Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ray951]

Agreed, if you can change from Diesel to Electric on the move then what is the point of completing electrification, it can be postponed indefinitely.

Although not quite sure what they will do with the electrification 'substation' at Radley which was only installed a couple of months ago.

[Tim]

Agreed, if you can change from Diesel to Electric on the move then what is the point of completing electrification, it can be postponed indefinitely.

Although not quite sure what they will do with the electrification 'substation' at Radley which was only installed a couple of months ago.

I don't think the 387s can swop on the move.  I think that is just an IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) capability. 

[didcotdean]

387s would run to DID^▸ (Didcot Parkway) only with a diesel shuttle to OXF^» (Oxford - next trains), sometimes extended to BAN.

There are some side effects here - in local planning there are 1000 homes to be built around Culham station - not so attractive a location maybe if it only has an hourly service to DID / OXF for an unknown time.

[ChrisB]

Agreed, if you can change from Diesel to Electric on the move then what is the point of completing electrification, it can be postponed indefinitely.

Although not quite sure what they will do with the electrification 'substation' at Radley which was only installed a couple of months ago.

I don't think the 387s can swop on the move.  I think that is just an IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) capability. 

I don't either - they have no diesel capability at all.

[ray951]

Agreed, if you can change from Diesel to Electric on the move then what is the point of completing electrification, it can be postponed indefinitely.

Although not quite sure what they will do with the electrification 'substation' at Radley which was only installed a couple of months ago.

I don't think the 387s can swop on the move.  I think that is just an IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) capability. 

The 387's don't need to be, the OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) stoppers can be a diesel shuttle to Didcot and 387 from DID^▸ (Didcot Parkway) to Paddington and the fasts can be IEP changing from diesel to electric at Didcot East Junc.

[ChrisB]

But there's a speed loss on diesel, right? 110mph rather than 125mph, so there'll be degaradation of timetables?

[ellendune]

But there's a speed loss on diesel, right? 110mph rather than 125mph, so there'll be degaradation of timetables?

IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') there is not much 125 between Thingley and Bristol, between Filton and Bristol, or between Didcot and Oxford, Not sure about Reading to Newbury. 

The timetable problem would be on the South Wales Route.

[1st fan]

Oh quelle surprise - so the supposed benefits for customers on the Hereford line are what exactly? The new Hitachi trains are unlikely to run any faster beyond Oxford especially if it won't be electric all the way there anymore. The seating isn't supposed to be as comfortable as the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) in 1st - I dread to think about standard. There is a lack of a buffet. Can we keep the HST to Hereford please.

[ellendune]

When you 'defer' something without specifying a date, isn't that the same thing as 'cancelling' it?

No I suspect it is all about not making CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) commitments until CP6 is agreed.

Postponing Oxford until it can be aligned with Oxford Station improvements might save some money too

[Visoflex]

Peculiar decisions regarding Temple Meads and Oxford, but diesel IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.)'s will no doubt lessen the blow until station refurb funding becomes available..

[paul7575]

Can we keep the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) to Hereford please.

No you can't, such is progress.

I don't think you should be able to like your own post either, to be fair...   

Paul

[TonyK]

How can Filton Bank not be electrified after all the work already done? And the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) depot there,too?

[grahame]

Can we keep the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) to Hereford please.

No you can't, such is progress.

There are those of us who are really fond of our current trains - be they class 125 or class 153.  However, if we campaigned to keep them and won would rapidly find our love for them drowned by people complaining about old trains on their line ... to say nothing of increasing maintenance costs and failures over the years ahead, and a real problem is we'd refused an upgrade on the back of a bigger order and wanted a special build later.

[1st fan]

Can we keep the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) to Hereford please.

No you can't, such is progress.

I don't think you should be able to like your own post either, to be fair...   

Paul

Can we at least keep the comfortable seats? I've heard (and yes it may be hearsay) that the new seats are awful.

I wasn't aware I'd liked my own post  I think that might be too many things on my desk causing spurious mouse clicks when I unintentionally move the mouse. I've unliked it now.

[bobm]

I think that might be too many things on my desk causing spurious mouse clicks when I unintentionally move the mouse.

Yes I often do that - knowing that a bigger desk would just allow me to spread my clutter to fill it, a bit more discipline is needed!