West Junction Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 The GW electrification project has resulted in many bridge alterations to meet new Railway Standards, some to protect the public. I have no detailed knowledge of these Standards and just take the general perception this protection usually means at least, higher bridge parapets. Whilst out for walking today in the Sonning Cutting area, I met somebody else puzzled by one particular bridge, Warren Rd bridge or NR plated Sonning Rd. Make of it what you will, but here are some photos of the five Sonning Cutting bridges. East end of the cutting. Bridge in the distance is Duffield Rd, rebuilt for the electrification. The nearer bridge is Butts Hill Rd, currently parapet work is underway. Butts Hill Rd. Fencing and traffic lights went in before the wires went live. No work on the parapets in evidence for over a year. Work now looks to have started for an autumn finish? West end, two A4 Bath Rd bridges. Both have had the parapets raised and are probably the highest above the track. The views east and west, were taken from Warren Rd bridge. Parapet of railings at most 4' 6" high. I first remember this bridge from school in the 70's and it was known to us as "Suicide Bridge". Difficult from a local view to understand why all the other bridges have/are being changed but not this one. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Hi, I can confirm that the signs have been amended at Reading, new signs have gone up on only the platforms that access lines towards Newbury, with signs on those that were on platform 9 have been removed. Simon 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2018 So it loooks like RDG to PAD shut all day, almost all lines, due to wires down with a class 800 last night. I thought this ohle has been designed to avoid all lines down and wonder what has happened to cause it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 It's down between Hayes and Paddington isn't it? That's not the new OLE, that's mostly the old Mk3 headspans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I'm guessing it's somewhere between Ealing Broadway and West Ealing as on the one hand the Greenford shuttle isn't running, and on the other, the furthest east any trains on the main line are going is Slough (i.e. nothing's terminating at EB for change to the Underground - or can't they do that any more?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I thought this OLE was being swapped or haven’t they got that far? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Banger Blue Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 I posted this over in the 800 thread last night: Around 20.30 ish, 802016 working 5Z65 ECS North Pole - Stoke Gifford was involved in a dewirement at Ealing Broadway whilst on the Down Main. Originally thought to be just that line, subsequently all lines were blocked and no power to the OLE between Paddington 7 Maidenhead. Last update I saw at 23.25 ish was that all lines were blocked between Paddington & Slough. Lots of services cancelled or were being started from Reading (including the down sleeper). This morning all lines are still blocked between Paddington & Slough, there is a limited LTV shuttle between Didcot, Reading & Slough. HSS services are terminating / starting at Reading. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I thought this OLE was being swapped or haven’t they got that far?It is, but there are still quite a few headspans about, although I can't remember just where. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 (edited) The latest from Network Rail is that there is extensive damage to 500m of OHLE at Hanwell. Aspiration is to reopen 2 lines by midday. One commuter said "Couldn't GWR have sent us a text to advise us of the disruption". Well, I don't know, that assumes the GWR have the customers mobile number, the mobile is switched on, and the text is read sufficiently early for folk to do something about it. I think that it is, at present, a pie in the sky aspiration on the part of the commuter concerned. Edited October 17, 2018 by Richard E 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2018 It is, but there are still quite a few headspans about, although I can't remember just where. Jim There are definitely some headspans in that vicinity. One report has said the damage was at Hanwell (which is headspans) and another said West Ealing. (which I think is also hreadspan). I wonder what happened to the plan and the money for replacing all the headspans between Acton and airport Jcn? (sorry but that is probably a rhetorical question) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 The latest from Network Rail is that there is extensive damage to 500m of OHLE at Hanwell. Aspiration is to reopen 2 lines by midday. One commuter said "Couldn't GWR have sent us a text to advise us of the disruption". Well, I don't know, that assumes the GWR have the customers mobile number, the mobile is switched on, and the text is read sufficiently early for folk to do something about it. I think that it is, at present, a pie in the sky aspiration on the part of the commuter concerned. Given that it's been all over the news, and no doubt GWRs various social media platforms, you couldn't say that it's been some kind of secret. A personal text might be a bit much to ask, unless GWR offer some kind of opt in scheme for that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 There are definitely some headspans in that vicinity. One report has said the damage was at Hanwell (which is headspans) and another said West Ealing. (which I think is also hreadspan). I wonder what happened to the plan and the money for replacing all the headspans between Acton and airport Jcn? (sorry but that is probably a rhetorical question) I most definitely read articles in the early days of the GWEP that said the original OHLE between Paddington and Airport Junction would have to be upgraded/modified and largely replaced to allow for the introduction of the IET's. There's been quite a lot of replacement in places, but from observation, most of the original headsman infrastructure remains in place. So to echo Mike's "rhetorical question", what has really happened? I'm only speculating, but it looks as if somewhere along the way, decisions have been made to cut costs and somehow that old OHLE has been deemed suitable. Hopefully someone with inside knowledge can help here? . