Swindon to Kemble re-doubling - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[Phil Farmer]

The old sleepers run from Swindon to the Purton refuelling depot and were originally a siding serving the Fuel Depot at Bremill Sidings, it was last used about 15 years a go.

[John R]

Ah, thank you. I did find it surprising that they could have been there since singling.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Just as an aside, and as John R will already know, there is still a similar long-disused siding line alongside the main line at the old Flax Bourton fuel depot, east of Nailsea & Backwell station, where the wooden sleepers are quietly developing into compost. 

[John R]

Indeed Chris, not forgetting another one just south of the Freightliner depot at Parson St. Although the difference with that one is that after probably 20 years of disuse it was brought back into use last year as part of an expansion of the depot. It didn't look as though they did anything other than a spot of "weeding" to rehabilitate that line, so presumably the sleepers were found to be reasonably sound.

[TonyK]

The South Liberty Lane depot is getting busier. I think a little more was done there than just gardening, and I think two sidings have been relaid. It only took a day or so, there was nothing fancy involved.


Constellation receive bulk deliveries of wine imported through Tilbury docks here, then take it by lorry to their bottling plant. Then the bottled wine is returned to the depot, and shipped out in containers. If you drink a bottle of Banrock Station, it has been through Parson Street Station, twice. This shows what can be done with the will and a bit of imagination, although it doesn't explain why the wine isn't imported straight into Avonmouth, nor why it isn't taken to Avonmouth by train. I'm not so familiar with the line from Swindon via Kemble - any similar commercial / industrial opportunities likely to be opened with the redoubling?

[Sapperton Tunnel]

The old sleepers run from Swindon to the Purton refuelling depot and were originally a siding serving the Fuel Depot at Bremill Sidings, it was last used about 15 years a go.

There is a railway underbridge somewhere between the oil depot and Swindon that required repair or upgrade or renewal to maintain the rail access because of the high axle load on the tanks serving the depot. BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) decided it was uneconomic to do and withdrew the service, causing the depot to be road served only. An Esso executive (Esso operated the depot) once told me that in the end it cost more to upgrade the depot for road transport only than it would have been for Esso to have paid for the works to the bridge.

I understand that the rails and any good sleepers went to the Swindon and Cricklade railway.

[ellendune]

Lots of the tracklaying machines on the line behind B&Q in Swindon yesterday.

[quedgeley2002]

There is work in progress today along the entire length of the line.

At Oaksey the existing single track has already been slewed onto the down side to make space for the new track and about half a mile further south new track laying was in progress that further extended the down line in that alignment.

At Minety Crossing various deep holes have been excavated presumably to allow for cable runs. The crossing gates have been removed presumably to allow more space for the track slew to occur here too. In Minety village itself the embankment has received significant attention with numerous metal rods and cement materials injected to stabilise the formation. There is also much evidence of piling where metal large 'motorway' style armco style barriers have been driven in. These seem to be used where space around the formation is difficult.

Looking at Real Time Trains for Monday 12th there are numerous engineers trains scheduled from Bescot to Kemble to enter the worksite. These seem to come in waves of three at a time before all three exit to return to Bescot later in the day before the next set of three pitch up. Are these delivering ballast and/or sleepers or collecting spoil, or both?

These works are obviously planned with military precision so if anyone with the inside 'track' on this can share any of the detail it would make interesting reading!

[TonyK]

I'm looking forward to pictures and video of this. I don't think I'm likely to be to be around the area before the end of the work.

[Red Squirrel]

There is also much evidence of piling where metal large 'motorway' style armco style barriers have been driven in. These seem to be used where space around the formation is difficult.

Is this really Armco, or is it interlocking sheet piling?

[bobm]

Slight teething problems on the first working day of the blockade. The first westbound shuttle from Kemble to Cheltenham Spa was delayed for half an hour due to, according to Journeycheck, over running engineering work.

As a result it was terminated at Gloucester with the return working also starting from there.

[Sapperton Tunnel]

There is work in progress today along the entire length of the line.

At Oaksey the existing single track has already been slewed onto the down side to make space for the new track and about half a mile further south new track laying was in progress that further extended the down line in that alignment.

At Minety Crossing various deep holes have been excavated presumably to allow for cable runs. The crossing gates have been removed presumably to allow more space for the track slew to occur here too. In Minety village itself the embankment has received significant attention with numerous metal rods and cement materials injected to stabilise the formation. There is also much evidence of piling where metal large 'motorway' style armco style barriers have been driven in. These seem to be used where space around the formation is difficult.

Looking at Real Time Trains for Monday 12th there are numerous engineers trains scheduled from Bescot to Kemble to enter the worksite. These seem to come in waves of three at a time before all three exit to return to Bescot later in the day before the next set of three pitch up. Are these delivering ballast and/or sleepers or collecting spoil, or both?

These works are obviously planned with military precision so if anyone with the inside 'track' on this can share any of the detail it would make interesting reading!

A couple of photos of the Bescot Engineers trains waiting at Wick Bridge for collecting spoil:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9493453813/



http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9493444141/



Over the weekend work was going on at 6 sites and the main ones were at Oaksey and Bremhill with track slewing. According to one of the workmen at Sunday lunchtime they were ahead of schedule and everybody was pleased with progress. The track slewing machines at work in the distance:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9493444141/

I don't have a telephoto lens I'm afraid. You can see where the track has been slewed from the middle to the down side formation. Also according to another one of the workmen, Network Rail's entire national fleet of this type of slewing machine was either here at Oaksey or further up the line at Bremhill.

Slewed Track looking towards Kemble at Oaksey:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9496237982/


By the time I got to Bremhill the track had already been slewed and I couldn't find the remaining slewing machines:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9493407119/

and preparation for the new down line had already started, with white polythene sheeting going down in the distance. The locomotive is 66607:




http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9496218442/


Finally, I did try to get a couple of shots from foot crossings, but all had been blocked off with Heras type wire mesh panels at the railway boundary with an apology notice from Network Rail advising that the crossings are closed from 10th August 'till 2nd September. It is Sheet piling that is being installed at Minety Skew Bridge by the way.


ps many thanks to bobm and grahame for sorting out Flickr issues


ST

[Sapperton Tunnel]

Just giving this topic a boost as grahame and bobm have sorted out my Flickr problems in the above post.


ST

[IndustryInsider]

Great to see the ongoing works, Sapperton Tunnel.  Many thanks for posting.

[TonyK]

Good stuff, Sapperton Tunnel, and thanks for posting. Seems to be going well!