GWML Electification

Thanks for those links Ron - looks like the high output road-rail fleet has been hard at work again (although teh train was out at Basildon on Good Friday but I'm not entirely sure what for as it was under a section which had already been wired.

I am presuming there is going to be a return wire judging by the insulators which are appearing on top of the masts in many places and it will be interesting to see how that is installed with the booms and full catenary already in place and it having to go over the top of everything that's already there as well as outside the masts - presumably a lot of manual effort likely to be needed to run out the wire?

Edited April 12, 2016 by The Stationmaster

Peter Kazmierczak · April 18, 2016

Spent the weekend, or at least part of it, by the GWML between Airport Jn and West Drayton.

At Airport Jn, work is continuing on the new flyover ramp to provide better access to the Up Main from Heathrow for Heathrow Express trains. The northern-most up flyover ramp which connects, with the Down Relief, is used by Heathrow Connect services.

A couple of the heavier-style crossbeams are in place, but basically headspans continue to just beyond the large girder flyover. Will the OHLE between here and Paddington be rebuilt/strengthened, or will the current headspans remain? Inclined to think it's the latter.

Beyond to West Drayton, most (but by no means all) uprights are in place. Evidence of incorrectly drilled holes for the bases:

sometimes two almost side-by-side but only one used. More crossbeam in situ towards West Drayon than closer to Airport Jn. - the whole thing looks very piecemeal and bitty at the moment.

Very few GWR trains are in the new green livery - didn't see any HSTs in green, only a couple of Cl.166s. Have GWR become lukewarm to their much acclaimed new livery? Thought they'd be more HSTs in that livery by now.

Photos to follow if anyone's interested.....

The Stationmaster · April 18, 2016

Spent the weekend, or at least part of it, by the GWML between Airport Jn and West Drayton.

At Airport Jn, work is continuing on the new flyover ramp to provide better access to the Up Main from Heathrow for Heathrow Express trains. The northern-most up flyover ramp which connects, with the Down Relief, is used by Heathrow Connect services.

A couple of the heavier-style crossbeams are in place, but basically headspans continue to just beyond the large girder flyover. Will the OHLE between here and Paddington be rebuilt/strengthened, or will the current headspans remain? Inclined to think it's the latter.

Beyond to West Drayton, most (but by no means all) uprights are in place. Evidence of incorrectly drilled holes for the bases:

sometimes two almost side-by-side but only one used. More crossbeam in situ towards West Drayon than closer to Airport Jn. - the whole thing looks very piecemeal and bitty at the moment.

Very few GWR trains are in the new green livery - didn't see any HSTs in green, only a couple of Cl.166s. Have GWR become lukewarm to their much acclaimed new livery? Thought they'd be more HSTs in that livery by now.

Photos to follow if anyone's interested.....

There seem to be quite a few 166s in green Peter but according to Mark Hopwood it costs a bit more than the older (plain blue) livery.

A lot of structures east of Airport Junction have already been changed with metalwork booms replacing headspans and according to an earlier NR piece I saw I think it will happen throughout the headspan area although one comment i read said only beyond Acton (which is presumably due to the linespeed change (if it is still there?).

Beware of the two bases side-by-side. Some definitely seem to be errors as they survive beyond the catenary going up but others very definitely serve a purpose as they are used for braces to be installed to the adjacent mast and that little job seems to come long (at some sites several months) after the masts have been erected - well 18 months in a couple of cases Also two smaller diameter bases adjacent to each other are used for signal structures when the lighter weight ones are being put in and also for a different pattern of mast base on softer or difficult ground.

And yes, all very bitty although I see most, if not all, of the missing booms adjacent to and at Tilehurst station were installed in the week following my noting their absence in Post 1754 (above). The 'bittiness' of that can be judged from that fact that I took photographs of the next adjacent structures complete with their register arms and other fittings several months back (in late 2015).

RJS1977 · April 18, 2016

My understanding is that the green HST was a one-off to mark the introduction of the new brand. With the HST fleet due to move on/retire in the next few years it presumably wasn't felt to be economical to repaint the rest.

