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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Better ways of spending the HS2 money?
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on: February 05, 2020, 18:18:07
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It comes from the so called Taxpayers Alliance so zero credibility.
Out of interest, why is that the case? They are a one of a number of neocon groups at that address whose funding is less than transparent. They are climate change deniers and were promotors of Brexit. However, the main reason is that they have always been very anti-rail. Agreed, absolutely zero credibility for me too. Their anti-rail stance is part of their general anti-public spending agenda. I believe that some investigative journalism has shown links to (if not funding from) right-wing organisations in the US funded by the likes of the Koch brothers (just google them if you want to understand their agenda). |
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Journey by Journey / London to Reading / Re: Incident in Slough area
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on: December 12, 2019, 15:19:39
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Second one this week......
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Maidenhead
Due to a person being hit by a train between London Paddington and Maidenhead all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 16:30 12/12.
Reported elsewhere to be at Taplow again. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: August 30, 2019, 11:47:46
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Reported elsewhere that from September 15th IETs▸ will be able to pass through Steventon on electric at a limit of 110mph so will no longer need to switch to diesel at Didcot or Wantage Road. Not sure if 387s to/from Swindon will still be limited to 60mph.
Apparently Network Rail plan to lower the wire height over Stocks Lane crossing and will impose a height restriction on the road which will allow full 125mph running some time next year.
Reading the minutes of Steventon Parish Council on their meeting with Network Rail it appears unlikely that the High Street bridge will now need to be demolished.
(I do wonder why all this wasn't worked out years ago!)
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: July 30, 2019, 16:48:42
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There has been a suggestion in local reports that Network Rail may find a revised speed of 110mph in electric mode acceptable for an IET▸ through Steventon based on new modelling, which could obviate the need to replace the bridge with only a small speed penalty.
Indeed. From the Steventon Parish Council Monthly News: http://www.steventon.info/paramonthly.htmlNetwork Rail representatives presented an update on Steventon Grade II listed Railway Bridge during Public Participation. They explained that they are currently using new modelling techniques to establish maximum train speeds through Steventon without need to demolish and replace the Railway Bridge.
The Class 800 Intercity Express Train (IET) electro-diesel hybrid train (bi-mode) currently running through Steventon are predicted to be capable of running at 110mph in electric mode that is deemed acceptable to Network Rail.
They are awaiting results for predicted speeds for the Class 387, solely electric trains, they intend to use in order to deliver the London to Cardiff service. A speed in excess of 95mph through Steventon will be deemed acceptable.
Network Rail at the meeting stated that there is an 80% probability that the bridge will not need to be demolished. We await the results of the modelling with some optimism. One of the GWR▸ insiders who appears to be closely associated with IETs and other traction has posted on WNXX▸ that they expect to be able to run through Steventon on electric at 110mph from September. Back in June I was at Didcot early one morning waiting for the 7:29 to London when I saw 2 x 5-car 1B05 Padd-Swansea come through the station at linespeed on the down main with both pantographs raised (they would normally have been lowered at South Moreton). I did wonder if this was a changeover malfunction or driver error and they would be lowered before Steventon but was told subsequently that this was actually a test. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Where's my train/carriage ? Wonder no longer..check scrolling displays
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on: May 26, 2019, 15:26:49
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I shall respond in more detail to Graham's post later as I am just off to the Chippenham Bus Rally, and Graham may well be running the risk of bumping in to me there  However, in direct response to Bob's post, with respect the display photographed epitomises the problem as far as I am concerned. The railway is trying to be helpful but is actually giving the average passenger no information at all. If you are an ordinary passenger, and especially one born after 1964, where the devil is Challow?? Challow station closed in 1964 and there is actually no such place on the map with that name. There is a West Challow and an East Challow, the closest of which is a couple of miles south of the railway, just off the main road between Faringdon and Wantage. I'd wager that there are people living in Faringdon who wouldn't know where "Challow" was in railway terms, let alone an ordinary passenger travelling from Bicester to Llanelli or whatever. "This train is currently between Didcot and Swindon" would provide worthwhile information; "last report Challow at 2020" does not. Whilst I agree with your point from the perspective of providing waiting passengers with information, as a local to the area I can assure you that Challow Station is very clearly signposted locally and is also signed either side of the bridge on the A417 (though not marked as such on OS▸ maps). https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6425362,-1.5076157,3a,37.5y,37.43h,89.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sy10xxQ31Y3ZUo33fgojAAg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656https://www.google.com/maps/@51.616488,-1.492912,3a,75y,165.14h,100.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNkIO0LcTky_Hmx6Hf_HwuQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192Before Digital Doris took over station announcements at Didcot it was not unusual for staff to announce something like the next train to Paddington is just passing Steventon or was delayed at Challow/Uffington/Shrivenham despite these stations having been closed since 1964. Somehow we all managed! |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: April 26, 2019, 12:36:21
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Yes and no - AIUI▸ , the TSI (interoperability standards) mandate a higher level of tension in the wire, which means a thicker (and thus heavier) gauge wire, and so you need beefed up steelwork to carry it.
