Swindon to Kemble re-doubling - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From This is Wiltshire:

Train line work is on track


A large ^tamper^ train pictured working on the new rail line being built between Swindon and Kemble

Work to upgrade the Swindon to Kemble railway line to boost capacity is still on track, despite an engineering train being derailed this week.

The ^45m project will double the track along 12 miles of railway to cope with increased demand, as train usage in the West Country is expected to grow by 44 per cent by 2019.

The bulk of the work is being completed during the five-week blockade of the line, which is due to re-open on September 2. But the increase in capacity will not come into play until Easter 2014, when the whole signalling system is centralised in Didcot.

Paddy Gregg, the western planning director for Network Rail, said: ^We have worked hard with First Great Western to get all the work completed at a time when there will be the least disruption. Recently there was a derailment involving an engineering train when two rails came off the track. There was some minor damage and it is currently under investigation.

^There is some recovery work which has to be done but we still anticipate handing back the railway on time, despite some of the damage that has been caused. There was some damage to the sleepers and tracks, but we still expect to come in on time.^

Patrick Hallgate, the route managing director for Network Rail, said: ^Over the last 40 to 50 years the embankment surrounding the track has worn away, which has caused the line to migrate into the middle. This project is more than just putting a track down. It is five individual civil engineering projects. At the end all the tracks will be in their old positions and 12 miles of new line will be put down. The western operation is double the level of investment than the west coast, which makes it the biggest scale operation Network Rail has ever undertaken.^

Robert Buckland, the MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) for South Swindon, said: ^This reinforces Swindon as a transport hub and is a great selling point for the town. I am delighted to be here to see the reality of a very important engineering project which will improve connectivity for Swindon and will increase the frequency of trains coming through Swindon to London. The new signalling will be another example of investment in railways to ensure they are up to date, which is vital, mainly due to the fact that more people are using railways and we will need a reliable, efficient and frequent system which should hold a far greater capacity, particularly in peak times.^

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: ^This is the record amount of money put into the railway network since the Victorian times. It is unbelievably important for the economy, and really strengthens Swindon^s hand. It is all about driving up capacity, which just makes Swindon an even more attractive prospect for businesses to relocate to the town, creating jobs and prosperity. The signalling system is essential to the whole project, because it only takes that to trip up for the whole thing to fall down.^

Alex Evason, the senior construction manager at Swindon Network Rail, said: ^The three miles of old track will be used strictly to service the rest of the works for engineering cars until the whole thing can be opened up next year. Even though people may not see masses of new trains straight away, the network will have a new artery.^

[Red Squirrel]

From This is Wiltshire:

...Patrick Hallgate, the route managing director for Network Rail, said: ^Over the last 40 to 50 years the embankment surrounding the track has worn away, which has caused the line to migrate into the middle...

Really? Can someone explain this process?

[martvw]

Hi this would be the same problem that affected the line on the north Cotswold line lots of embankments on that line also !!

[ellendune]

From This is Wiltshire:

...Patrick Hallgate, the route managing director for Network Rail, said: ^Over the last 40 to 50 years the embankment surrounding the track has worn away, which has caused the line to migrate into the middle...

Really? Can someone explain this process?

Have you not heard about the migratory habits of the lesser spotted F27 sleeper?

So the embankment wears away and the track moves to the middle of the alignment all by itself. Presumably this is one of the lesser known achievements of the British Rail Research and Development Department in the 1970's.

[Red Squirrel]

Have you not heard about the migratory habits of the lesser spotted F27 sleeper?

I hadn't, but now you say that I suspect that it is actually caused by changes in the refractive index of ballast caused by increased levels of chlorophyll in the local environment - this could easily reverse the polarity of the neutron flow in the sleepers, even at that distance from Cardiff.

[TonyK]

Have you not heard about the migratory habits of the lesser spotted F27 sleeper?

I hadn't, but now you say that I suspect that it is actually caused by changes in the refractive index of ballast caused by increased levels of chlorophyll in the local environment - this could easily reverse the polarity of the neutron flow in the sleepers, even at that distance from Cardiff.

And there was me. thinking it had been put there by skilled operatives from BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)).

[Sapperton Tunnel]

Further to what Sapperton Tunnel was saying about a derailment at the weekend:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-23784244

The offending wagon was in the naughty siding at Kemble at the weekend (24/25 August):


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604022629/

Apparently about 4 miles of track was damaged. One of Network Rail's giant track replacement trains (TRT) is said to be arriving one night this week (26th - 30th Aug) to replace the damaged track.


 

[TonyK]

The offending wagon was in the naughty siding at Kemble at the weekend (24/25 August):

I like the way they put a coach in it to stop it rolling away again.

[stuving]

I like the way they put a coach in it to stop it rolling away again.

