Swindon to Kemble re-doubling - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Gloucester Citizen:

Celebrations at Kemble Station as main rail line redoubling begins

Campaigners have celebrated the long awaited start of a ^45 million scheme to redouble the county's rail line to London.

After well over a decade of political pressure and persuasion MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) and rail bosses were among VIP passengers who  took the train to Kemble Station yesterday (fri) to mark the beginning of the engineering work.

A 12 mile stretch of the West Country to Paddington route, between Kemble and Swindon was made into a single line in the late 1960s  to save British Rail money. But now it is to be upgraded again to improve social and business links with the capital and boost economic ties.

Regular passenger Max Comfort from Stroud said it was "excellent news" and the town's former Labour MP David Drew, who campaigned for the work for 15 years, said: "This was the one thing that everybody could agree on.  I welcome it."

Conservative MP for the Cotswolds Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has already welcomed the "significant increase in capacity", the work will bring.

The new  line should open by Easter 2014.

[bobm]

Another journalist fail .... "West Country to Paddington route". 

[ellendune]

Begs the question - just where is the West Country?

I guess we all have different views.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. Well, the Citizen journalists are apparently 'locals', so they should know better. From their own profile:

Why I like Gloucestershire
The Citizen loves Gloucestershire - the people, the places and the passion of the rugby fans.

[John R]

It's a bit of a shame that there doesn't appear to be any reference to improving the 40mph linespeed at Standish Junction. Particularly heading south (IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly)) the delay in being approach controlled and then having to accelerate up the hill before braking for Stonehouse seems unduly restrictive.  Appreciate that with only 1tph normally it's probably got a low cost benefit analysis. But with it's use as a diversionary route, and hopefully increased traffic post doubling, maybe it could justify a higher turnout when replacement becomes due.

Though I guess any revised diverging speed would have to be quite high to get around the approach controlling requirement?

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the First Great Western press release:

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Norman Baker and Martin Horwood MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) visit Cheltenham station following line upgrade announcement

MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood has met Transport Minister Norman Baker at Cheltenham station, as Network Rail begins a ^45m project to upgrade the line between Swindon and Gloucester via Kemble and Stroud. The new infrastructure will increase capacity at Cheltenham allowing for the operation of four trains per hour in each direction.

Martin Horwood MP said: ^The redoubling of the Swindon to Kemble line will be good for Cheltenham, good for the local rail network, good for passengers and good for local business. I^m delighted that after years of campaigning and lobbying, the actual work has now begun.^

Mark Hopwood First Great Western Managing Director, said: ^We have been talking to our customers about these improvements for some time and we are grateful to them for their feedback and help in realising this project. This upgrade is vitally important to improve our customers^ travel experiences for the future. Further improvements to the network infrastructure will pave the way for faster, more reliable services and makes the most of the Government's planned investment in electrification and new trains - whoever has the honour of running the franchise beyond 2014.^ 

The planned work will include the reinstatement of the second line between Swindon and Kemble, upgrade to earthworks along the route to accommodate this new track and new signalling equipment.

This capability will be essential during the planned electrification of the Great Western main line when Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel are closed and south Wales trains are diverted along this route over the future years.  While the impact of the work will be minimised, some rail services will be affected during this project. From Monday 25 March 2013, the last train in each direction between Swindon and Gloucester/Cheltenham will be replaced by road transport on Monday to Thursday nights until Thursday 5 December.

From 23.55 on Friday 9 August to 05.00 on Monday 2 September 2013 Network Rail will close the line between Swindon and Kemble and rail services will be replaced by road transport between these two locations.

To allow Network Rail to carry out other upgrade work, at weekends during this period trains will be replaced by road transport between Gloucester and Swindon. Customers are advised to plan their journeys in advance.

The works that have already started on site are part of the planned earthworks programme which are planned to complete prior to the commencement of track works. They will take place at Kemble North, Kemble South, Kemble Wick, Galton Way and Moredon. These works can be undertaken whilst the railway remains operational.

Other works that are part of the project will notably include additional signals between Kemble and Standish Junction, the upgrading of level crossings at Minety and Purton Collins Lane and a new footbridge in Stroud.

The programme of enhancement work on this route will conclude in Spring 2014 when there will be another week-long service alteration over the Easter period.

Passengers are advised to check their travel plans online at www.nationalrail.co.uk, or please call FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer services on 08457 000125 or visit www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

[quedgeley2002]

Whilst the work going on at Reading over the past few weeks has grabbed lots of attention the re-doubling work here is continuing.

