GWML Electification

[royaloak]

60mph...

 

Simon

Will IETs still have the option of drop and coast/ run on diesel at linespeed or have the elf und saifty mafia put the knockers on that idea?

[St. Simon]

Will IETs still have the option of drop and coast/ run on diesel at linespeed or have the elf und saifty mafia put the knockers on that idea?

I suggest you talk to your company for the most up to day info, but yes, Diesel at 125mph is acceptable currently.

 

It's not the 'health and safety mafia' that is deciding any of it, it's a combination of a number of different organisations, up mainly GWR

 

Simon

Edited April 17, 2018 by St. Simon

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Also, I will admit that my information on the cause of the PSR was changed about a week later, so it is now the wire gradient and dynamic movement which is the problem.

 

Simon

Edited April 17, 2018 by St. Simon

[Ron Ron Ron]

NR's application for the replacement of the Steventon bridge is still ongoing, being delayed by various studies, commissioned by the interested parties, being digested and by ongoing "consultation".

 

NR commissioned 2 options reports and the Vale of White Horse District Council commissioned their own, from Peter Brett Associates, looking at the options that NR's consultants have listed.

 

The PBA report was published only a few weeks ago.

Anyone interested can read it here.....

 

http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/dynamic_serve.jsp?ID=870358914&CODE=45D58D4C55EE628CD2A7F90AF0A2BB92

 

 

The mind boggles at the amount of process, consultation and reporting that has been gone through so far.....and at how much it must all be costing not only NR, but the local council, county council and Historic England etc.

All for one bl**dy insignificant bridge, said to be of "no archaeological or artistic interest".

 

It's a pity one of those cruise missiles that was sent to Syria the other day, wasn't diverted to a certain bridge in Oxfordshire.

 

 

.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Ron Ron Ron

[Ron Ron Ron]

About the temporary arrangement that has allowed the installation of the wires under Steventon Bridge.

This information was provided to the local borough council on the 16th March 2018.....

 

http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/dynamic_serve.jsp?ID=870358915&CODE=45D58D4C55EE628C476060A1414783BA

 

 

.

[St. Simon]

It's a pity one of those cruise missiles that was sent to Syria the other day, wasn't diverted to a certain bridge in Oxfordshire.

 

.

The suggestion, by several people, to accidentally run a hi-cube container filled with concrete along there have, funnily enough, not been met with the greatest of enthusiasm!

 

It's a pain of a bridge but at least it's giving me lots of work to do!

 

Simon

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Wonder how much that (rather meaningless) 10-page report from PBA cost?

It even refers to ".......IEP trains for the Western region..........."

[Ron Ron Ron]

From the Steventon Parish Council's 6th March meeting....
 

 

A report by the Vale’s chosen experts (PBA) on the need for demolition of the bridge was due to be available by 16th March.
There will only be 14 days to submit comments before it goes to the Vale of White Horse DC Planning Committee on 18th April.
The Parish Council will attend.
The current earliest start time for the bridge demolitions is May 2019 and is still proposed for a 10 month closure.

 
 
 
. Edited April 17, 2018 by Ron Ron Ron

[corneliuslundie]

While I have every sympathy with the wish/need to get on with things in this case, I am also worried that there is a tendency when it suits them for Councils to ignore the statutory consultation periods related to things like listed buildings and planning permissions. (And not to notify those directly affected.) I shall be very surprised if the time suggested in the Parish Council minute would allow the statutory period for objections.

I assume the Parish Council will have slapped in an objection to demolition.

Jonathan

[Grovenor]

 

While I have every sympathy with the wish/need to get on with things in this case,

Looking at the PBA report it appears that NR determined that demolition was required in 2011, but only submitted an application in 2017. That does not suggest any real desire to get on with things, rather it suggests a lack thereof.

Regards

[Ron Ron Ron]

While I have every sympathy with the wish/need to get on with things in this case, I am also worried that there is a tendency when it suits them for Councils to ignore the statutory consultation periods related to things like listed buildings and planning permissions. (And not to notify those directly affected.) I shall be very surprised if the time suggested in the Parish Council minute would allow the statutory period for objections.

I assume the Parish Council will have slapped in an objection to demolition.

 

 

The application for demolition was submitted a year ago, subsequently amended and then superceded by a revised application in autumn last year.

There has been extensive public consultation and there has been plenty of time in which numerous objections have been submitted, by both local authorities and local residents.

 

If I read it correctly, the consultation period ended yesterday and the district council's decision process takes place, or starts, today.

It is possible that a further period of consultation may be implemented, while the "alternatives" are examined.

 

There appear to be four main aspects to the objections.

The historic significance of the bridge, to both the village of Steventon and as an example of its type.

The claim that thorough investigation of the alternatives to demolition has not been carried out.

That if a replacement is reluctantly accepted, that the design of the new bridge is aesthetically unacceptable in the currently proposed (and revised) form.

The impact on commerce, traffic and local amenity, as a result of closure of the bridge for 10 months to a year.

 

It has been pointed out that only a few people can actually see the bridge, or encounter it from any other angle, than just driving, cycling or walking over it.

i.e. very few people are actually likely to view the bridge from the sides.

NR are proposing to use brick slips in an attempt to recreate the "historical look".

 

Meanwhile, the local planning authorities continue to approve more housing development in Steventon and the surrounding villages.

 

 

.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Ron Ron Ron

[SouthernMafia]

How about they demolish the bridge, but to soften the blow rebuild Steventon station first, providing public transport links for all these new houses being built and the local community. It could also act as a nice Parkway for, um, Didcot Parkway.

