Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Mind you, their chosen method still seems a lot of trouble to go to to do it the easy way.

So what would you have said was the easy way?

I meant using the crawler crane on P8/9, as Paul suggested, even if it means handling the last few sections differently. However, I guess the same could be said about other ways of getting those in place, such as the ones I suggested. In fact, it often is worth making the extra effort to use whatever is available - even if it is over-capable - and I've done much the same. I just rather thought they would have some simpler ways of raising such loads and sliding them along the support rails.

How much does one of those spars weigh, anyway? Crude photogrammetry suggests it is roughly 0.25 m deep and 15 m long. A standard 254x114 mm steel I-beam (which I think would be thicker steel) would weight 550 kg, say half a ton. You don't need a crane to handle that kind of weight. Indeed, the last two lengths of support rail, weighing about a ton each, were raised using a hoist - at least there was a small wheeled gantry still sitting over one of them last week.

A complete canopy section I guess would weigh about ten times one spar - so five tons - or perhaps more. That is a bit more demanding, though a straight lift or slide still look safer than a mobile crane without jacks.

[paul7575]

I've attached a couple of snips from the planning drawings, the details may have changed slightly since the original application, but they'll give the general idea.  (The drawing shows the widened platform 7 of course, rather than the current width.)

I had a look round on Tuesday, the escalators were still there at that time, but they were nibbling away at various parts of the concrete structure above and surrounding them.

Paul

[stuving]

Roll up! Roll up! to see the amazing leaping train!
The operating timetable for tomorrow in Real-time Trains still shows the following sequence of movements in platform 5:

VAR  0940  0940  London Waterloo  5  2C17  SW  Terminates here    (forms 2C94)
WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table)  0951  0949  Redhill                5  2V54  GW^▸ (Great Western)  Terminates here    (forms 2O34)
VAR                    Starts here          5  2C94  SW  London Waterloo  0956  0956
WTT                    Starts here          5  2O34  GW  Redhill                1004  1004

Now that must be worth watching - and the same thing happens several times later in the day, starting at 17:10.

More seriously, whose job is it to check these platform moves for geometrical feasibility, and when? Note that the trains do not belong to the same TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company).

The issue arises, of course, because P6 has been taken out of use for two weeks.

[ironstone11]

The issue arises, of course, because P6 has been taken out of use for two weeks.

Does anyone know why P6 has been taken out of use?

[stuving]

Does anyone know why P6 has been taken out of use?

Presumably to do with the plan to build a temporary (extension to) P7 - see:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6405.msg137501#msg137501
et seq.
(Issue 7 of the Reading Station news is still not on the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) site, so I can't link to it.)

[ironstone11]

Does anyone know why P6 has been taken out of use?

Presumably to do with the plan to build a temporary (extension to) P7 -

I would have thought it would be out of use for much longer if for P7.

I think this may have been discussed before, but would it not make sense to get P10 back into use and finish P8 & 9 before tackllng P7?

[stuving]

I would have thought it would be out of use for much longer if for P7.

I think this may have been discussed before, but would it not make sense to get P10 back into use and finish P8 & 9 before tackllng P7?

We can't really talk about what makes sense without knowing what the sneaky plan of works is on full - so we'll just have to wait and see.

Here's our  evidence base:-

This from the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site:

Monday 23 September to Thursday 2 January 2014   
On London Paddington to west of England trains, the rear two First class coaches (G-H) will not be available to board/alight at platform 7, at Reading station . Customers are advised to listen to announcements.

The bit in Issue 7 of the Reading Station News that says:

A temporary platform 7 will be installed in September to allow customers to continue to  board trains once the west end of the platform is closed for construction. Platform 6 will be closed and linked to platform 7 by walkways. The west end of platform 7 will reopen in December and the temporary platform will be removed.
Work will then begin on the east end of the platform.

The WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) in Realtimetrains that shows P6 back in use from 24th - presumably a bit shorter than its current 12-car length.

The current West of England timetable that implies P7 is out of use on Sundays 15/9 to 1/12 and on Saturdays 14/9 to 19/10.

I guess the track at P7 will be moved sideways on the weekend of 21/22 September.

[paul7575]

I think this may have been discussed before, but would it not make sense to get P10 back into use and finish P8 & 9 before tackllng P7?

I don't think it really matters much.   Either P10 or P11 on their own provide the same notional capacity as the up main always had,  and P7/8/9 provide far more than the old down main's previous capacity, and can still allow for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) reversals even with half of P8 or P9 closed, as has always been the intention.  Also, as we now know, P7 will effectively remain partially open throughout (ie limited to 6 car train lengths, with SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) used on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)).

Paul

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I think this may have been discussed before, but would it not make sense to get P10 back into use and finish P8 & 9 before tackllng P7?

I don't think it really matters much.   Either P10 or P11 on their own provide the same notional capacity as the up main always had,  and P7/8/9 provide far more than the old down main's previous capacity, and can still allow for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) reversals even with half of P8 or P9 closed, as has always been the intention.  Also, as we now know, P7 will effectively remain partially open throughout (ie limited to 6 car train lengths, with SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) used on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)).

