Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

This evening on my journey home I noticed the cover was on the emergency exit at the east end of P6/p5. It's certainly all happening!

Now there will soon be 3 platforms servicing the north downs/waterloo lines, will the trains be scheduled to make best use of platform space? E.g.,  Using P4 and P6 at the same time rather than p5/p6? Of course this does assume there will only ever be two trains platformed at anyone time which is probably not a true assumption.

[SandTEngineer]

....and the new Platform No.6 taken at 1515 yesterday 10 July 2012....

[paul7575]

Now there will soon be 3 platforms servicing the north downs/waterloo lines, will the trains be scheduled to make best use of platform space? E.g.,  Using P4 and P6 at the same time rather than p5/p6? Of course this does assume there will only ever be two trains platformed at anyone time which is probably not a true assumption.

I think the logical approach from a 'passenger standardisation' viewpoint (pending any unlikely new services such as Airtrack etc ) might be to use P5/P6 for SWT^▸ (South West Trains), and P4 for FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

Having said that signallers everywhere do seem to like injecting random changes to keep everyone, including passengers and staff, on their toes...

This afternoon there was lots of NR^» (Network Rail - home page) brass about, jotting down in notebooks what still had to be done for tomorrow morning's reopening - should be OK though because P4 looked in a similar state the day before didn't it?

Paul

[Jonty]

On the top deck of a passing bus today and saw that what appears to be a brick tunnel near to the Vastern Road bridge is actually just an "alcove" about 10ft deep so no question of it going under the tracks. Looks like an old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) storage bay.

A secret passageway into Apex^▸ (Advanced Purchase Excursion (fare)) Plaza did seem quite exciting!!

[BerkshireBugsy]

I think the logical approach from a 'passenger standardisation' viewpoint (pending any unlikely new services such as Airtrack etc ) might be to use P5/P6 for SWT^▸ (South West Trains), and P4 for FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

Having said that signallers everywhere do seem to like injecting random changes to keep everyone, including passengers and staff, on their toes...

This afternoon there was lots of NR^» (Network Rail - home page) brass about, jotting down in notebooks what still had to be done for tomorrow morning's reopening - should be OK though because P4 looked in a similar state the day before didn't it?

Paul

Thanks Paul for your reply. To a layman like me, where is the decision made as to which platform an incoming train will use when it comes up from Wokingham? Is it made at Reading or where ever (swindon?)?

[eightf48544]

Thanks Paul for your reply. To a layman like me, where is the decision made as to which platform an incoming train will use when it comes up from Wokingham? Is it made at Reading or where ever (swindon?)?

It will normally be the ARS^▸ (Automatic Route Setting) (Automatic Route Setting) at Didcot (TV Siganlling Centre) that will route the train to the platform. The signalman will only intervene if there is out of course running etc.

So any one train should in theory always use the same platform. How the platforms are used will depend on whoever programmes the ARSs.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Thanks Paul for your reply. To a layman like me, where is the decision made as to which platform an incoming train will use when it comes up from Wokingham? Is it made at Reading or where ever (swindon?)?

It will normally be the ARS^▸ (Automatic Route Setting) (Automatic Route Setting) at Didcot (TV Siganlling Centre) that will route the train to the platform. The signalman will only intervene if there is out of course running etc.

So any one train should in theory always use the same platform. How the platforms are used will depend on whoever programmes the ARSs.

Thanks 8F - so how often are the routes reprogrammed - for example if there exactly the same services at the same times on two consectutive days would the routes need to be re-programmed?

[JayMac]

I was in Reading today and despite all the work going on it was pleasing to see that the station continues to function normally. Train despatch in this afternoon's peak was particularly good. My 1626 to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) was wheels turning dead on 16:26:00.

The regular, as well as the additional, and very visible, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff are doing an excellent job in somewhat difficult conditions. To make things worse today the scrolling displays were out of action, with a not very useful 'Welcome to Reading' being displayed. I people watched for a good 20 minutes before I caught my train home. Station staff were noticeably proactive in helping passengers - not always waiting to be asked - but rather, doing the asking themselves. One FGW chap near me on P7 was approaching passengers and asking about their destination, ensuring that they knew which was the right westbound service to catch by telling them, "It'll be the 1st/2nd/3rd service on this platform." He was also busy hustling people along the platform and telling them roughly where Standard Class or the coach with their booked seat would be. He was even helping people with their luggage.* All done with an engaging smile and courtesy. I made a note of this chap's name and will be emailing FGW with some praise.