That said, yes it could be done with much lighter structures. AIUI, the Series 1 catenery had a number of objectives including speed of installation and adjustment on site, minimal maintenance, maximum electrical and mechanical separation, allowing running on one track if the other was isolated, dewired, being worked in etc.
At the end of the day, the steelwork is the visible bit of electrification, but its capital (and enen installation) costs are relatively low - things like feeder stations and control rooms, resignalling, trackwork, rebuilding structures and project management are where most of the money goes.
You're right, Andrew McNaughton quoted by Modern Railways on Twitter: TransPennine Route Upgrade to be the poster child for affordable electrification. Scotland has shown the way by doing schemes affordably. Headline figure £1.2m per single track kilometre - a third civils, a third power supply, a third knitting https://twitter.com/Modern_Railways/status/1121736492517330951 |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: December 31, 2018, 14:33:53
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387's in passenger service at Newbury this morning, a few days ahead of the advertised date  Does this mean shortforms elsewhere, or do GWR▸ have sufficient stock to maintain full 8 car services on LTV▸ ? With wiring to Oxford deferred indefinitely and IETs▸ running the Oxford terminating fasts (was originally meant to be 387s), I doubt if GWR are short of units. Reported elsewhere that GWR have 45 387s for 40 diagrams, though I don't know if that includes the Reading-Newbury shuttles (2 units??). I thought that they were supposed to be running some 12 car 'commuter-buster' peak services in the new year timetable - if those appear I would guess that they're unlikely to need to shortform 8 car peak services. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: November 18, 2018, 20:00:20
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Hmm. It was clearly taken with a telephoto lens though the uplift from the pantograph looked pretty normal to me. Knighton is a bit more than a copse, it's a hamlet/village about a mile south of the site of the crossing. https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5834848,-1.5930662,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sh4p0dvfEfXIXEJv-p1TSYA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Here's the site of Knighton Crossing (before electrification), it's on the road between Knighton village and Longcot. https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5992317,-1.6024652,3a,75y,319.26h,86.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYYEmXfoIekHu-ZQ1G8oxGg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 It was replaced by this underbridge on Claypit Lane between Uffington and Longcot which the Knighton road was diverted into.Might have been at the time HSTs▸ were introduced in 1976 or even earlier? https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5997639,-1.6008706,3a,75y,342.34h,101.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1symZBAt4wGsQSgTExObcU8A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion
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on: November 01, 2018, 08:48:07
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IETs▸ have been running on electric in the down direction to Swindon since Monday (apart from switching to diesel between South Moreton and Steventon). I saw a 800/3 9-car running on electric near Baulking Grange between Challow and Uffington yesterday.
I've read elsewhere that electric running in the up direction from Swindon is due to commence next week. Given the electrical interference issues previously experienced, NR» and Hitachi are taking a cautious approach!
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Click on the map to explore geographics
Harry Beck must be turning in his grave. 
