Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I did suggest a year or two ago that once the layout was completed all XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))^s would run ML between Didcot and Reading and vv to make the best use of route capacity, and this indeed seems to be the case after Easter.  The main reason that XC^s terminating/starting at Reading used the RL^s before was because the old P7 was a convenient place to put them.

As regards the signalling going west from P3 and P7/8/9 towards the viaduct, I was at Reading one evening last week and watched XC 1E68 ex Southampton leave P3 at 1848 via Festival line and DM for York.  Just afterwards 1B76 left P9 via DM for Swansea.  It left P9 with a yellow at T1709 and ran up towards T1733 which was still on red as 1E68 hadn^t cleared.  This demonstrates that there are sufficient overlaps (as you would expect) for a westbound train to run up to either T 1731 (on the Festival line) or T1733 (on the DM) protecting High Level Junction while a train precedes them from the other line through High Level Junction.

[paul7575]

I've seen the similar situation with a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) leaving P3 on a yellow, heading down the Festival line towards the red signal protecting the junction with the down main; at the same time a down HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was leaving P9 with a clear run.   So it seems there are no special procedures in use to ensure a clear path over the flyover for either type of service.

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I did suggest a year or two ago that once the layout was completed all XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))^s would run ML between Didcot and Reading and vv to make the best use of route capacity, and this indeed seems to be the case after Easter.  The main reason that XC^s terminating/starting at Reading used the RL^s before was because the old P7 was a convenient place to put them.

If they do, then that puts more pressure on Didcot East Junction, the new GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) pinchpoint now Reading is nearly sorted.   

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Well, at present there are 3 tph (2  X Oxford/Cotswolds,1 X Cross Country) that cross from DM to DR (ie crossing UM) at Didcot East, so we^re talking about 1 more.  There are 4-5 tph ( 2 X  Bristol, 2 X S Wales, .5 X Cheltenham) on the UM.   So that^s 8-9 movements per hour through the short length of the UM they all need to use, which at first sight doesn^t seem to be an unduly onerous level of conflict.  Obviously a grade separated junction would be better for reliability etc but could it be justified with the current (or planned) level of train movements?

I^ve been trying to think of other junctions with comparable levels of conflict on 100+ mph lines and how many are flat or grade-separated, but haven^t got very far yet.  Are say Hitchin or Stafford or Woking comparable with Didcot East?  Hitchin in particular is worth looking at, as the new viaduct has just been built and the business case  must have been there.

Sorry if this is straying off topic.

[IndustryInsider]

Well, at present there are 3 tph (2  X Oxford/Cotswolds,1 X Cross Country) that cross from DM to DR (ie crossing UM) at Didcot East, so we^re talking about 1 more.  There are 4-5 tph ( 2 X  Bristol, 2 X S Wales, .5 X Cheltenham) on the UM.   So that^s 8-9 movements per hour through the short length of the UM they all need to use, which at first sight doesn^t seem to be an unduly onerous level of conflict.  Obviously a grade separated junction would be better for reliability etc but could it be justified with the current (or planned) level of train movements?

You certainly can't squeeze much more through there and with one move needed every seven minutes or so that doesn't give much leeway for trying to ensure those up expresses don't have to throw the brakes on from 125mph as something crosses over in front.  And, don't forget, that from the new IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) based timetable that 4-5 trains is probably going to become 7 trains per hour (4x Bristol, 2x South Wales, 1x Cheltenham).

Also to consider is the Down Relief line being blocked by movements from the Up Relief to Up Main which wouldn't happen if the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s stayed on the Up Relief.  That potentially blocks the 2tph stoppers and the ever increasing number of freights coming Down Relief, a few of which need to access (very very slowly!) Didcot Yard.

My hunch is that we'll see grade separation being constructed within CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024), or early CP7.

[Adelante_CCT]

Hello, new to the forum, I've been keeping up to date with users posts over the past couple of weeks and found many subjects to be an interesting read and hope over time I can contribute to that.

I've been looking over the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) for the 7th/8th April and have noticed that no trains at all use the Festival line all the way to RW Jn, yet the whole idea of this section was to segregate XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services from the main lines, wether that be at RDG^‡(resolve) or at Didcot East Jn.