Paul

True, but the old UM P8 (very old P5) couldn't always cope on its own with all UM trains and it was not uncommon for some UM trains to be timetabled or put into the old P9 (very old P8).  Until we get the second UM platform this option doesn't exist.

However, it seems to me far better to get on with the platform works and complete them quickly, even if it means several platforms being unavailable or limited in capacity at the same time.   And, of course, until all the platforms are available the station is going to be a bit stretched to operate the train service smoothly.  We just have to accept it.

[paul7575]

I think this may have been discussed before, but would it not make sense to get P10 back into use and finish P8 & 9 before tackllng P7?

I don't think it really matters much.   Either P10 or P11 on their own provide the same notional capacity as the up main always had,  and P7/8/9 provide far more than the old down main's previous capacity, and can still allow for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) reversals even with half of P8 or P9 closed, as has always been the intention.  Also, as we now know, P7 will effectively remain partially open throughout (ie limited to 6 car train lengths, with SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) used on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)).

Paul

True, but the old UM P8 (very old P5) couldn't always cope on its own with all UM trains and it was not uncommon for some UM trains to be timetabled or put into the old P9 (very old P8).  Until we get the second UM platform this option doesn't exist.

It does exist to the extent that trains can and do cross to the reliefs (although further to the west) and then run through P14 or P15 - almost the equivalent of running through the old P9?    I didn't feel the need to add that level of detail though.  Also of course up trains off the Westbury route can still head through any of P7-P9 as well before crossing back to the up main anyway.

I think we're in agreement that there's no obvious need to delay the P7 work though...

Paul

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Yes, agreed on that Paul.

[paul7575]

(Issue 7 of the Reading Station news is still not on the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) site, so I can't link to it.)

It's been on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site since you first quoted from it a few weeks ago though:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/~/media/PDF/YourJourney/Rail%20Improvements/Reading%20Station%20Improvements/fgw-reading-station-news-issue-seven.ashx

Paul

[Jonty]

A couple of comments now that things are up and running on a few platforms:

1. The entrances to WH Smith on Platforms 8&9 Country End are wrongly positioned. They face the platforms, but when you are coming down the stairs/escalators it isn't very clear that there is a shop there at all. Business was dreadful and I would expect Smiths to push for a new entrance facing the escalators to be built.

2. The canopies prevent prevent you from looking down the platforms from the over bridge - a little odd...

3. There appears to be a new coffee booth opened at the Country End of Platforms 10&11, but being invisible from the Overbridge ( see above) and currently also obscured by hoardings/scaffolding I suspect that it's only customers are the station staff/workmen...

4. The hotch-potch of surfaces on Platforms 8&9 is a right mess.Does anyone know whether they are planning to create a uniform surface using the normal brick herringbone pattern?

5. As others have pointed out, it is incredibly disappointing that after the feverish activity to get the station opened at Easter, the rest of the works are essentially plodding on at snails pace...

[paul7575]

A couple of comments now that things are up and running on a few platforms:
1. The entrances to WH Smith on Platforms 8&9 Country End are wrongly positioned. They face the platforms, but when you are coming down the stairs/escalators it isn't very clear that there is a shop there at all. Business was dreadful and I would expect Smiths to push for a new entrance facing the escalators to be built.

I agree - it is surprising the doors open outward towards the tracks.  However it's a bit more obvious than when I first mentioned it when it opened, initially the 'windows' facing the bottom of the escalators were clear glass showing nothing but the backs of the sales racks...

3. There appears to be a new coffee booth opened at the Country End of Platforms 10&11, but being invisible from the Overbridge ( see above) and currently also obscured by hoardings/scaffolding I suspect that it's only customers are the station staff/workmen.

But it will be fine once the hoardings are down, because this one at least opens towards the waiting area.

4. The hotch-potch of surfaces on Platforms 8&9 is a right mess.Does anyone know whether they are planning to create a uniform surface using the normal brick herringbone pattern?

Yes they are providing a uniform surface, and correcting the levels of the platform copings. As I posted a few days ago they are starting to do the platform edges at the London end of P8.  So it is happening albeit slowly, but work is already planned to accelerate, because as has been shown in the engineering access statement for a couple of years they are about to shorten P8 to half its length.  The herringbone paviors are already installed in some areas, and there's a significant amount been done under the London end canopy - I expect as the hoardings come down this will all become obvious?

Paul

[stuving]

(Issue 7 of the Reading Station news is still not on the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) site, so I can't link to it.)

It's been on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site since you first quoted from it a few weeks ago though:
Paul

So it is - thanks for that; I hadn't realised that page was being kept up to date. Just Network Rail being flat of foot, then.

Without having been to watch, it appears from Realtimetrains that no acrobatics have so far been needed in platforms 4 and 5, but they are still planning to have another try tomorrow.

This morning the Redhill train was late so there was no conflict, but it sneaked in and out so quickly it never got its name and number took. Yesterday it was swapped from P5 to P4, which is free - at least if you ignore the ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) movements listed as "activated". These are 5Z41 from Woking via Guildford, 5Z42 to Ascot and back again, and 5Z43 to Guildford direct - all SWT^▸ (South West Trains). I can only assume these are imaginary, despite having some recorded real times. At least, for the one transit of Wokingham I observed, I'm sure I saw it not go past.