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stuving
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« Reply #2595 on: February 06, 2014, 17:32:33 » |
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There was track through P10 this morning and the concrete pipeline was in place again along the platform.
They were filling in most of the interior of the platform, around the upright of the signal gantry. Would that be where the ground was dodgy? There are some ground investigations going on at the London end of P10/11, because they've found some unexpected voids due to some sort of buried brickwork, possibly an old building's foundations or something.
They weren't using the small pump they had before, for some reason ... The first picture also shows the track as initially aligned and sitting on top of the base ballast ... plus a wire that has to run over the wall at this point. |
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paul7575
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« Reply #2596 on: February 06, 2014, 18:39:38 » |
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The chap who explained to me about the voids under P10/11 just said they were 'right at that end' - which is probably close enough to the gantry position, give or take a few metres...
Paul
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4064ReadingAbbey
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« Reply #2597 on: February 16, 2014, 12:37:17 » |
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I've been wondering about that track for a while. Previously we've seen track layout drawings that do show a route through the second span, but it has always seemed to me that it is a lot of extra S&C▸ to provide and maintain, for very little operational benefit. In any case there has been plenty of new equipment positioned exactly in line with the bridge span conflicting with a possible track - and it's been there a fair while now.
I think we may have discussed this way back in the thread, but all the extra line seems to do is allow for a train to be leaving P3 onto the down Westbury, at the same time as a train enters P7 from either the up Westbury, or from the Festival line.
Perhaps they've decided retrospectively that the functionality provided is not essential, especially in the normal timetable? Be good to hear the reasoning from an insider though...
Paul
I'm not sure that it's a lot of extra S&C to provide and maintain - it's only two point ends and about 50 yards of track. The arrangement shown in the earlier track diagrams, as you say, allows parallel operation from the Festival Line and the B&H▸ into Platforms 7 and 3. In view of the lengths that have been taken in the overall design to reduce the number of conflicting movements it would seem perverse to skimp on a pair of turnouts which could reduce delays to not only trains using Platform 3 and 7 but, if anything is waiting on the Oxford Road Junction to Westbury Line Junction chord, it will impede operations into and out of Platforms 1 and 2 as well. I hope the turn outs will be installed and not skimped. I'd like to add to my post and suggest that stuving and paul7755 were correct and these turnouts won't be installed. I was looking through some old magazines whilst tidying up, as one does and a then a fifteen minute job lasts all morning^, and came across the February 2013 issue of Modern Railways which included an article on the work about to happen at Reading last Easter. On page 66 is the post-rebuild track layout diagram we have see before and which is expanded from top to bottom to show the tracks so it is somewhat distorted. I had assumed this was the same diagram as had been published elsewhere - also I think somewhere earlier in this thread - but it isn't the same version. It has two small changes. One is the addition of the facing turnout in the Down Relief just west of the station to join with the future Up Westbury line which runs into Platform 11. The other change is the deletion of the line crossing the second span of the Caversham Road under bridge to the Down Westbury line meaning that parallel operation from the Festival Line to Platform 7 and from the Up Westbury Line to Platform 3 will not be possible. Someone has worked out, I suspect, that the turnouts between the Down Relief and the Up Westbury, by offering the ability to have parallel operation between the Reliefs and the Westbury lines, outweighs the ability to have parallel operation into Platforms 3 and 7. The number of point ends remains the same, which implied the overall cost of the scheme does not change. A pity that the money does not stretch to an extra pair of points. |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #2598 on: February 16, 2014, 14:45:08 » |
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Thanks for your valuable observations on the subject, 4064ReadingAbbey.  And, going slightly off-topic: I was looking through some old magazines whilst tidying up, as one does and then a fifteen minute job lasts all morning ^
Oh, I do know that feeling ...    |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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stuving
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« Reply #2599 on: February 17, 2014, 00:01:57 » |
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I'm not sure that it's a lot of extra S&C▸ to provide and maintain - it's only two point ends and about 50 yards of track. The arrangement shown in the earlier track diagrams, as you say, allows parallel operation from the Festival Line and the B&H▸ into Platforms 7 and 3. In view of the lengths that have been taken in the overall design to reduce the number of conflicting movements it would seem perverse to skimp on a pair of turnouts which could reduce delays to not only trains using Platform 3 and 7 but, if anything is waiting on the Oxford Road Junction to Westbury Line Junction chord, it will impede operations into and out of Platforms 1 and 2 as well.
