Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

If the video shows drilling holes in the tunnel, why isn't the water cascading through ??

Because the artesian groundwater source (called IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the "Great Spring") is controlled by pumping it down rather than sealing it in.

[Electric train]

If the video shows drilling holes in the tunnel, why isn't the water cascading through ??

That's because the water does not come in through the roof, the spring is actually lower than track level; also the brick lining is more than one of two bricks thick 

[JayMac]

I see the knitting is making its way through Goring.

Network Rail presenting a fait accompli to the 'Gap' moaners?

[ChrisB]

Spoke with new NR^» (Network Rail - home page) MD Western and Robbie Burns on Thursday - they are talking to interested parties but are adamant that work continues, so will be looking at measures to reduce impact, and to be done after the wires are up & running.

Oh, at the same meeting, I asked about the Reading escalator that ran backwards & is now out of order. Still under warranty, so back with the suppliers, hence the delay in fixing. I suggested relocating the stop boards on that platform to allay pax having to walk the length of the platform. They'll positively consider this with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[IndustryInsider]

That's also what the http://www.savegoringgap.org.uk/ website is reporting.  Get it finished to allow SET^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)) testing to take place, then possibly replace much of it with a less intrusive design before passenger services on electric power commence at the end of next year.  No wonder the project is over-budget!

[ChrisB]

No chance of replacement NR^» (Network Rail - home page) say - it will be mitigating only.

[IndustryInsider]

I'll be interested to see how they can mitigate against its impact without replacing some of the structures.

[ChrisB]

Painting?....I didn't get a chance to explore what they might consider. But cost is obviously material.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Oh, at the same meeting, I asked about the Reading escalator that ran backwards & is now out of order. Still under warranty, so back with the suppliers, hence the delay in fixing. I suggested relocating the stop boards on that platform to allay pax having to walk the length of the platform. They'll positively consider this with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Thanks for raising that.  I originally suggested this back in January and again a couple of weeks ago, I would have thought that GWR ("going the extra mile for the customer") would have taken the initiative on this as I know the station staff get complaints from passengers arriving on P15A.

edit for grammar

[ChrisB]

I suspect a disconnect between customer-facing & technology staff there. I will persue, seeing as the escalator might be out for a while yet.

[Bmblbzzz]

Press release from NR^» (Network Rail - home page) regarding the electrification programme for the Severn Tunnel, which includes a short video:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/130-year-old-severn-tunnel-to-get-railway-upgrade

Four tonnes of soot inside the tunnel! And the last steam services ran, what, forty years ago, probably fifty?

There'll probably be room for the wires just by removing the layers of soot! 

(yes, I know diesel engines produce soot too)

[stuving]

Four tonnes of soot inside the tunnel! And the last steam services ran, what, forty years ago, probably fifty?

There'll probably be room for the wires just by removing the layers of soot! 

More to the point, it's a big old tunnel. 7 km long, by (say) 5 m width, means there's only 0.1 kg/sq m. So even if the density of soot is as low as 0.1 (100 kg/cu m), it would only be a 1 mm layer.

Is it really just me that reacts to a fact like that by reaching for my trusty two-backed envelope?

[ellendune]

That's also what the http://www.savegoringgap.org.uk/ website is reporting.  Get it finished to allow SET^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)) testing to take place, then possibly replace much of it with a less intrusive design before passenger services on electric power commence at the end of next year.  No wonder the project is over-budget!

The word possibly does not appear on their website.  They are optimistically reading the words

Any works to modify the apparatus already installed to allow for the train testing will be undertaken retrospectively, subject to funding agreements; we have written to the Conservation Boards to confirm this, and a copy of the letter can be found

as they will change things.

The words "Any" and "subject to funding agreements" seem to have passed them by. 

[IndustryInsider]

The word possibly does not appear on their website. 

Indeed not.  I chose 'possibly' as a compromise between NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s 'perhaps at a later date with lots of caveats' and savegoringgap's 'NR have confirmed a commitment to do it'.   

[grahame]

The word possibly does not appear on their website. 

Indeed not.  I chose 'possibly' as a compromise between NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s 'perhaps at a later date with lots of caveats' and savegoringgap's 'NR have confirmed a commitment to do it'.   

The "Save Goring Gap" campaign suggests that the National Grid have it right ...

How the National Grid is 'Getting It Right'
National Grid is ^getting it right^. Why can^t Network Rail?

In 1964, in the Goring Gap, the National Grid buried the cable underground under Streatley hill (North Wessex Downs AONB^▸ (Areas Of Natural Beauty)) because it considered the natural beauty of the Goring Gap was so important.

at http://www.savegoringgap.org.uk/how-the-national-grid-is-getting-it-right.html


I suspect the answer to "Why can't Network Rail?" is that it's not really practical to power the trains from a buried cable - it needs to be overhead ...