New station at Ashley Down, Bristol

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

I didn't realize they were going to have to move the tracks. I thought they had been been put down with the potential platforms in mind when the four-tracking was done.

Interesting point. I guess it's hard to do passive provision when the design of the thing you're passively providing for hasn't been finalised?

There does appear to have been a fairly late adjustment to the platform widths, related (I think) to disabled accessibility and safety. Maybe that's why they had to slew the tracks? This also led to the closure period of Concorde Way being much longer than initially planned.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm sure I've seen posts on these very pages pointing out the passive provision made for future Ashley Down platforms! But if there's been a late revision to the design, that would clearly alter it.

[paul7575]

I didn't realize they were going to have to move the tracks. I thought they had been been put down with the potential platforms in mind when the four-tracking was done.

I think at the site of Ashley Down the tracks installed were the new mains on the east side.  It varied side to side in different areas along the whole length of the bank, but it’s possible the relief side was still in its original position prior to four tracking.

[Red Squirrel]

I didn't realize they were going to have to move the tracks. I thought they had been been put down with the potential platforms in mind when the four-tracking was done.

I think at the site of Ashley Down the tracks installed were the new mains on the east side.  It varied side to side in different areas along the whole length of the bank, but it’s possible the relief side was still in its original position prior to four tracking.

Yes that’s true. When it was two-tracked, they swapped sides further up the bank. So that’s a simpler explanation. Occam’s Razor roolz.

[Bmblbzzz]

Well, I'm glad they don't have to move the mains too!

[Red Squirrel]

I won't bore you by republishing all the photos on the Network Rail Western twitter feed, but this one piqued my interest: Is this the packing material the platform sections came in, or the platform itself 



I heard that some new stations were being build using expanded polystyrene, but it's still a bit of a surprise to see it!

[Wizard]

If they aren’t careful they’ll have it open before Portway

[ChrisB]

In one of the communiques I saw around the Reading Green Park opening, Ashley Down was mentioned as the next to open....how true, I don't know.

[paul7575]

I won't bore you by republishing all the photos on the Network Rail Western twitter feed, but this one piqued my interest: Is this the packing material the platform sections came in, or the platform itself 

I heard that some new stations were being build using expanded polystyrene, but it's still a bit of a surprise to see it!

There’s a number of case studies on their website, this link should go to the one about the Maidenhead platform lengthening.  Please see the 29 photo gallery, shows all the components.

I think once built they’re almost undetectable, as the walking surface is solid concrete and the visible front face under the coping is also a concrete “skin”.
https://www.megatechprojects.co.uk/projects/maidenhead/

Paul

[TonyK]

It's amazing what you can buy from Ikea these days.

[Western Pathfinder]

Let's hope nobody loses the Allan key...

[ellendune]

Let's hope nobody loses the Allan key...

Its ok most people now have draws full of them as you get one with everything now!

[Red Squirrel]

Let's hope nobody loses the Allan key...

Its ok most people now have draws full of them as you get one with everything now!

Actually it's more like Lego, so no Allen key required:

[johnneyw]

This sounds like a quick, economical and sensible way to build a station.....so it definitely won't be employed on the Portishead Line.

[grahame]

This sounds like a quick, economical and sensible way to build a station.....so it definitely won't be employed on the Portishead Line.

It is something that was investigated (I understand) by TransWilts as a quick win to extend the disused platform face at Westbury out to the the next track which is still in place, and the speed of construction and sensible cost of so doing were both impressive.  Sadly, that track is used by a lot of freight business, and the project of "Platform 0" being brought back into use in that way was kiboshed.

_{Edit typo: was -> way - Red Squirrel}