Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Excuse my ignorance, but I've always wondered - which is the festival line at Reading?

Welcome to the forum Steevp!   

I don't know the answer to your query, but I'm sure one of our knowledgeable membership will be along shortly with the answer.

[paul7575]

The 'Festival line' is not yet built, so is not obvious, and even if you find the track diagram way back in this thread I don't think the name is used.

Basically this will be a single track bidirectional route that will allow for a train to/from the relief lines west of the station to pass under the main lines to/from platforms 3, 7 and 8.   It is predominantly being introduced to allow for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains from the west to reach a suitable platform to reverse towards Basingstoke (and vice versa), without conflicts.  (The Festival line will pass under the mains immediately east of where the west curve will also pass under, but the two routes will be in separate concrete box structures.)

Another way of looking at it is that it will be a bit like the reopened eastern underpass, in terms of burrowing under the mains at least...

Paul

[Steevp]

Thanks Paul - no wonder I was confused, it ain't built yet. Appreciate the clear explanation

Cheers

[stuving]

Work has started on cladding the concrete skeleton of the Brunel Plaza by platform 7 (the glazing has already gone in, but doesn't show up in a picture). It has been carefully chosen to be not quite the same shade of blue as the canopies. This isn't very evident in the picture, as the cladding is vertical and well lit, but the underside of the canopy is shaded and has a strong reflection. Look at the open panel hanging down at the top; that gives a more accurate impression of the colour.

[MVR S&T]

A small part of the Orange Army back from their working 'holiday' in Devon perhaps, as its been a bit quiet on this thread recently...

[paul7575]

The answer to how the P1/2/3 overhead wiring will be secured is now revealed.   As we expected there's a fairly heavy duty girder been mounted across and completely clear of the roof of P1/2, supported by the stub girder we saw above the P3 roof, and at the south end it is supported on an upright girder 'outside' the old station wall - (as I thought it might be)...

The first photo below also shows the style of the new brickwork which forms the facing of the concrete piled outer/lower wall.  I wonder how they'll deal with the flat space above it, that used to be a raised path I think...

Paul

[stuving]

When I saw that facing wall, I wondered whether it would stop there or continue upwards, or if there would be a fence. I presume that area will be inside the station perimeter, as it's now the wrong height for external access (though perhaps an emergency exit could be arranged) and why would they want access anyway? The previous footpath - a kind of bypass round the back of the bus shelters - was about two feet above ground level, though that's not very helpful now the ground has been demolished.

[stuving]

The station build is definitely onto the final lap. Today P7 was open to its full length, though not all being used. A temporary stop board is needed because the platform signalling is still not wired up. One other minor thing I noticed is that the CISs^▸ (Customer Information System) for P4-6 are now suspended from the canopy, so you can see them from further away.

So now all the platforms are built, apart from the now unnecessary west end of P8.  There still a number of minor finishing tasks to be done, such as removing the temporary wire, pipes, and hoarding stanchions. And, of course, there's the viaduct to build, and the final track layout, and eventually the electrification. But for the station itself, we are nearly there.

[Southern Stag]

I went through for the first time today in a while, Platform 7 is certainly looking rather nice now. Still some work to be done in the area platform side of the original barrier lines, the area where the escalators previously were. It's currently still got a very temporary feel, but much more open than before.

[paul7575]

The plans presented to RBC^‡(resolve) show a slightly revised barrier line a few metres further north, and with the excess fares cabin removed, hence allowing for a straight barrier line and making the whole area much more open.

(However the original plans also show the excess fares office would be under the steps leading up to the transfer deck, near the lifts on P7 - and there's no sign of that happening so far.)

Will be interesting to see how it turns out.   For my 2 pence worth I'd like to see those brick built blocks at the end of P4/5/6 removed and something better provided in their place.

Paul

[Southern Stag]

I could certainly see the logic in moving the excess fares cabin. It's rather out the way for most people now, unless you have come in on Platforms 4,5 or 6 you're probably unlikely to use that gateline.

[BerkshireBugsy]

The plans presented to RBC^‡(resolve) show a slightly revised barrier line a few metres further north, and with the excess fares cabin removed, hence allowing for a straight barrier line and making the whole area much more open.

(However the original plans also show the excess fares office would be under the steps leading up to the transfer deck, near the lifts on P7 - and there's no sign of that happening so far.)

Will be interesting to see how it turns out.   For my 2 pence worth I'd like to see those brick built blocks at the end of P4/5/6 removed and something better provided in their place.

Paul

I certainly don't wish to question Paul's in depth knowledge but if RBC means Reading Borough Council do they really need to know where (for example) the excess fares office is ?

Just curious ?

[stuving]

I certainly don't wish to question Paul's in depth knowledge but if RBC^‡(resolve) means Reading Borough Council do they really need to know where (for example) the excess fares office is ?

Just curious ?

The standard letter of application from NR^» (Network Rail - home page) says "we can do this under permitted development or railway acts, but we have to submit it to you (the planning authority) for approval". However the grounds for refusal, or requiring changes, are very limited indeed. As the question has come up before, chapter and verse is at here and the next.

[paul7575]

I think permitted development rights etc it is well covered by stuving's post above and via the links - but I think in general that although we can glean all sorts of details from the scheme drawings that happen to be used to support Network Rail's overall application - that doesn't necessarily mean that every detail on those drawings is of concern to RBC^‡(resolve)...

Paul

[stuving]

... if RBC^‡(resolve) means Reading Borough Council do they really need to know where (for example) the excess fares office is ?

I guess the real answer to the question as posed is that the grounds for RBC to object/quibble are rather vague, so it would be hard to write a document tailored to cover only that. It is easier to take an existing design report (from the architects for the station, or an engineering one for the viaduct and surroundings) and perhaps take out a few bits you really don't want public. Then you can argue about any objections that you think RBC are not allowed to make if that arises.

Of course a lot of the information would have been given to RBC anyway, as they are responsible for (and currently rebuilding) the area around the station. So the same document may serve other purposes as well.