Reading Diesel Depot

[18B]

hi,

 

just browsing Google earth, is the Great Western Railway Reading Driver Development Academy still in the triangle of the lines even though the depot has been demolished?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Great+Western+Railway+Reading+Driver+Development+Academy/@51.4593626,-0.9868229,206m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48769b0597223341:0x17d5c22b5a72d8cc!8m2!3d51.4593626!4d-0.9857286

 

Also there seems to be a building still there in the triangle? wonder what that was/is?

[St. Simon]

3 minutes ago, 18B said:

hi,

 

just browsing Google earth, is the Great Western Railway Reading Driver Development Academy still in the triangle of the lines even though the depot has been demolished?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Great+Western+Railway+Reading+Driver+Development+Academy/@51.4593626,-0.9868229,206m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48769b0597223341:0x17d5c22b5a72d8cc!8m2!3d51.4593626!4d-0.9857286

 

Also there seems to be a building still there in the triangle? wonder what that was/is?

 

Hi,

 

The last time I went past that building last summer it definitely said on a sign that it was the GWR Driver Development Academy and there's a sign on the access gate on Cow Lane, although I'm not sure how active it is as I've never seen a car parked outside it or anyone go in or out.

 

Simon

[Ian Morgan]

Those google map images are well out of date. Where is the new flyover? Where are the new platform tracks and the new over platform concourse?

 

Cow lane will open to two way traffic throughout in a couple of weeks following the replacement of the two narrow bridges.

[The Stationmaster]

19 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said:

Those google map images are well out of date. Where is the new flyover? Where are the new platform tracks and the new over platform concourse?

 

Cow lane will open to two way traffic throughout in a couple of weeks following the replacement of the two narrow bridges.

And the last thing we want is even more lorries (and definitely not CouncillorPage's  traffic delaying 'bus routes) adding to traffic congestion in Cow Lane.  Having driven through there again this morning the queue of southbound traffic, including at least 6 or 7 lorries destined for turn-offs north of the railway, waiting for the lights stretched back very nearly to Caversham Road.

 

The traffic lights for the bridge do cause some queueing but adding 'bus stops will make it far worse because Conuncillor Page and his mates insist on having them in the carriageway leaving no room to pass a stationary 'bus.  Many of the delays in the Oxford Road are as much down to 'buses blocking the carriageway at stops which used to have pull-ins as they are down to the volume of traffic. And quite why 'bus routes into town should be diverted away from Oxford Road, and then the main shopping area - which is where the overwhelming majority of passengers alight - completely beats me.  This bloke has spent years messing up traffic flows in Reading which made me more than happy to move away from the effects of some of his daft ideas a dozen years ago.  

 

I fear that exactly the same will now happen in Cow Lane.  And quite how the gradients under that bridge are going to be achieved, especially at the north end at the entrance to GWR's depot and the junction with Cardiff Road I wait to see with considerable amusement because unless they are drastically altered low slung long wheelbase vehicles will ground as they go over the sharp transition from level to the steep gradient to get down under the bridges.

[Banger Blue]

1 hour ago, 18B said:

hi,

 

just browsing Google earth, is the Great Western Railway Reading Driver Development Academy still in the triangle of the lines even though the depot has been demolished?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Great+Western+Railway+Reading+Driver+Development+Academy/@51.4593626,-0.9868229,206m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48769b0597223341:0x17d5c22b5a72d8cc!8m2!3d51.4593626!4d-0.9857286

 

Also there seems to be a building still there in the triangle? wonder what that was/is?

 

1. Top left where the road loops round next to the Feeder lines was the Old Diesel Depot (lower triangle).

2. Middle is the Driver Acadamy / Training Centre (grey building to the left is the simulator building)

3. Top right near the electric substation is where the GWR Steam Shed was.

4. Lower half of picture is the Upper Triangle Sidings, the large grey shed is the old Turbo DMU fuelling Shed with the square Admin Building to the left of that. Although there are rails leading up to it, i’m Not sure if the shed is still connected. It was a through road, there was a connection into the depot from the Reading West direction.

 

The Upper Sidings are still in use by Network Rail for On-Track-Plant and test trains. The NMT is sometimes stabled there but accesses the new TCD to the North for fuelling.

[Banger Blue]

59 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said:

Those google map images are well out of date. Where is the new flyover? Where are the new platform tracks and the new over platform concourse?

 

Cow lane will open to two way traffic throughout in a couple of weeks following the replacement of the two narrow bridges.