*I briefly worked for FGW through an employment agency in the booking hall area of Bristol Temple Meads in 2004, employed to assist passengers with information about their trains and to help prevent a large build up of folk in front of the screens near the gateline. I would also help folk with their luggage if asked and I occasionally offered. That is until one of the permanent staff told me to stop doing it. Apparently I wasn't insured to carry luggage or even just lift it onto a trolley and push said trolley. This guy told me that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) had decreed that such work was outside of a Customer Service Assistant's contract terms and until FGW paid extra and insured their platform and gateline staff to do 'portering' duties then such assistance should not be offered. Despite protests from one or two of the old guard (worried, I assume, that if I did the odd bit of portering, passenger would come to expect all staff to do it) I continued to help when asked. The tips were often quite generous!

[BerkshireBugsy]

I think one of the things which "i am not partial to" at Reading is the continual announcments to members of the public on P7 asking them to "keep behind the yellow line, please".   My dislike is not about the fact FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff are making these announcments but I guess they are being made by someone on the platform through a radio mike to the PA^▸ (Public Address) system and uncomfortable levels of feedback are not unusual

I must stress I totally understand the need for these annoucements at the moment space is limited on P7.

To back up what BNM said, I also found the way the traffic flow from p5 was managed this afternoon was exceptionally good. on this occasion it wasn't down to one person but a team working as a - err- team!

I won't be on my normal route tomorrow (Thursday) when P6 reopens but look forward to seeing the difference on Friday morning.

[paul7575]

Thanks 8F - so how often are the routes reprogrammed - for example if there exactly the same services at the same times on two consectutive days would the routes need to be re-programmed?

The theory is that between timetable change dates the base platforming information isn't altered - (apart from differences between weekday, Sat and Sun).  Clearly they have to stick a preferred platform in the database to make certain that the timetable works.  If you interrogate a site such as open train times, you'll find that your 'hhmm to where ever' shows the same platform every weekday - and if there are no perturbations to the daily operations, that is what ought to happen.

If you try links like these (that will go stale eventually) you can wind the date/time on by amending the link where it shows the date or time, and you'll see the same cycle appears - although there are minor differences:

(resolve)?day=11&month=7&time=1200&year=2012" target="_blank">http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/RDG?day=11&month=7&time=1200&year=2012
http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/RDG?day=12&month=7&time=1200&year=2012
http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/RDG?day=13&month=7&time=1200&year=2012

(At the time of writing P6 isn't shown at all, but that will change...)

Paul

[paul7575]

Does that mean that the tubular steel fencing bolted down along P5 (beyond the 8 car length) has only been temporary during the works?

Paul 

That's answered, the tubular fencing has gone now.

Call me picky but I'm quite surprised they've used both a different style of station name boards to those on P4, and fitted them in a different position. Looks poor in comparison.

I also think there's something cheap and nasty looking about the way all the P5 and P6 signs have just been clamped round the uprights.

Paul

[grahame]

Platforms 4, 5 and 6 from a departing train at around 07:30 this morning:

[IndustryInsider]

The new platforms 12/13 and 14/15 along with what will be the new through platform 11 are now starting to take shape.  Also the roof covering of the lower section of the transfer deck is now being installed.  Best viewed on the lobstervision site's camera two on nrreading01.

[Chris from Nailsea]

On the top deck of a passing bus today and saw that what appears to be a brick tunnel near to the Vastern Road bridge is actually just an "alcove" about 10ft deep so no question of it going under the tracks. Looks like an old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) storage bay.

A secret passageway into Apex^▸ (Advanced Purchase Excursion (fare)) Plaza did seem quite exciting!!

With apologies for our apparent oversight, Jonty, may I now offer you a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum? Chris

[BerkshireBugsy]

I know P6 has been handed back but is actually used at the moment? I know it's only been a week but I haven't yet seen a service pull in on it.

Just to update my own post I did a check on open train times (see below) and no departures were listed from P6 on this enquiry. I am aware that platform alterations on p4/5/6 can happen at the last minute so this is not conclusive.

(resolve)" target="_blank">http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/RDG