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Author Topic: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion  (Read 1195364 times)
ellendune
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« Reply #1200 on: September 22, 2015, 22:58:26 »

Passing Wantage Road today I notice that the new bridge abutments are going up.  The South abutment is in line with the abutment of the old bridge rather than the pier that was on the old platform. So the new bridge will allow the loops to be extended, or full 4 tracking if desired.
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eightf48544
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« Reply #1201 on: September 23, 2015, 09:36:03 »

Around Taplow the masts and cantilever arms are being fitted with the dangly bits (technical term) to hang the wire. No sign of posts on the station yet.
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ray951
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« Reply #1202 on: September 23, 2015, 10:25:10 »

At Didcot Parkway they have started to cut back the platform canopies and I assume this is for clearance for the electric wires. As far as I can tell they have only done platform 4; although platform 1 doesn't have any canopies to cut back.
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lordgoata
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« Reply #1203 on: September 23, 2015, 11:25:55 »

Goring has the bolt locations cemented into the ground on some of the platforms (partly in the carpark on London end of Platform 4, in the center island of platform 2/3 and on the edge of platform 1, in the new area that was cleared by the temporary bridge at the Oxford end of platform 4).

They have also screened off two areas along the wall by the High Street bridge where I presume they will be attaching OHLE (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary))/masts to the wall - I am guessing the screening is there temporarily while they are working on it.

Still haven't noticed much activity on the Gatehampton bridge over the Thames though, but the rest of it is coming along quite quickly.

Just amazes me how many differently designed/shaped/sized masts, arms and "dangly" bits that seem to be appearing, and how random (its obviously not!) the placement seems to be. Gotta say from an engineering/design point of view, it's very impressive how it all comes together  Smiley
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Electric train
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« Reply #1204 on: September 23, 2015, 21:54:53 »


Just amazes me how many differently designed/shaped/sized masts, arms and "dangly" bits that seem to be appearing, and how random (its obviously not!) the placement seems to be. Gotta say from an engineering/design point of view, it's very impressive how it all comes together  Smiley

I've been involved in electrification projects and an Engineer for a couple of decades and still amazes me  Shocked Grin

There is of course a design and a plan to deliver the project.  Once the foundations are in and the structures are up and set to the correct rake and with the new type of cantilevers and the portals the height above rail is set  the fitting of small part steel, stove pipes, insulators registration arms become much quicker also some of this can be done in much shorter possessions than the foundation and structure erecting.

Once all the registration arms are in place and assuming the anchor structures have their anchors the wire runs will start both the catenary and contact wire at the same time usually with temporary droppers, the next stage is put the permanent droppers in and register the wire run to the correct height and stagger
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RobT
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« Reply #1205 on: October 01, 2015, 12:03:19 »

Interesting article in Rail Engineer about recent works east of Bath and Box tunnel:
http://www.railengineer.uk/2015/09/30/preparing-the-way-for-bath-electrification/
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TonyK
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« Reply #1206 on: October 01, 2015, 17:46:31 »

Very interesting indeed - thank you!
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #1207 on: October 01, 2015, 17:50:52 »

Indeed, an interesting article and one that complemented a similar RAIL magazine article a couple of issues ago.

Also worth remembering (as we're always reminded when the reverse is true) that the blockade, sorry Temporary Period Of Disruption, despite its complexity, was completed on time.
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Oxonhutch
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« Reply #1208 on: October 01, 2015, 21:17:06 »

Also interesting that they mentioned the other nearby excavations around Box Tunnel in somewhat vague terms - some that go below the tunnel bore and others maybe above - all apparently for ammunition storage.  No mention that this was RAF (Royal Air Force) Corsham: the site of central UK (United Kingdom) government should the Russians invade/bomb/nuke/etc. - an underground city for civil servants and MPs (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context), accommodation, hospitals, BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) studios, ... and even its own pub - the Red Lion I believe.  Don't worry Graeme - it's out of classification now.

Hang on; there's a black car just turned up outside ...
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trainer
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« Reply #1209 on: October 01, 2015, 22:15:53 »

Also interesting that they mentioned the other nearby excavations around Box Tunnel in somewhat vague terms - ........ Don't worry Graeme - it's out of classification now.

Hang on; there's a black car just turned up outside ...

It's so out of classification that I took a group of school students around them many years ago when someone was trying to make a tourist attraction out of them.  I think they failed!
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rower40
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« Reply #1210 on: October 02, 2015, 10:16:52 »


It's so out of classification that I took a group of school students around them many years ago when someone was trying to make a tourist attraction out of them.  I think they failed!
The students, or the tourist attraction promoters? Wink
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #1211 on: October 02, 2015, 21:10:09 »

(hello Rower40!)

There was even a display of photos of the site in Bristol a few years ago. Some very old tech there, some of it rather mouldy...

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« Reply #1212 on: October 02, 2015, 21:17:15 »

Also interesting that they mentioned the other nearby excavations around Box Tunnel in somewhat vague terms - some that go below the tunnel bore and others maybe above - all apparently for ammunition storage.  No mention that this was RAF (Royal Air Force) Corsham: the site of central UK (United Kingdom) government should the Russians invade/bomb/nuke/etc. - an underground city for civil servants and MPs (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context), accommodation, hospitals, BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) studios, ... and even its own pub - the Red Lion I believe.  Don't worry Graeme - it's out of classification now.

Hang on; there's a black car just turned up outside ...

Not forgetting the strategic reserve of steam locomotives squirelled away under Box. That's if you believe the more frothing/conspiracy theorist rail enthusiasts.
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« Reply #1213 on: October 11, 2015, 11:37:11 »

According to the Daily Fail, work on 3 bridges in Royal Wootton Bassett will be delayed by the discovery of a colony of endangered great crested newts in Royal Wootton Bassett -

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3267985/Bad-newts-train-High-speed-link-delayed-year-animal-colony.html

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Richard Fairhurst
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« Reply #1214 on: October 11, 2015, 12:16:40 »

Not forgetting the strategic reserve of steam locomotives squirelled away under Box.

Well, they had to put them somewhere when Standedge Tunnel reopened and they were displaced by the strategic reserve of carrying narrowboats...
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