Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

The stuff I saw on a thread about Crossrail looked distinctly s-shaped. Presumably, this is fixed at different angles to spread the wear? It looks very nifty for sure.

And if the self-test fails it tries again and again and gets louder and louder.

Happened to me earlier this year taxiing to the runway on a flight back to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) from Madrid. Credit to Iberia though in that they rustled up another plane and we were transferred across. Benefit of being at home base I guess.

While an in-flight failure of the compressor on one engine would not be a major safety issue, there being not only the other engine-driven pump, and an electric pump, but also a ram-air turbine for real extreme cases, you wouldn't want to start off to go anywhere without it all being tickety-boo. The PTU only operates when there is a difference between hydraulic circuits greater than 500 psi. If the self-test fails, the question is which bit of the system is actually bust. So back to the stand, and let the engineer get the printout from the computer.

[Tim]

Angry dog! I always amuse myself imagining there is somone in the hold hacksawing a length of scaffolding pole.

Surely it is the sound you get when you punch a baboon. 

[TonyK]

Angry dog! I always amuse myself imagining there is somone in the hold hacksawing a length of scaffolding pole.

Surely it is the sound you get when you punch a baboon. 

My wife says she has heard similar from our bathroom in the morning, especially during the curry season. Even though there are only the two of us in the house.

I couldn't possibly comment...

[Electric train]

The anticipated video clip has surfaced on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), not sure if a certain forum member is featured in the background...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37569550

I thought the rail would be more curvy, to avoid wearing the pantographs down.

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know) it's staggered like regular OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE"), you just can't really see it in the clip.

The beam is installed straight, then the copper contact wire is run out and inserted in the beam, it is easier to do this before the stagger is set.

[chrisr_75]

Angry dog! I always amuse myself imagining there is somone in the hold hacksawing a length of scaffolding pole.

Surely it is the sound you get when you punch a baboon. 

My wife says she has heard similar from our bathroom in the morning, especially during the curry season. Even though there are only the two of us in the house.

I couldn't possibly comment...

So, what you are saying is, the morning after a curry, you take a baboon to your bathroom and punch it? How very curious! 

[stuving]

So, what you are saying is, the morning after a curry, you take a baboon to your bathroom and punch it? How very curious! 

Well, curiosity killed the cat, so maybe the baboon should reckon it go off lightly!

[Bmblbzzz]

There was a bi-lingual crew from BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Wales so I suspect there will be something from them on screen later in the week.

This popped up this morning:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-37553620

There could well be something related on the BBC Wales/S4C news this evening

The anticipated video clip has surfaced on the BBC, not sure if a certain forum member is featured in the background...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37569550

"The England to Wales line is already finished." Oh really? !!1!!(!)?

Or did I mishear the video?

[paul7575]

"The England to Wales line is already finished." Oh really? !!1!!(!)?

Or did I mishear the video?

I think the translation is probably:   

"We have completed installing the rigid conductor system on the down line through the length of the tunnel and we will now do the up line."

Paul

[Noggin]

"The England to Wales line is already finished." Oh really? !!1!!(!)?

Or did I mishear the video?

I think the translation is probably:   

"We have completed installing the rigid conductor system on the down line through the length of the tunnel and we will now do the up line."

Paul

That was my understanding too. Have they started on the Patchway tunnels yet?

[ellendune]

From the Swindon Advertiser

Swindon railway station prepares for the arrival of electricity

NETWORK Rail has unveiled a year-long programme of works around Swindon station as the electrification programme arrives in the town from next month.

But they have promised to keep disruption to residents living nearby to a minimum as they carry out drilling for the new electric pylons.

The Greater West Programme is being implemented to transform the mainline from London Paddington to Swansea to bring Brunel’s railway into the 21st century, and will pave the way for the long-awaited new longer, electric intercity trains which are currently undergoing testing.

Network Rail contractors are expected on site at Swindon railway station from next month where they will be carrying out a number of works to prepare the station for the arrival of the new high-speed services. This will see them extend Platform 1, where services for Cheltenham typically depart from, which is currently too short for the new nine and ten car trains.

They will also be installing the overhead line equipment through the station, including masts, booms and the wires, which will require some of the canopies to be cut back to make way for them, as well as removing and replacing four signal gantries dating from the 1960s and 70s.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “In order to keep disruption to train services to a minimum, most of our work will take place overnight and over weekends when fewer trains are running. The station will remain open for the majority of the work. However, please check before you travel.

