Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[willc]

More likely they had a couple spare from the recently abolished boxes on the Stratford on Avon area.

Unlikely, as the London midland region converted the area to upper quadrant years ago. I think there was just one lower quadrant at Bearley Junction which had survived the cull.

[willc]

Couple of pictures of the new Banbury lower-quadrants, which both look brand spanking new, here

http://www.upmain.fotopic.net/p68078022.html
http://www.upmain.fotopic.net/p68078005.html

[ChrisB]

Installed last Sunday....

[Timmer]

Timetables for services for services London-Bristol-South Wales and London-West of England during the Reading improvement works over Christmas/New Year now online:
http://firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4888

[Timmer]

London & Thames Valley services timetables added:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4888

[gwr2006]

Apparently the reason they are lower quadrant is that are replacing two ground discs. Thus the signal wire run, levers and interlocking are unchanged they just hook up the new arms to the old wires.

I doubt that.  Upper or lower quadrant would not make any difference to the wire run, levers etc.  More likely they had a couple spare from the recently abolished boxes on the Stratford on Avon area.

According to Network Rail the two new semaphores at Banbury were manufactured specifically for the job and were not redundant from any other signalling scheme.

[Louis94]

Timetables for Reading Closure are on FGWs^▸ (First Great Western) website:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4888

Although I think there is a mistake in them, recently the journey time between London and Swindon during the diversions has increased by 15 minutes according to Journey Planner, whether this a problem with journey planner, I dont know. Anyone have any answers?

[ChrisB]

They've increased the journey time via Banbury

[Louis94]

They've increased the journey time via Banbury

I hope they publish new timetables on their website showing these changes.

[ChrisB]

I doubt it, as they've gone to press.....

I'll check, as it may be an error.

[Louis94]

I doubt it, as they've gone to press.....

I'll check, as it may be an error.

If they have already gone to press, Oh dear indeed, oh dear!

[ChrisB]

Were meant to be available at Padd next week.

[willc]

The new Caversham Road bridge is complete, ready for installation at Christmas, see http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Press-Releases/READING-BRIDGE-NEARS-COMPLETION-AHEAD-OF-XMAS-RAIL-IMPROVEMENT-WORK-15f2/SearchCategoryID-8.aspx

[paul7575]

Interesting news in that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) press release that touches on the discussion about track layout and bridge positions a few weeks ago.

They describe removing two further bridges over the period, so that must be the two that the reliefs currently use?  So that is a much more significant work package than simply craning a wide span in for the tracks into the two completely new platform islands, which wouldn't really impact on the operational railway. 

Paul

[mjones]

On a different part of the scheme, passing through today I noticed a lot of work now taking place along the line of the dive-under that is to be re-opened. This work seemed to be over quite an extended site, going beyond the railway bridge the track will go under and towards the Thames. I was wondering what this is, is it new drainage, or will there be new sidings down at that level?