been able to get out towards Chipping Campden and Honeybourne to check progress. Anyway, having been given a nudge by the appearance of Philip Haigh's report on the night visit in the current issue of Rail, I went back and looked at my pictures again and decided there were a few more that were probably okay in terms of giving a flavour of things, even if they won't win any awards. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009

NB: If you go into the redoubling set, they appear further down, as the set is sorted by when pictures were taken, not when they were uploaded.

At the east end of the line, there is some tree-cutting taking place between Charlbury and Hanborough.

[willc]

Was away for the weekend but took some pictures of progress at Chipping Campden and Honeybourne on Saturday lunchtime as I was heading towards Wales. Track is in place and awaiting top ballasting as far as Chipping Campden level crossing, with sleepers in place north of the crossing heading towards the tunnel. I'm assuming trackbed clearance is taking place now down the bank towards Honeybourne, as there was an excavator parked on the embankment above the Chipping Campden-Mickleton road but this work has yet to get down near the bridge carrying the Mickleton-Honeybourne road. At Honeybourne the island platform is cleared of vegetation, while the view of the sidings has been opened up with vegetation clearance there as well, although getting a closer look will still have to wait until the platform is back in use. There looks to be something going on west of the river bridge at Evesham, as there was an excavator out there on Saturday, but as I was on the far bank, couldn't see anything else. Pictures at the usual place.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, that's about right, Will.

Track now connected up to the tunnel so the second track laid through the tunnel is now finally connected to something - though a ballast dump is still required.  Trackbed clearance is now as far as MP99 which is 1 mile west of the tunnel portal.  Should be in sight of your next vantage point at Thistly Hill by the end of the week.

Couldn't see any sign of anything happening west of the river bridge at Evesham though. 

[IanL]

What looks like a very substantial concrete base has been constructed at the Oxford end of the existing platform at CBY, perhaps a signal to control what will be access to the remaining singl line after redoubling?

[IndustryInsider]

Could well be, Ian.  There's also materials, including cement, that have been dropped at what you'd think would be suitable locations for signals controlling movements onto the double track between Finstock and the Cornbury bridge coming the other way.

[willc]

Few more pictures are online taken today. Top ballasting is complete all the way from Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Campden tunnel now, with a bit of profiling to do from Campden station site down to the tunnel. At the far side, trackbed clearance is well down the bank towards Honeybourne, beyond the Mickleton-Honeybourne road bridge, so could well be at Honeybourne by the weekend. At Honeybourne station vegetation has been cut where the footbridge supports will go on the road embankment and - I only twigged it today - a new waiting shelter has been installed. In the sidings the last of the old track has been taken out and there was assorted machinery at work, so I'd expect to see the new sidings take shape shortly.

[IndustryInsider]

At Honeybourne station vegetation has been cut where the footbridge supports will go on the road embankment and - I only twigged it today - a new waiting shelter has been installed.

Two new waiting shelters have been installed at Pershore as well.