Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Indeed, and of the three Chris has listed, only tunnels present problems that are likely to be too costly to solve, especially as Paul points out, if it's only the odd structure on the route.  Taking some stone cutters to the odd bit of platform edge really isn't prohibitively expensive.  That's where the difference in the 'current' and 'with less than 10% of structures modified' graphs are interesting as, at a guess, more than double the route mileage suddenly opens up.

[coachflyer]

Mark Hopwood stated in a staff meet the MD session at Reading this week that if they won the franchise that they might be prepared to pay for the electrification of the Greenford, Henley and Windsor branches. Marlow would be a problem due to the length of trains that can get from Bourne End to Marlow. Also the feasibility of doing the infill of third rail to Gatwick.

He also stated that the type of stock to be used has not yet been confirmed with discussions ongoing about possibly ordering new trains with the 380's now arriving at Scot Rail being mentioned.

[paul7575]

Don't HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) have a problem when diverted onto the Reading-Waterloo line. I remember reading somewhere that they had issues with some platform edges. Not sure what they did about it.

They didn't do anything about it IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) - certainly the recent diversions avoided the significant problem areas on the route, such as at Ascot. 

Distilled from various discussions elsewhere, the main problem is almost certainly just the access ladders on the power car leading bogies.  There are a number of platforms on the Reading to Virginia Water section where HSTs are limited to little more than walking pace.

Not part of your question bobm, but to save another post I've just remembered something about step boards regarding the SN 377/2s, the dual voltage units used temporarily on Thameslink a couple of years ago.  In this case the units were out of gauge somewhere, so they had the stepboards replaced with a set a couple of centimetres narrower.  Just as an example of what can be done to gauge clear otherwise unusable stock.  For an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) trip to a depot you would just remove fouling stepboards, but that doesn't mean the whole thing is foul of gauge, it could be a matter of millimetres - so it would be cost effective to alter if stock was being moved for passenger use somewhere.

Paul 

[anthony215]

A new story about electrification west of cardiff:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/09/26/case-for-electrifying-railways-slammed-as-flawed-over-omissions-91466-29485757/

[ChrisB]

A further IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) depot to be built @ Swansea, according to a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) brief

[IndustryInsider]

That would make sense.  There's about 8 HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s serviced there every night so you wouldn't want that many IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s having to come ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) from Cardiff or Bristol every morning!

[Rhydgaled]

A further IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) depot to be built @ Swansea, according to a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) brief

All I've read in the past is new stabling sidings for IEP at Swansea, no mention of an actual depot. I think the source wasn't a FGW brief though, so maybe you're quoting new information.

[ChrisB]

Agility submitted a planning application to the local council last week, is the news that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) passed on. Mayve a search of the council's planning srction on their website?

[homsar]

Agility submitted a planning application to the local council last week, is the news that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) passed on. Mayve a search of the council's planning srction on their website?

You mean something like this?

[JayMac]

Thank you for that link, homsar. And a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop. 

[homsar]

You're welcome! I've been stalking this thread for over a year, and I live in Swansea (and have recently browsed planning applications for other reasons), so thought I could finally contribute something back

[Chris from Nailsea]

Much appreciated. 

[ellendune]

Electrifcation depot to be at Swindon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15743070

A ^3m factory train depot is to be built in Swindon as part of Network Rail's ^800m plan to electrify the line from London Paddington to Cardiff.

The new depot will house a ^55m "factory train" which it is said will install overhead power lines along the track with the "minimum of disruption".

A new independent business unit to "take control of the renewed Western route" will also be based in Swindon.

Patrick Hallgate, from Network Rail, said it was ideally located.

Mr Hallgate, Network Rail Western's new route managing director, said: "Swindon is our regional head quarters.

"We've got about 500 staff here and control all aspects of the route from Paddington down to Penzance.

"The factory train allows us to put the wires up in the air at a speed which allows us to run trains and minimise disruption throughout the years which the project is being undertaken.

"And Swindon is ideally located - it's in the middle of the route and it allows us to get from one end to the other causing minimum disruption."

[JayMac]

"And Swindon is ideally located - it's in the middle of the route....."

Precisely the reason Brunel and Gooch sited their Locomotive & Carriage Works there. Shows that there aren't really any new ideas.......

Good news for Swindon, but will it lead to some sort of permanent facility?

[ChrisB]

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) already have a major office there - are you referring to a works depot?