Cardiff station upgrade and other works

[corneliuslundie]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-53847661

Although the story is about Cardiff station there is mention of other work for which Schapps has announced funding. A bit puzzled to see wiring the Severn Tunnel mentioned as it was part of the GW electrification scheme. As usual of course some of the money has been announced previously, but hey, why not claim the glory again.

Also surprising is upgrading the Cambrian main line signalling since it is the most advanced in the country.

Jonathan 

[The Johnster]

The 'wiring' in the Severn Tunnel which was included in the Electrification Scheme consisted of a solid rail installed above each track fixed directly to the roof of the tunnel, along which the pantograph runs.  It is a Swiss system and has been used in the Gotthard Base Tunnel amongst others, but proved unsuitable for use in the Severn Tunnel, and presumably what is being announced here is conventional wiring replacement.

 

As I'm sure you know, the Severn Tunnel is a horrible place and a very difficult environment unlike anywhere in Switzerland.  Brackish river water finds it's way in and is filtered through 140 odd years' worth of steam loco soot and diesel exhaust deposits, and everything in there is covered in thick black slime acidic enough to make your hands sting; it's all pretty corrosive and the Swiss OLE was an embarrassing failure.  Of course, the trains are bi-mode and the new timetable was not affected by this, but clearly the more electric power that can be used in the tunnel the better from the ventilation point of view.

[The Johnster]

I think an alteration to platform use at Cardiff Central might make pathing more efficient, and have been saying for years that the up direction main line departure platforms, 1 and 2, would be more effective as an up and down island platform, with the up main running through 1 and the down main running through 2, for use by Paddington-Swansea-downline and the Holyhead trains.  These could then run in and out without being disturbed by and without disturbing traffic terminating at Cardiff.  The current up and down mains, the 'centre roads', would be a continuation of the relief roads from STJ, and terminating/starting traffic would use 3 and 4 as many already do.

 

There would be a conflict of traffic, with passenger trains for 3 and 4 having to cross the up and down reliefs, but this is already the case.  All roads at Cardiff Central are now bi-directional, so it would be simply a matter of redirecting passengers (I am not trying to claim that redirecting passengers who have been used to using the same platform since god was in short trousers is easy, but nothing involving passengers is easy, give me lumps of coal that stay put, don't ask questions or complain, and do what they are told, any day!).

 

None of which is anything to do with the redeveloping of the public side of the station, which if it follows the earlier suggestions will retain the Portland Stone GW booking hall and ceramic faced platform buildings but will envelope the booking hall with a glass fronted structure facing on to Central Square with shops, bars, restaurants and such to generate rental income on 3 floors and a passenger footbridge to all platforms as well as the subway.  The main passenger subway retains it's ceramic facing with the GW hand signs and mention of the long lost platform 5; I hope this is to be kept!

 

I miss the old GW booking hall, though; the interior decoration has been saved along with the lovely art deco hanging lanterns, but the wood panelled booking office was a wonderful thing, and gave a feeling of solidity and tradition.  To be fair, I doubt it could cope with the current passenger footfall, though many more bookings are done online deze daze.  What I don't miss is the old information office at the Saunders Road end, the world's least reliable and generally worst information bureau.  The current one is much better.