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paul7575
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« Reply #30 on: August 02, 2018, 12:15:48 » |
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The gradient from a tunnel to the existing bridge and Slough branch is not going to be easy. Unless perhaps they tunnel right under the Thames as well, and half way to Slough...
Paul
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Red Squirrel
Administrator
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There are some who call me... Tim
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« Reply #31 on: August 02, 2018, 12:50:01 » |
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...There are a number of bridges to be replaced for a start.
It's way out of my area, so forgive me if this is a daft question, but are there? A quick squizz at Google's satellite view suggests that the disused sides of the bridges are all in situ and in no worse a state of repair than the active sides. Has the girder bridge over the Thames been re-used for some other purpose though? There's something yellow occupying the trackbed... |
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Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
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eightf48544
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« Reply #32 on: August 02, 2018, 14:05:43 » |
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From Wikipedia:
The bridge is a single-span structure comprising three bowstring trusses which created two bays for the original two GWR▸ tracks.[3] The bridge is the World's oldest wrought iron railway bridge still in regular service,[4] and is a forerunner of Brunel's final masterpiece, the Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash.[1] The bridge was Grade II* listed in 1975.[1]
Although the bridge was built to take two tracks, the track on the upstream side was removed when the line was rationalised in the 1960s. The trackbed on this side now carries a sewage or water main pipe.
I think noggin has outlined the problems well.
Slough and Windsor railway Society had an update on the project from Mr, Bathurst.
They've marginally eased the gradients and curves on the link with a different alignment, but the problem of electrification remains.
One thing the new platform at slough will have to be considerably longer and will need to be 12 cars long so extend under Stoke Road bridge.. Means the SWRS» 's Manor and the West Car Park will have to go.
If any reopening in the Thames Valley is needed it is Bourne to High Wycombe. Coupled with the Western Link to Heathrow and East West Rail would give an alternative route from Milton Keynes to Heathrow serving Aylesbury and High Wycombe.
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Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
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There are some who call me... Tim
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« Reply #33 on: August 02, 2018, 14:14:56 » |
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The trackbed on this side now carries a sewage or water main pipe.
Well as long as the powers that be know what type of pipe it is, I suppose we're alright... |
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Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
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grahame
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« Reply #34 on: August 02, 2018, 14:17:24 » |
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Taking a wider and theoretical view, I got my crayons out. Windsor has two stations, both to the south of the Thames, both approached from the north of the Thames by separate river bridges. The two lines aren't all that far apart north of the river, and between them there's significants amounts of green rather that developed housing. Admiteddly this particular green is likely to bet quite eloquently defended. Why not build a link line over the fields - as shown in the diagram below. There's a choice as to whether you complete all legs of both triangles, and indeed whether you route all trains into a single Windsor station.  |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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eightf48544
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« Reply #35 on: August 02, 2018, 14:31:15 » |
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Grahame you've got a safe bet that your route would be vigorously defended. After all they opposed a station on the main line at Slough in the 1840s and to this day the GW▸ branch is well to the West and there is still no station in Eton/ Eton Wick.
I also think your plan is not what the sponsors of the link are after which is one through station in Windsor serving both Slough onto Paddington and Waterloo and maybe the airport
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Noggin
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« Reply #36 on: August 03, 2018, 14:01:19 » |
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If any reopening in the Thames Valley is needed it is Bourne to High Wycombe. Coupled with the Western Link to Heathrow and East West Rail would give an alternative route from Milton Keynes to Heathrow serving Aylesbury and High Wycombe.
AIUI▸ the issue is that there has been significant construction on the trackbed, particularly in Bourne End, but further north too, and you'd need at least two level crossings, which you'd never get permission for. There's also a lack of paths on the GWML▸ as it is, so I can't see if being particularly practical, even if it had a magic money tree. Access to Heathrow from stations along the Chiltern Mainline would probably best be handled by running Chiltern services into the new Old Oak Common station as has been mooted, giving them access to HS2▸ and Crossrail. Similarly, Milton Keynes might best be dealt with by routing services to OOC▸ . Regarding my earlier comment, I meant that there appear to be a number of single-span overbridges between the Thames and Slough which would need to be widened. |
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eightf48544
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« Reply #37 on: August 03, 2018, 16:52:37 » |
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Regarding my earlier comment, I meant that there appear to be a number of single-span overbridges between the Thames and Slough which would need to be widened.
The double track alignment is complete from the Thames bridge to Slough they even built the newJubilee River bridge double track. If you double track from Slough to just before the river bridge you could run a fairly robust 10 minute service with 2 trains. 1st train leaves Slough dep 00 6 minutes to Windsor arr 006 2nd train leaves Windsor dep 00 6 minutes to Slough arr 006 1st train leaves Windsor dep 10 6minutes to Slough arr 16 2nd train leaves Slough dep 10 6 minutes to Windsor arr 16 Dynamic passing on double track. |
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Electric train
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« Reply #38 on: August 03, 2018, 22:35:35 » |
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If the construction of the tunnel under Windsor putting aside the cost, technical and environmental challenges, the re-doubling could be achieved with passing loops; however when I attended the IET▸ presentation on it a couple of years ago, the person presenting either could not or did not want to understand the issues around interfacing DC▸ and AC traction areas. I know how complex they are I have to deal with more than my fair share of them at work.
The grade separation at Slough will possibly be as expensive as the tunnel in Windsor, the Stoke Rd over bridge would have to be replaced I am sure
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #40 on: November 24, 2018, 10:11:31 » |
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Which is a great relief to all of us who live locally. It's a pleasant stroll from Central to Riverside in one of England's most picturesque towns which does no-one any harm. Hideously expensive, disruptive construction work is completely unnecessary. |
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Dispatch Box
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« Reply #42 on: December 07, 2018, 13:18:02 » |
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RichardB
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« Reply #43 on: January 28, 2023, 15:12:45 » |
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I can't imagine why but I was thinking about this earlier and thought everything had gone very quiet about it. That 2018 rejection seems to have killed the idea stone dead. Can't say I'm sorry. Someone has written it up in a fair bit of detail on Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_Link_Railway |
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