Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

There are some ground investigations going on at the London end of P10/11, because they've found some unexpected voids due to some sort of buried brickwork, possibly an old building's foundations or something.

I'd say that the platform buildings on P8/9's east end are far more advanced than those on P10/11,  but the very east end of the P8/9 island itself still has much to be done. Of course it is not necessary to enable the full operational length yet, as long as they can get an 8 car HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in position they can leave the very ends till later.

Incidentally 'realtimetrains' is now suggesting that P10 will be back in use on Monday 10th March.

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

Incidentally 'realtimetrains' is now suggesting that P10 will be back in use on Monday 10th March.

Sounds about right, and it'll be a bit jolt in the arm for performance as well having the two platforms to choose from for London bound fast services.

[stuving]

The concrete pipe's in use again this weekend, on P3. There's a bit at the end missing, plus a bit that's had its paving taken up so presumably needs realigning, but not a lot in total. The feed to the pipe is in through the gate in the side wall. I guess the end of the platform is just out of reach of a giraffe at full stretch.

[stuving]

So, Starbucks' current little shack is only temporary - according to this layout plan that's appeared on the transfer deck. (Apologies for the low quality picture.) Those echoing wide open spaces are going to feel quite different.

[stuving]

Incidentally 'realtimetrains' is now suggesting that P10 will be back in use on Monday 10th March.

And the trackbed's slowly being rebuilt - the membrane's down, and a bit of ballast on it in places, but a lot more to come.

The concrete pipe's in use again this weekend, on P3.

That timing is looking less likely, as no-one has even starting digging any holes to put the stuff in.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

So, Starbucks' current little shack is only temporary - according to this layout plan that's appeared on the transfer deck. (Apologies for the low quality picture.) Those echoing wide open spaces are going to feel quite different.

So they'll have to move the rather inadequate information screens on the side of the lift shafts, which hopefully will be an opportunity to provide better screens along the sides of the bridge.  While they're at it maybe they can put some full departure screens at the bottom of the stairs and escalators on each platform to save you having to go up and down to look for platform information.

[paul7575]

... ...While they're at it maybe they can put some full departure screens at the bottom of the stairs and escalators on each platform to save you having to go up and down to look for platform information.

I think there are some of these already.  There's definitely a large panel facing the bottom of the London side escalators down to P8/9 for instance, but it is on the end of the future waiting room building, in the work site, and is currently covered up out of use.   

There is definitely a discussion point about how many departures you show on the 'listing screens' on the platforms, (rather than the 1st/2nd/3rd train displays), and whether they should show all services everywhere.  The sort of thing I mean is do you really need to list trains to Basingstoke or Gatwick in the waiting room on P14/15?

Paul

[bobm]

The sort of thing I mean is do you really need to list trains to Basingstoke or Gatwick in the waiting room on P14/15?

The problem is occasionally a Gatwick train will depart from platform 15 and then go via the tunnel.  Rare I agree.  One issue I have noticed is the A and B screens.  If a train is due to call at A - the screen the B end says simply "Welcome to Reading Station".  If you come down the stairs and see that it is not immediately obvious that the train is going to be at the other end of the platform.  It is also disconcerting if you are intending to catch the following train which uses the full length of the platform as there is nothing to indicate you are on the right platform.

Meanwhile on the subject of escalators there are a number which are making louder and louder scraping noises against the sides.  I was on one the other day and I thought to begin with it was a Class 180 arriving at the platform!

[stuving]

Meanwhile on the subject of escalators there are a number which are making louder and louder scraping noises against the sides.  I was on one the other day and I thought to begin with it was a Class 180 arriving at the platform!

There were similar problems when the escalators were put in. The story I heard is that, while Kone is a big, international, Finnish-owned company, its escalators are bought in from China. Not from a single Chinese supplier, either, but different bits from different places - and they don't all use the same dimensions. Hence some bits needed "persuading" to operate together.

I just hope there isn't a serious failure with one of the two very long ones on the north side.

[paul7575]

One issue I have noticed is the A and B screens.  If a train is due to call at A - the screen the B end says simply "Welcome to Reading Station". 

That is nearly sorted out at Southampton, where for instance the P3A '3 line display' will simply state that the first train is to 'wherever' at hhmm, but the words 'This train departs from Platform 3B' replace the calling pattern in the second line of the display.  I see no obvious reason why this couldn't be done at Reading.

However it can lead to slight problems if/when there are two trains present in a platform.  Firstly, the B end displays at Southampton are not far enough down the platforms, they are too near the front of a 4 car unit present in the A end of the platform.  Another issue is that typically in some off-peak hours you'll have a Poole departure from 3B at xx30, followed by a Brighton from 3A at xx33.  The Brighton train is now the second train from the whole platform so appears in the 2nd train slot on the display - but for people stood at the A end they seem to be confused by the Poole destination that is also appearing as 'first train'...  ISTM that in those circumstances the platform overhead displays are trying to be too clever...

Paul

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

The sort of thing I mean is do you really need to list trains to Basingstoke or Gatwick in the waiting room on P14/15?

One issue I have noticed is the A and B screens.  If a train is due to call at A - the screen the B end says simply "Welcome to Reading Station".  If you come down the stairs and see that it is not immediately obvious that the train is going to be at the other end of the platform.  It is also disconcerting if you are intending to catch the following train which uses the full length of the platform as there is nothing to indicate you are on the right platform.

Exactly.  When I and Mrs GTBE went to Weymouth recently we went down the escalator to 8B (below the sign on the footbridge stating the next train was 0946 to Bournemouth) to be confronted by a sign at the bottom stating next train was 1010 to Manchester - cancelled (during the flooding at Kennington).  No mention of the 0946, which was of course way down on 8A. 

How on earth does FGW^▸ (First Great Western) expect the average punter to understand where their train is.  You MUST have consistent signing at the top and bottom of each escalator/ stairway.

[Jonty]

For infrequent users of the Station the A and B usage must be a nightmare.

Esp. When a train is shown to depart from a Platform without any lettering. It's not obvious or intuitive that platform 9 is an amalgam of 9a and 9b.

And don't forget it wasn't so long at Reading that platform 4 was a different platform to 4a and 4b...

[Jason]

There is a short piece with pictures of overnight work on the viaduct here:
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/ethereal-photographs-capture-giant-concrete-6533619

There is also series of pictures of the station from 1967, apologies if this is off topic for this thread:
http://www.getreading.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/pick-past-station-1967-6505457

[stuving]

The concrete pipe's in use again this weekend, on P3.

That timing is looking less likely, as no-one has even starting digging any holes to put the stuff in.

Well, the pipe has gone but the newly filled trench seems to be past the end of P7. Maybe more issues below ground here too? The close-up shows - if you peer closely - some filled trench and some exposed rebar loofah, for some reason.

The main picture also shows a bit of new track. If that's in its final position, there will be no turnout so no track from P3 over the second bridge over Caversham Road.

[paul7575]

I've been wondering about that track for a while.  Previously we've seen track layout drawings that do show a route through the second span, but it has always seemed to me that it is a lot of extra S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle ) to provide and maintain, for very little operational benefit.  In any case there has been plenty of new equipment positioned exactly in line with the bridge span conflicting with a possible track - and it's been there a fair while now.

I think we may have discussed this way back in the thread, but all the extra line seems to do is allow for a train to be leaving P3 onto the down Westbury, at the same time as a train enters P7 from either the up Westbury, or from the Festival line.

Perhaps they've decided retrospectively that the functionality provided is not essential, especially in the normal timetable?   Be good to hear the reasoning from an insider though...

Paul