Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2023

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or terminated at and started back from Reading. Disruption is expected until 18:00 03/11.

Customer Advice
-
Owing to a fault with the signalling system in the Hayes and Harlington area which is forcing all rail traffic to share fewer lines than usual, a contingency plan has been implemented to help thin-out the traffic going into London Paddington.
-
The following alterations to our services apply:
- Local Didcot Parkway - London Paddington services will operate between Didcot Parkway and Reading only.
- Newbury to London Paddington services will operate between Newbury and Reading only.
- Some Oxford to London Paddington and Cardiff Central to London Paddington services will be cancelled. Please note the longer distance Hereford/Worcester to London Paddington and Carmarthen/Swansea to London Paddington services will run as per timetable.
- All other long-distance services between London and Cheltenham / Bristol Temple Meads / Plymouth / Penzance will continue to run as normal.

[BBM]

The Open Trains Times map for the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) area is currently showing Line 2 as blocked with an indication of 'WET BED' whatever that means? 

[TaplowGreen]

The Open Trains Times map for the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) area is currently showing Line 2 as blocked with an indication of 'WET BED' whatever that means? 

Doesn't bode well for tonight's sleeper.

[TaplowGreen]

The disruption which was expected to end at 10 am is now expected to go on until 10pm.

Paddington apparently "chaotic"

[Electric train]

The Open Trains Times map for the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) area is currently showing Line 2 as blocked with an indication of 'WET BED' whatever that means? 

A "wet bed" is where ballast foundation ie the track bed under cribs for the sleepers becomes saturated , gets contaminated with the soil.  Basically a section of track looses its structural integrity, wet beds cause rough riding, cause sleepers and fasting's to fail, cause rail defects untimely lead to a derailment

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 14:30 07/11.
Train services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading may be cancelled or delayed

[GBM]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 14:30 07/11.
Train services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading may be cancelled or delayed

Now extended to 1730

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 14:30 07/11.
Train services between London Paddington and Newbury via Reading may be cancelled or delayed

Now extended to 1730

2030 now according to National Rail, and there's also a points failure at Acton to add to the fun.

[bobm]

I was surprised to learn that a tree falling on the overhead wiring at Goring initially took out the power all the way from Maidenhead to Didcot Parkway and Newbury.    Presumably that is down to the way the current is fed.  Just seems a very wide area to be affected, and on two different routes, by one incident.

[IndustryInsider]

That’s the area covered by that particular live section.  ElectricTrain can hopefully give the details?

[stuving]

I was surprised to learn that a tree falling on the overhead wiring at Goring initially took out the power all the way from Maidenhead to Didcot Parkway and Newbury.    Presumably that is down to the way the current is fed.  Just seems a very wide area to be affected, and on two different routes, by one incident.

The power feed stations are at Didcot and Kensal Green - the extra feed from Bramley to Reading is due on line next year. Switching is possible at Maidenhead and Reading, so the outage could be limited to Didcot-Reading. For some reason it appears that didn't happen - possibly there was not enough power available from Kensal, which has to power the Crossrail core too. I'm sure this is the kind of situation the Bramley feeder was meant to help with.

Coincidentally, today the contractors working on the railway's substation at Bramley (Enable Power Systems and Enable Infrastructure, formerly known as BCM) put out a news item and video. The 25-0-25 kV cable from the Bramley grid substation goes to an ATFS by the railway at a site called Holly Cross, and from there the "low level" feeder runs along the railway to Reading SATS/ATFS. At first sight it's odd there has to be a substation with loads of switchgear at this point, but there is - maybe it is still being built (as if) to power an electrified Reading-Basingstoke line, though no real plan for that exists.

[Electric train]

That’s the area covered by that particular live section.  ElectricTrain can hopefully give the details?

This is the flaw in the GW^▸ (Great Western) Electrification, the original risk assessment would have taken such events into account.  However the major flaw is Reading Depot loosing all power during Isolations Kensal Green / Maidenhead and Didcot / Maidenhead  this has made it very difficult to plan in 2 sets of work requiring isolations between Paddington and Didcot; this will become very acute over the next few years with the all line blocks at Old Oak Common to construct the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) station

Stuving sums it up, I suspect the commissioning and live system testing may be happening over Christmas.  Holly Cross was originally part of the "Freight Spine" that would have seen 25kV electrification from Southampton to the Midlands including EWR, the reason for retaining it as in feed point is purely down to a 400kV Grid location, there is nothing in the Reading area with the capacity required and be future proof

The are a few challenges of electrifying Reading / Basingstoke the local train service is just not sufficient to justify the cost, it would need the Cross Country and Freight to be able to go North of Didcot (Oxford if Didcot to Oxford electrification gets complete) and the AC/DC^▸ (Direct Current) interface at Basingstoke is not a small piece of work.

I was surprised to learn that a tree falling on the overhead wiring at Goring initially took out the power all the way from Maidenhead to Didcot Parkway and Newbury.    Presumably that is down to the way the current is fed.  Just seems a very wide area to be affected, and on two different routes, by one incident.

The power feed stations are at Didcot and Kensal Green - the extra feed from Bramley to Reading is due on line next year. Switching is possible at Maidenhead and Reading, so the outage could be limited to Didcot-Reading. For some reason it appears that didn't happen - possibly there was not enough power available from Kensal, which has to power the Crossrail core too. I'm sure this is the kind of situation the Bramley feeder was meant to help with.

Coincidentally, today the contractors working on the railway's substation at Bramley (Enable Power Systems and Enable Infrastructure, formerly known as BCM) put out a news item and video. The 25-0-25 kV cable from the Bramley grid substation goes to an ATFS by the railway at a site called Holly Cross, and from there the "low level" feeder runs along the railway to Reading SATS/ATFS. At first sight it's odd there has to be a substation with loads of switchgear at this point, but there is - maybe it is still being built (as if) to power an electrified Reading-Basingstoke line, though no real plan for that exists.

[TaplowGreen]

Delays to services between Reading and Slough

Due to a points failure between Reading and Slough the line towards London Paddington bound high speed is closed.

Train services running through these stations may be delayed by up to 15 minutes. Disruption is expected until 20:45 16/11.

Customer Advice
In addition on the High Speed Line towards Reading, trains have to run at reduced speed.

[TaplowGreen]

......should make for an interesting rush hour.....

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Due to a broken rail at Iver fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Reading and London Paddington may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or running non stop.

Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough will not be served.

[a-driver]

......should make for an interesting rush hour.....

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington
Due to a broken rail at Iver fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Reading and London Paddington may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or running non stop.

Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough will not be served.

Having seen pictures of the broken rail….. well, it’s frightening.

They have been extremely lucky.