Tilehurst station - facilities, incidents and improvements (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[jane s]

Anyone know what the delay this morning was all about?

Dragged myself out of bed for the 07:22 from Tilehurst and ended up freezing on the platform for nearly 1/2-an-hour until it finally arrived at just after 07:45, then we sat at Reading for another 5 minutes before it finally left.

The 07:50 was cancelled altogether.

Anyone know what the problem was?

[grahame]

By the sound of things, the new system of dealing with long trains at short platforms has meant that station working is slower than it has been, and so some of the trains from beyond Bristol and fromthe Cotswold line have been getting held up.   That probably doesn't directly effect most of the Tilehurst trains, but it does mean that they can get held up behind the other services from Oxford to Didcot.

[grahame]

Welcome to the forum, by the way ....

and at Reading, I guess you might have been waiting for a "Path" beween those 125 expresses which make FGW^▸ (First Great Western) most of their money 

[devon_metro]

It was cancelled from Banbury - Oxford due to a broken down train which might explain the delay.

[jane s]

I missed the 07:22 from Tilehurst on Wednesday & today, so caught the 07:43. On both days, the train had an "extra unscheduled" stop at Reading?

Anyone know what this was all about?

[Ollie]

This morning there were some late runners due to a points problem at Swindon which delayed several trains so your service was made to call additional at Reading, not sure about Wednesday though sorry.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Has anyone else noticed that the pre-recorded announcements on Turbos seem to refer to the station between Reading and Pangbourne as "Twilehurst" sounding like "Twyford"?

[chineseJohn]

I've heard that Tilehurst Cycle racks/parking are to be removed and a cafe put it there place.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have said that cyclists will not loose out on the parking .. i assume new racks elsewhere in the station complex?

[john_boler]

Work is under way to build a new footbridge at Tilehurst station, as part of the Great Western track electrification programme. You can see the approved plans here: http://planninghome.reading.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MHCEGIMS01X00. The design includes "passive" provision for later addition of passenger lifts. MIGGS (Mobility Issues Group for Goring and Streatley) is campaigning to have lifts added at the same time that the footbridge is rebuilt at Goring and Streatley station, also a part of the electrification programme. You can follow MIGGS on facebook, at: https://www.facebook.com/MobilityIssuesGroupForGoringAndStreatley?ref=stream.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for posting the links, and welcome to the forum.

Is there a similar application in for Goring's footbridge yet?  I wonder whether the opportunity to extend the 'down main' platform will be taken at the same time at Goring, given that it's current usable length is just 69 metres, and if 4-car 20 metre electric trains will be using it that's not long enough without SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) being used.

The case for lifts being installed is a difficult one.  There's a similar argument for other stations where footbridges will need to be altered/replaced as part of the scheme, and (as is the case near Oxford) others are, or will be, pushing for disabled access at 'their' bridge, but obviously the cost to each location of providing lifts or ramps eats into the budget.

[DidcotPunter]

Thanks for posting the links, and welcome to the forum.

Is there a similar application in for Goring's footbridge yet?  I wonder whether the opportunity to extend the 'down main' platform will be taken at the same time at Goring, given that it's current usable length is just 69 metres, and if 4-car 20 metre electric trains will be using it that's not long enough without SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) being used.

The case for lifts being installed is a difficult one.  There's a similar argument for other stations where footbridges will need to be altered/replaced as part of the scheme, and (as is the case near Oxford) others are, or will be, pushing for disabled access at 'their' bridge, but obviously the cost to each location of providing lifts or ramps eats into the budget.

Nothing on the planning application section of South Oxfordshire District Council's website yet so it seems that the plans for replacing the footbridges at Goring and Cholsey have not yet been submitted.

Moving further west, I understand that bridge replacement between Didcot and Swindon is scheduled for next year. The A338 bridge at Wantage Road (Grove) is planned for demolition on the weekend of 39/30th March and will take around 6 weeks to reopen. The A417 bridge at Challow is slated for demolition on the weekend of 11/12th October 2014 and will reopen in mid December.

I'm not sure about the timing for the other over-bridges on this section but I believe that bridges at Basil Hill Lane (entrance to Foxhall car park, Didcot), Steventon, Shrivenham, Bourton and on the east side of Swindon will be replaced.

[ellendune]

Moving further west, I understand that bridge replacement between Didcot and Swindon is scheduled for next year. The A338 bridge at Wantage Road (Grove) is planned for demolition on the weekend of 39/30th March and will take around 6 weeks to reopen. The A417 bridge at Challow is slated for demolition on the weekend of 11/12th October 2014 and will reopen in mid December.

I'm not sure about the timing for the other over-bridges on this section but I believe that bridges at Basil Hill Lane (entrance to Foxhall car park, Didcot), Steventon, Shrivenham, Bourton and on the east side of Swindon will be replaced.

That's going to cause some traffic disruption!

The bridge at Wantage Road was built for four tracks, but when the loops were restores it obviously did not quite meet the current requirements so the turnout on one side is just under the bridge.  I do hope they make it compatible with full four track formation.

Also there are other over-bridges between Didcot and Swindon that are on sections with four track formation, but currently only have two tracks.  It would be very short sighted not to renew these bridges as four track structures.

[DidcotPunter]

Yes we anticipate traffic chaos!  Diverting the local traffic through some of the villages like Denchworth won't be terribly popular either. However I can't think of any alternative.

Good point about allowing for four-tracking though I doubt if it'll happen except at Challow and maybe Wantage Road. I spoke to Richard Turner, Community Relations Advisor - Electrification for Network Rail. He emphasised that their budget for the project was very tight (well, he would wouldn't he) and that the bridges were being replaced on a like-for-like basis. This meant that any improvements - such as road widening, footpath improvements - would have to be funded from elsewhere, such as the local authority. Given this is Oxfordshire, it's unlikely to happen. There's controversy over the replacement of the footbridge in Hinksey at the moment, as Network Rail will only fund a basic replacement, whilst the locals want the replacement enhanced for disabled access. There's a standoff over who funds any enhancements.

[ellendune]

I am less worried about footbridges as (a) they are cheaper and (b) they are usually less disruptive to change. At Challow there are four tracks already so there is no problem. It is at Wantage that a slight widening would be in order. 

My main concern is the other bridges around Shrivenham that are four track and where there are currently only two.

[lordgoata]

I noticed as I passed through Tilehurst tonight, a fire engine and a Water Rescue team. My thoughts turned immediately to the workers constructing the new bridge, and all the heavy plant they are having to use in the tiny space on the river side.

Having looked it up this evening, I was pleased to see it was nothing serious:

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2013/06/10/90228-cow-rescued-from-a-river-in-tilehurst/