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Post by TNL33036 on Jul 8, 2016 12:21:04 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Jul 8, 2016 13:19:23 GMT
Dr Gloom here. I'll be astonished if the expected scope of GWML electrification is ever delivered. I believe there are major issues with the works at Bristol Temple Meads, with resolving the station design at Oxford and also the likelihood of wires ever reaching Swansea has to be in doubt. The GWML is almost a text book example of how not to electrify a main line railway. The cost escalation is ludicrous as is the inefficiency that is seemingly endemic in each package of work. It's clear that there is some experience and competence around electrification in NR but it is disparate and the learning doesn't seem to be captured centrally and then made available for others. NR have managed to electrify parts of the North London Line and routes in Scotland without too many issues so if they can do it there why such a mess elsewhere?
The GWML is not exactly a difficult route - it's pretty straight, there are not too many stations, the route alignment is wide in a lot of places and NR should have had good asset knowledge. Yes there are some "touchy" Heritage issues because of the Brunel impact on the route but that should have been foreseen. Getting a redesigned Oxford station through the local planning process will be difficult and is already causing delays.
I hope NR manage to complete the works and to learn the lessons. The problem is that the cost escalation and inefficiency is all grist to the mill to the Treasury wonks who detest spending any money on the railways. With the government in turmoil and a new PM on the way I suspect we will see Osborne and McLohughlin kicked out meaning a loss of commitment to the railways and further investment. Patrick McLoughlin has been an unusual SoS for Transport - he actually appears to like the job rather than viewing it as a stepping stone up or down the greasy ministerial pole. It would be good if he survived if only because he's a relatively "safe pair of hands" and has the respect of a decent cross section of those in the rail industry. If Andrea "my CV isn't really full of lies" Loathsome becomes PM then expect transport to be completely neglected as it's not something she even appears to recognise exists never mind it being important. I think her constituency has no railway stations in it. She also doesn't appear to support HS2. Mrs May probably has a bit more interest as she represents a commuter constituency which is receiving electrification and Crossrail. Heathrow expansion will be the transport policy "bete noir" for her.
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Post by John tuthill on Jul 8, 2016 13:44:14 GMT
Dr Gloom here. I'll be astonished if the expected scope of GWML electrification is ever delivered. I believe there are major issues with the works at Bristol Temple Meads, with resolving the station design at Oxford and also the likelihood of wires ever reaching Swansea has to be in doubt. The GWML is almost a text book example of how not to electrify a main line railway. The cost escalation is ludicrous as is the inefficiency that is seemingly endemic in each package of work. It's clear that there is some experience and competence around electrification in NR but it is disparate and the learning doesn't seem to be captured centrally and then made available for others. NR have managed to electrify parts of the North London Line and routes in Scotland without too many issues so if they can do it there why such a mess elsewhere? The GWML is not exactly a difficult route - it's pretty straight, there are not too many stations, the route alignment is wide in a lot of places and NR should have had good asset knowledge. Yes there are some "touchy" Heritage issues because of the Brunel impact on the route but that should have been foreseen. Getting a redesigned Oxford station through the local planning process will be difficult and is already causing delays. I hope NR manage to complete the works and to learn the lessons. The problem is that the cost escalation and inefficiency is all grist to the mill to the Treasury wonks who detest spending any money on the railways. With the government in turmoil and a new PM on the way I suspect we will see Osborne and McLohughlin kicked out meaning a loss of commitment to the railways and further investment. Patrick McLoughlin has been an unusual SoS for Transport - he actually appears to like the job rather than viewing it as a stepping stone up or down the greasy ministerial pole. It would be good if he survived if only because he's a relatively "safe pair of hands" and has the respect of a decent cross section of those in the rail industry. If Andrea "my CV isn't really full of lies" Loathsome becomes PM then expect transport to be completely neglected as it's not something she even appears to recognise exists never mind it being important. I think her constituency has no railway stations in it. She also doesn't appear to support HS2. Mrs May probably has a bit more interest as she represents a commuter constituency which is receiving electrification and Crossrail. Heathrow expansion will be the transport policy "bete noir" for her. If it gets the job done why not a mixture of O/H and third/fourth rail? It happened on the line thru' Farringdon. As you point out I too would have thought a fairly straight and level line thanks to IKB, there wouldn't be the problems that are being 'found/created'
