Southernman46 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Hi All, Was doing some possession planning today and came across a series of possessions starting in Jan 2013 that are for preparatory work to permit re-doubling between Swindon - Kemble. I'm guessing to eliminate this as a bottle-neck for diversions during electrification work west of Swindon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 30, 2012 It was listed some years back but I seem to recall Oxford - Worcester made a better case in some way or another so Swindon - Kemble was dropped down the batting order. Now of course the case is much stronger with electrickery works on the horizon on theh Badminton and Box routes. Anything about possible reinstatement of the missing side of the triangle at Bradford Jcn? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted October 30, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 30, 2012 Previously discussed here http://www.rmweb.co....-to-be-doubled/ Given the timing of the original announcement I had assumed that it was separate from the electrification work, though it will be very handy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hi Mods, Wasn't aware of the original thread when I started this - could you merge the threads please ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 There is a major 'enabling' blockade planned for summer 2013 (doing earthworks, moving troughing routes and location cabinets and slewing the existing single line), with a commissioning blockade in spring 2014. In between, I assume that the second track is going to be laid in the same manner as on the OWW, on mid-week night and weekend possessions. The Kemble to Swindon bit is just off my patch, but I'm going to get nosy anyway... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 They really ought to reconnect Cirencester too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 An interesting link posted by Bob Blackburn on Freightmaster http://www.urban75.org/railway/kemble-railway-station-gwr.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 An interesting link posted by Bob Blackburn on Freightmaster http://www.urban75.org/railway/kemble-railway-station-gwr.html Very nice, Kemble is something of an architectural gem that is being well looked after. The Stationmaster's house is standard GW design - including the porch - but in stone instead of brick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 Must make a trip there in the near future as the pub.... err station looks very interesting! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovex Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Quite a gem, and an amazing survival :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 Good luck to CK and the team - I believe the engineers trains start rolling tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 Yes, i noticed on our daily sheet there are few drivers heading down that way to work some of the trains. i had the opportunity to learn it but being as i don't know the lines a either end of the worksite it seemed a waste of time Road learning banbury to didcot/reading instead tomorrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Banbury southward is a lovely bit of Railway Jim - enjoy the view mate! Kemble - what a peach in a world otherwise filled with lookalike concrete, steel and glass blandness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I'd say my presence at Kemble was pretty unwelcome the other day. I went to the booking office to check in and got 50 questions as to why i wanted to take photo's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 A couple of extremes in stations in that video, you get the lovely Kemble station and then the bits of wood nailed together that formed the railcar stations ermm halts. Makes you glad for a bus shelter but I do believe the better the station design the more passengers it can generate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted August 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2013 I'd say my presence at Kemble was pretty unwelcome the other day. I went to the booking office to check in and got 50 questions as to why i wanted to take photo's. hello, hello, whats all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here! are you........local? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 hello, hello, whats all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here! are you........local? Local no. Work there yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2013 Local no. Work there yes. You shouldn't have been hassled. May be simpler to just quietly walk onto the platform and take your photos. I'll be about there for part of next week, I'll certainly 'deal with' any issues if I see folk being hassled like that. ATOC, NR, BTP guidelines etc,. etc. permit photography.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2013 There are over 40 engineering trains entering and leaving the blockade at the Kemble end over the next 3 weeks. For some, they will come overnight this weekend and next, when the possession extends out to Standish Jct. Others will be worked in and out amongst the hourly FGW shuttle between Gloucester and Kemble. All trains working beyond the Up platform starting signal (SN149) will require to have a pilotman on board. That includes the FGW shunts from Up platform to Down, running onto the existing single line in the tunnel, plus any engineering train entering or leaving the possession. For the latter, we have a van driven by a PW man on standby to convey the pilotman between the station and the protection, which is just the Swindon-side of Kemble Tunnel. There are also almost 40 engineering trains working into and out of the block from the Swindon end. Most trains will go in and out from the same end, often in groups of 2 or 3, where the last one in is top & tailed, with locos being 'cascaded' onto the next train inside the possession, prior to coming back out again. Just a small number, probably no more than 6 or 7 from memory, will actually work right through. All engineering trains at the Kemble end originate from Bescot and are being worked by DBS locos and crews. Due to a relative shortage of DBS crews with Kemble line route knowledge, there will be a degree of footplate relief at Gloucester, thus enabling those with Kemble route knowledge to be 'pooled' locally in Gloucestershire for the Golden Valley section. The trains from the Swindon end are generally worked to the protection by FLHH locos and crews (originating Hinksey, Eastleigh or Westbury), but with Colas Rail crews taking over from the protection, into the possession. Apart from general 'housekeeping' jobs such as moving troughing routes, location cabinets and a few signals, there will be track slewing to do, plus some actual track renewals at Oaksey, Minety, Black Dog, Purton, Bremhill (all 'plain line renewals'), plus the installation of new crossovers at Rodbourne Road, Swindon. These latter will be clipped out of use until next Easter, when they will be brought into use. They are a replacement for the two crossovers on the Kemble line curve at Swindon Loco Yard, and will be to an easier geometry. The Captain will be going Travelling next week and the week after. I will be taking photos... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 10, 2013 I'm sure that I won't be the only one looking forward to seeing those photos CK. The BBC's take on the story. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23628973 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Sweet, I'm watching real time trains as I'm within a short cycle of the level crossing that leads to Purton , However I doubt I'll be up at the times these go through Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2013 Here are a few pre-blockade photos to be getting on with (track-side ones all taken under appropriate track safety conditions):. Kemble station and tunnel area: Oaksey Halt (the old platforms have already been bulldozed away): Purton old station: Outskirts of Swindon: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 10, 2013 Last time I was at Kemble I had a wander around, took a few pictures and had no issues at all. Mind you I didn't go to the booking office to 'check-in' so that is probably why I didn't get the Spanish Inquisition treatment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisman56 Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 From those pictures, it looks like the line has been slewed into the centre of the formation in some places. Presumably a bit of unslewing will be necessary to got the second line back in... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2013 Last time I was at Kemble I had a wander around, took a few pictures and had no issues at all. Mind you I didn't go to the booking office to 'check-in' so that is probably why I didn't get the Spanish Inquisition treatment. You know what, I really don't think that the 'sign in to take photos' rule was ever really intended for rural stations with relatively few passengers..., (accepting that Kemble can get it's fair share of custom at peak times, but not so much during the day)... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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