Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

How did it get up there? I don't know, but if I did I would offer prizes for anyone who could guess.

I reckon it used the polystyrene bridge onto P8/9, and then went up the stairs, but I might have cheated:

http://www.spiderlift.co.uk/q-and-a/

Scroll down...   

Paul

[stuving]

Some people have all the fun, don't they?

That's the 'how?' - but the 'why?' remains, plus another one - why cross to P8 rather then just going up from the entrance?

[paul7575]

That's the 'how?' - but the 'why?' remains, plus another one - why cross to P8 rather then just going up from the entrance?

Maybe it was done when the station was partly operational, e.g. P7/8/9 were out of action, but the main stairs and escalators on the south side were in public use.   Or maybe they used it for something on P8/9 first, and the polybridge was a useful shortcut as it was already rigged for something else.   No idea why it might still be on the transfer deck though - perhaps they'll keep one long term and there's storage space for it behind the enclosure in that corner of the 'deck?

Paul

[stuving]

Maybe it was done when the station was partly operational, e.g. P7/8/9 were out of action, but the main stairs and escalators on the south side were in public use.   Or maybe they used it for something on P8/9 first, and the polybridge was a useful shortcut as it was already rigged for something else.   No idea why it might still be on the transfer deck though - perhaps they'll keep one long term and there's storage space for it behind the enclosure in that corner of the 'deck?

Paul

Judging by what can bee seen of P7's canopy in the video, it was recent - so presumably last weekend.  I suppose there could be a lower load-bearing capacity on or beside the south-side stairs?

The biggest access problems must be where the canopy sweeps up over the deck, with a stair/escalator structure in the way underneath. The north access is worse than the platforms, as it has no stairs and is higher. So maybe this beastie is there to reach out sideways into that area - its support legs helping to balance it without too much weight. Only a guess, of course.

[tom m]

I counted 5 available platforms while waiting for the 14:26 to padd. It got stuck waiting for a cross country to clear the platform, which itself was waiting for a fgw to clear it's path, seemed to get into a bit of a mess, I can't see why the spare platforms couldn't be used .

[paul7575]

I counted 5 available platforms while waiting for the 14:26 to padd. It got stuck waiting for a cross country to clear the platform, which itself was waiting for a fgw to clear it's path, seemed to get into a bit of a mess, I can't see why the spare platforms couldn't be used .

If the incoming train was already visible near the station and heading towards either P10 or P11 it might well have passed the last opportunity to cross over to reach what appears to be a 'spare platform'.  If they want to put an up direction train through the relief side I think the decision has to be made before Tilehurst, but someone will correct me if that's wrong...

Paul

[Network SouthEast]

If the incoming train was already visible near the station and heading towards either P10 or P11 it might well have passed the last opportunity to cross over to reach what appears to be a 'spare platform'.  If they want to put an up direction train through the relief side I think the decision has to be made before Tilehurst, but someone will correct me if that's wrong...

Paul

Indeed.

If travelling towards Paddington on the Up Main you must be crossed over at Tilehurst East Junction to access platforms 15, 14, 13 and 12 at Reading.

If travelling towards Paddington on the Up Relief you must be crossed over at Reading West Junction to access platforms 11, 10, 9 and 8 at Reading.

At the other end of the station...

If travelling towards Reading from Twyford on the Down Main, you must be crossed over at Kennet Bridge Junction to access platforms 12, 13, 14 and 15 at Reading station. If on the Down Relief, you must also be crossed over at Kennet Bridge Junction to access platforms 7, 8, 9 and 10.

When changing platforms of trains at the last minute, it should be considered that the time saved by not waiting at a red signal is then lost by the delay whilst a hoard of passengers are transferring platforms and then trickling through to the train on it's reassigned platform.

[tom m]

Was it not one of the main objectives of the station improvements to reduce this kind of congestion?

The train was booked to depart from Reading at 14:26, it eventually departed at at 14:42, considering it was known that it was running late, (shown as 14:33 on displays) along with the 14:16 XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) that was booked to use the same platform, I would have thought that there was enough time to plan in a platform change.

[IndustryInsider]

Was it not one of the main objectives of the station improvements to reduce this kind of congestion?

It is one of the main objectives, but the western end of the station still has most of the layout improvements to be made.  After it's all finished there will be a massive increase in flexibility, but for the moment there are still quite a lot of conflicts and restrictions.

[paul7575]

A significant current limitation does concern the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) reversals mentioned by tom m, they cannot use P3 yet (no route available so no track installed yet) or P7 (no route available).

But this is still a planned and expected phase of the stage works - it will go on for another year or more.

Paul

[SandTEngineer]

The next major track stage will be the slue of the Main Lines onto the viaduct.  This will then create room on the Relief side for the remainder of the remodelling on that side.

[lbraine]

Does anyone know when the viaduct is due to open ?

I seem to remember that the remodelling was due to be complete by Easter 2015 ?

So it suggests that the viaduct needs to be open by August or Christmas this year ?

[paul7575]

Does anyone know when the viaduct is due to open ?

I seem to remember that the remodelling was due to be complete by Easter 2015 ?

So it suggests that the viaduct needs to be open by August or Christmas this year ?

Christmas 2014 is the date on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website:

Christmas 2014 will see significant works on the flyover
By spring 2015, the new flyover will be completed, allowing more room for trains and provide an alternative route for freight services, meaning fewer delays to passenger services entering or leaving Reading
There are also ongoing track and signalling improvements to promote smoother, more reliable train journeys and to put in place overhead line structures that will carry the new state-of-the-art electric trains, which will eventually serve Reading
The Reading Station Improvement Project is due to be completed by summer 2015
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Your-journey/Rail-improvements/Reading-station-improvements

[lbraine]

So what I could see this AM as my 180 approached Reading from the west :

[1] Viaduct built from Scours Lane to Reading West junction
[2] Viaduct built over Reading West junction and over Cow Lane.
[3] From work still in place (not sure if this id the right term - metal bars and large panel) about where the Festival Line will dive under the viaduct
[4] Viaduct, with underpass for fright line from Reading West, built.
[5] Earth works being built up to start of the viaduct.

What was less obvious (OK - could not been seen at all to tell the truth) was any works on the east side of of Cow Lane. And in fact from the train I was left wondering how this tricky piece of line was going to be constructed.

Its has to go under the new viaduct and immediately start rising to clear the new freight and cross country lines to the new northern platforms. I think I recall that these lines were going to dive under the viaduct - but as the viaduct is still at peak height at this point - the dive under is more for clearing the festival line, I think.

I am in reading next weekend - and will try to get to take a look at the east and southern of Cow lane - about where the old depot was - to see if these, I presume, not insignificant earthworks should be in evidence.

[paul7575]

I am in reading next weekend - and will try to get to take a look at the east and southern of Cow lane - about where the old depot was - to see if these, I presume, not insignificant earthworks should be in evidence.

My usual route into Reading is via the west curve, and looking over in a sort of north westerly direction towards the main viaduct there is now an obvious concrete structure (parallel to the concrete part of the main eastern ramp) that looks as if it is descending towards the festival line box rather than rising to the main viaduct level.  I'll try and get a photo next time I pass through.

(By the way, your 'formwork' (a perfectly accurate enough term IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)) seems to have been spell checked to 'from work', as does freight to fright... 

Paul