 

I don’t know which map comes up for you but, everything is there when I click on the link in the OP. The Wheel Lathe Facility is in place on the side of the TCD main shed and that’s a recent addition. There are also several 387 EMU stabled in the East Yard. In the West Yard can be seen the stock for the Night Riviera Sleeper (7 coaches with T’n’T Class 57s), another Class 57 and 08 Shunter with a couple of DMUs.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Banger Blue

[Ian Morgan]

Hmm, I got this:

 

[Banger Blue]

Wow, that is out of date!   

There are Turbos still in the Upper Triangle, that dates it to pre April/May 2013.

[Ron Ron Ron]

On 14/02/2019 at 13:56, The Stationmaster said:

.................I fear that exactly the same will now happen in Cow Lane.  And quite how the gradients under that bridge are going to be achieved, especially at the north end at the entrance to GWR's depot and the junction with Cardiff Road I wait to see with considerable amusement because unless they are drastically altered low slung long wheelbase vehicles will ground as they go over the sharp transition from level to the steep gradient to get down under the bridges.

 

The new bridge opened today and from the videos I've seen and the photos online, there doesn't appear to be any issues there.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-47358714

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by Ron Ron Ron

[The Stationmaster]

Hmm, it will be interesting to sample it if we go to Waitrose this coming Thursday.

 

I must admit I remain totally mystified about what it will offer for a 'bus route apart from possible access to the 'leisure centre' and maybe the pop festival because such a route will bypass the town centre and would also have to miss the Oxford Road because Beresford Road (the most immediate access to Cow Lane on the south side) is really unsuitable for 'buses which means they would have to use Portman Road which basically serves only an industrial estate and offers a bypass to avoid Oxford Road.  North of the railway is again largely industrial with the exception of the Rivermead Leisure Centre which is only a short walk from Caversham Road and its existing 'bus routes.

 

Cow Lane already gets congested and although delays are partly due to the previous narrow bridge under the Main Lines etc it is in any case busy and adding a 'bus route of any sort in Reading's inimitable fashion, much loved by Councillor Page, will only reintroduce the delays and traffic queues long associated with the previous bridge.  I wonder what arrangements have been made to clear traffic fumes from under the new bridge when vehicles will inevitably be stuck in traffic there?  Presumably (as I think 'Rocker Shove' previously commented) the new section of road will have pumping equipment as it is much lower than the original, long since demolished, brick arch bridge which was very prone to flooding.  Indeed the site has had pumps in operation while work has gone on because the excavation, not surprisingly, went below the water table, and is well below river level as well.

 

Overall a great improvement for those of us who have for very many years used Cow Lane to avoid the centre of Reading but I still have considerable reservations that the change might end up creating as many, if not more, problems than the one which it has resolved, especially if it becomes a regular 'bus route of some sort.  But at least we won't have illiterate lorry drivers who can't understand traffic signs and warning lights reversing to avoid the bridge their lorry is too high to go under 

[The Stationmaster]

The new Cow Lane bridge was duly 'tested' today and the result at the north side (which was not shown in the video linked earlier in this thread) was very much as expected.  There is basically little or no transition between the old road level and the descent to get under the new bridge and judging by the rather rough ride in one spot I do wonder if a low slung vehicle might have already 'modified' the road surface?   Oddly there is also a gap in the finished final road surface just below that on the start of the slope so maybe they stopped short in order to puzzle out how to tackle the transition - which from what I can see would probably impinge where there is the junction with a rising transition towards the entrance to the GWR depot.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

I take it you aren't Councillor Page's number one fan then Mike?

 

Mike.

[Banger Blue]

On 02/03/2019 at 01:05, The Stationmaster said:

The new Cow Lane bridge was duly 'tested' today and the result at the north side (which was not shown in the video linked earlier in this thread) was very much as expected.  There is basically little or no transition between the old road level and the descent to get under the new bridge and judging by the rather rough ride in one spot I do wonder if a low slung vehicle might have already 'modified' the road surface?   Oddly there is also a gap in the finished final road surface just below that on the start of the slope so maybe they stopped short in order to puzzle out how to tackle the transition - which from what I can see would probably impinge where there is the junction with a rising transition towards the entrance to the GWR depot.

 

Cow Lane was closed last weekend to allow for road resurfacing & new road markings for the final configuration- there are now filter lanes for both Cardiff Road &  access to the TCD.

 

[The Stationmaster]

And, as I found on Thursday, the profile to/from the new underbridge is considerably improved with far less risk now of a long vehicle grounding.  Only problem is that there is now more traffic using the route!!