Peter Kazmierczak · April 19, 2016

Some photos from a couple of days ago - these are between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport Jn.

HEX on up main. Line to left of train currently oou, but will be the connection from the new up flyover currently being constructed.

HEC about to join up relief after coming off flyover.

Up ramp used by HEC.

Up ramp to be used by HEX under construction.

More to follow.....

St. Simon · April 19, 2016

Some photos from a couple of days ago - these are between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport Jn.

DSCN9390.JPG

HEX on up main. Line to left of train currently oou, but will be the connection from the new up flyover currently being constructed.

DSCN9386.JPG

HEC about to join up relief after coming off flyover.

DSCN9416.JPG

Up ramp used by HEC.

DSC09302.JPG

Up ramp to be used by HEX under construction.

More to follow.....

Nice to see the design I've been drawing is coming along in real life!

Yes, Stockley is coming along, the new 'ramp' will become the Up Airport, the line will branch off the Up Airport Relief (the line that the Heathrow Connect Train is on), cross over the relief line and then down the ramp in the pictures. The old Up Airport further on will become the Down Airport Relief. This work will all happen at Christmas.

Also, Christmas 16 see ETCS Level 1 launched between Stockley and Heathrow Terminals, the Platform 5 Bay at Hayes will be realigned and extended, with the point being re-laid, this will also see a new cross over on the reliefs at the London end of the station going will (with a new pair of gantry signals).

The Rear Clear Markers on the Up Airport Relief in Peters pictures (the white circle boards with Black Triangles) are to be used for turning back Class 387 units on test via SN292 until the new crossover is installed and they can use the bays platform, thus the RCM's will be recovered at Christmas

Peter Kazmierczak · April 19, 2016

Further down the line at Stockley Bridge Jn.

An up HEC crosses Stockley flyover. The headspan wiring in the foreground is the current extent of electrification from Paddington.

HST on down main. This power car reminds me of Boaty McBoatface - don't those who design liveries actually THINK how'll they look when applied to the real thing.

Various bits n'bobs stored on upside at Stockley Bridge.

HST on up main. Very piecemeal at the moment, some uprights and crossbeams but no coherent look overall.

Two support foundation holes very close to each other.

Water has collected in the base of this support - is this good engineering design?

3.3k · April 19, 2016

I suppose the water in the pile must be okay because there is no place for the water to go.

Southernman46 · April 19, 2016

Tilehurst - Steventon is due to go live on 29th May - no trains just on soak atm

Edited April 19, 2016 by Southernman46

The Stationmaster · April 19, 2016

Tilehurst - Steventon is due to go live on 29th May - no trains just on soak atm

They'd better hurry up getting the mast bases in between the A34 bridge and Steventon then (and the masts and booms west of Milton, oh and an awful lot of catenary)

St. Simon · April 19, 2016

Beware of the two bases side-by-side. Some definitely seem to be errors as they survive beyond the catenary going up but others very definitely serve a purpose as they are used for braces to be installed to the adjacent mast and that little job seems to come long (at some sites several months) after the masts have been erected - well 18 months in a couple of cases Also two smaller diameter bases adjacent to each other are used for signal structures when the lighter weight ones are being put in and also for a different pattern of mast base on softer or difficult ground.

Hi,

Think about these apparent 'errors', although I don't know a lot about th design of OLE schemes, could additional piles be there for passive provision for additions / expansions later on? After all, once the wires are live, there will be very little chance of piling work without having to shut down a large area to do it, so it would make sense to pile everything that needs piling now and then go back and add whatever whenever.

Simon

phil-b259 · April 19, 2016

One thing I don't quite understand is that the new access to Heathrow from the relief lines appears to share a stretch of single track despite the Crossrail service proposed to be more intensive than HEX. especially with the possibility that after 2025 HEX might be abandoned anyway. Why was it not possible to simply make the current up Heathrow - up main ramp a bidirectional one carrying stuff from the down relief to down Heathrow as well - rather than setup currently being built.

Peter Kazmierczak · April 20, 2016

Phil,

My reading of the various plans indicates that, when complete, there won't be any single-track conflicts.