I have also noticed that most of the XC services for these days are VAR and are only scheduled until the 10th meaning possibly a minor change thereafter. Maybe most XCs will use the whole Festival line route from the 13th April onwards?

[grahame]

Hello, new to the forum, I've been keeping up to date with users posts over the past couple of weeks and found many subjects to be an interesting read and hope over time I can contribute to that.

I've been looking over the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) for the 7th/8th April and have noticed that no trains at all use the Festival line all the way to RW Jn, yet the whole idea of this section was to segregate XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services from the main lines, wether that be at RDG^‡(resolve) or at Didcot East Jn.

I have also noticed that most of the XC services for these days are VAR and are only scheduled until the 10th meaning possibly a minor change thereafter. Maybe most XCs will use the whole Festival line route from the 13th April onwards?

Welcome to the forum .... I'm not a Reading expert, but as I understand it only the start of the Festival line is in place yet

[stuving]

Hello, new to the forum, I've been keeping up to date with users posts over the past couple of weeks and found many subjects to be an interesting read and hope over time I can contribute to that.

I've been looking over the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) for the 7th/8th April and have noticed that no trains at all use the Festival line all the way to RW Jn, yet the whole idea of this section was to segregate XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services from the main lines, wether that be at RDG^‡(resolve) or at Didcot East Jn.

I have also noticed that most of the XC services for these days are VAR and are only scheduled until the 10th meaning possibly a minor change thereafter. Maybe most XCs will use the whole Festival line route from the 13th April onwards?

Welcome to the forum from me ... and I think you may be generally right.

Since I said this in my post -

So I don't think you can tell whether a train uses the Festival Line all the way from Reading West, or only the eastern part and the Mains over the western part of the viaduct. (Or not unless not showing the Reading West timing point on the Reliefs means it is pathed on the Main Lines (i.e. on the viaduct)).

I've looked at some other examples in RTT, and it does seem that if a train did move over from the UM to the UR at Tilehurst East Jn, it would show a timing point at Reading West. So even the inbound trains to P3, which I gave the benefit of the doubt, are staying on the UM to Reading High level Jn. But note that this is true for the ones shown as WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table), valid until 15/4/2015, too.

Why that should be is a puzzle. The note against the relevant possessions in the EAS (2/4/15 to 03330 on 7/4/15)  is this:

Note: when this possession hands-back, the Festival, Feeder and Passenger Loop lines are brought into use.

As to whether the Festival Line was meant to take all XC trains, both ways, I'm not sure it was. Or, rather, that the importance of doing that depends on the direction.

[stuving]

Well, at present there are 3 tph (2  X Oxford/Cotswolds,1 X Cross Country) that cross from DM to DR (ie crossing UM) at Didcot East, so we^re talking about 1 more.  There are 4-5 tph ( 2 X  Bristol, 2 X S Wales, .5 X Cheltenham) on the UM.   So that^s 8-9 movements per hour through the short length of the UM they all need to use, which at first sight doesn^t seem to be an unduly onerous level of conflict.  Obviously a grade separated junction would be better for reliability etc but could it be justified with the current (or planned) level of train movements?

You certainly can't squeeze much more through there and with one move needed every seven minutes or so that doesn't give much leeway for trying to ensure those up expresses don't have to throw the brakes on from 125mph as something crosses over in front.  And, don't forget, that from the new IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) based timetable that 4-5 trains is probably going to become 7 trains per hour (4x Bristol, 2x South Wales, 1x Cheltenham).

Also to consider is the Down Relief line being blocked by movements from the Up Relief to Up Main which wouldn't happen if the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s stayed on the Up Relief.  That potentially blocks the 2tph stoppers and the ever increasing number of freights coming Down Relief, a few of which need to access (very very slowly!) Didcot Yard.

My hunch is that we'll see grade separation being constructed within CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024), or early CP7.

I did mention before that some of the smart money in Network rail is on Didcot as the next big flyover. And it is an option in the Western Route Study, but combined with other capacity increases to and through Oxford. The point of that is that more that half the trains go that way, not along the main line, a lot more when you count freight and East-West rail too.

It always puzzled me about the RSAR that no effort had been spent on reducing conflict on the Relief Lines, as if there could never be enough traffic to make their capacity an issue. That seems to be a common assumption in planning throughout the network. I think the idea is that no line needs more than 2 tph stoppers, or 4tph in cities for "metro" lines, unless it's a Crossrail-type megametro.

