Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

Looked at the plan for the north and south entrances again.  There's an awful lot of work to be done on the south side before the subway can be used.  When were they going to need it was it end of February?

[paul7575]

...Incidentally why is the grey box part in the building and part out? Is it going to be moved or will the building be larger?

Oddly enough, as these boxes are known as 'relocatable equipment buildings' (REBs), I'd have initially thought relocation was an option. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) this one is labelled 'Station REB.  But on second thoughts it is likely that the idea of the REB is simply to build and test the contained signalling equipment at the factory, and deliver as a 'job lot' and connect to local cabling when in its designed position. So I'm tending towards the fact that it is easier to build round/over it than disturb all the relevant cabling.  However this could possibly happen later at a future major alteration to the signalling? 

You'll see similar boxes at either end of the station, including in line with the new platforms, and of course they are all over the existing railway.

Paul 

[ellendune]

...Incidentally why is the grey box part in the building and part out? Is it going to be moved or will the building be larger?

Oddly enough, as these boxes are known as 'relocatable equipment buildings' (REBs), I'd have initially thought relocation was an option. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) this one is labelled 'Station REB.  But on second thoughts it is likely that the idea of the REB is simply to build and test the contained signalling equipment at the factory, and deliver as a 'job lot' and connect to local cabling when in its designed position. So I'm tending towards the fact that it is easier to build round/over it than disturb all the relevant cabling.  However this could possibly happen later at a future major alteration to the signalling? 

You'll see similar boxes at either end of the station, including in line with the new platforms, and of course they are all over the existing railway.

Paul 

Thanks Paul

[Jonty]

Anyone know whether the new office block nearly finished off Richfield avenue by the new maintenance sheds are temporary or permanent?

They seem to be built in a modular/temporary way, but also seem so extensive that suggests that they are unlikely to be temporary.

But if permanent why not just incorporate the offices into the shed buildings, rather than building them apart from them...?

[IndustryInsider]

Anyone know whether the new office block nearly finished off Richfield avenue by the new maintenance sheds are temporary or permanent?

They seem to be built in a modular/temporary way, but also seem so extensive that suggests that they are unlikely to be temporary.

But if permanent why not just incorporate the offices into the shed buildings, rather than building them apart from them...?

Marked on the plans as 'Depot Staff Accommodation Building'.  Permanent, but modular in appearance I would guess as that's a nice cheap way to build things these days - many modern housing developments use similar building practices.

There will be some offices in the shed buildings as well, but why they weren't all incorporated into one building I don't know.  Either space constraints, or ease of access - that building is likely to be in an non-HV vest area for office staff for example - are possible reasons.  The offices in the current upper depot are separate from the main train shed (but not the lower depot!).

[Electric train]

Anyone know whether the new office block nearly finished off Richfield avenue by the new maintenance sheds are temporary or permanent?

They seem to be built in a modular/temporary way, but also seem so extensive that suggests that they are unlikely to be temporary.

But if permanent why not just incorporate the offices into the shed buildings, rather than building them apart from them...?

Marked on the plans as 'Depot Staff Accommodation Building'.  Permanent, but modular in appearance I would guess as that's a nice cheap way to build things these days - many modern housing developments use similar building practices.

There will be some offices in the shed buildings as well, but why they weren't all incorporated into one building I don't know.  Either space constraints, or ease of access - that building is likely to be in an non-HV vest area for office staff for example - are possible reasons.  The offices in the current upper depot are separate from the main train shed (but not the lower depot!).

Could be the "depot staff building" is for the in service train fault team.

Modular build is not always a cheap build often the modular buildings are more expensive than the insitu built ones where the savings are made is the on site time especially if possessions are required.

[ellendune]

Anyone know whether the new office block nearly finished off Richfield avenue by the new maintenance sheds are temporary or permanent?

They seem to be built in a modular/temporary way, but also seem so extensive that suggests that they are unlikely to be temporary.

But if permanent why not just incorporate the offices into the shed buildings, rather than building them apart from them...?

Marked on the plans as 'Depot Staff Accommodation Building'.  Permanent, but modular in appearance I would guess as that's a nice cheap way to build things these days - many modern housing developments use similar building practices.

There will be some offices in the shed buildings as well, but why they weren't all incorporated into one building I don't know.  Either space constraints, or ease of access - that building is likely to be in an non-HV vest area for office staff for example - are possible reasons.  The offices in the current upper depot are separate from the main train shed (but not the lower depot!).

Could be the "depot staff building" is for the in service train fault team.

Modular build is not always a cheap build often the modular buildings are more expensive than the insitu built ones where the savings are made is the on site time especially if possessions are required.

If modular buildings are being widely presented as the way forward to save costs.  On the continent they are widely used in preference to insitu build as they have been proven to reduce costs.

[Electric train]

Anyone know whether the new office block nearly finished off Richfield avenue by the new maintenance sheds are temporary or permanent?