“We recognise that our work can be disruptive to those living or working nearby. Some disturbance is unavoidable, but please be assured that every effort is made to minimise any unnecessary noise and we have reminded all staff and contractors to be considerate of the environment they are working in.”

On Thursday evening Network Rail held a public drop-in session at UTC Swindon to outline the plans to residents. On hand to answer questions were senior sponsor Michelle Scoggins and project manager David Brown.

Michelle explained a lot of work had already been carried out on the route to prepare other stations for the arrival of the new electric trains, which were a slightly different shape to the current High Speed Trains, to ensure there was sufficient clearance between the train and the platforms. “We will be extending platform one by about 10 metres – it’s minor but it does mean that all platforms will be compliant with the new trains,” she said.

Does anyone know which end they will be extending it?  Is it by extending the East end or by moving Platform 2 over to allow it to be extended at the west end?

[grahame]

Does anyone know which end they will be extending it?  Is it by extending the East end or by moving Platform 2 over to allow it to be extended at the west end?

You may notice that the planters, etc, at the London end are looking sadly uncared for at the moment - perhaps because there's not much point in investing effort into making them spick and span for a very short period.   I'm putting 2 and 2 together and may be getting 5, mind you.  Also aware of the lack of shelter / facilities for people awaiting a train thats quickly turning around in the bay.

[Bmblbzzz]

"The England to Wales line is already finished." Oh really? !!1!!(!)?

Or did I mishear the video?

I think the translation is probably:   

"We have completed installing the rigid conductor system on the down line through the length of the tunnel and we will now do the up line."

Paul

Line as in one of the two lines through the Tunnel; that makes sense then! Thanks.

[bobm]

An event in Swindon by the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) "Electrification of the Great Western Mainline" 12 October 2016 - 18:30-21:30 at Swindon Collage.

http://www.theiet.org/events/local/241367.cfm?nxtId=239561

These are free events, registration for the event is simple

Thanks for the tip on this. A very interesting talk tonight and although some of it was above my head (!) I did come away having learned more about the complexities and challenges of the project.

[DidcotPunter]

An event in Swindon by the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) "Electrification of the Great Western Mainline" 12 October 2016 - 18:30-21:30 at Swindon Collage.

http://www.theiet.org/events/local/241367.cfm?nxtId=239561

These are free events, registration for the event is simple

Thanks for the tip on this. A very interesting talk tonight and although some of it was above my head (!) I did come away having learned more about the complexities and challenges of the project.

And thanks from me too. As Bobm says it was a very interesting talk. Some parts of the presentation on the power-feeding arrangements were beyond my 1970s A-Level Physics but the slides on the challenges and testing described by Chris Wilson who is Network Rail Programme Manager for the electrification were fascinating.

There were some rather spectacular videos of testing neutral sections for the Series 1 OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") at Old Dalby (disable the APC magnets and drive a class 395 through it on full power - it draws quite an arc!) and testing the fault protection on the 25kV feeder station at Foxhall Junction Didcot (more fireworks). There were also some photos of what went wrong when they tried to energise the relief lines between Tilehurst and Milton Junction earlier this month, which resulted in a cable fire.

Some of the design problems raised included the issue of the proximity of over-bridges to level crossings on the route which require a steep change in wire height over a relatively short distance. Towey Bridge was quoted (where's that?) and I asked about Steventon where the listed bridge for the High Street is closely followed by Stocks Lane and Causeway crossings. This is apparently their "worst nightmare" as they cannot demolish the bridge and need maximum clearance on the crossings. Apparently they are having to impose a solution which does not meet current (TSI) standards - which probably explains why there is a gap in the OLE works between the end of the loop by the A34 bridge and about 1/2 mile west of Causeway crossing while they work out what to do and secure the necessary derogations.

Sorry I didn't recognise you, Bobm, if I'd known you were going I would have introduced myself.

Acronym buster:

APC - Automated Power Control - trackside magnets which activate the circuit breakers on the train so it doesn't draw current across a neutral section
TSI - Technical Standards for Interoperability - EU^» (European Union - about) regulations governing the interoperability capabilities of infrastructure and rail vehicles (I think - someone can word it better than me)

[bobm]

Sorry I didn't recognise you, Bobm, if I'd known you were going I would have introduced myself.

Likewise - I was near the sandwiches...