Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[stuving]

One thing the test track ones do have is diagonal stays. I was expecting these, and/or guys, to appear at Reading too. The GEML^▸ (Great Eastern Main Line) pictures in the Furrer and Frey presentation that was posted here a while back show such features, in particular on the two-barred portals where we expect tensioners to be mounted. There are suitable extra piled foundations near most portals, not just those two-barred ones, but none is yet used for anything.

Well, fancy that. Going into Reading today, what should I see but a row of pretty portals, stays akimbo. Only the two-barred ones, and not all of those, but note that the one shown has only one stay at the moment. And not the ones easiest to see for a picture, so it's peeping over the Buddleia.

Still, it makes a change to have a prediction (or more of an expectation) borne out.

[stuving]

I've just followed a link on Rail UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Forums to a set of recent photos on Flickr which shows the HOPS train undergoing commissioning trials on the High Marnham Test Track in Nottinghamshire as well as the Series 1 OHLE which will be installed on the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line). The equipment looks very robust but rather more visually intrusive than I was expecting, certainly compared to the Series 2 OHLE in use on the Liverpool to Manchester line. Here's the link:

HOPS electrification train - Flickr album

But the structures in place around Reading are not the same as those - not much lighter, but certainly different.

Of course, aren't the structures installed by HOPS likely to be designed specifically to handled by the on-board machinery? So they wouldn't be the same as those installed "by hand". And any fancy bits that the HOPS-compatible kit can't do will use the other design.
 

[TonyK]

As stuving says, a post is pretty much a post. The stuff at Reading, and at the test track, all looks pretty modular, and may well be what is used most places. There are three different types of cross-member shown in those excellent photos, so I assume the commissioning trials is testing each variation. Might be that the crew who will use the train are involved here.

It's quite lumpy and functional. Expect something more sympathetic through Bath, Maidenhead etc, but with the same method of building where possible.

[SandTEngineer]

I don't understand why NR^» (Network Rail - home page) couldn't have gone retro and reverted to the MK1 design used in the 1960s on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line).  Much more pleasing to the eye and considerably less intrusive

[Electric train]

I've just followed a link on Rail UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Forums to a set of recent photos on Flickr which shows the HOPS train undergoing commissioning trials on the High Marnham Test Track in Nottinghamshire as well as the Series 1 OHLE which will be installed on the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line). The equipment looks very robust but rather more visually intrusive than I was expecting, certainly compared to the Series 2 OHLE in use on the Liverpool to Manchester line. Here's the link:

HOPS electrification train - Flickr album

But the structures in place around Reading are not the same as those - not much lighter, but certainly different.

One thing the test track ones do have is diagonal stays. I was expecting these, and/or guys, to appear at Reading too. The GEML^▸ (Great Eastern Main Line) pictures in the Furrer and Frey presentation that was posted here a while back show such features, in particular on the two-barred portals where we expect tensioners to be mounted. There are suitable extra piled foundations near most portals, not just those two-barred ones, but none is yet used for anything.

The difference in the style of structures between Reading Station and the remaining GW^▸ (Great Western) including the part being done by Crossrail is likely to be down to the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Product Acceptance process; the Reading Station OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") structures were probably designed 4 or more years ago indeed some have been erected for almost 2 years.

The GW electrification is using a new series of OLE components called UK Series 2 (UK series 1 has been used on the GE out of Liverpool Street Stn)

[ray951]

This weekend they have been installing a new bridge at Foxhall Road in Didcot. Given the width of the abutments looks like it me be 2-way whereas the old bridge was only a single carriageway. can anyone confirm that?





Pictures to follow once worked out how to attach them

[stuving]

This weekend they have been installing a new bridge at Foxhall Road in Didcot. Given the width of the abutments looks like it me be 2-way whereas the old bridge was only a single carriageway. can anyone confirm that?

Nope. It's a single carriageway, and they are even leaving the footpath cantilevered off the side.

However, it is a rather odd design, where the concrete bridge deck sits on the crossbeams of a ladder-type steel span. So the main beams of that span are wider apart (10.8 m between centres) than the old bridge width (6.1 m within parapets).

(Details from South Oxfordshire DC^▸ (Direct Current) planning application P14/S2287/P11, which is perhaps at: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=FolderView&ID=339875816&CODE=A50C036F350C1DD48C9BAB0A15CD0850&NAME=Application&REF=P14/S2287/P11.)

[ironstone11]

This weekend they have been installing a new bridge at Foxhall Road in Didcot. Given the width of the abutments looks like it me be 2-way whereas the old bridge was only a single carriageway. can anyone confirm that?

Nope. It's a single carriageway, and they are even leaving the footpath cantilevered off the side.