Whilst you're there with 387s going to Swindon for stabling later this year, why not rebuild Wantage station too and you've got yourselves a nice new service into London and a reason to knock out the Didcot and Reading stops on long distance services.

[Coryton]

How about they demolish the bridge, but to soften the blow rebuild Steventon station first, providing public transport links for all these new houses being built and the local community. It could also act as a nice Parkway for, um, Didcot Parkway.

Whilst you're there with 387s going to Swindon for stabling later this year, why not rebuild Wantage station too and you've got yourselves a nice new service into London and a reason to knock out the Didcot and Reading stops on long distance services.

 

Although some people do travel between Didcot/Reading and points West, including people travelling to/from Heathrow.

[D1059]

How about they demolish the bridge, but to soften the blow rebuild Steventon station first, providing public transport links for all these new houses being built and the local community. It could also act as a nice Parkway for, um, Didcot Parkway.

Whilst you're there with 387s going to Swindon for stabling later this year, why not rebuild Wantage station too and you've got yourselves a nice new service into London and a reason to knock out the Didcot and Reading stops on long distance services.

 

There has been talk of rebuilding Wantage Road for years - it always falls down over lack of capacity on the (mainly) double track section from Didcot to Wootton Bassett

Edited April 19, 2018 by D1059

[Zomboid]

Might be more achievable now with 387s, since they're faster accelerating than any diesels and can do 110.

[Arun Sharma]

Although some people do travel between Didcot/Reading and points West, including people travelling to/from Heathrow.

and Didcot-Weybridge via Ascot

[Edwin_m]

Might be more achievable now with 387s, since they're faster accelerating than any diesels and can do 110.

As far as I'm aware there are no plans for 387s to go west of Didcot, and if they did they would have to negotate the situation at Steventon without a diesel backup.  So this re-opening would either require extra workings at least as far as Swindon, or extra stops in the 80x-worked services.  Neither is very likely. 

[Coryton]

As far as I'm aware there are no plans for 387s to go west of Didcot, and if they did they would have to negotate the situation at Steventon without a diesel backup. 

 

Steventon can be negotiated on electric power sufficiently slowly, can't it? Or am I behind the times?

[Zomboid]

Just a few posts ago it was confirmed that there are wires through Steventon with a 60mph PSR for electric traction (once energised).

 

I think some 387s will be berthed at Swindon in due course.

 

None of which means that a an electric semi fast service will actually run to Swindon, but electrification may have made it more realistic that Wantage Road could be reopened. Though the proposed post electrification Victoria line frequency of GWR inter city services may prove an insurmountable obstacle to such an idea.

[Banger Blue]

As far as I'm aware there are no plans for 387s to go west of Didcot, and if they did they would have to negotate the situation at Steventon without a diesel backup.  So this re-opening would either require extra workings at least as far as Swindon, or extra stops in the 80x-worked services.  Neither is very likely.

 

There are (well ECS movements at least), alluded to above, there are plans afoot for 387 stabling at Swindon.

[locoholic]

There has been talk of rebuilding Wantage Road for years - it always falls down over lack of capacity on the (mainly) double track section from Didcot to Wootton Bassett

Is it too much to hope that if/when the Steventon bridge is demolished, it is replaced with bridge with clearance for four tracks?!

[SouthernMafia]

Cocklebury sidings are being electrified and 387s will be stabling as mentioned above. Mainly due to the fact GWR lose access to Maidenhead CS when Crossrail starts, and Reading TCD won't be able to cope with the additional units.

No plans as yet for any in service West of Didcot (I was just suggesting what could happen one day) - mainly down to the DOO agreements ending at Didcot, and so they will need a guard to go in service past Didcot. Unless this is revised it won't happen, £££££ 

[phil-b259]

Cocklebury sidings are being electrified and 387s will be stabling as mentioned above. Mainly due to the fact GWR lose access to Maidenhead CS when Crossrail starts, and Reading TCD won't be able to cope with the additional units.

No plans as yet for any in service West of Didcot (I was just suggesting what could happen one day) - mainly down to the DOO agreements ending at Didcot, and so they will need a guard to go in service past Didcot. Unless this is revised it won't happen, £££££ 

 

Given the results (or lack of in terms of changing DfT policy) of the RMTs campaign against DOO on Southern, Grater Anglia, Northern and SWR has had, then I would be cautious of dismissing any extension of DOO in future regardless of what the current agreements may state.

 

However given the level of Housebuilding going on these days and the way the likes of Wantage have grown over past decades, the addition of an intermediate station between Didcot and Swindon certainly has merit.

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Just to confirm that others have said, 387s in run ECS from Swindon to Didcot and will rely on a 60mph Electric Train only PSR at Steventon, where as currently the Class 80x units will have an APCO Solution in place.

 

Also announced by GWR this evening is that they have ordered 19 Class 769 Tri-mode units for Oxford to Reading and Reading to Gatwick services.

 

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/nineteen-tri-mode-flex-class-769s-for-gwr

 

Simon

Edited April 19, 2018 by St. Simon

[St. Simon]

No plans as yet for any in service West of Didcot (I was just suggesting what could happen one day) - mainly down to the DOO agreements ending at Didcot, and so they will need a guard to go in service past Didcot. Unless this is revised it won't happen, £££££

 

Hi,

 

The Class 387s don't use the Platform DOO Equipment though, they use their body mounted cameras, so no new arrangements need to be installed.

 

I have heard stories of using 12 car Electrostars on Cardiff football / Rugby relief trains once the wires are extended.

 

Simon