Barnt Green to Bromsgrove Electrification

[melmerby]

Mast foundations went in at BG station this weekend, except for one that needs a tree removing. You'd have thought that would have been done first.

 

Ian R 

From what I have seen (monday last) there can't be too many masts left to erect away from the station area.

They are very obvious at Finstall Road now and some seem like they might be gaining some of the wiring hardware.

 

Keith

 

EDIT I'd have thought that tree removal would have been part of the station build!

Edited April 25, 2017 by melmerby

[Ian Rathbone]

BG = Barnt Green, not Bromsgrove.

 

Ian R

[melmerby]

I thought the masts were in at  the Barnt Green end so assume you meant Bromsgrove!

 

BG = Barnt Green, not Bromsgrove.

Ian R

Cheers

 

Keith

[Liam]

The other day I passed over the line on the M5 and on the Barnt Green side nearly all the masts were up.

[melmerby]

Been out with the camera again to have a better look at Bromsgrove station and the track & electrification progress.

Fortunately better shots than last time!

 

From Bromsgrove approach to Barnt Green station.

The first three pictures show the track layout at Bromsgrove nicely

 

Railway Walk footbridge looking South:

 

Railway Walk footbridge looking North:

 

St Godwald's Road looking South:

 

St Godwald's Road looking North:

 

Finstall Road looking South:

 

Finstall Road looking North:

You can see the signal with three feathers on the approach to Bromsgrove

 

View from Burcot Garden Centre:

 

Linthurst Newtown Bridge looking South: (top of incline)

 

Linthurst Newtown Bridge looking North:

 

Occupation bridge north of M'way looking South:

 

Occupation bridge looking North, two views:

 

Barnt Green Station looking South:

 

Barnt Green Station looking North:

 

As you can see there are no masts at either Bromsgrove or Barnt Green but they are getting close.

Noticeable are some foundations for missing masts in one or two locations.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

 

EDIT

I wonder whether Barnt Green footbridge needs to change, it looks way lower than the new one that was required at Bromsgrove?

Edited May 1, 2017 by melmerby

[CovDriver]

They've recently upgraded the footbridge at Barnt Green over the main line and the Redditch branch so I'm guessing it's already for the knitting to go up but the angle of your last pic at Barnt Green is very deceptive

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

Edited May 1, 2017 by CovDriver

[melmerby]

They've recently upgraded the footbridge at Barnt Green over the main line and the Redditch branch so I'm guessing it's already for the knitting to go up but the angle of your last pic at Barnt Green is very deceptive

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

I took two pictures looking North at BG, one at standard lens setting and one with some zoom (the one I posted)

Both were taken from the south end of the down platform by the exit.

The standard setting didn't show enough detail from that distance. You couldn't really make out the end of the current (sorry) electrification where it terminates near the platform end.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[melmerby]

For those not in the know, the picture from St Godwald's Road South shows the approximate location of the previous station which was close to the new pointwork.

The old station car park is the space on the right of the picture.

 

Keith

[Swindon 123]

Traveled to Birmingham yesterday via the Lickey and noted that there are still a few masts to be erected, but not many, between Bromsgrove and Barnt Green. Towards the top of the Lickey, on the RH side going into Brum, a large compound has been created in a field with a large ramp to allow machinery to access the line. A few road/rail vehicles observed in the compound. The mast bases vary between solid concrete type and steel tube piles, depending on the ground conditions. In a couple of places some of the fittings for attaching the catenary arms to the masts had been fitted. 

 

Paul J.

[melmerby]

Traveled to Birmingham yesterday via the Lickey and noted that there are still a few masts to be erected, but not many, between Bromsgrove and Barnt Green. Towards the top of the Lickey, on the RH side going into Brum, a large compound has been created in a field with a large ramp to allow machinery to access the line. A few road/rail vehicles observed in the compound. The mast bases vary between solid concrete type and steel tube piles, depending on the ground conditions. In a couple of places some of the fittings for attaching the catenary arms to the masts had been fitted. 

 

Paul J.

I had a quick look on Monday at the Bromsgrove end and there didn't seem to be much change.

 

I think the compound you saw is the one on Hewell Lane that has been there long enough to appear on Google Street View:

https://goo.gl/maps/WJ9XwfmcgJU2

 

It was being prepared when the Earth View was taken:

https://goo.gl/maps/XE4K2JYwT7G2

 

It's about half way up the Lickey

 

Keith

[MattStevens]

I don't see why we need so many different types of EMU in this country. Surely something like those used on the WCML (class 350 I think) would be suitable for every route.

