Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[DidcotPunter]

On the Tilehurst to Didcot section, given then they still have to:-

- Complete the piling (mostly done)
- Erect all the stanchions (still plenty to do)
- Install the portals and twin-track cantilevers (most still to do)
- Install the registration arms and associated steelwork (all to do)
- Do the wiring (all to do)
- Complete the National Grid feeder station at Foxhall Junction

I'm not sure what the HOPS wiring train is going to wire in February but there isn't much there are the moment 

I'll be amazed it it's all complete by August, let alone October when the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) testing is due to begin.

I'll happily eat my hat if it is 

[ellendune]

Bit of news from an engineering update I've seen:

The HOPS train should start its first wiring runs in February, and the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) test section, between Didcot and Tilehurst, is on time to be energised in August 2015.  That follows the IEP's arrival from Japan in March, testing at Old Darby from April and ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) testing between April and October, so we might just see an IEP doing testing runs on the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) before the end of the year.

[pedant alert] Old Darlby [pedant alert]

[TonyK]

I'll happily eat my hat if it is 

Old Derby, perhaps?

[grahame]

I'll happily eat my hat if it is 

Old Derby, perhaps?

One of these may be digestible
http://customcakesbystef.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/ladies-hat-cake.html

[NickF]

Newspaper article on whats happening in Wiltshire here:

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/11746286.Rail_users_warned_to_prepare_for_summer_disruption_ahead_of_electrification_work/

[eightf48544]

As you may have gathered I live by the line just East of Taplow Station.

We've just had a note through the door from Network Rail headed Crossrail Electrification Works.

Interesting that it says it's to support new Crossrail services. Presumably the IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) will use their diesel engines  from  Hayes to Reading! It's no wonder the most of the good burghers of the Thames Valley believe they have to wait until Crossrail comes to get electric trains and don't realise that there might be an electric service by 2017 to Bristol.

Any rate they outline the following programmes :

12 January to 27 Feb Monday Sunday 08:00 18:00 Vegetation Clearance along embankments. No sign nearby yet.

19 January to 20th February 2015 Sunday Thursday 22:15 05:15 and Saturday 22:15 08:30 Installation of piled foundations. (no disturbance so far).

2 February to 20 April Sunday Thursday 22:15 05:15 and Saturday 22:15 08:30 Installation of the overhead line structures.

[Edit by FT,N! to correct typos only, content unaffected)

[paul7575]

It's a contractual distinction. Wiring Stockley to Maidenhead is paid for by Crossrail, therefore it is presumably for Crossrail to take the PR^▸ (Public Relations) credit.

Paul

[ChrisB]

And it'll be Crossrail trains serving Taplow generally. You might get the odd local GW^▸ (Great Western) franchise stopper, but the service will be branded Crossrail, I believe

[eightf48544]

Hopefully we'll have an electric service at Taplow before Crossrail.

Then when people have got used to a similar to todays but  faster service using proper EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit), with loos,  in comes Crossrails Metro sideways seating no loo units stopping all stations.

That's why Theresa May is making a fuss about semis from Twyford and Maidenehad.

[paul7575]

Hopefully we'll have an electric service at Taplow before Crossrail.

Then when people have got used to a similar to todays but  faster service using proper EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit), with loos,  in comes Crossrails Metro sideways seating no loo units stopping all stations.

As ever, you're quite right about the lack of toilets.  But it isn't possible to fit the declared seating capacity into a 9 car train using 'sideways seating'.   50 seats per 25m carriage (average) will require a majority of 2+2 seats, because the length gain is cancelled out by the extra set of double doors.

Paul

[TaplowGreen]

And it'll be Crossrail trains serving Taplow generally. You might get the odd local GW^▸ (Great Western) franchise stopper, but the service will be branded Crossrail, I believe

............might even get a Sunday service! 

[paul7575]

Is this the thread where we discussing the exact mileage of the Crossrail wiring boundary, and substation locations and stuff?

If so the database problem Grahame has been referring to seems to have resulted in three or four posts going missing?

Paul

[grahame]

Is this the thread where we discussing the exact mileage of the Crossrail wiring boundary, and substation locations and stuff?

If so the database problem Grahame has been referring to seems to have resulted in three or four posts going missing?

Paul

Noted .. and it may have been.  Odd, as I could have sworn that I didn't loose any posts.  Still taking a look.

[Electric train]

I am sure I made a post about MPATS^▸ (Mid Point Auto Transformer Site - electrification)

[lordgoata]

Many moons ago, back in 1987, I entered a Blue Peter competition to do with the railways. I forget exactly what it was, I think it was a rail safety campaign, but that may have been a different one. Anyway, I came runner up and had a trip to London in the cab of a 125 etc and was given a load of model railway stuff etc. Today I found one of the other gifts, a chunk of copper used for the electrification of the mainline between London, Leeds & Edinburgh. I thought it quite interesting that its only taken almost 30 years to get around to doing the Great Western Mainline!