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 Given that my doctor and dentist both send text reminders of appointments, a text urgent news service should not be impossible, though as stated the company would have to collect phone numbers, and then one gets into data privacy issues. I must admit that I object to the idea that one is expected to listen to the television news and buy a paper. I have had neither for years (nor had a TV for nigh-on 50 years). And when one is paying five grand for a season ticket one might possibly expect some service with it. Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foo Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 My Twitter feed made a funny about it all anyway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I must admit that I object to the idea that one is expected to listen to the television news and buy a paperThat's fair enough, but if you choose not to, you can't subsequently complain that you haven't been informed about the content. Obviously checking the trains as part of the morning routine is not something everyone has time for, but the fact that it isn't usually necessary is testament to the fact that almost all the time the service is reliable enough. GWR (and other TOCs) could offer a text alert service, or an email alert service, but as you say they'd need the data to reach the recipients. For it to be truly useful they'd need to collect more than just that, as users would quickly unsubscribe if they were standing at Taplow and getting a load of texts about delays near Truro. I'm sure the technology exists, but a meltdown like today is the kind of thing that rarely happens more than once a year, and that is important context. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Banger Blue Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 Sources indicate that the driver raised the Pan at or very near to Line Speed in an area where it shouldn’t have been raised (it should be already up or kept down) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 Widespread text alerts do work. Here in my part of France we get texts from Orange when major electrical storms are due advising us to unplug the telephone and TV. It seems to work well as we don't seem to get false alerts for storms that are nearby but don't affect us. As regards the headspans, Roger Ford mentioned this in Informed sources some time ago. I believe that some have been replaced and that they have a solution that allows the existing masts to be reused but obviously budgets and possessions then came into play. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Sources indicate that the driver raised the Pan at or very near to Line Speed in an area where it shouldn’t have been raised (it should be already up or kept down)Impressive. Didn't think an 800 on diesel could reach line speed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 2mmMark Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2018 Sources indicate that the driver raised the Pan at or very near to Line Speed in an area where it shouldn’t have been raised (it should be already up or kept down) So the overhead wasn't damaged by heavy handed track cleaning then? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 A few trains on the move now from both Paddington and Reading. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2018 Widespread text alerts do work. Here in my part of France we get texts from Orange when major electrical storms are due advising us to unplug the telephone and TV. It seems to work well as we don't seem to get false alerts for storms that are nearby but don't affect us. As regards the headspans, Roger Ford mentioned this in Informed sources some time ago. I believe that some have been replaced and that they have a solution that allows the existing masts to be reused but obviously budgets and possessions then came into play. Jamie They have done some on the ECML using existing masts I believe but I'm not sure if nay have been done that way on the GWML. Most of the replacements further in and some near Ealing Broadway all appear to have used new structures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted October 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 17, 2018 Sources indicate that the driver raised the Pan at or very near to Line Speed in an area where it shouldn’t have been raised (it should be already up or kept down) BBC TV news seem to suggest that the "wrong" part of the pantograph had made contact with the OH pulling it all down. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Two words .......................... Conductor Rail ....................................... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Wonder when/if 800s will be cleared to run into Waterloo. They've been to Eastleigh, so con rail isn't a problem in itself. Or indeed Marylebone. Not that either would be that helpful in an emergency situation like this as they're both pretty busy with their own services. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Wonder when/if 800s will be cleared to run into Waterloo. They've been to Eastleigh, so con rail isn't a problem in itself. Or indeed Marylebone. Not that either would be that helpful in an emergency situation like this as they're both pretty busy with their own services. No, the juice rail wouldn't be a problem - but the idiots forgot to fit the shoes to this latest batch of Javelins .......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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