 

The class 323s are OK. I've driven them on a simulator (OK so only in the dry) and their performance was good - but I've also been a passenger in a real one and the ride leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not sure how old they are, but they feel quite old. As far as multiple units are concerned, the best interior on a regional or suburban type train is probably that of a 158/159. I think 323s would benefit from an interior makeover.

 

 

Matt

[Swindon 123]

I had a quick look on Monday at the Bromsgrove end and there didn't seem to be much change.

 

I think the compound you saw is the one on Hewell Lane that has been there long enough to appear on Google Street View:

https://goo.gl/maps/WJ9XwfmcgJU2

 

It was being prepared when the Earth View was taken:

https://goo.gl/maps/XE4K2JYwT7G2

 

It's about half way up the Lickey

 

Keith

Yes Kieth, that's the one, only since the Google fly over a large ramp has been built up to the level of the track and an access point for Road/Rail vehicles has been fitted on the track.

 

Paul J.

[CovDriver]

I don't see why we need so many different types of EMU in this country. Surely something like those used on the WCML (class 350 I think) would be suitable for every route.

 

The class 323s are OK. I've driven them on a simulator (OK so only in the dry) and their performance was good - but I've also been a passenger in a real one and the ride leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not sure how old they are, but they feel quite old. As far as multiple units are concerned, the best interior on a regional or suburban type train is probably that of a 158/159. I think 323s would benefit from an interior makeover.

 

 

Matt

 

From what I've heard through work the 323 fleet may be having a refit of sorts including the toilets being removed altogether and possibly some seating also being removed but nothing is confirmed as yet.

Our 350 is not cleared to go over any part of the Cross City route except between Duddeston and Aston and when we have the 323 fleet from Northern the 350 fleet will come off the Wolverhampton - Walsall services. 

The 323 fleet will then be mostly double sets on the Cross City route.

 

 

Which simulator have you driven the 323 on just out of curiosity ?

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

Edited May 25, 2017 by CovDriver

[phil-b259]

I don't see why we need so many different types of EMU in this country. Surely something like those used on the WCML (class 350 I think) would be suitable for every route.

 

 

Rolling stock is built by private sector companies to their own designs which then gets pitched to operators - its called free market competition and should in theory give a lower end price plus encourage manufacturers to offer more 'options' to operators.

 

Also, not all routes have the same requirements as regards length, interior fit out etc.

 

The UK railway network is not uniform as regards gauge clearances etc so again local factors will come into play when deciding what types are suitable.

 

Finally while BR may have had various EMU families (e.g. the Mk3 derived 455s, 317s, etc) each design was designed and built for a specific route and as such is not that different from Siemens having the Desiro 'family' of EMUs with lots of different options available depending on the operators needs.

[melmerby]

From what I've heard through work the 323 fleet may be having a refit of sorts including the toilets being removed altogether and possibly some seating also being removed but nothing is confirmed as yet.

Our 350 is not cleared to go over any part of the Cross City route except between Duddeston and Aston and when we have the 323 fleet from Northern the 350 fleet will come off the Wolverhampton - Walsall services. 

The 323 fleet will then be mostly double sets on the Cross City route.

 

 

Which simulator have you driven the 323 on just out of curiosity ?

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

There is a piece in the local rag suggesting that the new franchise winner for the West Midlands will be required by TfWM to replace the current rolling stock with new, both 323s and 350s were mentioned to be for the chop!

 

There was also a suggestion that the West Midlands area and the Trent Valley routes should be run as separate units.

I don't know how that would work with the London-Birmingham-Wolverhampton services being an integral part of the WM services!

 

Keith

Edited May 25, 2017 by melmerby

[28XX]

London Midland might be a more successful business if they invested a little in revenue protection. Three times in the last month I have bought tickets for journeys, each involving a change of train, which have never been, collected, clipped, or even looked at by a railway employee, nor scanned by any machine.

[Liam]

London Midland might be a more successful business if they invested a little in revenue protection. Three times in the last month I have bought tickets for journeys, each involving a change of train, which have never been, collected, clipped, or even looked at by a railway employee, nor scanned by any machine.

And then when in a one-in-million chance there is a guard on the train they claim money from fines if you've not bought a ticket (I always buy mine though).