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Post by ServerKing on Jul 12, 2016 23:43:27 GMT
Dr Gloom here. I'll be astonished if the expected scope of GWML electrification is ever delivered. I believe there are major issues with the works at Bristol Temple Meads, with resolving the station design at Oxford and also the likelihood of wires ever reaching Swansea has to be in doubt. The GWML is almost a text book example of how not to electrify a main line railway. The cost escalation is ludicrous as is the inefficiency that is seemingly endemic in each package of work. It's clear that there is some experience and competence around electrification in NR but it is disparate and the learning doesn't seem to be captured centrally and then made available for others. NR have managed to electrify parts of the North London Line and routes in Scotland without too many issues so if they can do it there why such a mess elsewhere? The GWML is not exactly a difficult route - it's pretty straight, there are not too many stations, the route alignment is wide in a lot of places and NR should have had good asset knowledge. Yes there are some "touchy" Heritage issues because of the Brunel impact on the route but that should have been foreseen. Getting a redesigned Oxford station through the local planning process will be difficult and is already causing delays. I hope NR manage to complete the works and to learn the lessons. The problem is that the cost escalation and inefficiency is all grist to the mill to the Treasury wonks who detest spending any money on the railways. With the government in turmoil and a new PM on the way I suspect we will see Osborne and McLohughlin kicked out meaning a loss of commitment to the railways and further investment. Patrick McLoughlin has been an unusual SoS for Transport - he actually appears to like the job rather than viewing it as a stepping stone up or down the greasy ministerial pole. It would be good if he survived if only because he's a relatively "safe pair of hands" and has the respect of a decent cross section of those in the rail industry. If Andrea "my CV isn't really full of lies" Loathsome becomes PM then expect transport to be completely neglected as it's not something she even appears to recognise exists never mind it being important. I think her constituency has no railway stations in it. She also doesn't appear to support HS2. Mrs May probably has a bit more interest as she represents a commuter constituency which is receiving electrification and Crossrail. Heathrow expansion will be the transport policy "bete noir" for her. Let's see how much money there is left down the back of the sofa after Theresa May instructs DfT to take the GTR franchise in-house, deal with Brexit, prop up RBS as it teeters on the brink of collapse, sort out the NHS... but it seems GWR electrification has become a bigger farce than the Labour Party and its internal struggles... now there's talk of an "AFC Labour" that's prepared to split from the main club, drop out of the Premier league, return to Conference football and try and work their way up they should just concentrate on doing the Hayes to Reading section and fill in all the gaps. It's a mix of Langley with fully wired sections, Maidenhead with the supports but no wires, more piles than a proctologist sees in a busy hospital... I don't know if they are working in sections or its different teams of engineers, but it all seems very haphazard. Hopefully they will have refurbished the Class 315's and 317's as there won't be much money left when this project finally finishes
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Post by snowman on Jul 18, 2016 13:58:12 GMT
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Post by YY13VKP on Jul 18, 2016 23:13:19 GMT
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Post by TNL33036 on Jul 18, 2016 23:39:34 GMT
Perhaps testing may commence soon on the Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington soon?
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Post by snowman on Aug 9, 2016 12:36:20 GMT
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Post by TNL33036 on Aug 30, 2016 13:58:57 GMT
Kindly obtained from the Rail Focus UK FB page
Starting Monday 5th September 2016, the following diagrams will be Class 387/1 worked on GWR metals 2 4 car units in use each morning and evening with 1 8 car ECS movement, each morning.
