Electrification work West of Bath

[whole diary]

[Electric train]

On the way to BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains) (7.43, HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) we stopped by the old refuse siding "to pick up a member of NR^» (Network Rail - home page) staff". Coming home (1328, HST) we stopped at the same place "to drop off a signalman". The 1313 to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) via BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) was cancelled because of a signalling problem.Any connection here?

"Pilot" Signaller  stay in the Box (no not as in Tunnel  ) A Pilot will be there to conduct a train over a section where there is no normal signalling over a section or several sections; the Pilot gets the authority to proceed from the Signaller and will give the train driver instructions ignore signals up to, the Pilot is in effect a Token

[TonyK]

Off to BTT today, and no hangovers caused by the work, it seems. 0749 BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) (2Z08) was cancelled because of a broken train, but all else seemed to be in order. I introduced a colleague to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), having seen her on the platform at KYN as I sped through on the 0800 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) service.

[Timmer]

UPDATE: The line between Bath and Bristol will be closed for 9 days over the Easter period.
Source: Bath Chronicle http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Network-Rail-withdraw-plans-bridges-Saltford/story-27946221-detail/story.html

[johnneyw]

Bristol Evening Post is reporting more overspend and delays on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) electrification:

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Cost-Great-Western-Railway-electrification-soars/story-28029898-detail/story.html

There's going to be a fair few non bi-modal trains sitting around doing nothing for quite a while if the delays are as bad as reported here.

[ChrisB]

The bi-modes deliver first fortunately....and that press report is correct. There's a 17 day one planned south of Oxford too, for Hinkley drainage.

[ellendune]

The bi-modes deliver first fortunately....and that press report is correct. There's a 17 day one planned south of Oxford too, for Hinkley drainage.

But Oxford is 70 miles from Hinkley ...

...  perhaps you mean Hinksey.  That's a place near Oxford where the railway often floods. 

[ChrisB]

Hinksey indeed!....and NR^» (Network Rail - home page) told me this morning that it was put back into 2017 to be done with Oxford, while Banbury is completed this summer.

He also said "Bi-Ox certainly won't be completed before Banbury" and intimated that even that was now likely to come into 2017. I am worried about Didcot-Oxford electrification even more now. The delays are mounting

[grahame]

UPDATE: The line between Bath and Bristol will be closed for 9 days over the Easter period.
Source: Bath Chronicle http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Network-Rail-withdraw-plans-bridges-Saltford/story-27946221-detail/story.html

Network Rail will present new designs to a stakeholder working group later in October.

Hmm ... they also have a stakeholder meeting on 10th November to talk about the Easter period - which they are quoting as 2nd to 11th April.   I must have missed something because I thought that Easter was in late March next year - but then that's only a seven day delay.

[Timmer]

It could be that in the BANES area the Easter school holidays are seperate from the Easter weekend though of course schools can now take holidays when they wish.

That might be the reason the closure is taking place early April.

[ellendune]

Hmm ... they also have a stakeholder meeting on 10th November to talk about the Easter period - which they are quoting as 2nd to 11th April.   I must have missed something because I thought that Easter was in late March next year - but then that's only a seven day delay.

Easter Sunday is indeed 28th March, but Easter being early the school holidays typically start on Good Friday (25th) and go on for two weeks until Monday 11th April.  The period from 2nd to 11th is therefore the weekend after Easter until the end of the following weekend (after which the schools go back).

[Timmer]

It could be that in the BANES area the Easter school holidays are seperate from the Easter weekend though of course schools can now take holidays when they wish.

That might be the reason the closure is taking place early April.

To confirm BANES Easter school holidays runs from Monday 4-15 of April. These are the recommended dates, schools are free to set their own dates but all would be off 2-11 of April when Network Rail are planning to close the line.

[Timmer]

This is what I think the basic service pattern will look like when the line is closed between Bath and Bristol next April:

Bristol to London (via Badminton) hourly Monday-Sunday.
Bath to London hourly Monday-Saturday, shuttle to Swindon Sunday morning and evening, hourly service afternoon peak to London.
Cardiff to Portsmouth hourly diverted to start from/to Swindon calling at Melksham every 2 hours as last Summer. Passengers from Cardiff/Newport/Bristol travel by HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and change at Swindon. This means one change for those heading South not two involving a bus.
Cardiff to Bristol half hourly service, one fast, one stopper (Taunton service).
Gloucester/Worcester/Great Malvern hourly service terminates at Bristol continuing at Bath...
Bath to Westbury hourly, half hourly in peaks, stopping service continuing to Weymouth/Warminster/Brighton/Frome.
Bath to Bristol bus service every 15 minutes with one service an hour, more in the peaks, calling at Oldfield Park (lower Bristol Road) and Keynsham.

The challenge that I can see is for those commuting from Wiltshire to Bristol either having to go via Swindon (long journey) or changing at Bath for a bus to Bristol, again a long journey.

I expect that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/Network Rail will publish details of this upcoming work well in advance to give commuters from Wiltshire and Bath who work in Bristol plenty of time to book annual leave during the week of 4th - 8th of April which those with children will probably be doing anyway.

[John R]

This is what I think the basic service pattern will look like when the line is closed between Bath and Bristol next April:


The challenge that I can see is for those commuting from Wiltshire to Bristol either having to go via Swindon (long journey) or changing at Bath for a bus to Bristol, again a long journey.

Could they run a couple of peak services via Taunton?

[Timmer]

Could they run a couple of peak services via Taunton?

No reason why not with Cardiff-Portsmouths having run via Taunton previously when the line between Bath and Bristol has been closed for engineering work on a Sunday. Quite a long journey though but at least it keeps passengers on trains which surveys have indicated they prefer.

[TonyK]

No reason why not with Cardiff-Portsmouths having run via Taunton previously when the line between Bath and Bristol has been closed for engineering work on a Sunday. Quite a long journey though but at least it keeps passengers on trains which surveys have indicated they prefer.

Quite agree.