Swindon - facilities, improvements, signalling, events and incidents, including GWR history - merged posts

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I am thinking that at some point in the not very distant future, the idea of electric cables being used to convey vital information from signaller to signal will be see in much the same way as semaphore signalling is today - quaint, surprisingly robust and reliable, but with far too many parts, and far too much human interaction. The future probably will involve GPS and the biggest WiFi network ever dreamt of.

[JayMac]

Reports say the cable damage occurred near B&Q in Swindon. That's a few hundred yards down the Golden Valley line from its junction with the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) at Swindon.

So, yes, on the face of it it does seem odd that that the whole FGW^▸ (First Great Western) network fell down that afternoon. One can only assume that initial prognosis affected the junction at Swindon and the GWML in the Swindon area, thus knocking out all services through Swindon. Without being in Swindon Panel at the time we can but speculate. Although I think it's safe to say they didn't deliberately shut the GWML.

Fail safe is the maxim so better safe than sorry perhaps.

Knock on delays affected me that day, but I'm philosophical.

Less tolerant however about the dire First Bus services in Somerset I was exposed to that day. Taunton, once the heart of Southern National following deregulation, is slowly becoming a desert with regard to country bus services. Those that remain are terrible time keepers operated by hand-me-down buses that should be on the scrap heap.

[Electric train]

Bad bad bad boys who used ridgiduct so close to the surface, the use of this in the Southern Routes for electrification and plant cabling is prohibited on or near the surface.  The type of plastic used does not self extinguish when it get a light as its meant to be buried.

Even cables in concrete troughs do not always survive lineside fires.  Its easy to say why don't Network Rail cut down the vegetation around cable routes .......... do you have any idea how many ten's of thousands of miles or cabling there is, folks jump up and down when NR^» (Network Rail - home page) disturbs natural habitat, the biggest reason the travelling public just not willing to pay the cost of clearing all the veg around cable routes 

[TonyK]

Less tolerant however about the dire First Bus services in Somerset I was exposed to that day. Taunton, once the heart of Southern National following deregulation, is slowly becoming a desert with regard to country bus services. Those that remain are terrible time keepers operated by hand-me-down buses that should be on the scrap heap.

I think that is way of the future, sadly. On the signal failure, you would think that B & Q would have had a bit of twin-and-earth at a reasonably price.

[bobm]

Knock on delays affected me that day, but I'm philosophical.

Me too - but I had a lovely journey from Reading to Swindon via Newbury, Trowbridge and Bath Spa!

[TonyK]

Me too - but I had a lovely journey from Reading to Swindon via Newbury, Trowbridge and Bath Spa!

That stirs a memory of a Monday some years back when I had to attend a meeting in London, starting then at Parkway. On such occasions, I always booked a seat in the carriage behind the restaurant car, knowing that I would get free coffee and croissants. An announcement told me that because of over-running engineering works, I could get the train before and arrive 10 minutes late. But no coffee. Or I could get the train I booked on, guzzle free coffee and pastries, but be in Paddington an hour late.

No contest. I decided that if I was indispensable to the committee, they would wait. If I was not, they would start without me. Then as the train pulled in, I saw the chair of the group in coach A, looking stressed, so I knew I was in the clear.

We reversed to Dr Day's Junction, then embarked on the most wonderful railway tour, via Trowbridge, Westbury, Newbury etc. People pay good money for that sort of tour, and I was only disappointed when the journey home went to plan.

[trainer]

One of the delights of Sunday engineering on the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) main line some years was the regular ramble around the Avon and Kennet Valleys when my company was paying the fare (I paid the 1st Weekend upgrade).  I had all day, so was able to sit back and savour the scenery at off peak prices.  However, the return the following Friday was full price, full trains and full-on hassle. I feel for those who just want to get home and not have a magical mystery tour.

[JayMac]

If only we could all pitch up at anytime for a Magical Mystery Tour.

Here's a few photos of some semi-famous Liverpudlians pitching up in a chippy in my hometown whilst on a Magical Mystery Tour. 13 years after these Scousers popped in, a 7 year old bignosemac would get a bag of scrumps from the self same chippy. 7 years old and allowed up the shops on my own. I even used to get Mum's 20 Dunhill International from the newsagent next door, along with my 10p mix up. The current Chinese proprietors of the chippy still have the pictures of the Scousers on the wall.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/the-beatles/9581457/The-Beatles-unseen-pictures-from-filming-of-Magical-Mystery-Tour.html?frame=2357439

[TonyK]

I understand they do a fab no. 27.

[patch38]

Bad bad bad boys who used ridgiduct so close to the surface, the use of this in the Southern Routes for electrification and plant cabling is prohibited on or near the surface.  The type of plastic used does not self extinguish when it get a light as its meant to be buried.

Most of the cabling between Swindon and Kemble is currently in Rigiduct while the redoubling goes ahead to allow it to be moved around as new ballast is delivered and graded. A lot of the original concrete ducting is stacked lineside presumably to be re-used when the final alignment is put in place.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for posting that useful information, patch38 - and, with apologies for our tardiness in doing so, may I offer you a rather belated warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum! 

[patch38]

Many thanks for the welcome, Chris. I have been lurking for some considerable time and finding the Forum both highly informative and fun. I'll chime in again when I have something useful to contribute. I'm keeping a close eye on the Swindon - Kemble work from a handy vantage point 

[IndustryInsider]

I'm keeping a close eye on the Swindon - Kemble work from a handy vantage point 

Any useful titbits of information on that would be very useful when the blockade starts.

[TonyK]

And welcome from me too, patch38! Photographs would be particularly of interest. I have a sister-in-law who uses Kemble regularly - she doesn't drive - and refuses to believe that this time, it's for real. We're all agog to see how it is progressing.

[bobm]

Just discovered this website http://www.swindonpanel.org.uk/index.php

Looks like an exciting project to preserve Swindon panel after it is taken out of service next year and I will be following it with interest.

They have a meeting at 11am on Saturday 14th September followed by a visit to Swindon panel.

I think it is great that some of the more modern infrastructure is being preserved and the plan to make it "work" with a computer simulator running behind it is something I'd love to see happen.