The activity seems to be centred on two sites at the moment;-

1) Just to the south of Kemble tunnel where the cutting on the west side of the line has been reprofiled. A wire mesh with tie rods is also being fitted to make sure everything stays where it should be. A few folks may remember the derailment a number of years ago caused by a landslip at this site. The repair for that was massive with a concrete wall extending for quite a distance on the eastern side of the track. Presumably the geology here means that they have to complete a significant amount of reinforcement work on the other side of the track alignment too?

2) Just north of where the single line starts at Swindon there is signifcant piling and embankment reinforcement works going on. The first signs of trackbed clearance work can be seen where the remnants of the former long siding used to be.

Now a few questions;-
1) What is the work that is planned for Kemble North presuming that is the current double track section?

2) At Stonehouse station new signs have been added at each end of the 'Up' line platform saying that "Trains can pass in either direction on this track". There are no signs in the 'Down' direction. Does this mean that we can expect a 150/153/155 service as far as Kemble when the August blockade starts such that the trains will 'reverse' back up the single track to Standish Junction? If that is the case what about protecting all of the foot crossings and the one at St Marys?

Thoughts anyone?     

[phile]

We can't expect a 155 service but could be 158

[quedgeley2002]

It seems that an engineering train in last night's possession managed to break the points in some way at the Swindon end of the single track section. As a result trains towards Swindon have had to run 'wrong line' from the start of the two track section as far as the junction that leads to the platforms.

Presumably repairs will be made this evening to remove the delays that have been encountered today? In the meantime considerable overnight civils work is being undertaken based simply on the volume of equipment that is on site at this location.

[bobm]

Took advantage of the reasonable weather today and a Wiltshire Day Rover bus ticket to go and look at the level crossings at Minety and Purton (Collins Lane) before the redoubling.  Got some good exercise too as both a a brisk walk from the nearest bus stop.

Firstly Minety with its portacabin type accomodation for the crossing keeper - which they have tried to brighten up with a plethora of flora and fauna.




The gates remain closed to road traffic unless a vehicle wishes to cross, when the keeper, who can be summoned by a bell if he or she doesn't spot you waiting, comes out and unlocks them. Pedestrians can cross using a gate without the keeper's assistance.



I like the vintage lamp on the far side of the track in the left of this picture which I guess is still lit at night.  I assume the crossing isn't manned all night so I presume the gates are locked across the railway after the last train of the day.

Anyway then a walk back to the bus stop - I didn't want to miss it the next one was tomorrow morning (!) - and off to Purton.



Nothing too remarkable with this one - although of course the track layout will see changes....




Is that the new second line lying in the four foot?   

[TonyK]

Is that the new second line lying in the four foot?   

Could be, although it won't be the four foot then!

Presumably, the days when Alan Titchmarsh can send a postcard to the crossing keeper, asking for the barrier to be raised to let him cross with his ball-barrow are coming to an end? That most horticultural and floribund of portakabins will need a new home soon, surely, as the 19th Century finally succumbs to the charms of the CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) camera.

BTW^▸ (by the way), my sister-in-law, who begins most journeys from Kemble Station, refuses so far to believe that the line will be re-doubled, with the same conviction as my grandma, who didn't trust electricity until 1972. S-i-L still insists on flagging down trains by waving her petticoat. As she gets older, more forgetful, and less attentive to her under-garments, I begin to yearn for a second platform to stand upon.

[swrural]

You can tell Purton is nearer Swindon because of the graffiti.

Will Minety crossing Lane suffer. once unmanned?

[bobm]

In defence of the people of Swindon I am not sure you can lay the blame for graffiti in Purton at their door.

This antisocial behaviour, which I detest, happens anywhere there is a centre of population.  The latest figures I can find puts the number of people living in Purton at just under 4,000.  The crossing is but a short walk from the centre of the village.  The crossing at Minety is nearly a mile down a country lane from Upper Minety which of itself has little in it apart from a graffiti free bus shelter and an immaculate post box.



One can therefore hope that Minety crossing is a walk to far for those with their aerosol cans.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I think the staff at Minety Crossing should be highly commended on their evident pride in their workplace - that's what a working level crossing can look like!

And Kemble is perhaps my second favourite railway station - after Nailsea & Backwell, obviously! 

[swrural]

@CfN

What - unmanned?