The replacement appears to me to be a two way bridge. The drawing shows a Northbound cariageway and a Southbound carriageway. The width between kerbs is stated as being 6.5m, which is adequate for a local road.
I don't know if the standards are country-wide, but the one I looked at (Lancashire CC) quoted 6.75m for a local distributor road and 6m for a transitional road.

[stuving]

This weekend they have been installing a new bridge at Foxhall Road in Didcot. Given the width of the abutments looks like it me be 2-way whereas the old bridge was only a single carriageway. can anyone confirm that?

Nope. It's a single carriageway, and they are even leaving the footpath cantilevered off the side.

The replacement appears to me to be a two way bridge. The drawing shows a Northbound cariageway and a Southbound carriageway. The width between kerbs is stated as being 6.5m, which is adequate for a local road.
I don't know if the standards are country-wide, but the one I looked at (Lancashire CC) quoted 6.75m for a local distributor road and 6m for a transitional road.

We're talking at cross purposes, plus I didn't read the first post carefully. It's certainly a single carriageway, not a dual carriageway, road. It's wider than the old one, and wide enough for two-way traffic, and should be marked as such (central white line).

The old bridge was also wide enough for two-way traffic, though not wide enough for a central white line. It was a bit tight, even for two cars, as the narrower part was in fact only 4.7 m between parapets. But there were no signs to manage priorities - you had to work it out for yourself. The next bridge up the same road (Basil Hill Road over the West Curve) has traffic lights, though I suspect that's because it's not straight rather than because it's narrower. It's not being altered for electrification (other than by raised parapets); the track is being lowered.

[ray951]

Cant seem to load pictures of Foxhall Road bridge replacement so here is the link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128009138@N07/sets/72157646524296954/
Thanks for the links to the plans and I certainly never tried to pass another car in my car on the old bridge.

[bobm]

Unexpected turn of events reported in the Swindon Advertiser

STRATTON Green Bridge will re-open on Saturday morning, a month after it closed to allow the railway line to be electrified.

Some cables, underneath the bridge, which need re-routing, are deeper under the ground than first thought so further work has to be carried out.

Network Rail says the work can be carried out over a few nights so they have said the bridge can re-open, although it will need to shut on several evenings.

However, it will need to be closed again at some point in the new year so the electrification work can take place.

Although no workers have been seen at the bridge for the past few weeks, Network Rail say they have carried out work in the month since the bridge first closed so that when it does close next year, it will be for a shorter period of time than had been expected.

The bridge closed on November 17 and has contributed to the major traffic problems in the town. It was thought that it would remain shut until April.

Andrew Haynes, Network Rail^s west of England project director, said: ^We understand the closure of this bridge has inconvenienced local residents and those who commute into Swindon, which is why we were keen to reopen the bridge once it had been confirmed that these services could be diverted at a later date, without the need for a daytime road closure.

^We hope that once the bridge reopens it will contribute towards easing the traffic situation in the town centre.

^The reconstruction of this bridge is essential to enable a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains to serve commuters in Wiltshire travelling on the route from London to Cardiff.

^While a further closure is therefore necessary, the work we have already undertaken with the utility companies means the duration of this closure will be shorter, and as before the bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.

"Throughout this closure, we will continue to work with the council and assess the work taking place on site to ensure we minimise disruption to local residents and commuters.^

[didcotdean]

Not the only place where work is on the change. From The Herald Series:

A HIGHLY-controversial plan to close a village high street for ten months next year has been put on hold indefinitely.

Network Rail has said it may have found a solution which means it will not have to close Steventon High Street to carry out work on a bridge.

The company wanted to raise the bridge, which passes below the High Street, to create room for new overhead electric wires on the track beneath.

Residents and business owners feared shops would have to close if the company shut the road from February 16.

But spokesman Julian Burnell said: ^It appears an alternative solution may have arisen as a result of the technical development works which have been going on in parallel to the construction of the project.^

He said the company needed to investigate the option in more detail and discuss the implications with the community.

He did not want to outline the new plan but said it would require the closure of the Stocks Lane level crossing and the restriction of the Causeway level crossing to pedestrians only.

He said: ^The closure of the bridge remains an option if the solution we are investigating proves unworkable, but it is on indefinite hold for now.^

Villagers have previously called on the firm to lower the track beneath, rather than raise the bridge.

[ChrisB]

Andrew Haynes, Network Rail’s west of England project director,

Didn't an Andrew Haynes previously work for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)?

[grahame]

Andrew Haynes, Network Rail^s west of England project director,

Didn't an Andrew Haynes previously work for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)?

Don't know - but an Andrew Haines was their MD 

[ChrisB]

ahhh! :-)