2018 Full line closure Newbury line

[whole diary]

[317361]

We are up to 11 weeks of closures now, including 3 weeks in the summer. Only 3 weeks up at stations but worse on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com.

Anyone have any more detail? And why has 3 weeks suddenly become 11?

[grahame]

We are up to 11 weeks of closures now, including 3 weeks in the summer. Only 3 weeks up at stations but worse on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com.

Anyone have any more detail? And why has 3 weeks suddenly become 11?

I am getting in touch with the GWR team in the morning to ask ...  we knew that "a couple more" weeks in the second half of the year were planned but this is a huge jump!

And welcome to the forum.  "317361" looks like a Greater Anglia unit number - alas I doubt you'll see it running in the Kennet Valley ...

[LiskeardRich]

52 days in total listed for closure.

Monday 12 to Thursday 15 March
Monday 23 to Thursday 26 April
Monday 14 to Thursday 17 May
Monday 4 to Thursday 7 June
Monday 9 to Thursday 12 July
Monday 16 July to Sunday 5 August
Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 August
Monday 8 to Thursday 11 October
Monday 19 to Thursday 22 November

[\quote]

[Timmer]

Wow that is a huge increase. Obviously the only way they are going to get this done on schedule (well the new schedule anyway) is to have these extra possessions during the week. Quite a bit of pain for the gain of electric services to Newbury.

[grahame]

We are up to 11 weeks of closures now, including 3 weeks in the summer. Only 3 weeks up at stations but worse on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com.

Anyone have any more detail? And why has 3 weeks suddenly become 11?

I am getting in touch with the GWR team in the morning to ask ...  we knew that "a couple more" weeks in the second half of the year were planned but this is a huge jump!

Response I have:

All the dates on the website are subject to chance, however, if Network Rail don’t make the progress they intend to, I would expect more work to be announced later in the year.

I also bumped into Network Rail at Melksham yesterday afternoon, and now have less faith in the 12th March start date for lengthening the platform than I had before that chance meeting.

[grahame]

All the dates on the website are subject to chance, however, if Network Rail don’t make the progress they intend to, I would expect more work to be announced later in the year.

Reading back - I think "change" not "chance" - though it sometimes feel it's left to chance ...

[SandTEngineer]

Interesting to note that on 21/22 July 2018 that the line is also closed through Oxford for Phase 1 of the resignalling between Aynho Junction and Didcot North, leaving only one GW^▸ (Great Western) route open West of Reading

[martyjon]

Interesting to note that on 21/22 July 2018 that the line is also closed through Oxford for Phase 1 of the resignalling between Aynho Junction and Didcot North leaving only one GW^▸ (Great Western) route open West of Reading

.... and if that is disrupted by any means the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are really stuffed.

[Thatcham Crossing]

....as that's the start of the Summer holidays, I suppose they think no one will be travelling!

[martyjon]

I also bumped into Network Rail at Melksham yesterday afternoon, and now have less faith in the 12th March start date for lengthening the platform than I had before that chance meeting.

Perhaps its a casualty of Carillionisation.


Carillionisation.

A delay to a contracted project by unforeseen circumstances seen by many requiring the re-tendering and re-letting of the contract provided that the re-tendered quotes are no greater than that of the originally awarded contract.

[ellendune]

Interesting to note that on 21/22 July 2018 that the line is also closed through Oxford for Phase 1 of the resignalling between Aynho Junction and Didcot North, leaving only one GW^▸ (Great Western) route open West of Reading

Presumably to coincide with holiday closure of the car factory.

[317361]

The briefings at the 'meet the manager' sessions recently had no mention of this, I was assuming maybe another 3 weeks, but we have 8 and a vague sense that there will be more.
Publicity wise we have a small yellow notice on one platform at Kintbury with the original dates.I really am worried how badly this could go. Guess I find out in a few weeks with attempt 1.

I would be happy with 317361 round here I think...grew up with it!

[IndustryInsider]

Interesting to note that on 21/22 July 2018 that the line is also closed through Oxford for Phase 1 of the resignalling between Aynho Junction and Didcot North, leaving only one GW^▸ (Great Western) route open West of Reading

Presumably to coincide with holiday closure of the car factory.

Yes indeed, the BMW plant at Oxford was a very important factor in deciding a date for this years Oxford blockade, with the remodelling of Derby also impacting on possible dates apparently.

[lordgoata]

Publicity wise we have a small yellow notice on one platform at Kintbury with the original dates.

For what it is worth, there was a tannoy announcement at Maidenhead yesterday (morning I think), saying there were planned closures on the Newbury line and to visit the website for more info.

[hoover50]

Quite a bit of pain for the gain of electric services to Newbury.

Yes, all pain and no gain for people wanting to travel to/from stations west of Newbury, i.e. Kintbuty, Bedywn Hungerford and Pewsey.

Once the much-loved HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are replaced by the new Hitachi trains, there is likely to be even more pain due to the hard "ironing board" seats that they have.