Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Electric train]

I think, and I not an OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") engineer, they are mid-span anchor points and / or fixed anchor points for the wire runs for the crossovers in this area.  On the Mk3 Headspan the mid-span and fixed anchor tail wires are fed through the adjacent roads to a structure (normally) in the cess, each time they fly through an adjacent road they have to have insulation cut in and the piece of wire passing through bonded to the OLE of the road its flying through ............. gets messy and prone to failure and a pain if the wire needs re-running.

Why 2 portal booms upper one for the catenary wire the lower for the contact wire, between these 2 structures there will be a contact wire over lap

In addition to the (now) two on the station side of gantry 1, I counted about nine on the other side. There's a concentration of them near Kennet Bridge, which supports the idea that they are to deal with the extra wires for crossovers.

There must be a specific reason for having a second rigid mounting, and I can think of a few possibles. One is for simpler mid-point or end anchoring. Another is to allow a sharp change of direction of the tensioned contact wire, to get it out of the way of live stuff, which needs a significant transverse force. The last is to mount a cable tensioner - I believe there are some that go on the gantry, and do not rely on dangly weights. But, as ever, we'll see if we wait.

You are thinking of the "PFISTERER Tensorex" units

[lbraine]

Two pictures from Reading yesterday on the way through

First is platform 9 showing the small gap left in the edging before completion

Second is the new and old temporary P7

[SandTEngineer]

I travelled up on a diverted WC^▸ (Wiltshire Council (Unitary Authority)) express last Saturday (28 December 2013) and took the following photographs of the Viaduct works:

West End

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

West Curve Box 1

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

West Curve Box 2

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

Between West and East Box 1

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

Between West and East Box 2

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

East (Feeder Lines) Box

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

East End 1

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

East End 2

Image (c)2013 SandTEngineer

[SandTEngineer]

This presentation by a F&F engineer summarises the work involved.
http://www.cifi.it/UplDocumenti/torino12/35%20Rico%20Furrer%20%20%20Furrer%20Frey.pdf

Thanks for posting that.  I just love the photograph on Page 2 of the document.................    I'll show it to a few people at work

[Electric train]

This presentation by a F&F engineer summarises the work involved.
http://www.cifi.it/UplDocumenti/torino12/35%20Rico%20Furrer%20%20%20Furrer%20Frey.pdf

Thanks for posting that.  I just love the photograph on Page 2 of the document.................    I'll show it to a few people at work

That working practice was still quite common even as recently as the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) electrification of the 60's even in the early 90's working from ladders installing insulators was common (a ceramic insulator is not a light weight)

[TonyK]

Such disregard for Elfan ap Safety. Shouldn't that chap be wearing orange?

[stuving]

Two pictures from Reading yesterday on the way through

First is platform 9 showing the small gap left in the edging before completion

Second is the new and old temporary P7

When was that picture taken? It can't be yesterday=Sunday, since the scaffolding was all gone by 15:45 Saturday (as shown).
The "new" P7 now looks all ready for use, apart from the hoardings.

[paul7575]

I wonder if they'll eventually adjust the curvature of the track towards P7, i.e. to a smoother curve?  To me it just looks 'wrong', but I think it might have been aligned specifically to allow for the temporary platform - and the remainder of the 'proper' P7 won't go that far.

We'll see in due course...

Paul

[stuving]

Regarding the drainage, I think the bottom of the steps will still be higher than the bottom end of Greyfriars Road, so presumably it will drain in that westerly direction...?

In the interminable time that RBC^‡(resolve) spent in preparing the dug-out Station Hill area, they appeared to put a good number of chunky looking drains in...

Is that a big enough drain?

I tried looking at an old (1900) map, but there's no spot height by the station entrance and the only nearby benchmark is on the SER station. But, remember that the railway line is almost level, and Caversham Road goes under it, and is above the river. Mind you, it's not much above the river, as you'll know if you've seen pictures of the 1894 flood.

I assume that will also be the ground floor level for the new Station Hill development.

There's no sign of any preparation of the raised level (between the new "hole" and the buildings) so it can be demolished. Quite the reverse, if you look at the new drains underneath it.

The other picture shows the base of the steps in more detail. Given the lack of any foundations, presumably the upper section of the ramp will be cast onto the pillars.

[DidcotPunter]

Thanks for posting that.  I just love the photograph on Page 2 of the document.................    I'll show it to a few people at work

The picture is a still from one of the videos in the East Anglian Film Archive.  The first one covers the 1500V DC^▸ (Direct Current) electrification from Liverpool St to Shenfield - without viewing it again, I think this is where the still came from.  Without spoiling it there's a graphic demonstration of the hazards of working on the OHLE on a steam-worked line. There's also a fascinating bit towards the end where they have to replace a portal structure at Shenfield (it was slipping down the bank) on what looks a "live" railway.

The second video covers the extension of electrification from Shenfield to Southend. All good stuff.

You can view both of them here:-

http://www.eafa.org.uk/search.aspx#&&page=1&navid=&psize=10&text=electrification

Enjoy 

[Electric train]

Thanks for posting that.  I just love the photograph on Page 2 of the document.................    I'll show it to a few people at work

The picture is a still from one of the videos in the East Anglian Film Archive.  The first one covers the 1500V DC^▸ (Direct Current) electrification from Liverpool St to Shenfield - without viewing it again, I think this is where the still came from.  Without spoiling it there's a graphic demonstration of the hazards of working on the OHLE on a steam-worked line. There's also a fascinating bit towards the end where they have to replace a portal structure at Shenfield (it was slipping down the bank) on what looks a "live" railway.

The second video covers the extension of electrification from Shenfield to Southend. All good stuff.

You can view both of them here:-

http://www.eafa.org.uk/search.aspx#&&page=1&navid=&psize=10&text=electrification

Enjoy 

Excellent  Principles are the same just the 'elf n safety is a little different 

[paul7575]

Couple of camera snaps of the re-opened P7 taken earlier today.   They've left the scaffolding alongside the P3 platform face in position.   Also seemed to me that the scaffolding area under the main roof has stopped people realising that there's a lot of space further along, including a decent waiting room they could have been using rather than standing in the open!   I dare say temporary signage will be improved over the next few days...

Paul

 

[stuving]

I'm sure that many of you will be reassured to see the arrangements that have been made to conduct rainwater from both interrupted downpipes over P7 into the drains. This avoids the alternative route via the lining of a passenger's coat.

You can also see (part of) the scaffolding needed to put the wiring etc. into the canopy/roof as it sweeps upwards. This is the same as was done on the other platforms, but I don't think they were done with passengers on the platform almost underneath. The edge part, which is directly over the passengers, will presumably need to be done out of hours - off cherry-pickers?

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm sure that many of you will be reassured to see the arrangements that have been made to conduct rainwater from both interrupted downpipes over P7 into the drains. This avoids the alternative route via the lining of a passenger's coat.

Thanks for that, stuving - it made me splutter into my coffee! 

[stuving]

You can also see (part of) the scaffolding needed to put the wiring etc. into the canopy/roof as it sweeps upwards. This is the same as was done on the other platforms, but I don't think they were done with passengers on the platform almost underneath. The edge part, which is directly over the passengers, will presumably need to be done out of hours - off cherry-pickers?

OK boss - plan B it is. Just as long as you don't want me to go out on that thing with Wally as well - you'll have to find me someone lighter to help on this one. Oh, and the site safety rules don't allow us to work up there with punters walking about underneath, do they?