Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Boppy]

New track is now between the existing track for platforms 9 and 8.  At the moment the ends need attaching to the existing track.  At each end there are curves pointing towards the platform 9 track.

One thing I've noticed is that the new straight part of track won't be long enough to accommodate an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) within it so I'm assuming that the new temporary platform 9 will either be curved at each end to allow HSTs to use it or will turbos only serve the temporary platform 9?

Boppy.

[paul7575]

I think that newly laid middle track for the widened P9 (future P10) will probably be extended further east during the Christmas closure, but there'll be some signal equipment resiting needed to allow for it, in fact I'd be surprised if the east end crossover between the relief lines isn't relocated east as well - isn't the signal at the London end of the current P8 supposed to be moving?

I noticed today the top ballast has now been laid in the new P4, and some conductor rail has now been delivered - it has a slightly different cross-section to running rail, the thicker base web gives it away.  I don't think I've seen quite so many workers together on the new P4 as today - they must be trying to meet some deadline or other, one of the briefing notes posted earlier suggested staff would be learning about new P4 this week - but obviously not today!

There are notices up everywhere announcing P7 is now closed with XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) using P3 in lieu - but it still got used a couple of times at short notice this afternoon as there were a few signalling issues just east of the station, with most down trains using the current P4 for a while.

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I remember seeing a diagram where there was a distinct kink in the eastern end of the new platform 10 after Xmas and a 25mph speed limit imposed on the Up Relief line during that stage of the works.

[Boppy]

I experienced the double "Arrived" train situation myself today.

3-car turbo to Paddington on Platform 8.  Then a platform alteration announcement that the train to Gatwick will now leave from Platform 8.  Everybody rushes to board with the signs doing anything but helping.

Thankfully the platform staff were there to stop people incorrectly boarding the train.

Regardless of the problem of what triggers the point at which a train is "Arrived" the software could surely be updated to check that the sign should only say "Arrived" if the train is number 1 in the list.  Numbers 2 (or 3) in the list could say "Due next" or something.

[Louis94]

I experienced the double "Arrived" train situation myself today.

3-car turbo to Paddington on Platform 8.  Then a platform alteration announcement that the train to Gatwick will now leave from Platform 8.  Everybody rushes to board with the signs doing anything but helping.

Thankfully the platform staff were there to stop people incorrectly boarding the train.

Regardless of the problem of what triggers the point at which a train is "Arrived" the software could surely be updated to check that the sign should only say "Arrived" if the train is number 1 in the list.  Numbers 2 (or 3) in the list could say "Due next" or something.

Oh dear, that is just terrible! This is all because of the transfer to the new system at Reading with old hardware, soon as the new screens are installed, they will cease to say "Arrived" and will instead just say the same as everywhere else.

[BerkshireBugsy]

I'm going to be genuinely impressed if the new p4 is open as scheduled. There still seems a lot to do and I guess Fgw staff can't have familiariastion training whilst it is still technically a construction site.

But there are still quite a few calendar days left before the 27th so there is still a chance.

Am I right in thinking the platform re-numbering will happen even if the new p4 is not ready?  I can't imagine that being done at any other time.

[Jonathan H]

The new Southern platforms do not open until 31 December - a bus substitution applies between Reading and Wokingham for the period 27-30 December so there's a bit more time to get things finished. After Christmas, it appears to be 4A and the new platform in use (as 6 and 4 respectively.

[BerkshireBugsy]

The new Southern platforms do not open until 31 December - a bus substitution applies between Reading and Wokingham for the period 27-30 December so there's a bit more time to get things finished. After Christmas, it appears to be 4A and the new platform in use (as 6 and 4 respectively.

THanks but I am getting confused here. I can understand buses replacing trains between Reading and Wokingham for SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services but does this also apply for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)?

The TM^‡(resolve) on my RDG^‡(resolve) to Reigate service this morning lead me to believe the FGW trains were running as normal between xmas and new year. The phrase Replacement Bus Services" has the same affect on me as reading the sentence "batteries not included"

[adc82140]

I guess the Gatwicks will be using the main part of the station during this time? Is it usual practice to bustitute the SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s to prevent overcrowding on the Gatwicks at times like this?

[paul7575]

I guess the Gatwicks will be using the main part of the station during this time? Is it usual practice to bustitute the SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s to prevent overcrowding on the Gatwicks at times like this?

Certainly has been the practice in the past, and Wokingham has always been declared pick up only ex Reading, and set down only ex Gatwick, to try to stop Waterloo passengers hitching a ride to Wokingham with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), and overwhelming their trains.

Edit: I wrote the above before I'd checked the journey planner, so I guess the previous poster was mistakenly thinking FGW were running normally...

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I guess the Gatwicks will be using the main part of the station during this time?

Erm, there's no trains at all from 27th-30th between Reading and Wokingham!  There's a whole load of signals and points to commission, including some signals on the spur line linking the main platforms with the southern lines.

[BerkshireBugsy]

I guess the Gatwicks will be using the main part of the station during this time?

Erm, there's no trains at all from 27th-30th between Reading and Wokingham!  There's a whole load of signals and points to commission, including some signals on the spur line linking the main platforms with the southern lines.

That makes sense. When they put the buses on to Wokingham do they leave RDG^‡(resolve) at the scheduled departure time of a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Gatwick/Redhill service or do they just leave at regular intervals? If the former is true do they revise the departure times from Wokingham?

I'm just trying to work out if it would be easier to drive from Thatcham to Reigate during that period.

[paul7575]

That makes sense. When they put the buses on to Wokingham do they leave RDG^‡(resolve) at the scheduled departure time of a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Gatwick/Redhill service or do they just leave at regular intervals? If the former is true do they revise the departure times from Wokingham?

What they'd normally do is run the trains at the right time (as normal timetable) from Wokingham, and a theoretical connecting bus would leave Reading earlier than normal - and the journey planner does give bus departure times. I'd expect there'll be different buses for SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and FGW though, the former being all stations to Wokingham. 

Paul 

[IndustryInsider]

Regular intervals.  Check the National Rail Enquiries website - all the details are on there...

[BerkshireBugsy]

What they'd normally do is run the trains at the right time (as normal timetable) from Wokingham, and a theoretical connecting bus would leave Reading earlier than normal - and the journey planner does give bus departure times. I'd expect there'll be different buses for SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) though, the former being all stations to Wokingham. 

Paul 

THanks Paul and II - sadly it's not possible to travel by train and arrive in Reigate at my normalish time (Before so car it is but thanks for your help

Dave