Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works

[whole diary]

[stuving]

This was posted on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum but not sure how accurate it is:

.....the intention is to incorporate two terminating platforms in the layout of the OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) joint HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s))/Crossrail station - this effectively frees up space at Marylebone for extra services. Although TBH^▸ (to be honest) some could even continue and terminate at Paddington in the old platform 14 if there is enough capacity between Crossrail services. West Ealing is recognised as an unsuitable destination long-term to provide a terminating platform to transfer from a Chiltern train onto Crossrail.

Whose intention, and with what influence on what's going to happen?

One of the odd things about this is that all the official information about Crossrail at OOC has been part of HS2 - presumably because they are purchasing the land, and have to justify its use even if they are not going to be the users. But while there are plans in the successive Additional Provisions (1-5), I find it very hard to work out which got into the act and where (if public) the details of the railway design are.

But I think that process (which finished in terms of new data with AP5 in December 2015, leading to the Act in February 2017) left a latest plan with three reversing sidings that run from the two central platforms of the OOC Relief Lines roughly along the path of the High Wycombe Single. These stop short of the NLL bridge, but obviously could extend to allow services to run onward to High Wycombe or the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) - though nothing in the HS2 documents tells you about the. The High Wycombe Single itself does seem to be still there, rather than being removed as in the original HS2 plans, but again it's not something HS2 need to say anything about in their environmental statement.

[stuving]

I've now found where we discussed this before: the "Great Western franchise to be broken up?" thread. That was less than a year ago, and apparently at the time I knew all about how the NNML will not be  not permanently obstructed by what HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) will build. No doubt they didn't mention its reinstatement for the same reason as I gave above - not their business, and no environmental impact (in the sense it's already there before they start.).

[SandTEngineer]

Thanks STUVING.  I kew you would come up with the goods.....

[eightf48544]

Wonder where the Grand Central Adelantes will be serviced. They used to come from the ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) via the NL down the ramp at Acton and then round via Greenford to OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)).

As an aside in the late 60s one of the passenger/car carriers from X to Newhaven? (what were they called?) used to use that route  from the MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) via Duddinghill to Acton and then round to OOC via Greenford cross the mainlines and join the West London Line to Clapham jn and the Brighton line. Why? Because the Class 45 were banned for Herne Hill to Tulse Hill which is the route it would have had to take if it carried on the NL from Acton to Kew  and Clapham Jn.

[paul7575]

Wonder where the Grand Central Adelantes will be serviced. They used to come from the ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) via the NL down the ramp at Acton and then round via Greenford to OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)).

Didn’t that stop completely once they went off lease with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)?  Criticism of GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) reliability elsewhere suggests they may not be maintained very well at all...

Paul

[Dispatch Box]

I suppose this has been completed now.

[IndustryInsider]

I suppose this has been completed now.

Yes, all competed on time for yesterday morning.  Good to see the renewal of Southall East Junction has been given back with a Temporary Speed Restriction of 90mph on the main lines, instead of the traditional 50mph, so that'll help things flow much better than they would have done otherwise in the next week or so until linespeed is restored.  I remember reading an article that gave details of technology improvements that made that possible, as well as handing back plain line renewals at 125mph, which is a massive improvement on the 50mph of old!

[Dispatch Box]

I suppose this has been completed now.

Yes, all competed on time for yesterday morning.  Good to see the renewal of Southall East Junction has been given back with a Temporary Speed Restriction of 90mph on the main lines, instead of the traditional 50mph, so that'll help things flow much better than they would have done otherwise in the next week or so until linespeed is restored.  I remember reading an article that gave details of technology improvements that made that possible, as well as handing back plain line renewals at 125mph, which is a massive improvement on the 50mph of old!

Does anyone have pictures of Southall west Junction.