 

(CovDriver, please don't take offence at this. I don't mean to offend anyone, I am merely making a point).

Edited May 25, 2017 by SVRlad

[D854_Tiger]

There is a piece in the local rag suggesting that the new franchise winner for the West Midlands will be required by TfWM to replace the current rolling stock with new, both 323s and 350s were mentioned to be for the chop!

 

There was also a suggestion that the West Midlands area and the Trent Valley routes should be run as separate units.

I don't know how that would work with the London-Birmingham-Wolverhampton services being an integral part of the WM services!

 

Keith

 

 

I suspect political hype in these new fangled Mayoral offices still has a way to go before meeting reality.

 

They might be able to throw away the LM colours but somehow I doubt they will get to throw away perfectly good trains.

 

Then they might be in for a bit of a shock when they realise their new empire is built on tracks they don't own, must share and will never be allowed to own.

[CovDriver]

There's no plans to throw the current fleet out I can assure you of that perhaps a change of livery that's about it.

 

And SVRlad no offence taken I agree with you fully

 

 

Cheers

 

Covdriver

[Northroader]

Maybe they'll paint them pink and grey and you'll get passed out for Corporation street. Slow down for the corners, though.

[melmerby]

A few more pictures from today showing the mast bases appearing as well as more metal on those already installed.

 

The extra metalwork can be seen as well as the mast bases on these views up the Lickey from Finstall Road.

 

Looking South a few more bases.

 

From St Godwald's Road towards the station again bases appearing in proliferation.

 

There also seemed to be work going on North of Hewell Road by the worksite with "Orange Army" along the trackside

 

Keith

[John_Miles]

I travel quite a lot between Cardiff and Brum and being a nerd, I have noticed that the masts in South Wales are very different to those between Barnt Green and Bromsgrove. The latter are either I section or lattice posts while in South Wales they are rectangular hollow section with a series of lugs on the trackside. You would think that NR would have worked out what was the cheapest structural form and used it everywhere.

[Titan]

I travel quite a lot between Cardiff and Brum and being a nerd, I have noticed that the masts in South Wales are very different to those between Barnt Green and Bromsgrove. The latter are either I section or lattice posts while in South Wales they are rectangular hollow section with a series of lugs on the trackside. You would think that NR would have worked out what was the cheapest structural form and used it everywhere.

 

It is not the cheapest structural form that counts, but the cheapest maintenance costs. If you are extending an area of Mk3 electrification, it makes sense to continue it as Mk3 (albeit making sure you use portals, not headspans!) as the depot responsible for maintaining it will already be familiar with the equipment and have a suite of spares. If you introduce a different type then you will need a much larger spares inventory as well as possibly additional staff training. South Wales will be a continuation of the GWML Electrification (eventually!) So it makes sense to use the same OLE as GWML, and therefore have the same spare parts inventory and staff training. Route Asset Managers really don't like it if you have a small stretch of equipment that they don't use anywhere else on their patch.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Titan

[melmerby]

It is not the cheapest structural form that counts, but the cheapest maintenance costs. If you are extending an area of Mk3 electrification, it makes sense to continue it as Mk3 (albeit making sure you use portals, not headspans!) as the depot responsible for maintaining it will already be familiar with the equipment and have a suite of spares. If you introduce a different type then you will need a much larger spares inventory as well as possibly additional staff training. South Wales will be a continuation of the GWML Electrification (eventually!) So it makes sense to use the same OLE as GWML, and therefore have the same spare parts inventory and staff training. Route Asset Managers really don't like it if you have a small stretch of equipment that they don't use anywhere else on their patch.

I assume the same criteria will be used for the Walsall-Rugeley TV electrification which is also taking place in the West Midlands.

Again it is a "boosterless" installation linking two parts of the original WC scheme from the 1960s.

 

Amongst the various upgrades as part of the scheme is a raising of line speeds and opening up to Gauge W10, so one assumes it is going to be used as an alternative (electrically hauled?) freight route as well.

 

Keith

Edited June 15, 2017 by melmerby

[Zomboid]

Cross city has Mk3 as well as mk1 equipment, so it almost certainly won't be mk1, and it's possible (don't know the details) that Walsall - Rugeley is a big enough scheme to justify adding series 2 to the mix.

 

Also, what happened to mk2 OLE? Where is/was that used?