Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Adelante_CCT]

Just looked on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) for the 13th April, seems to suggest that xx:10 Bournemouth to Manchester will be using the whole festival route/relief line whereas xx:40 from Southampton will use Didcot East to crossover, again southbound some using relief line/whole festival line whilst others using Didcot/mainline.

[stuving]

I noticed today that scaffolding was being erected round Thames Tower (or Thame Tower as its tatty sign now says), opposite the station southern entrance. This would be the work trailed by this item from Construction Enquirer:

B&K to refurb Reading eyesore tower
Grant Prior | Tue 16th September | 7:15

Bowmer & Kirkland will start work by the end of the year on a major refurbishment of Thames Tower in Reading.

The eyesore opposite Reading train station has been empty since 2010.

Plans to knock the 1970s tower down and replace it with a new 25-storey building were shelved last year.

But developers Landid and Brockton Capital have now been granted planning consent for a major refurbishment scheme.

B&K will extend the current building from 12 to 16 storeys  and extend the the existing 147,000 sq ft to approximately 183,000 sq ft of offices and 8,000 sq ft of restaurant/caf^ space.

Trevor Silver, CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) of Landid, said: ^Thames Tower is going to appeal to modern businesses who want a lively environment that will attract a young and talented workforce.

^Working with interior architect Penson, we^ll be able to offer fit-out solutions bespoke to each tenant, using the features of the existing structure such as exposed services and soffits to create a visually interesting environment.^

Landid and Brockton Capital have appointed Rider Levett Bucknall to project manage the refurbishment, which is expected to begin in the next couple of months.

So maybe the scaffolding is there so they can do the steroid injections. Anyway, it's one more step towards finishing the masterplan for Station Hill, and no respite in the continuous work going on in the area.

I didn't spot the planning permission for this going through, finally, in October, Its number is 141043, and the D&A statement is stuffed full of pictures. The developers have agreed to pay nearly ^1 million in protection moneys.106 contributions, mostly for "affordable housing", and to finish the surrounding ground to match the council's paving.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

I was wandering around the station today, as one does - it being my first visit since Christmas, and I noticed that new stop signs have been erected at the London end of Platforms 10 and 11. These give the stopping points for HST^▸ (High Speed Train) 2+9. This isn't an error as about 20 metres in front of them are HST 2+7 and HST 2+8 signs.

I'l try to post a photograph tomorrow.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, they have them on other platforms as well.  Although rare, 2+9's do run occasionally, often with a coach locked out of use as a positioning move, and I guess the 2+8 board might be a bit tight otherwise.

I'd imagine the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) 9 and 10 car boards will be located in the same place eventually.

[stuving]

Yes, they have them on other platforms as well.  Although rare, 2+9's do run occasionally, often with a coach locked out of use as a positioning move, and I guess the 2+8 board might be a bit tight otherwise.

I'd imagine the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) 9 and 10 car boards will be located in the same place eventually.

Surely the point is that the stairs are well to the country end - so longer trains are told to stop right up that end too. All of the platforms are long enough for a few more carriages, hence the extra board. I think they've been there for ages, haven't they?

[4064ReadingAbbey]

I was wandering around the station today, as one does - it being my first visit since Christmas, and I noticed that new stop signs have been erected at the London end of Platforms 10 and 11. These give the stopping points for HST^▸ (High Speed Train) 2+9. This isn't an error as about 20 metres in front of them are HST 2+7 and HST 2+8 signs.

I'l try to post a photograph tomorrow.

Thanks for your comments, as I said I hadn't seen them before. The thought that crossed my mind is whether the GWs^▸ (Great Western) HSTs might be lengthened at some point. This is sheer speculation but if the new Scottish franchise is going to use shortened HSTs, after some of the Western's are displaced by the Class 800/1, there will be some spare trailers knocking around...

Now to try to post my first photo

[paul7575]

Surely the point is that the stairs are well to the country end - so longer trains are told to stop right up that end too. All of the platforms are long enough for a few more carriages, hence the extra board. I think they've been there for ages, haven't they?

Yes, there were '2+9' boards on certain platforms around Easter 2013, I've a couple of photos with them on.

Paul

[a-driver]

2+9 sets are normally used for positioning moves between depots although during the Summer time you'll find some of the busier services to the West Country especially Newquay will be load 9 with the additional vehicle inserted purely to carry luggage.

[stuving]

Just a point about that "5/10" stop board. I assume it's there not just for future SETs^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)), but for a 5+5 Voyager - which should be possible, though I've only once seen even a 4+4 at Reading. Now obviously you don't want a 5-car train stopping down there, unless it's taking up just the A end. So if it's not, I think it has to be allocated and directed into the B platform and use the Rear Clear signs as a stop board. If that's forgotten and it's sent to a full platform, it's a longer walk (as it was when P8 was not divided).

[IndustryInsider]

I've finally got round to uploading a cab ride over the new Reading Viaduct.  Although there were a couple of videos of the viaduct's opening, including a cab view, this should hopefully give the most realistic 'drivers eye' view available - and it's in full HD if you have quick enough internet.

It's in the 'up' direction and runs from Tilehurst, over the viaduct, and into Reading's Platform 10.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2evsst_cab-ride-from-tilehurst-to-reading-over-the-new-reading-viaduct_travel

Hope you enjoy watching!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for offering us all that latest absolutely brilliant video footage, IndustryInsider! 

[DidcotPunter]

Yes, thanks for posting II - excellent stuff! 

[BerkshireBugsy]

As some who is unlikely to go on this for quite a while thanks for posting - it was great to see.

[CCTV99]

Thanks for that excellent video II.

There's clearly lots of work left to do at the western end of viaduct, to the left of the mainlines.


 

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Interesting that the down train in P9 must be on a red as the points in advance of the starter signal are reversed, as are the points from the Festival line further in advance at High Level Junction.  Yet we see from the video that the route on the DM from P9 was clear to at least Tilehurst.

So I wonder why the down train was on a red?  I can^t believe it was waiting time, down HST^▸ (High Speed Train)^s are never early at Reading!