The two new crossovers (Nos. 8655AB and 8656AB) will be installed between the 78 1/4 and 78 1/2 mileposts (just North of the existing double to single line turnout No. 368 that will be recovered).
This is what had been installed on Sunday 18th, then, when I went up the back of B & Q / Rodbourne Road.
The existing Signal No. S149 on the cantilever structure at Kemble station will be recovered and replaced by a new straight post Signal No. SW1334.
The new crossover between Kemble Tunnel and Station (No. 8658AB) will, as previously advised, allow Down trains to terminate in Kemble station Up platform (a new stop Signal No. SW1335 being provided North of the Up platform to limit the movement) and will also allow Up trains to crossover from Kemble Up platform from Signal No. SW1334 to a new Limit Of Shunt Signal No. SW6546 on the Down line South of Kemble Tunnel and then reversing into Kemble station Down platform from new Down line Signal No. SW1333 located at the South end of Kemble Tunnel.
As mentioned by FTN, this represents a considerable investment by Network Rail, for what is just really a contingency to be able to reverse trains at Kemble from Swindon in times of disruption with a signalled move to the Up platform. Wow. I guess they really do need a crossover somewhere between Swindon and Standish Junction and presume that this will be the only one as there is currently no other between Kemble and Standish.
The existing turnout and trap point leading from the Up line at Kemble station to the old Tetbury branch platform siding will be retained and continue to be operated by the existing Kemble Ground Frame (Release No.8659).
I really appreciate all the info, STE, that you so kindly supply, but just a tiny correction if I may; the siding is the old
Cirencester branch trailing into the Up line.
I should have also added to my earlier post that the two existing crossovers on the Gloucester Line at the West end of Swindon station (Nos. 360AB and 361AB) will be recovered and both running lines from the new crossovers to Swindon station will become fully reversible.
Good, they have been one of the weak spots and given trouble over the years as the crossovers are on the curve as the line leaves Swindon Station. Many years ago I was on a Gloucester RC & W Cross Country set going into Swindon and we stopped dead on one of these crossovers as the driver thought we had derailed on the turnout due to the noise and banging going on (not from the passengers by the way).
Anyone know if any changes are being made to the track at Swindon station, such as to the track leading to Platform 2? What about a crossover added from Platform 4 to the Kemble line?
There isn't sufficient room between the end of Platform 4 and the Gloucester line Junction. Years ago there used to be a crossover from the reversible Up Through line to the Platform 3 line, just beyond the west (Down) end of the platform, so that trains to or from the Gloucester line didn't have to use either the Platform 3 or Platform 1 lines as they have to now. The last time I saw it in use was for a Cheltenham Race special on the Up Through waiting to turn right after the departure of a service train from the Bay platform 2. Must have been the mid '80s.
ST