Morning Diagram 1 - Weekdays (formed of 4 coaches) 5S06 0637 North Pole Iep Depot to London Paddington 5S07 0657 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington 2S07 0718 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington 5S08 0749 London Paddington to Old Oak Common Recp Line
Morning Diagram 2 - Weekdays (formed of 4 coaches) 5S09 0649 North Pole Iep Depot to London Paddington 2S09 0715 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington 5S10 0735 Hayes & Harlington to Hayes & Harlington 2S10 0748 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington 5S11 0818 London Paddington to Old Oak Common Recp Line
Morning Diagram 3 - Weekdays (formed of 8 coaches) 5S12 0858 Old Oak Common Recp Line to London Paddington 5S13 0916 London Paddington to North Pole Iep Depot
Weekday Afternoon/Evening Diagram 1 - Weekdays (formed of 4 coaches) 5S48 1658 North Pole Iep Depot to London Paddington 2S48 1718 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington 5S52 1741 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington 2S52 1848 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington 5S53 1911 Hayes & Harlington to Hayes & Harlington 2S53 1924 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington 5S54 2003 London Paddington to North Pole Iep Depot
Weekday Afternoon/Evening Diagram 2 - Weekdays (formed of 4 coaches) 5S55 1833 North Pole Iep Depot to London Paddington 2S56 1915 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington 5S56 1938 Hayes & Harlington to Hayes & Harlington 2S57 1954 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington 5S57 2027 London Paddington to North Pole Iep Depot
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Post by MoEnviro on Aug 30, 2016 18:16:27 GMT
Its also worth noting that as there are no spare paths into London Paddington at peak times, These Hayes services are replacing the Greenford shuttles which are curtailed to the new bay platform at West Ealing.
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Post by snoggle on Nov 8, 2016 11:52:36 GMT
The Government have announced a descoping of 4 elements of the Great Western electrification project. There is no comment about whether this work will ever be completed. Doesn't look very good to me and I understand MPs from all parties are getting very cross about what may be happening with Midland Main Line electrification - now apparently back to 2023 at the earliest. Seems Network Rail are incapable of electrifying railways on busy routes. They're going to get a move on on the GOBLIN - 3 months left and there aren't even electrification masts fully in place on the more open, non viaduct sessions. I'd have expected those to be in place by now. www.gov.uk/government/speeches/rail-update-rail-investment-in-the-great-western-routeExcerpt from the Minister's speech.
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Post by routew15 on Nov 8, 2016 14:00:35 GMT
Does the descoping not affect the use of the all electric Electrostars on the Thames Valley Routes?
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Post by SILENCED on Nov 8, 2016 14:19:20 GMT
Does the descoping not affect the use of the all electric Electrostars on the Thames Valley Routes? Indeed it does ... the Electrostars wold come to a sudden halt when the wires run out. Seeing as their 150s have been leased by Northern ... they had better start looking at what DMU fleets are available.
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Post by routew15 on Nov 8, 2016 14:38:45 GMT
Does the descoping not affect the use of the all electric Electrostars on the Thames Valley Routes? Indeed it does ... the Electrostars wold come to a sudden halt when the wires run out. Seeing as their 150s have been leased by Northern ... they had better start looking at what DMU fleets are available. I thought so although I had something in the back of my head saying maybe it is hidden that these EMUs have the battery powered capability of the experimental 379s of Greater Anglia.. .
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Post by snowman on Nov 8, 2016 14:42:21 GMT
Does the descoping not affect the use of the all electric Electrostars on the Thames Valley Routes? Indeed it does ... the Electrostars wold come to a sudden halt when the wires run out. Seeing as their 150s have been leased by Northern ... they had better start looking at what DMU fleets are available. Extra Bi-modes were ordered for the Oxford routes from Hitachi few weeks ago (might have been conversion from all electric). Will leave extra electrostars, and a shortage of diesel or bi-mode trains
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