Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, the depot connection was opened in the early hours of 1st June.  The signal that controls movements into it is on the up relief line at Scours Lane (just before the loop starts) with a Junction Indicator 3 for siding W1 and JI2 for the West Run Round Loop.  The normal procedure will be to send trains that need to reverse to the fixed red signal at Tilehurst on the up relief line.

[Oxonhutch]

That fixed red on the Up Relief at Tilehurst has a signal post telephone in rear of it. I can't work out what it could be used for.

[rower40]

That fixed red on the Up Relief at Tilehurst has a signal post telephone in rear of it. I can't work out what it could be used for.

Pilotman working, so that the signaller can tell the Pilotman to tell the driver to pass the fixed-red at, erm... red.

[ChrisB]

Why the need for a pilotman? surely the drivers heading for that depot know the route?

[IndustryInsider]

Engineering work, or a severely degraded situation could mean that the up line is worked wrong direction.  I did it myself once between Reading and Didcot many moons ago.  That's the point at which a pilotman would board and travel with the driver, or give the driver a single line working 'ticket' -  either way, they would potentially use that telephone to get instructions from the signaller.  It certainly won't be used much though!

[Tim]

Engineering work, or a severely degraded situation could mean that the up line is worked wrong direction.  I did it myself once between Reading and Didcot many moons ago.  That's the point at which a pilotman would board and travel with the driver, or give the driver a single line working 'ticket' -  either way, they would potentially use that telephone to get instructions from the signaller.  It certainly won't be used much though!

Is there really still a need to install a fixed telephone to contact a signaller these days?  I would have imagined that the cab radio was up to the job and required less cable to be nicked?

[Oxonhutch]

It certainly won't be used much though!

It will probably be used more than a telephone I saw - some twenty years ago - in the international arrivals hall at Edinburgh Airport which invited you to use it if you had anything to declare!

Thanks for the answers.

[IndustryInsider]

Is there really still a need to install a fixed telephone to contact a signaller these days?  I would have imagined that the cab radio was up to the job and required less cable to be nicked?

There probably isn't much need, no.  But I expect the requirement is hidden away in one of the Railway Group Standards, and it can take years for that sort of thing to get changed.  My reckoning is that SPT^▸ (Signal Post Telephone)'s will only go when the signals themselves go!

[Visoflex]

But I expect the requirement is hidden away in one of the Railway Group Standards, and it can take years for that sort of thing to get changed.  My reckoning is that SPT^▸ (Signal Post Telephone)'s will only go when the signals themselves go!

Absolutely!  As you say, this could only really come by way of a national edict, and I wouldn't lay money on them all being recovered when the "sticks" go either.  Thinking nationally, these phones are also used by track workers, particularly in areas where mobile phone reception is patchy.  There is also the advantage that calls to signallers via SPT's are recorded - useful when in possessions.

It is also the back-stop until GSM-R^▸ (Global System for Mobile communications - Railway.) can prove itself to be beyond reproach.

[paul7575]

Guidance note for provision of SPTs^▸ (Signal Post Telephone) with GSM/R becoming available: http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Railway_Group_Standards/Traffic%20Operation%20and%20Management/Guidance%20Notes/GOGN3677%20Iss%201.pdf

Group Standard for positioning of SPTs: http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Railway_Group_Standards/Control%20Command%20and%20Signalling/Railway%20Group%20Standards/GERT8048%20Iss%202.pdf

May be of interest.   There's no absolute statement either way, it's all still about risk assessments - but the gist of it I'm picking up is that the overall number of telephones at a complex location may reduce to a safe minimum.

Paul

[W5tRailfinder]

Thanks for the info.

I guess reversals at Connection'A' will not be too common, on this basis. How long will it block the Up Relief? I'll keep a look out for one though.

Here's some examples of what I have noticed. The more interesting movements taking place during possessions in the evening or weekends, when the signallers can have a limited number of platforms/routes available.

1. Two westbound freights on the Reading West Curves, both left almost simultaneously, one to the Down relief and the other, crossed over to the Up Reading Passenger Loop, before continuing west.

2. Two Oxford bound services departed Reading together, a fast from Platform 12 took the Down Relief  and a slow from platform 14 took the Up Reading Passenger Loop.

3. A down HST^▸ (High Speed Train) fom Paddington, due to route Down Westbury: scheduled to take Platform 7 (RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)), but it was occupied; I expected it to take platform 8, but it went into platform 10 and then took the Feeder Main.

4. If the Down Main, to the west of Reading is closed, Platform 9 is not operationally flexible like the other through platforms, and doesn't get used. It could only be used for Paddington - Reading services, in this instance.

5. An ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move from Platform 7 to RTC, via platform 13: instead of reversing in Kennet Bridge Loop (as per RTT), took the Spur Line to the southern lines and then reversed, going back  through the eastern dive under. RTT did not show the actual route taken.

[IndustryInsider]

Here's the maps for Stage Q of the project which should be completed by September and is basically the final layout with the final linespeeds.

The speeds are pretty impressive.  Much better than I hoped for.

Down Main Line:  Whoever suggested that 125mph might be the maximum speed on the viaduct is correct, although no train will ever reach that speed!  Coming in from London the current 80/HST95 speed continues past where the current 60mph starts all the way through Platform 9 up to where the 125mph board commences just before the top of the viaduct.

Up Main Line:  It's 125mph until an 85/HST95 board at the top of the viaduct which continues through Platform 10 with the 125mph resuming again by Reading New Junction.

Down Relief Line:  40pmh through Platform 12 as now, rising to 80mph just west of the station, then 100mph from Reading West Junction.

Up Relief Line:  100mph to Tilehurst, then 80/MU100 as far as Reading West Junction where it's 80mph until the 40mph which starts level with where the feeder lines come under the main lines.  Then 60/MU90mph as now.

Expect plenty of announcements when something is about to roar through 9/10 at 95mph!

[Adelante_CCT]

Thanks for posting these II, very interesting

[Oxonhutch]

I am surprised that there is no route indication on signal T2810 on the Up Reading from Basingstoke (left-hand part of the diagram) that ^ as far as I can tell ^ is the only route to both signal T2806 on the Up Westbury and signal T2804 on the Down Westbury. The stopping distances to each signal are considerably different, plus it is an area of poor rail adhesion on both roads.  Is it just an oversight on the diagram?

[IndustryInsider]

T2810 just has one route - to T2806.  The Down Westbury isn't bi-directional until T2804 on the Down Westbury.  T2804, and the subsequent T2800, are basically just reversing signals to assist with moves to/from the Up/Down Westbury, Feeder and West Curve lines and as such won't be in regular use - especially for passenger trains.  However, it does allow for bi-di signalling to be installed at a later date if needed and if that happens I would expect an intermediate signal would be installed level with T2806.