Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Thanks, Paul.  That all pretty much makes sense.  Do you know when the southern underpass at the eastern end is scheduled to open?

Forgot to ask that - sorry.  Perhaps someone else could check that out.

Are any of the on platform buildings being retained or replaced?  Or will we go back to buying food and drinks on trains again?

All four island platforms, will have full facilities to include waiting rooms, catering, toilets etc etc.  No facilities will be lost, they'll be re-provided to modern standards.

Paul

[paul7575]

Regarding the Southern (Waterloo) platforms, the plan is that in Jan 2011 they'll start using the new platform (P4 in the renumbered scheme), and the existing pair (future 5 and 6) will then be taken out of use one at a time and lengthened and straightened, by summer 2012.  The new track layout, ie the two track approach and various crossovers, will be complete in Jan 2011 though - which will overcome the current single track over the bridge.  New info (at least for me) was confirmation that the three platforms will be dead straight and parallel - ie the current curvature to tuck in behind P4 will be removed.

(Recent PR^▸ (Public Relations) seemed to suggest this area would all be finished next Jan, but this seems to have been an oversimplification.)

Errrrr......next Jan IS Jan 2012.....Jan 11 having passed a few months ago!

Ta, I'll edit my post to avoid confusing everyone.

Paul

[Boppy]

I picked up one of the leaflets they were handing out.

I'd say the plan of the new platforms and track layout has improved over last time but it's still full of inconsistencies and in one place I'm sure clear error.

• The main lines are clearly represented by 4 tracks out to the East towards London and the West towards Bristol and then the individual tracks are shown next to each platform.  But towards Reading West it shows that only a single track exists rather than two.  Also the 3 new platforms 4, 5 & 6 towards Wokingham will merge into just a single track rather than two.
• The diagram states that the lines out to the West (Bristol/Oxford) will not be able to use platforms 1, 2 or 3?!?!

I know proper schematics of the layout exist but surely it wouldn't have taken much more to fix this diagram up more accurately?

Boppy.

[ChrisB]

• The diagram states that the lines out to the West (Bristol/Oxford) will not be able to use platforms 1, 2 or 3?!?!

I know proper schematics of the layout exist but surely it wouldn't have taken much more to fix this diagram up more accurately?

The vast majority of customers don't care what the layout is like & would be perfectly happy with schematics.

[Zoe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN2OEXQr4RI

An interesting new type of signal appears at 5 - 10 seconds in this Network Rail video.

[ChrisB]

hmmm.......

[paul7575]

• The diagram states that the lines out to the West (Bristol/Oxford) will not be able to use platforms 1, 2 or 3?!?!

The current SR^‡(resolve) Quail only shows P3 with access to the down main, as does the new layout. 

So they're mostly or 2/3 right...   

Paul

[Boppy]

Ah sorry!  I would have though that having those bays linked up would have been handy - but if one is enough so be it!

Thanks for correcting me! 

Boppy.

[paul7575]

Ah sorry!  I would have though that having those bays linked up would have been handy - but if one is enough so be it!

Thanks for correcting me! 

Boppy.

Actually, for what it's worth I was somewhat surprised by the track layout there.  I suspect though that it's partly because of the existing FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 'western bay' service patterns all being towards the Newbury or Basingstoke directions. However P3 will get a lot more use shortly when P7 closes for the works to the main island. All those XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services that sit for half an between services will also have to use P3, I can't see any another option.

Paul

[mjones]

I'm curious about how the new lines to the Waterloo platforms will connect with the existing ones. I had assumed that the junction would be squeezed into the narrow space between the end of the new platforms and the start of where the line descends to the bottom of the embankment. However, work appears to be taking place alongside the line at the bottom of the slope, as if preparing space for additional track, so I'm now wondering if the junction will be there, with the new tracks climbing up to the bridge on a new ramp parallel to the existing one...? The newly widened embankment includes a ramp in that direction, but I had assumed it was only for construction vehicle access.

[paul7575]

The platforms are all extended by at least enough to allow 12 cars - but the current platforms are only barely long enough for 8,  so I expect the rebuild will include a much greater marigin at the buffer end as well, if rebuilt to current standards.  So I'd estimate the platform ends will be at least 100m away from the present ramp. 

The various track diagrams suggest a set of points combining the new platform 4 and 5 lines, then a pair of facing and trailing crossovers (ie not a diamond crossing) to allow entry and exit from the station, so I'd suggest another quite significant length there - getting well towards the underpass.  Would they normally build an S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle ) layout on a ramp if they had an alternative?  Not really sure on that.

On the Modern Railways scale drawing (that I mentioned a few pages back) the junctions and crossovers are off the page to the right, but the platform ends reach as far as that large octagonal building that Google satellite view shows on the far side of Vastern Rd.   

PS - looking at Google's satellite view it loooks like a typical simple crossover between two tracks takes around 60m of track length - so the points and crossings could easily take up around 150m anyway...

Paul

[mjones]

Thanks, just taken a look on Google maps and I see what you mean. The track will have to ramp up much earlier than I'd appreciated, so there's a lot more earthworks and embankment building still to be done.

[IndustryInsider]

An interesting video showing a computer generated impression of the new station forecourt, underpass, and northern entrance with taxi rank and altered RailAir loading point.  It looks pretty smart I must say, though the camera never quite shows whether the rusting shell of Western Tower will still blight the view!  No details of the actual track, platforms or concourse.

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2093181_video_shows_new_look_for_reading_railway_station

[ChrisB]

That lower level plus the walkway through to the North look like skateboard city to me!

[ChrisB]

Just seen some info re the platform renumbering -

The passenger subway will close in July this year.

All platform numbering changes take effect on resumption of service on 27 December. Current pLatform 7 closes permanently on that date. (Strictly speaking, I guess it really closes on December 24 close of service).

Also on that date, signal TR253 at the London end of current platform 5 is being moved approx 10 metres further west (back down platform), to enable other signalling equipment to be installed. THe HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stopping point may move too)

Current platform 10 is being widened to a temporary (until Easter 2013) new track alignment to provide space on the platform for a Transfer Deck support.

The new platform 4 and renumbered platform 6 (old 4a) in use from that date. In March 2012, it'll be new Platform 4 along with renumnbered platform 5 (old 4b) until July 2012 when all three will be opened.

The other new platforms only open after the major Easter blockade in 2013 (new platforms 12 - 15), along with the Transfer Deck.

Also at Easter 2013, current platform 10 (new 11) changes to a through platform (from current London Bay) and current platform 6 (new 16) closes permanently.