Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[stuving]

One strange thing though - when I looked yesterday it appeared as though the tracks on 9&10 were now at the same level - previously 10 had looked higher, to match the higher platform.

Have they added ballast to 9 recently...? Or had I been drinking..?

It was noted before that the height difference varies along the platforms, and is very small at the western edge of the deck (section 8.1 in the drawings).

Presumably the new platforms are built level along their length, or perhaps with a very slight gradient, while the old ones (now 7-9) had some bigger dips and rises. The inherited P10 was the old P9, and the track there now was laid when it was temporarily built out and follows that old profile. In that case the main re-levelling of track should be to raise P10's track, away from the deck, where the platform itself has been raised.

[Jason]

On P9 the copings and tactile strips progress a few yards each night

Very subtle, I'd completely missed that.

P10 is concreted at the country end now. It's impressive to me how they set these things in the current temperatures.

Scaffolding was going up under the P7 sloping canopy section.

As an aside there is now a very annoying chicane on the approach to the south entrance escalators. I'm guessing its ongoing enforcement of the 'no suitcases on the escalators' campaign, seemingly at the inconvenience of everyone else.

[ellendune]

P10 is concreted at the country end now. It's impressive to me how they set these things in the current temperatures.

It in fact very mild at the moment. We don't usually worry about concrete until it gets at least below about 3 degrees.  That is when you need to start covering it up to insulate it while it sets (remembering that setting concrete is an exothermic reaction anyway). 

[Oxman]

Took some pics of the viaduct work today from a train. Not very good quality, but hopefully informative:

First one shows the East box. Second shows work on the viaduct, And the last is the West Curve work.

[lbraine]

Can someone confirm what is happening over the Xmas period ?

I think the new part of P7 comes into service, and by the looks of things today it looks doable
P8b should complete - just some coping right at the country end to go
P10 - that looks like a big ask. The cement base looks in situ, but no topping anywhere
Temp P7 gets pulled down ?

Also FGW^▸ (First Great Western) pamphlet says there is a new junction going in - where ?

Lastly - the old roofing by the old footbridge escalators looks in a really bad way. Very rusty, some struts had rust holes in them. I wonder if it would not just be wise (in ongoing maintenance costs) to remove it and replace with a new structure (Another bubble dome canopy). Take a look next time you pass through - it's is open to the elements and is not in a good condition

[IndustryInsider]

I think the new part of P7 comes into service, and by the looks of things today it looks doable
P8b should complete - just some coping right at the country end to go
P10 - that looks like a big ask. The cement base looks in situ, but no topping anywhere
Temp P7 gets pulled down ?

That's all happening as you suggest.  Platform 10 is going to reopen next March.  P6 reopens with the removal of the temporary P7 and a small amount of P8 remains shut, but not enough to affect workings with current train length.

[paul7575]

Also FGW^▸ (First Great Western) pamphlet says there is a new junction going in - where ?

That will almost certainly be referring to the re-signalling work in the vicinity of Reading West.  The relevant new junctions (and a crossover?) are just north of the existing Oxford Rd Jn, in the West Curve lines, and are to provide the routes to the eventual Feeder Lines when they are built. However those new facilities there won't come into use until much later in the project.

(A separate thread was started a few weeks ago about this area of work, (despite it being within the station area rebuild project), it has also been mentioned briefly earlier on in this thread.)

With respect to platform 8B, in addition to the reply above the proximity of the temporary crossover to the down main probably means they cannot install the full edgings anyway, as there'll be a clearance requirement as the line nears the points.  This was the reason for the shorter length of platform edge that was previously cut back beyond WH Smiths, but the currently incomplete area is slightly longer although still allowing for full length HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) to call.

Paul

[stuving]

Also FGW^▸ (First Great Western) pamphlet says there is a new junction going in - where ?

That will almost certainly be referring to the re-signalling work in the vicinity of Reading West.  The relevant new junctions (and a crossover?) are just north of the existing Oxford Rd Jn, in the West Curve lines, and are to provide the routes to the eventual Feeder Lines when they are built. However those new facilities there won't come into use until much later in the project.

(A separate thread was started a few weeks ago about this area of work, (despite it being within the station area rebuild project), it has also been mentioned briefly earlier on in this thread.)

"New junction" could mean either something not there before, or a renewal of the old one. According to the NCN that Paul gave a link to earlier, it's both:

The current routes towards Westbury Line Junction and Reading West Junction will be retained and the associated points renewed; as well as this a new facing crossover will be installed between the Up and Down Reading West Curves and a turnout on the Up West Curve and the Up Westbury.

Of course the renewal element has no implications for the resignalling work, other than the continued spread of axle counters.

[SandTEngineer]

Not having changed trains at Reading for the past few months I didn't realise how different (and more spacious) the old entrance had become.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirewiping/11434149685/in/pool-1945836@N21/

[stuving]

At last, something visible is being built outside the front of the station. Sorry about the reflections in the picture, it was rather gloomy at the time, and the clarity is not great either.

You can see the pillars than will support the top of the stairs, and what I take to be shuttering for the lower part - or perhaps it's a concrete slope already poured? I'm not sure of that, nor how the steps would be added on top.

These are the stairs down into the ... what would you call it? It is a "sunken area" , or with a less straight face "the hole", but what is is architecturally? If there was a wall along the middle it would be a ha-ha, and if they've got the drainage wrong it may become a moat. I do think it should have a name, and no doubt the locals will give it one anyway.

[paul7575]

Not having changed trains at Reading for the past few months I didn't realise how different (and more spacious) the old entrance had become...

The planning application drawings show that gateline is to be re-positioned, effectively it would be straightened up and moved slightly further towards P7, the space required being gained by the removal of the excess fares office.  It would be roughly in line with that pillar over by P4 shown in the linked picture.

I think that's possibly subject to change though, because the same drawing shows the excess fares re-sited to somewhere under the transfer deck in the vicinity of the new P7 lifts - and that facility hasn't appeared yet as far as I can see.

Paul

[ironstone11]

At last, something visible is being built outside the front of the station.

Looks like a sloping cast concrete ramp.

Interesting to see the concrete pillars which replace the originals retained after the deck was demolished and then carefully cut back to just above ground level. The remaing stubs presumably have been used as the bases of the new pillars.

As pointed out, drainage is likely to be a nightmare. The lowest point of the steps has to be level with the entrance to the subway and the ground to the west slopes towards the steps, so if the drains don't work the subway becomes a river!

Nowhere can I find any  plans, approved or otherwise, for this part of the steps. The current application, which I think is still outline permission, is for the area immediately to the south of the present work area.  So what plans are being used for the current work?

[paul7575]

Todays's unexpected news is that the track has been lifted through P10 again.  The eastern (newer) section still has the sleepers still in place, the older section under the transfer deck and towards the west end has been removed complete with the sleepers...

Weird.  Seemed only a few days ago that they'd aligned the eastern section properly...

Paul

[Electric train]

Todays's unexpected news is that the track has been lifted through P10 again.  The eastern (newer) section still has the sleepers still in place, the older section under the transfer deck and towards the west end has been removed complete with the sleepers...

Weird.  Seemed only a few days ago that they'd aligned the eastern section properly...

Paul

Track engineers move in mysterious ways 

[paul7575]

Todays's unexpected news is that the track has been lifted through P10 again.  The eastern (newer) section still has the sleepers still in place, the older section under the transfer deck and towards the west end has been removed complete with the sleepers...

Weird.  Seemed only a few days ago that they'd aligned the eastern section properly...

Paul

Track engineers move in mysterious ways 

As soon as something looks finished they'll probably tamper with it...   

Paul