Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Angle42]

I see that the external views (ouside the new maintenance sheds) on Camera set 4 have gone.

Two internal views left - one the same as before but the other one has changed.

[paul7575]

These now have framework attached at the top and some cabling hanging off the most easterly one. Is this prep work for the rest of the old bridge being removed in the coming months, I wonder.

I'd expect removal of the main bridge will be done completely differently to the car park link-spans, intuitively it seems unlikely that they'll just crane it away in big chunks, as there appears to be no-where to position a huge mobile crane, especially to reach the P8/9 island. It's also a much wider and higher 'box section' than the sections already gone. I'd be thinking more about a safety deck built under and around it and then dismantling in situ.

Can anyone remember how they got it into position back in the 80s?

Paul

[swrural]

I see that the external views (ouside the new maintenance sheds) on Camera set 4 have gone.

Two internal views left - one the same as before but the other one has changed.

Can someone help here please/  The link i have been following has only three camera positions 9was 40 and doesn't shew the images you are describing at all.

This is my link

http://www.lobstervision.tv/nrreading01#

Is there another then?  Also this 'READING' down a wall is also a mystery to me? 

[Southern Stag]

Just change the nrreading01 to nrreading02, then all the way up to 4 to get 4 different sets of cameras.

[swrural]

Brilliant SS, thanks.  I've been deprived all this time!   

[paul7575]

Tubular steel piling going in (almost certainly for OHLE) on the P12/13 and P14/15 islands, about halfway between the canopy and the escape stairs.

Paul

[Jason]

There has been a lot of work going on out of sight of camera 2, stripping off the upper layers of the road surface on station hill. You can just see part of the mounds of rubble on the left of tab #1

[paul7575]

That's reassuring because a few days ago I thought they seemed to be working in 'slow motion' alongside the new pedestrian ramps.  But I think they were using concrete saws so as to leave a straight edge when the deck is lifted off.  So if they are digging it out from west to east that does make sense, as they'd have to do that while easy access was still available.

Paul

[Jonty]

The previous stuff from RBC^‡(resolve) suggested that the Station Hill arcade would be demolished pdq.

However, seeing the cutting etc. of the old road it looks like the arcade and pavement will be kept for the moment, with just the built-up road surface and associated stilts being removed.

It's going to be a pretty crazy/weird multi-level environment until they finally bite the bullet and demolish the whole hideous 1960's monstrosity of Station Hill/Gt Western Tower...

[ellendune]

Very large mobile crane now in shot at Camera 1 Tab 2, just next to the tower crane. Is the tower crane to go today (it surely must go in the next couple of weeks) or is there something else heavy to move?

Update: Definitely taking down the tower crane.

[pfneeves]

Does anyone know if the gatelines in the new concourses will be smartcard enabled?

[Jason]

It's going to be a pretty crazy/weird multi-level environment until they finally bite the bullet and demolish the whole hideous 1960's monstrosity of Station Hill/Gt Western Tower...

Yep, it might take some time to get back to this

http://readingimages.epixtech.co.uk/loc/1224663.PDF

[paul7575]

Does anyone know if the gatelines in the new concourses will be smartcard enabled?

I believe DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have mandated that all ticket barrier installations must allow for ITSO readers as well as magstripe readers, but that alone doesnt mean the current FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise has to use them, or accept anyone else's smartcards.

The external 'target' feature is just a circular flat area, which an appropriate colour vinyl label is stuck on, the internal electronics and aerials can be tailored to whatever system is needed, be it Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services), ITSO, or the new EMV format that debits ordinary credit or debit cards.

Paul

[ellendune]

We now have an electrification mast on the London end of platform 14/15 in Camera 2 Camera 1 Tab 1

Apologies Correction Made

[swrural]

We now have an electrification mast on the London end of platform 14/15 in Camera 2 Tab 1

Camera 2 is of the south side of the station (both tabs).  Have you designated the right one here?  I can see a mast of sorts on Camera 1 tab 1.     Is that it?