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Bathampton & Box blockade - July/August 2015


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Materials laid out for the relay of both Up and Down Trowbridge lines at Dundas Aqueduct, which began today (photos taken last Wednesday):

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A Cardiff - Portsmouth service approaches Limpley Stoke:

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Diverted Bristol - Paddington HST taken from the aqueduct:

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Tranquil scene on the canal:

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I must say, FGW have been doing pretty well at passenger communication, at least in the Bristol/Bath area. Last week there were dedicated staff jumping on board trains at Temple Meads to hand out blockade timetable leaflets to anyone who wanted one. Yesterday morning things seemed a little shaky at Temple Meads at 7am with lots of platform alterations, but today everything seemed to have settled down nicely. Both Bristol and Bath have plenty of FGW assistance staff at critical locations - Temple Meads subway for example - to direct people to their trains.

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I must say, FGW have been doing pretty well at passenger communication, at least in the Bristol/Bath area. Last week there were dedicated staff jumping on board trains at Temple Meads to hand out blockade timetable leaflets to anyone who wanted one. Yesterday morning things seemed a little shaky at Temple Meads at 7am with lots of platform alterations, but today everything seemed to have settled down nicely. Both Bristol and Bath have plenty of FGW assistance staff at critical locations - Temple Meads subway for example - to direct people to their trains.

 

Having an interest in buses (don't tell anyone) as well as trains I've popped up to Chippenham station a couple of times since the phase 2 of the blockade has been on and whilst I haven't been there at peak the same comprehensive approach can be said of the rural end of things too.

 

There is someone on duty at the bus stop, with a temporary cabin for him, complete with a public address system. When its quiet the bus supervisor, and it seems the bus drivers, are good at shepherding people and looking for those who appear lost/unsure; the personal touch being used rather than the PA. The "automatic voice" on the platform is announcing the buses, and the platform staff are "sweeping" any stragglers out of the station to the bus(es) for each departure.

 

If the name on many of the buses is to be believed Chippenham has been annexed by Somerset as we have green 'Buses of Somerset' vehicles on B3. It's possible that one is missing in action though as I followed it east from Chippenham on to Calne on Sunday evening - whether it was running a rail replacement to Calne (closed 1965) or whether it was heading back home to London where it started it's career I don't know... More likely someone told the driver "keep on the A4, you can't miss it" and he was doing the former, but had failed on the latter.

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Ive had my passport stamped, innoculations done and headed up to Bath to help out as an additional MOM during the works. Tim has most of the piccies I've taken, but here's a sample of the various traction we've had visiting the worksites..

 

All taken on duty with full site briefing and COSS accompaniment.

 

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Great stuff Craig, nice shots. 60 056 was stabled in the Storage Sidings at Bescot this morning while I was relieving 6J16, I was half tempted to dig out my old driver's key and start her up for old times sake (haven't driven one for nearly ten years!).

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Apparently the clearances at Dundas Aqueduct are so tight that there are score marks on the stonework. The track is to be lowered to allow container wagons to use the line so expect more score marks.

When 50050 was moved from Yeovil a few weeks ago it was routed via Taunton as it was out of gauge due to Dundas Aqueduct.

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Great stuff Craig, nice shots. 60 056 was stabled in the Storage Sidings at Bescot this morning while I was relieving 6J16, I was half tempted to dig out my old driver's key and start her up for old times sake (haven't driven one for nearly ten years!).

I bet you miss them Nidge!

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Apparently the clearances at Dundas Aqueduct are so tight that there are score marks on the stonework. The track is to be lowered to allow container wagons to use the line so expect more score marks.

There are score marks on the arch for the Down Trowbridge line, but not on the Up line. The track lowering will ensure that this is not repeated.

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I bet you miss them Nidge!

 

Certainly do Gary! Best job we had with a Tug was the Peak Forrest - Bletchley stone which we relieved at Rugby around 04.00hrs and took down to Bletchley to unload, we usually relieved it on the Up Goods and at that time of the morning there was little else about so it was greens all the way via the Old Line. Powering up from the off it was a sublime feeling with that lovely deep rumble behind you, crossing from Up Fast to Up Slow at Hanslope bang on 60mph then coasting down to Bletchley to pick the shunter up and back it in on the RMC road. Proper locos which would suck the paint of your house given half a chance.

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Here are some photos of my site visits to the blockade last Wednesday.

 

First of all was a visit to the plain line relaying site at Dundas Aqueduct, getting on the line at a user worked crossing approx 1/4 mile from the aqueduct itself. This view is looking back towards Bradford-on-Avon:

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The view towards Dundas:

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This little fellow seemed completely unperturbed by the railway environment, and was later seen wandering around the compound below:

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The Down Trowbridge line had already been relaid earlier in the week and this was where the excavations for the Up line relay ended:

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Getting closer to the aqueduct:

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We heard an engineering train sounding it's horn behind us as it approached one of the foot crossings in Limpley Stoke. Our COSS confirmed that it wasn't coming beyond the access point where we had got on the line for the time being. I checked on the headcode and this is the hi-tech way that I record this kind of information for later, when out 'in the field':

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More photos to follow.

 

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I was working 6V25 Bescot Hinksey in the early hours of this moring and shortly before departure I was instructed by our Control to attach 66 510, as it was to be dropped off on arrival at Hinskey where it was to be stabled as the Bathampton Blockade standby loco.

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