Great Western Coffee Shop

Rumours abound on other forums (fora?) that there may be more diversions around Reading again in 2011. Do any of our FGW or NR staff forum contributors (or indeed any forum members) have any concrete information regarding this?

The only place I have seen mention of further work at Reading is in SWT timetable 20 London-Exeter where it mentions that services will be affected by engineering work in the Reading area Saturdays and Sundays 19th February to 27th March.

I suspect we will be seeing quite a few notifications over the next five years of weekend engineering work at Reading along with some possible longer blockades around Christmas/Easter time.

I have not heard of any more long duration total blockades at Reading in the near future the current one is fairly unique due to the two major peaces of work, a large bridge and the relocation of a major signaling center.  There will be I am sure other shorter blockades / reduction / diversions in services but no where near the total shut down there is this week

Have a look at http://www.gensheet.co.uk/ROTR.htm has links to the NR docs which list what blockcades are going on.

strange how SWT say Reading area, when its no where near. This is actually enginneering works
between Taunton and Tiverton Parkway, meaning FGW services to London Paddington going via Honiton and Yeovil, as in november 2008. This will mean a revised SWT timetable to fit in the HSTs

I think the relief is shut between Reading and Didcot on Sundays in the above timeframe as XC are running via a reversal at Foxhall Jn.

I've been through two years worth of the 'rules of the route', a good few weeks ago now, and there are no diversions via Banbury or into Waterloo mentioned again.  I'm 99% sure (without checking it all over once more) that there is no planned block of the whole station, ie mains, reliefs, Southern, and the western bays, in all that time.

This total block is driven by the 'one off' signalling transfer to TVSC, if it was only the Caversham Bridge they were replacing there'd be little reason why the mains and everything south of them wouldn't still be open.

Paul

There are engineering works planned at various times but only on the scale of normal engineering work at weekends the like of which are familiar.
There will be no full scale blockade a la the current one until Christmas 2012, but that will be a full closure on all lines.

Indeed following tomorrows reopening for the New Year's eve rush, Sat/Sun/Mon are basically a block of the through lines to the west only, with SWT, Gatwicks and limited Paddington services running OK.

I see from another forum that the signalling transfer to TVSC was reported completed early this morning, 24 hours earlier than planned for, so that's good progress.

Paul

Yes, that's what I've been hearing too.