West of England mainline - How much is single track?

[PaulRhB]

 

t's probably shown incorrectly in Rules of The Plan . . .

 

i won't even suggest you should report it up through your own management because however good they might be there now seem to be some remarkable disconnects between operators and planners

Correct and correct! We sent the Mom out with a measuring wheel to make absolutely sure which one was right. Sent diagrams, emails phone calls. I think it's literally hewn in stone!

For some reason we weren't prepared to try it out to prove them wrong, now freight has to have a qualified shunter to make a propelling move it would have locked up the single line for at least 2 hours. That's assuming there was a shunter at Eastleigh!

[ess1uk]

When is this line to have signal boxes shut?

[Gwiwer]

When is this line to have signal boxes shut?

Within the next 12 months I believe. Signalling at all locations Gillingham - Feniton inclusive will be moved to Basingstoke centre.

[ess1uk]

Ok that figures.

Doing Basingstoke install on Tuesday and would explain why some of the boxes I was going to visit have now been removed from list.

[PaulRhB]

March is the official time at present, sadly Templecombe will be demolished as they can't get disabled access once they lose the Signalman who currently releases the gates. The platform on the Down side will be extended out to meet the track instead. Operating a CCTV gate crossing remotely wasn't a viable option.

[JohnR]

March is the official time at present, sadly Templecombe will be demolished as they can't get disabled access once they lose the Signalman who currently releases the gates. The platform on the Down side will be extended out to meet the track instead. Operating a CCTV gate crossing remotely wasn't a viable option.

 

Wouldnt that make it difficult to do the sensible thing and extend the double track secction into Templecombe station?

[The Stationmaster]

 

Wouldnt that make it difficult to do the sensible thing and extend the double track secction into Templecombe station?

I have a suspicion the underbridge at the east end of Templecombe would make that a very expensive option (unless it's been filled in?).

[PaulRhB]

Ah but redoubling the track into the station would still require disabled access to the Up side which can only be done with a very long footbridge at an unmanned station. There's no money in the budget for the bridge so hence the current solution. If, and it's a really big if, they ever had the money and will to redouble then they would just knock down the extension to the platform.

The eastern end underbridge still carries the road under the line but I'm not sure what condition the abutments are in for the span that was removed.

[The Stationmaster]

Ah but redoubling the track into the station would still require disabled access to the Up side which can only be done with a very long footbridge at an unmanned station. There's no money in the budget for the bridge so hence the current solution. If, and it's a really big if, they ever had the money and will to redouble then they would just knock down the extension to the platform.

The eastern end underbridge still carries the road under the line but I'm not sure what condition the abutments are in for the span that was removed.

Thanks for that Paul - as ramped footbridges were coming in at around £1 million a copy a couple of years ago i hate to think what they would cost now

[PaulRhB]

Yes they tried to recycle one from somewhere else but it wouldn't fit and the Council wouldn't entertain disabled access straight onto the road to access the Up side. Narrow pavements and long routes would cause them a nightmare if there was ever any problem so you can understand the councils decision.

[RJS1977]

Instead of widening the Down platform, thus blocking the vacant Down line, wouldn't it make more sense to slew the track across so that the now-vacant Up line is available for redoubling in future.

[Gwiwer]

1. "Railways logic" might prevent anything that sensible being considered

2. As noted above there may be questions over the fitness of the bridge abutments to accommodate a slewed track; whilst they could be made fit it adds a lot to the cost and maybe not strictly part of the resignalling so whose budget does that go on?

[m0rris]

How many similar buildings to Templecombe are there? It seems a shame that it'll go. On a related note, what will happen to the footbridge since that would become redundant?

[phil-b259]

How many similar buildings to Templecombe are there? It seems a shame that it'll go. On a related note, what will happen to the footbridge since that would become redundant?

 

Recycled a second time perhaps,(the current one came from Buxted in Sussex when the Uckfield line was singled) although given the requirements for disabled access, I suspect it would have to be on a heritage line someplace. (Templcombe's orgional footbridge was oblitorated along with the rest of the buildings when the station was shut)

[phil-b259]

 

Crewkerne's second platform still exists and appears in reasonable condition, but when I was there about a month ago there didn't look to me like there was enough room now to put in a second track and that's without all the clutter such as control boxes that are in the space..

 

 

The remaining platform at Crewekerne was widened by NSE in preperation for the introduction of the 159s and this invoved slewing the track towards the centre line of the formation so the aparrent 'space' for the second track is actually a good bit smaller than you might think. I believe this was done because the platform was extended back under the overbridge at the Exeter end of the station to allow longer trains (although why they could'nt have demolished the redundent signal box and extended the platform at the London end is a bit of a mystery).

[Guest Natalie Graham]

 

The road from the Illminster roundabout on Taunton is scheduled for duelling

Swords or pistols?

[PaulRhB]

1. "Railways logic" might prevent anything that sensible being considered

2. As noted above there may be questions over the fitness of the bridge abutments to accommodate a slewed track; whilst they could be made fit it adds a lot to the cost and maybe not strictly part of the resignalling so whose budget does that go on?

Yes slewing the track and putting in a new bridge plus would actually cost more as you'd need to reverse the current points where the line doubled too. All goes into different budgets.

[ess1uk]

been into Basingstoke ASC today and the new panel is taking shape.

[The Stationmaster]

been into Basingstoke ASC today and the new panel is taking shape.

wot, a real panel??? That's something in this day and age for a major extension.

[ess1uk]

yep, looks similar to the one in the room next door, but with the holes for the GSMR from the start

[PaulRhB]

The WoE and Dorset Coast will both be panels. The WoE one is double stacked with Tisbury to Yeovil on the top and Yeovil to Honiton beneath it. At least it's not the long walk of the main Basingstoke panel where the new version is three times longer than the old one! You nearly need a railway to get to the far end!

[ess1uk]

Have all the boxes shut down there now?

 

[PaulRhB]

On the WoE yes, all now in Basingstoke apart from Salisbury, playing piggy in the middle with Basingstoke and BasingstokeWoE, which is currently down to be assimilated in 2018 when the new ROC is up and running. First box due to go in is Yeovil Pen Mill in 2014 but we bet a panel or two will be dragged in early too or it's going to look a bit lonely at the grand opening if just the YPM man is sat there all alone

[Rivercider]

On 25/11/2011 at 12:08, Rivercider said:

A separate issue, but one which would affect any future expansion of the service,

is there not an aspiration to increase the Devon Metro service?

The Great Western RUS makes mention of making the Paignton-Exmouth service half hourly,

the hourly Barnstaple-Exeter service to terminate at St James Park, presumably running ECS to turn back at Exmouth Junction.

 

cheers

Bringing a thread back from the dead.......

 

From the December timetable change there is now a half hourly service on the Paignton - Exmouth service, and the Barnstaple services are now worked separately Barnstaple to St James Park, and ecs to Exmouth Jn.

This now means four timetabled trains hourly from St Davids up to Exeter Central. In the evening peak there are the two additional stoppers over the LSWR main line meaning 10 timetabled trains up the bank between 16.00 and 18.00.

 

cheers