Up HEX and Up Crossrail will use the new large (western) flyover on exiting from the airport tunnel, then up HEX trains will use the new eastern flyover (currently under construction) to gain access to the up main.

Down Crossrail will have sole use of the the original flyover (over the mainlines) from the down relief, to join with the spur that Down HEX uses from the down main, before entering the airport tunnel.

chrisf · April 20, 2016

Hi,

Think about these apparent 'errors', although I don't know a lot about th design of OLE schemes, could additional piles be there for passive provision for additions / expansions later on? After all, once the wires are live, there will be very little chance of piling work without having to shut down a large area to do it, so it would make sense to pile everything that needs piling now and then go back and add whatever whenever.

Simon

That sounds a bit too much like forward planning to me ...

Chris

Peter Kazmierczak · April 20, 2016

Hopefully this sketch shows the final arrangement at Heathrow Airport Jn.

St. Simon · April 20, 2016

Hi,

Here's a diagram of the final layout at Stockley as it will be after Christmas this year:

This was taken off the latest scheme plan for the area, although obviously I can't show you the exact scheme plan. The normal operations I believe will be as follows:

Up Crossrail Trains from Heathrow to London will use the Up Airport, continue on the Up Airport Relief and join the Up Relief
Up Heathrow Express Trains will use the Up Airport, swing onto the Up Airport Flyover and merge with the Up Main
Down Crossrail Trains will use the Down Relief, go down to the Down Airport Relief line and then the Down Airport
Down Heathrow Express Trains will use the Down Main and Down Airport

It is possible to run bang road on all the airport lines, but bang road operations is then only permitted on the Up Relief and Down Main through Hayes and Harlington Station, after that you have to revert to the correct direction line.

That sounds a bit too much like forward planning to me ...

Chris

Chris, you'll be pleasantly surprised at other projects, so I think it's perfectly viable to have passive provision.

Simon

Edited April 20, 2016 by St. Simon

St. Simon · April 20, 2016

Hi,

Might help make a comparison, here's what it looked like before Crossrail:

Simon

The Pilotman · April 20, 2016

bang road

I'm pleased to see that expression is still in use!

Peter Kazmierczak · April 20, 2016

Finally some pictures from Horton Bridge, near West Drayton:

HST on up main waiting for the road - probably delayed by an up HEX. Thin posts in foreground are lighting columns - not associated with GWML electrification. More supports on down side than on the up. A few crossbeams are in position.

GWR-livered Cl.166 on up main. Clearly shows lack of supports on down side of the line.

DMUs on the up main and up relief looking towards West Drayton. Grand Union Canal in right background. More comprehensive arrangement of supports on both sides of the line.

A Cl.59/2 approaches West Drayton on the down relief with stone empties from Acton to one of the Somerset quarries. Note the green banner-repeater, which shows up wellon this very dull and wet afternoon.

D1059 · April 20, 2016

They'd better hurry up getting the mast bases in between the A34 bridge and Steventon then (and the masts and booms west of Milton, oh and an awful lot of catenary)

The road bridge at Steventon still hasn't been touched, and AFAIK there has been no track lowering under it yet either. If that is true then they can't put live knitting under it as there won't be sufficient clearance.

The Stationmaster · April 20, 2016

The road bridge at Steventon still hasn't been touched, and AFAIK there has been no track lowering under it yet either. If that is true then they can't put live knitting under it as there won't be sufficient clearance.

Yes, definitely in that state when I went down to Trainwest a couple of weeks back. I wonder if in respect of that May date we should read either Foxhall Jcn or Milton (almost) where it said Steventon?

Northroader · April 20, 2016

Coming back from Paddington today, I formed the opinion that most of the masts, cross arms, and register bits and bobs were in place between West Drayton and Slough, and a stretch of contact wire up on the up relief just west of Iver. There was also an impressive stretch with wires up on three lines (?four, I couldn't see through the roof!) between Burnham and Taplow. The further west from Maidenhead things fizzle out. Beyond Reading Mike gave a detailed report quite recently. The bridge at Wantage Road now has all the girders across the tracks, with decking, and shaping nicely.

GWML Electification

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