They seem to be built in a modular/temporary way, but also seem so extensive that suggests that they are unlikely to be temporary.

But if permanent why not just incorporate the offices into the shed buildings, rather than building them apart from them...?

Marked on the plans as 'Depot Staff Accommodation Building'.  Permanent, but modular in appearance I would guess as that's a nice cheap way to build things these days - many modern housing developments use similar building practices.

There will be some offices in the shed buildings as well, but why they weren't all incorporated into one building I don't know.  Either space constraints, or ease of access - that building is likely to be in an non-HV vest area for office staff for example - are possible reasons.  The offices in the current upper depot are separate from the main train shed (but not the lower depot!).

Could be the "depot staff building" is for the in service train fault team.

Modular build is not always a cheap build often the modular buildings are more expensive than the insitu built ones where the savings are made is the on site time especially if possessions are required.

If modular buildings are being widely presented as the way forward to save costs.  On the continent they are widely used in preference to insitu build as they have been proven to reduce costs.

I did not say they are not a reduction in costs, I did say they are not a cheap option. 

There is not a lot in the costs in fact (I know I am involved in procuring fixed traction equipment) modular have higher cost in manufacture, transport and delivery to site (eg very large cranes and possessions) traditional brick and mortar have higher on site costs due to the length of time to build and fit out.  Modular has advantage of factory built easier to do acceptance tests on site commissioning is less, modular disadvantage is the building life span is often less than the equipment inside it (an example are the 1980's dc traction substations through Kent the electrical kit has another 10 plus years life the modular buildings are shot.

Don't get me wrong I am a great believer in modular equipment enclosures they are not always the best answer

[ellendune]

I did not say they are not a reduction in costs, I did say they are not a cheap option. 

There is not a lot in the costs in fact (I know I am involved in procuring fixed traction equipment) modular have higher cost in manufacture, transport and delivery to site (eg very large cranes and possessions) traditional brick and mortar have higher on site costs due to the length of time to build and fit out.  Modular has advantage of factory built easier to do acceptance tests on site commissioning is less, modular disadvantage is the building life span is often less than the equipment inside it (an example are the 1980's dc traction substations through Kent the electrical kit has another 10 plus years life the modular buildings are shot.

Don't get me wrong I am a great believer in modular equipment enclosures they are not always the best answer

The big advantage when you get to site work is that you reduce the risks associated with weather. This can be a major cost in the construction industry. In big civils jobs however there is a cut-off size where the increased crane costs balance out the savings, but in modular building where you are building up from components this is less so. 

[IndustryInsider]

I thought I'd give a quick summary of where we are and where we'll be in the next year of so of the Reading project (as I understand it):

Completed:  New Platform 4 and extension to Platforms 5 and 6.
28th Feb 2013:  New Subway opens.
1st Mar 2013:  Existing overbridge between the multi-storey car park and the station closes (those from that car park and others usually entering station from north side temporarily need to use new subway).
29th Mar 2013:  Transfer deck opens along with new northern and western entrances and gate lines, and new northern ticket office.
2-4th Apr 2013:  New Platforms 12-15 open after Easter blockade, with revised track layout including the new southern lines underpass.  Platform 16 (and Platform 3?) closes.
May/June 2013:  New maintenance depot and east and west sidings are phased into use with the current Reading TMD^▸ (Traction Maintenance Depot) (lower depot) closing.
July/August 2013:  Current Reading fuel point (upper depot) closes and all FGW^▸ (First Great Western) stabling and maintenance transfers to the new maintenance depot and east/west end sidings.

Work will also start next year in earnest to the remaining station works and the western underpass, and as I understand it, the east end sidings and maintenance shed, along with the new platforms will have all overhead cables in place.  The west end sidings won't be wired up until the western underpass is completed.  Not sure when the rest of the station will be wired up.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Thanks for the update II, I think 2-4 April (not March) for P12-P15 opening [now corrected by II].  Car park users won't be happy with the permanent loss of a short walk to an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) for London on 1st March, but you can't please all the people all of the time.

[swrural]

I don't suppose there is any chance that any of you who have the ability to take the odd snapshot could post one now and then for the benefit of we who are remote from proceedings, please?

Of course I appreciate that you hard-working people probably only pass through in the dark.   

[Ollie]

Here are some pics I took a few months ago.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152074737535459.899624.566580458&type=3

[Thatcham Crossing]

Not saying for a minute that great progress hasn't been made, but looking at the transfer deck when I was passing through today I would say getting that open by 29/3/13 looks like a tall order to me!

[BerkshireBugsy]

Not saying for a minute that great progress hasn't been made, but looking at the transfer deck when I was passing through today I would say getting that open by 29/3/13 looks like a tall order to me!

I thought the same about p4-6 when they were working on it but it was amazing the progress they made towards the end