Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Fair enough, I'm no S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) expert and obviously if there was a simple solution the S&T would have found it.  Maybe no more need to be said here on this little topic, so my homework this evening is to research why a platform starter signal is not a main aspect signal.....

[IndustryInsider]

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

The "new" temporary staircase off the overbridge to P10 is still closed, I think the plan was that this would be open by the time the subway was closed to relieve pressure on the existing narrow staircase to P9.  Does anyone know why this is?

[IndustryInsider]

I think it's opened at peak times only isn't it?  I remember seeing it in use a week or two back around 8:30am.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Ah, that could be the case, I hadn't thought of that and I hadn't realised that was the plan. It's just occurred to me that the temporay stairway needs a ticket examiner on duty, so I can see the logic in closing it when P9 is less busy.

I saw the gates at the bottom of the stairs closed at about 1045 am. 

[Ollie]

As per II it is peak only stairs and has staff checking tickets.

[paul7575]

A new set of pics by reading general on skyscraper city:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=85485929&postcount=125

I was through the station yesterday, no phots taken but it's getting quite easy to visualise the new platform 6 - and I guess the steelwork details they've put up so far will be similar to the main through platform canopies.  At least it would be odd if they did something completely different on P4-P6...

Paul

[eightf48544]

Changing at Reading the other day we went up the wrong stairs from Platform 10 and found ourselves on the way out side of the footbridge. So had to go down and throught he barriers to get to Platform 4.

There were two guys standing at the bottom of the stairs but they didn't check our tickets.

It got me thinking about platform renumbering. I knew I wanted 4 in all probability. when 4 is renumbered to ? when I look at the departure board I won't know which platform is which for a while.

Has any thiught been given to putting the old platform number in brackets after the onew. So you'have say N (4)  At least for while?

[paul7575]

How the platform renumbering works...
1,2,3 stay the same
new 'Southern' platform will be 4
4B becomes 5
4A becomes 6
4 becomes 7
5 becomes 8
6 becomes 16 (until it finally closes)
7 closes
8 becomes 9
9 becomes 10
10 becomes 11
12,13,14,15 will be the new reliefs.

I expect there'll be loads of notices, but I don't think they'll put any 'formerly X' signs up - and of course the PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) listing displays will all be using the new numbers, I don't think there'll be a huge problem - nearly everything (except some XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and some Waterloo/Redhills) will be operating from the same physical platform after all...

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

The contract to build the new train depot has been let to VolkerFitzpatrick:

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/contract-news/volkerfitzpatrick-undercuts-competition-to-take-reading-rail-work

Worth ^36.2m (less than half the budget price of ^72m), works starts in January and is due to be complete by August 2013.  Looks like there'll will be an awkward transitional phase between closure of the old Turbo depot and the arrival of cascaded/new electric traction following the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) electrification.

[paul7575]

The new Turbo depot planning reference is 10/01380/FUL if anyone wishes to look at the details - and as usual there are enough details to keep you browsing for quite a while...

As you'd expect, although the planning application is for a replacement 'Turbo Depot' the drawings show all the facilites are designed to fit four car units with OHLE structures and gantries almost everywhere you look...

Paul

[Surrey 455]

In the above jpeg of the Reading Station staff update it quotes the URL http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/reading is the place to be!

I've given it a try and I get a 404 error. Tried removing the spaces, removing the exclamation mark but to no avail. Is there really a dedicated website?

EDIT....

Had a rethink and found it is just http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/reading

[chineseJohn]

Last night a chap with a loud hailer was informing people they can exit at a door next to Platform 1 ( i assume this is to ease exit congestion on Platform 4), he was checking tickets if people wanted to use that exit.

[paul7575]

The reason for this new access is explained in the staff brief shown in post #371 in this thread:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6405.360

Mods - Please could this and the previous post be transferred into the main Reading Stn thread to avoid an unneccesary offshoot starting?

Paul


Edit note: Done. CfN 

[IndustryInsider]

The new Turbo depot planning reference is 10/01380/FUL if anyone wishes to look at the details - and as usual there are enough details to keep you browsing for quite a while...

Thanks for providing the link, Paul.

First time I've seen them in such detail, although I was aware of the basic layout.  From the plans it looks as if stabling/maintenance capacity will be provided as follows:

West End Stabling Sidings:  6 sidings with a total capacity for around 80 vehicles
Maintenance Depot:  4 maintenance roads with a total capacity of around 28 vehicles, plus room for 8 vehicles on a siding alongside the maintenance shed, as well as a unit in the 'Underframe Cleaning Facility' with up to two of its vehicles actually in the facility.
IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) Depot: 7 track facility with a total capacity for 17 5-car Bi-mode IEP sets or a maximum of 6 10 car Electric IEP sets and 5 Bi-Mode sets.

The operation in the West End Stabling Sidings especially will have to be very slick given the fact that one of the sidings can stack up to 17 vehicles ending in stop blocks, so the need to make sure the units are in the right order to come out next morning will be much more important than it is now in Reading Upper Depot with its 17 separate sidings!  Mind you, the lack of a need to manage fuel loads on the electric sets will mean there's a little more flexibility in that respect.

I believe a signalling system is to be installed in the depot, similar to that at the former Eurostar depot at North Pole, as with such a long operational length, handsignalling is not deemed appropriate.