Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Lee]

You did indeed:

I see that the residents of Goring have effectively lost their battle to get any changes to the electrification in the area.  Network Rail will plant a few trees instead (and probably chop them down in a few years to prevent too many leaves falling on the line).

[grahame]

If Network Rail are that keen to mitigate an act of electrification vandalism, then they could always pledge £3.75 million towards the cost of Pilning Westgate...

You did indeed:

I see that the residents of Goring have effectively lost their battle to get any changes to the electrification in the area.  Network Rail will plant a few trees instead (and probably chop them down in a few years to prevent too many leaves falling on the line).

The 'news' to me was the scale of the local funding being invested at Goring when changes to the electrification equipment proved impractical.  Comparing, as Lee was, Goring and Pilning - which could both be considered as "Network Rail vandalism", I have to wonder at the criteria used to decide where to fund mitigation for what may be needed as part of the whole electrification plan, and how those criteria are applied evenly and openly by what is now a public body.

[JayMac]

The formula for such funding appears to be based on the number and volume of moaners.

[SandTEngineer]

That was exactly my reason for posting the link.  I can think of several places that could have used that £3.5 Million to useful effect, and like Grahame I think that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) may have just thrown a sum of money at the Goring residents to try and 'shut them up' (and yes, I know that NR has a duty of care as 'Good Neighbours').

[eightonedee]

In defence of NR^» (Network Rail - home page), if you read the article the money is largely (£3m out of £3.75m) to be spent in the wider area of the Chilterns and N Wessex Downs AONBs^▸ (Areas Of Natural Beauty) on landscape enhancement. That's quite a substantial area - anywhere from Luton to Devizes, Swindon to Basingstoke or Reading to Aylesbury. If it's like the biodiversity offsetting funds they are distributing, they will struggle to attract grant applications.

[grahame]

Oddly, on the return 9 car (stopping at Didcot) we went on to diesel for the Didcot restart before reverting to OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") after a few minutes and while in motion. 

That is to ensure that they did not have to slow down to get under the bridge at Steventon. AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) on the up journey you presumably did slow down as you were on the approach to Didcot. 

Are they still using diesel through or slowing down??

From the Oxford Mail

A BID to demolish a historic railway bridge in South Oxfordshire will now go to a public hearing.

The government's Planning Inspectorate has announced it will use the meeting to hear petitions from Network Rail over why it wants to knock down Steventon Road bridge as part of its electrification of the Great Western Mainline.

It will also hear submissions from residents who are trying to fight the demolition.

The date of the hearing has not yet been announced.

[IndustryInsider]

Diesel still.

[Adrian]

Wires now up on all lines through Newport, except missing the contact wire on the down main across the river bridge and through platform 3.  Quite a productive weekend possession, it would seem.

[IndustryInsider]

I don’t think it’s been posted here, but the electrification ‘switch on’ between Parkway and Cardiff is planned for Christmas, so there will be a short period where the new December timetable (in whatever form it takes) will still be relying on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) running in diesel mode. 

The difference in diesel and electric mode for that section will probably only amount to a couple of minutes though, so not critical, but will put a little extra pressure on delivering the timetable.

IETs will of course be still using diesel at Steventon, and presumably through the Severn Tunnel, for a while - possibly years - to come.  A good job the order was modified so the all-electric 801s aren’t on the books.

[TonyK]

IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) will of course be still using diesel at Steventon, and presumably through the Severn Tunnel, for a while - possibly years - to come.  A good job the order was modified so the all-electric 801s aren’t on the books.

Others may say it's a pity the electrification wasn't done to plan, of course. We are seeing the benefits of the 801 diesel mode though. I can often ride on one from Devon, which was not the plan originally.

[didcotdean]

There has been a suggestion in local reports that Network Rail may find a revised speed of 110mph in electric mode acceptable for an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) through Steventon based on new modelling, which could obviate the need to replace the bridge with only a small speed penalty.

[DidcotPunter]

There has been a suggestion in local reports that Network Rail may find a revised speed of 110mph in electric mode acceptable for an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) through Steventon based on new modelling, which could obviate the need to replace the bridge with only a small speed penalty.

Indeed. From the Steventon Parish Council Monthly News: http://www.steventon.info/paramonthly.html

Network Rail representatives presented an update on Steventon Grade II listed Railway Bridge during Public Participation. They explained that they are currently using new modelling techniques to establish maximum train speeds through Steventon without need to demolish and replace the Railway Bridge.

The Class 800 Intercity Express Train (IET) electro-diesel hybrid train (bi-mode) currently running through Steventon are predicted to be capable of running at 110mph in electric mode that is deemed acceptable to Network Rail.

They are awaiting results for predicted speeds for the Class 387, solely electric trains, they intend to use in order to deliver the London to Cardiff service. A speed in excess of 95mph through Steventon will be deemed acceptable.

Network Rail at the meeting stated that there is an 80% probability that the bridge will not need to be demolished. We await the results of the modelling with some optimism.

One of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) insiders who appears to be closely associated with IETs and other traction has posted on WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) that they expect to be able to run through Steventon on electric at 110mph from September. Back in June I was at Didcot early one morning waiting for the 7:29 to London when I saw 2 x 5-car 1B05 Padd-Swansea come through the station at linespeed on the down main with both pantographs raised (they would normally have been lowered at South Moreton). I did wonder if this was a changeover malfunction or driver error and they would be lowered before Steventon but was told subsequently that this was actually a test.

[IndustryInsider]

A little treat for all you cab video lovers (I know you're out there!), or just those that like to see what changes are made when a route is modernised.

Here is a before-and-after comparison I've done of the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) Electrification scheme between Reading and Didcot Parkway showing the vast amount of work done over a nine year period to a live railway line.  It's in a similar style to my Cotswold Line redoubling ones from seven years ago (was it really that long ago!).

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7fk4ne

I'll hopefully add Paddington to Reading when everything is finished there - where although the electrification has been completed there are numerous platform extensions and station rebuilds ongoing for Crossrail.

[chuffed]

A pity the  electrified blue bridge over the M4 just east of  Bristol Parkway station, has been disfigured by an extremely offensive reference to Boris Johnson,that would cause great embarrassment to families in cars travelling westwards. I have ho time for the man, but he doen't deserve that!.I have asked Network Rail to clean it off as a matter of urgency.

[IndustryInsider]

May I ask if the 2019 video was IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) or HST^▸ (High Speed Train)?

Neither.     It was a Turbo, to match the 2010 one.  One of the few that still operate on a daily basis.

That meant the acceleration and braking were very similar meaning I didn't have to do as much artificial slowing down or speeding up so that the clips match as closely as possible.  Even then, a signal check near Didcot means the 2010 video runs a little 'funny' from Moreton onwards to try and match everything up.  It was recorded in 50 frames per second to try and minimise any juddering.