Reading West to Didcot East (inclusive) looks to me like a counterexample to that principle. So pushing XC trains onto the Reliefs may not be an answer, or not for the longer term.

[Adelante_CCT]

Hello, new to the forum, I've been keeping up to date with users posts over the past couple of weeks and found many subjects to be an interesting read and hope over time I can contribute to that.

I've been looking over the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) for the 7th/8th April and have noticed that no trains at all use the Festival line all the way to RW Jn, yet the whole idea of this section was to segregate XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services from the main lines, wether that be at RDG^‡(resolve) or at Didcot East Jn.

I have also noticed that most of the XC services for these days are VAR and are only scheduled until the 10th meaning possibly a minor change thereafter. Maybe most XCs will use the whole Festival line route from the 13th April onwards?

Welcome to the forum .... I'm not a Reading expert, but as I understand it only the start of the Festival line is in place yet

Yes, I was referring to the whole line which is due to open in April, just to make sure there's no confusion 

Also I work next to Cow Lane Bridges so know this area very well

[stuving]

If you stand in exactly the right place on the transfer deck, you can see through a gap* in the obstructions straight down what were the Main Lines until Christmas. With binoculars, I could see reading West Jn quite clearly, so it should be possible to monitor what's being done along there**. The picture is the best my little compact, with its tiny zoom lens, can do - if anyone's got one*** that pokes out further,  that would be useful.

* Medically, it's called the intergantrical lacuna.
** Provided there isn't an outbreak of promiscuous intralacunal polygantria.
*** Zoom lens, obviously.

[paul7575]

The whole question of how XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains will use the post Easter layout on a regular basis (outside perturbations) boils down to the question, are they main or relief services?

As they are operated 100% by 125 mph stock, and despite contrary opinions are definitely allowed to do 125 mph on the relevant route section, then surely the default position is to use the mains?   Should we really expect most XC services to chug along the reliefs in between freights and local stoppers?

So is the Festival Line underpass an essential feature of the layout to be used a few times per hour, or is it there to give flexibility for regulating due to late or early running?  Compare it with the eastern underpass, that gets very little passenger use in the normal timetable.

I've suggested before that various statements made in documents, and inferences drawn from track diagrams do not always 'read in reverse' - remember the original much discussed 'Corus' diagram where particular lines were shown colour coded with light blue as 'Cross Country'.  I got an explanation at one of the public briefings that should be read as 'mainly for use of'.

Hence for a given route to be labelled 'mainly for the use of XC trains' is not equivalent to 'XC trains will always (or mainly) use this route'...

Paul

[stuving]

The whole question of how XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains will use the post Easter layout on a regular basis (outside perturbations) boils down to the question, are they main or relief services?
Paul

To be answered, I think, in connection with the talk in various topics on capacity and grade separation at Didcot East and all the way up to Oxford North.

Why do NR^» (Network Rail - home page) think capacity runs out at Oxford North before Didcot East? Hardly just on the number of trains. I suspect it depends on running Reading-Didcot as two two-track railways pre-segregated at Reading rather than a four-track railway separated on speed /stops. But that means you have a mix of fast/slower/stoppers (lots of stops, too)/a lot of freight over two tracks for about 25 miles. that's bound to slow down a lot of long-distance (or long travel time) trains that need every minute they can find.

It's probably a result of "we can only solve one problem at a time ('cos they won't give us money to do more)" thinking. Next stop the Didcot East flyover ...

[ellendune]

Yes if there was a Didcot East flyover the they would always use the mains, but the difficulty is getting them across the reliefs to the East curve.

[ChrisB]

Why do NR^» (Network Rail - home page) think capacity runs out at Oxford North before Didcot East? Hardly just on the number of trains. I suspect it depends on running Reading-Didcot as two two-track railways pre-segregated at Reading rather than a four-track railway separated on speed /stops.

Oxford North is 4-track (two from Didcot & two from the East Curve) joining 2 tracks to/from Oxford.
Didcot East is 4 tracks to 2 tracks but fewer movements per hour onto the curve. So yes, Oxford North is likely to run out at the former first.