Yes - but where did they find a half-scale one that would fit inside?.

[Sapperton Tunnel]

Good morning everyone. I'm a 'newby' and an ex-railwayman from Gloucester. Do any of you with inside knowledge know the details of the extra signalling being put in between Kemble and Standish Junction in connection with this scheme? Before I retired, access to this information would have been simple. Little detail has appeared in print about this work to add extra line capacity.

I don't have any inside information, but there is some limited information in the public domain, for example http://www.networkrail.co.uk/CP4-delivery-plan-update-enhancements-programme.pdf. Page 214. It is fairly high level but gives a few insights:

Scope of Works
The scope of works will include:

re-doubling the railway between Swindon Loco Junction (78m 20ch) and Kemble (90m 74ch),
based on predominately slewing works to the existing single line and the relaying of a new second
track, associated signalling and other discipline works; and

additional intermediate infill signalling is to be provided between Kemble and St Mary^s crossing,
and between this crossing and Standish junction. This new signalling to include associated cable
routes, telecoms and signalling power supplies. Consideration shall be given to possible
implementation of modular signalling elements. This line of the route is controlled from Gloucester
Signal Control so the works can be developed in two parts.

I wouldn't read too much into that.  Its only a wish list of things that could be done but I don't expect to see Kemble to Standish appearing at the top of the list when we consider the current railway project resourcing issues (i.e. we don't have enough - again ).

Somebody has found some resources from somewhere to at least install the signal structures and do some testing!!

All eight of the new signal structures are in place. There are the Section signals themselves (4 No) and their associated Repeaters (4 No distant type signals for simple folk like myself). On the Down, the Section signals (I'm sure Section is not the correct phraseology, hopefully S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) Engineer will correct) are at Sapperton Short Tunnel and at a guess about a mile before Stroud Station. On the Up the first new Section signal is about a quarter to half a mile on the Kemble side of the Stroud Station, with its Repeater at about milepost 103 between Stonehouse and Stroud. The fourth Section Signal is on the Up, also at the East end of Sapperton Short Tunnel adjacent to the new Down one, with its Repeater at the top of Sapperton bank near the West portal of Sapperton Long Tunnel. The new Sapperton Signals are called DK94 on the Down and UK94 on the Up. The Repeaters for DK94 and the new Section signal on the down near Stroud Station are about three quarters of mile before them.

DK94 on the Down at Sapperton Short Tunnel 

 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607225088/


UK94 on the left in the distance on the Up line to the east of Sapperton Short Tunnel.

Notice the AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) ramp for DK94 on the Down line


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607236898/


Close up of UK94. The technicians said they were 'Testing'.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607230952/

[Sapperton Tunnel]

During the closure, the shuttles have been running from Kemble to Gloucester only, using Class 150/1 and 150/2 dmus. On Saturday 24th August, they were extended to Cheltenham which requires 3 dmus for the hourly service and the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) hire-in was used:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604028351/


Reversing the trains at Kemble requires the use of a Pilotman. The trains go into Kemble Tunnel far enough to safely clear the points and the driver changes ends. Before they were going all the way through the tunnel to the Signal there to reverse.

150202 reversing in Kemble Tunnel:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604007039/


The Pilotman chats with Train Staff after a reversal.

Notice the pristine 'BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))-WR Pilotman' armband


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607252908/



Will post some more pictures of activity between Kemble and Swindon taken on Monday 26th August in the next day or two.


ST 

[trainer]

The Pilotman's curling moustache adds panache to his fine hirsute facial features.

[Railfriend]

ST, was there any announcement as to just how the 'offending wagon' damaged 4 miles of track?  Did one of its sets of wheels drop between the tracks while it was moving, causing the distance between tracks to increase for 4 miles?  It looks so lonely, all alone on the siding.  Can't see any damage to it.

[Sapperton Tunnel]

ST, was there any announcement as to just how the 'offending wagon' damaged 4 miles of track?  Did one of its sets of wheels drop between the tracks while it was moving, causing the distance between tracks to increase for 4 miles?  It looks so lonely, all alone on the siding.  Can't see any damage to it.

The press have mentioned 4 miles, so I expect it to be wrong as much as it is correct!!, however the person who told me on the 26th August that the TRT was coming said that it was to do about 4 miles of replacement due to damage. According to the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) press release, both wheelsets had come off.

There was certainly damage at Purton - you can just make out the spalling and chipping of the concrete sleepers to the right hand side of the rails in this shot looking South towards Swindon. Collins Lane Crossing is in the background:

 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9605196809/

I think the wagon has been repaired as it now has a green card on the solebar above the left hand wheelset.

ST

[Red Squirrel]

I do like the pilotman's armband - wonder where he got it? Online auction?