Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Out and about this morning, before it got too hot. I've taken BNM's tip and hosted the images on imgbb.com, so let's hope I've done it right!

First two are the now more-or-less complete Stapleton Road viaduct:

Note the sticky-outy bit (I think that's the correct engineering term) on the side of the leftmost pier; from the plans I think that is for an access gantry of some sort:

Network Rail were out in force on Filton Bank; hard to get decent pics as everything was so far away from anywhere I could access, but this one (taken from Bonnington Walk looking south) shows track panel wagons. There was also a trainload of sleepers just south of this:

Finally Parkway station, where there appeared to be more than enough buses to meet demand. To a passing cyclist, this looked like a model of quiet efficiency; YMMV^▸ (Your Method/Mileage May Vary).


Edit: Apologies for false start; should be OK now. learning curve and all that!
Another edit: Third time's a treat!

[Bmblbzzz]

Can't see any images there. 

[grahame]

Edit: Apologies for false start; should be OK now. learning curve and all that!
Another edit: Third time's a treat!

 

Look good - thank you!

[Red Squirrel]

Note the sticky-outy bit...

Ah, belay that; I dug out the plans (15/00655/RA  on the Bristol Planning Portal for them as might be interested) and I see that my memory has been playing tricks with me; it is actually a 'corble (sic) for future OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") mast'. Let's hope some of the younger readers live to see it employed.

[Bmblbzzz]

Yeah, photos! Thanks, Red Squirrel. By the way, I've never heard of imgbb.com, I presume it's something like flckr but in some way better, or at least supposedly better?

[TonyK]

Good pictures indeed, Red Squirrel! I wnet along Statpleton Road on Thursday, but without chance to take stock or photos.

I switched to Flickr from Photobucket when the latter decided to charge. I shall look at imgbb, just in case.

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah, photos! Thanks, Red Squirrel. By the way, I've never heard of imgbb.com, I presume it's something like flckr but in some way better, or at least supposedly better?

BNM suggested it; a quick google suggests that not everyone loves it - I wouldn't use it for primary storage, for example, nor would I put stuff there if I cared about my copyright - but it does the job.

[bradshaw]

Unfortunately the images do not appear on my MacBook Pro or iPad but do so on an old iPhone!

[johnneyw]

A picture below of Filton Abbey Wood new platform at about noon today. Looking South the platform wall has been started. It looks like they have started at the southern end and are working north. The arrangements of the supporting walls are now making more sense with the course of the permanent access ramp now becoming clearer. They looked quite busy on the wall for the time being, perhaps there will be a lot more progress to show in the next few days.

[Red Squirrel]

Well that saves me the bother of posting the identical photo I took yesterday! 

[johnneyw]

Took another look at Filton Abbey Wood today. After what seemed like a brief pause in progress, the platform wall construction has resumed. There was not really enough visible progress from my previous picture to justify a new one yet but the wall is now nearly half way from it's southern extreme to the footbridge so more obvious progress could be imminent.

[martyjon]

Bristol Parkway to be closed from 15 September - 07 October and from 27 October - 19 November trains will not run between Temple Meads and Parkway and will include the Severn Beach line. I presume this will be to connect up and commission the four tracking.

[SandTEngineer]

The signalling commissioning is over xmas 2018/new year 2019.

[TonyK]

Bristol Parkway to be closed from 15 September - 07 October and from 27 October - 19 November trains will not run between Temple Meads and Parkway and will include the Severn Beach line. I presume this will be to connect up and commission the four tracking.

Will the Crosscountry trains be using the Henbury loop again?

[stuving]

Bristol Parkway to be closed from 15 September - 07 October and from 27 October - 19 November trains will not run between Temple Meads and Parkway and will include the Severn Beach line. I presume this will be to connect up and commission the four tracking.

Will the Crosscountry trains be using the Henbury loop again?

The first of those closures, 15 September to 6 October, is for Parkway's electrification. Presumably the full block closure is preferred there because there is a reasonable diversion via Bath, and for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains via the Severn Tunnel, Newport, and Lydney. Buses fill the other gaps around Parkway.

Filton Bank's fourtification also gets a 23-day block closure (27 October to 18 November), as well as weekend ones (13 and 14 October and 24 and 25 November and 1 and  2 December, though they may involve other stuff too). The services for those have not been announced yet, but the "expected" route for XCs is via Swindon and Bath. For most other routes, it is buses and more buses.