Thames Valley branches - are to be electrified

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

...concurrently with the main line, according to this morning's HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification - the DfT's High Level Output Specification, which has specified to Network Rail the outputs that need to be delivered within a Control Period (CP)).

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hlos-2012/railways-act-2005.pdf


List includes Windsor, Henley, Marlow and also that short missing link between Acton and Willesden Jn.

Paul

Edited to add link.  Started a couple of threads and only put the link in one of them...   

[autotank]

Source? This is great news!

What are they going to do about the Marlow Donkey? Will they have to have a special 2 car unit for that line or will they make alterations at Bourne End?

[autotank]

Just found this:

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hlos-2012/map-hlos-electrification.pdf

This really is great news - joined up thinking from DFT^▸ (Department for Transport)!

[Electric train]

What are they going to do about the Marlow Donkey? Will they have to have a special 2 car unit for that line or will they make alterations at Bourne End?

That is in the detail, I am sure there will be a couple of 2 car sets, the Henley's and Windsor's only need to be 2 car sets for the majority of the time.

What is excellent to see is the cross country route Basingstoke to Coventry electrified.  This could lead to Basingstoke to Weymouth being converted fro third rail to OHL^▸ (Over-Head Line), the existing electrification between Basingstoke and Bournemouth is life expired and is up for renewals in CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) and 6 the Bournemouth to Weymouth system is lacking in capacity.

[grahame]

Have I missed something?  Is Greenford included somewhere (perhaps in its relationship with Crossrail?)?

[paul7575]

Have I missed something?  Is Greenford included somewhere (perhaps in its relationship with Crossrail?)?

Not mentioned, I've searched all the bumph now. 

The connection with Crossrail is that the unit will be captive on the branch to avoid conflicting moves across West Ealing Jn, I can't see it being operated as part of Crossrail, because that re-introduces the junction penalties?

Paul

[Electric train]

Could it be that the Greenford service comes under TFL^▸ (Transport for London) so may well get identified in a Boris spending plan

[IndustryInsider]

It would make sense if it was, post Crossrail, in my opinion.

[eightf48544]

Mere speculation but it's been suggested that at Boune End tha if the friction buffer is moved (removed) as it's not needed with TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) and teh point indicator moved neare MArlow then you could get a three car 320 unti from Scotland as thay are 20m coaches rather than 23 of the Turbos. Of course if we had articulated units 3 cars would be no problem.

With more drastic action it might be possble to move the point.

[IndustryInsider]

Mere speculation but it's been suggested that at Boune End tha if the friction buffer is moved (removed) as it's not needed with TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) and teh point indicator moved neare MArlow then you could get a three car 320 unti from Scotland as thay are 20m coaches rather than 23 of the Turbos. Of course if we had articulated units 3 cars would be no problem.

With more drastic action it might be possble to move the point.

Would that be allowed though?  I know the other platform at Bourne End has no friction buffer stop, but they don't appear to like modifying anything so that it's less safe than it was.  After all, at Reading's new platforms 4, 5 and 6, TPWS is provided and yet stopping distances are even larger than they used to be in the old 4a/4b days.  Bourne End is the only big problem with the electrification plan though as the other branches are fine length wise, and on that route Marlow could very easily be lengthened and Cookham and Furze Platt are all fine, with Maidenhead is being remodelled anyway for Crossrail.

If that problem can be fixed a smallish fleet of new (or cascaded) 3x20m EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) could serve the Marlow, Henley and Windsor branches along with Reading to Basingstoke, Reading to Newbury and Oxford to Banbury local services.  It would only be Bourne End that would prohibit 3x23m units being used.

[dviner]

With more drastic action it might be possble to move the point.

Drastic? You'd need to buy out and demolish most (if not all) of the properties in Donkey Lane to handle the changed radius of the track - on the plus side, though, you could then get rid of the Donkey Lane Level Crossing.

Electrifying the Marlow branch would be very interesting - you'd need to make sure that the people who park their dinghys on the town side of the tracks lowered their masts first...

[Electric train]

Having talked to someone in the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) electrification team the branches and the Southampton to Coventry electrification could roll on quite quickly from the mainline.

The issue with boat masts ceases to be an issue when they get vaporised    seriously what will be installed are fixed hight barriers, the wire hight at level crossings will be at standard road clearance (16 feet rings a bell) for wires crossing a highway (BT DNO^▸ (Distribution Network Operator) etc)

Industry Insider is probably correct a small fleet of 2 car units for the branches and the Reading - Basingstoke's and Greenfords if wired