Western Route Strategic Plan 2019

[whole diary]

[stuving]

I went looking for the Western Route Strategic Plan (of March 2019) to see what it said about Network rail's thinking in the context of WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about). But, while its content is diffuse and hard to summarise, it does relate to the whole route and has never had a mention of its own. So here it is, for future refernce.

Unlike the Wessex Route version, it doesn't give a timetable of major possessions. It has comments about all areas of infrastructure work, except - it appears - enhancements. I think that's because these arise from the "pipeline" rather than from the Route itself, but I may be wrong. Under a picture of said pipeline, it says (P 61, FID is final investment decision):

The route has 3 DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) funded Enhancements that have currently passed FID (November 2018), these are Bristol Temple Meads Station Capacity, Western Route Flood Resilience and Great Western Electrification (committed elements).

So when it says under "delivery strategy" (P 63):

There are no OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") critical resources required in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) as only renewals campaign changes remain for the Great Western Electrification

my guess is that the "Hendy tail" is parked on a shelf at NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Towers and isn't part of the route's plans until taken off and fed into the dust-blower. (Or maybe the shredder, of course.)

[stuving]

This isn't quite a page-turner - and to prove that here's a few snippets:

There is no major resignalling within CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) but design and testing resource is required for train detection work between Paddington and Airport Junction; (P 63) It also says (P 13):
Our asset reliability will reduce at the start of CP6 compared to the end of CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019), but is then forecast to improve through to the end of the control period as benefits are realised from the conversion of track circuits to axle counters between Paddington and Airport Junction which will improve reliability in this key section of route.

The European Train Control System (ETCS^▸ (European Train Control System)) deployment in the Paddington to Airport Junction (0mp to 12mp) will continue into CP6. The second phase of this programme will commission in 2020 with the third phase following before the conclusion of CP6 to bring the system into full operation. (P 32)

The implementation of plans to overcome the Great Western -Automatic Train Protection (GW^▸ (Great Western)-ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection)) system obsolescence will look to build upon feasibility studies undertaken in CP5 and further studies in the early part of CP6, this will align with the Digital Railway (DR) policies as appropriate but will focus on the needs of the route. (P32 Can anyone work out what they are actually going to do - if anything - from that?)

The development and roll out of the new pantograph monitoring system at strategic locations across the route will be on going to allow the real time identification of any faults arising from damage to the infrastructure or train pantograph. The new Pantograph monitoring system is scheduled for completion by year 3. (P 34)

This is a fixed multi-sensor system checking on the pantographs as they pass, rather than the kind that fits on train roofs watching the pantograph but also monitoring in the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") (though those are being added to more trains too). I think this is not Ricardo's "PanMon", introduced in 2015, but Camlin's "Pantobot 3D", already fitted at the Heathrow tunnel portal.

As the majority of the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) system will either be newly constructed or substantially upgraded in CP5, E&P renewals focuses mainly on power distribution. However, our plans include the conversion of 20 head-spans to enhance safety in stations in the event of a dewirement. Works planned also include improvements to OLE electrical clearance at several station platforms in the Thames Valley in line with current policy. (P 34)

[stuving]

I commented about the Wessex Route Strategic Plan having a list of major possessions, for the whole of CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024). Here it is - but note that, while usually NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s forward plans are very, very, fixed indeed, this time I think that might just have to change:

2019/20 - Year 1
Spring (Weeks 1 - 9 ex B/H)	Shawford Junction S&C▸ (Settle and Carlisle ) 2 No 52 hours
Early May Bank Holiday	Havant PLTR (IP Track) 76hr
August Bank Holiday	Berrylands S&C 52 hours Farnborough S&C 4 No 52 hours
Autumn (Week 23 - 38)	Guildford Farnham Road Bridge 6 Days Salisbury Fisherton St Bridge 3 Days
Xmas	Durnsford Road S&C 5 No 52 hours Feltham Resignalling Ascot-Ash Vale 7 Day Blockade

2020/21 - Year 2
Easter	Guildford S&C 10 Days
Summer (Weeks 10 - 21)	Whitton Junction S&C 2 No 52 hours Feltham Depot Commissioning
Autumn (Week 23 - 38)	Twickenham S&C 4 No 52 hours
Xmas	Nine Elms Junction S&C 9 Day Blockade Windsor lines and Part mains

2020/21 - Year 2
Easter	Guildford S&C 10 Days
Summer (Weeks 10 - 21)	Whitton Junction S&C 2 No 52 hours Feltham Depot Commissioning
Autumn (Week 23 - 38)	Twickenham S&C 4 No 52 hours
Xmas	Nine Elms Junction S&C 9 Day Blockade Windsor lines and Part mains

2021/22 - Year 3
Easter	Kingston & Twickenham - Feltham Signalling Commissioning Guildford S&C 4 Days
Spring (Weeks 1 - 9 ex B/H)	Windsor Line Flood Prevention 16 Days
Early May Bank Holiday	Wilton Junction S&C (IP Track) 75hr
Summer (Weeks 10 - 21)	Eastleigh Depot Redevelopment tbc SCO
Autumn (Week 23 - 38)	Feltham Resignalling September Camberley LC▸ (Level Crossing) 1 No 28 hour & 1 No 52 hour Worting Junction S&C 52 hours Twickenham S&C 3 No 52 hours Wokingham Gateway 4 No 28 hours
Xmas	Feltham Resignalling Sunningdale LC 76 hours
Winter (Week 41- 52)	Feltham Resignalling Windsor Branch 9 Days Half Term

2022/23 - Year 4
Easter	Virginia Water & Ascot: Feltham Signalling Commissioning (IP Signalling) 4 Day Blockade
Spring (Weeks 1 - 9 ex B/H)	Feltham Resignalling Rusham LC 1 No 28-hour week before Easter
Early May Bank Holiday	Weybridge S&C 76 hours and additional access
Summer (Weeks 10 - 21)	High Output Track Renewals 12 weeks Woking Junction- Basingstoke
August Bank Holiday	Farncombe-Petersfield Resignalling Commissioning 4 Days
Xmas	Staines: Feltham Re-Signalling Commissioning (IP Signalling) 2/4 Day Blockade Staines S&C 4 Days Civils River Wey Bridge 3 or 4 Days Woking Grade Separation Signalling Upgrade 4 Days All Line
Winter (Week 41- 52)	Haslemere S&C Approx. 3 No 52 hours

2023/24 - Year 5
Easter	Staines S&C (IP Track) 4 Day Blockade Woking Grade Separation Portsmouth Lines Works 16 Days
Spring (Weeks 1 - 9 ex B/H)	Templecombe S&C 1 No 52 hours
Early May Bank Holiday	Staines S&C (IP Track) 75hr
Summer (Weeks 10 - 21)	Eastleigh South Junction S&C 1 No 52 hours High Output Track Renewals 12 weeks Woking Jn - Basingstoke
August Bank Holiday	Hounslow Loop: Feltham Re-signalling Commissioning (IP Track) 75hr
Xmas	Woking Grade Separation Central Area Works 10 Days All Lines
Winter (Week 41- 52)	Half Term Wokingham: Feltham Re-signalling Commissioning (IP Signalling) 9 Day Blockade Wokingham S&C (IP Track) 9 Day Blockade

The most interesting item is the Woking grade separation, which I hadn't realised was now all signed off and going to happen.