Wokingham resignalling

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Still a lot of work going on today, though most of the big bits are done. I was surprised to see signals being erected only now; it must be about time to start testing the new kit. A bloke who was labelled Atkins told me that the level crossing will not have object detection. I wonder whether the reliability of CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) alone has been reassessed as better than it was before.

The track has, I think, been welded and stressed through the junction, along the straight direction - all I can see. For one thing, I can't now see any adjustment switches on the station side. There was one on the left, alongside the crossover switch on the right. And the insulated joints are still in place, but bypassed by bonding.

[stuving]

By yesterday (Friday) the orange crowds had mostly dispersed, apart from at the level crossing and some signalling work. The testing of the new signalling is not a very visible process.

During the week, as well as the track replacement at the junction, the level crossing was also removed and new equipment put in. This involved taking out the old concrete bases and pouring new ones in plywood boxes in very nearly the same place. Some more, slightly smaller, precast cubic bases were dropped in to hold the posts for new wigwags (p2).

A lot of new fencing has gone in all round the barrier machines, along the road and beside the track too. There it will close the side of the trespass guards (arris rails) - those were not removed until yesterday, which seems a bit odd. They have been put to one side, so presumably will be put back not renewed. And on that yellow-railed cabinet patio there is now a name board for the crossing. For some reason.

Today's main job was painting the crossing; more complicated than it sounds. That didn't finish until after the daylight had gone, so I'll show it when I've got a decent picture.

[ellendune]

And on that yellow-railed cabinet patio there is now a name board for the crossing. For some reason. 

If someone is reporting an incident at the crossing then you want them to use the right name.  It may be obvious in this case, but consistency is important.   

[paul7575]

Here’s the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) press release. Can anyone explain the relevance of the first photo to a resignalling project?

From Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 February, Network Rail completed the final phase of the resignalling work in the Wokingham area as part of the five-year £375m programme of work to bring the 1970s signalling equipment up to modern standards. 

During the most recent nine-day closure, engineers worked around the clock to install 43 new signals (traffic lights for the railway), as well as upgrade two level crossings at Wokingham station and Easthampstead Road (Star Lane) and renew a double railway junction at Wokingham.

Now complete, customers will benefit from a modern digitalised signalling system that will help improve train performance, increase future capacity, result in fewer delays, and enhance the safety of level crossings.

As part of the five-year programme, Network Rail moved control of the signalling equipment between Feltham and Wokingham and transferred it to Basingstoke, into the Rail Operating Centre (ROC^▸ (Rail Operating Centre - a centralised location for railway signalling and train control operations for a specific route or region)), as well as upgraded 16 level crossings and installed 500 pieces of signalling equipment, which covers 80 miles of railway across Feltham, Hounslow, Shepperton, Twickenham, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Wokingham.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/network-rail-completes-final-phase-of-gbp-375m-investment-to-install-state-of-the-art-signalling-system-which-will-improve-the-reliability-of-the-line-between-feltham-and-wokingham

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

Signalmaps, for one, has been updated to show nice colour lights, routes set and platform occupation already:

https://signalmaps.co.uk/#feltham:2074

[bobm]

As has Open Trains

https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/staines#T_WOKNGHM

[stuving]

Signalmaps, for one, has been updated to show nice colour lights, routes set and platform occupation already:

https://signalmaps.co.uk/#feltham:2074

We already had new-fangled electric light signals! There must be some detailed changes to the signals layout, though I've not spotted any to check for in updated maps. Signalmaps does not show signal numbers, but it has changed the crossing from MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker) to MCB-CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), following its up (or down, or sideways) -grade.

OTT^▸ (Open Train Times website) does have the new BEFnnnn numbers - correctly, for the couple I know.

[IndustryInsider]

We already had new-fangled electric light signals! There must be some detailed changes to the signals layout, though I've not spotted any to check for in updated maps. Signalmaps does not show signal numbers, but it has changed the crossing from MCB^▸ (Miniature Circuit Breaker) to MCB-CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), following its up (or down, or sideways) -grade.

Yes, but the feed from the previous Train Describer was not able to show their status.

[AMLAG]

“Can anyone explain the relevance of the first photo to a resignalling project?”

The pic of what looks like bank stabilization works does seem irrelevant; probably another example of Network Rail’s Media Contractors’ Reputation Management efforts or should it be mismanagement efforts ?!

[IndustryInsider]

Perhaps a slight shame that the l-o-n-g sections through Sandhurst and Crowthorne didn't get an extra signal section added to reduce headways?  Though at least the signal numbering allows them to be inserted at a later date.

[Oxonhutch]

Though at least the signal numbering allows them to be inserted at a later date.

Along with the third rail?

[GBM]

Cancellations to services at Wokingham
Due to a fault with barriers at a level crossing at Wokingham trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.
Train services running through this station may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 15:00 21/02.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.


Can you tell me more about the incident?
There is a fault with lowering barriers at a road crossing at Wokingham. Network Rail staff are on site and looking to resolve the issue. Whilst this takes place trains will continue to run but at a reduced speed in the area.

[stuving]

SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) were showing the delay as at "a level crossing near Wokingham", and there are only two, both rebuilt last week. There were several orange minders at the station one when I was going for a train to Reading at 1 pm, so it was probably that one. Fortunately by that time trains had just started coming through again, in a bunch of those that had been waiting. I got one not visible on the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System), since it had been told to run non-stop to Reading, though it did call.

And it had all been going so well .... for two days, anyway.

[bobm]

Problems yesterday, although not down to the infrastructure, after the guard on a Reading bound train was assaulted at Wokingham station and the offender then fled across the tracks. 

[stuving]

My posts on Monday 19th's reopening got held up; here's the catchup (in parts). The reopening was left until after a final proving train had run - which I heard go past - a turbo to Guildford and back between 1 and 3 am. (This was also able to rescue a dead Turbo, stuck in Guldford P6/7 since before the blockade.) There was also a swap of the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) train stuck in Reading for a new one, proving the other line.

So here's the junction after all the clearing up, and the crossing which currently has barriers that meet exactly in a straight line (for how long?). We now have the yodel alarms instead of bells, but they are surprisingly quiet. Direct phones to the signallers are no longer fitted; I guess it now makes little difference. The phone number to call is on the small signs, but the standard NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signboard for the track access point also gives it - and one for the ECR too.

The point about the the big signs facing the track is just that - it's an odd place to put them. But there is an issue with names: is it reasonable to expect the public to use "railway names", which are often different to what anyone else would say, historical, or just wrong. Here, a lot of locals would call this the station crossing because they know there is at least one other crossing in Wokingham. And while you need to see one of the small signs to get the number to call the signallers, and that has the official name, a lot of calls come in via other routes (e.g. 999).