I hope the turn outs will be installed and not skimped.
... Someone has worked out, I suspect, that the turnouts between the Down Relief and the Up Westbury, by offering the ability to have parallel operation between the Reliefs and the Westbury lines, outweighs the ability to have parallel operation into Platforms 3 and 7. The number of point ends remains the same, which implied the overall cost of the scheme does not change. A pity that the money does not stretch to an extra pair of points. Of course there might be another reason - the span might need some work, for example. But in any case, conflict is not that likely. Up movements from Westbury will not usually go to P7, and if going to P1 or P2 will conflict anyway.So only P3 to Down Westbury would conflict (avoidably) with P7 to or from the Festival Line, I think. However, you may well be right to suspect point-end accountancy. Elsewhere, despite the weather they rigged the polybag roof over P2/3. P10 is now mostly paved, apart from the edge where the railing is still fixed. And the track looks ready. P8 and P7 are also progressing similarly. |
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Jason
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« Reply #2600 on: February 20, 2014, 10:11:55 » |
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The scaffold under the sloping section of P7 has been coming down over the past couple of nights. It looks like that entire side will remain exposed to the elements.
The floor under the P1-3 bubble roof has been marked out with white spray paint.
As previously mentioned, the semi-permanence of the track arrangement at the country end of P8 is clear. There is a rail instead of platform edging slabs and the platform space is fully open. Some of the hoardings are down on P8/P9 as the platform buildings approach completion making it feel roomier already.
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paul7575
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« Reply #2601 on: February 20, 2014, 11:05:48 » |
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Latest info I had (from discussion with a member of the workforce yesterday) was that the deadline for most 'daytime' platform building work to be complete is in about 3 weeks, with overnight snagging and detailing continuing for some weeks afterwards.
Meanwhile P10 shows up as being in use (according to realtime trains data) from Monday March 10th. The previous day, Sunday, P11 is also out off use - so that will potentially be a busy weekend on that island.
The specific area where I have some doubts over sudden rapid progress occurring is the refurbishment of the existing concourse area at the head of P4-6, and the interface with the new canopy. Installing the remaining canopy along P7 shouldn't take too long though - and I noticed yesterday they are working on the brickwork of the heritage building on the P7 side, at the height where I think they'll have to insert flashing to join to the new roof.
Paul
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stuving
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« Reply #2602 on: February 24, 2014, 19:53:16 » |
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Meanwhile P10 shows up as being in use (according to realtime trains data) from Monday March 10th. The previous day, Sunday, P11 is also out off use - so that will potentially be a busy weekend on that island.
And yesterday both P10 and P11 were out of use, as well as P9, and P8 except to or from the Westburys. So I was expecting something new in the trackwork from P10 and P11 Westwards - but I couldn't see anything. Installing the remaining canopy along P7 shouldn't take too long though - and I noticed yesterday they are working on the brickwork of the heritage building on the P7 side, at the height where I think they'll have to insert flashing to join to the new roof.
Indeed - a canopy support kit has been delivered to P7, presumably not by big crane this time (nor for its erection). And some smaller supports have appeared along the back (or front) of the 3 Guineas. |
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stuving
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« Reply #2603 on: February 24, 2014, 20:10:01 » |
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RBC‡'s contractors have been slowly pouring concrete to form the steps down into the pedestrian pit, and have now got to the top flight. I was wondering how they had formed the smooth top of the steps, and (while it's not in the photo) I now know it's just a lot of scooping up of the surplus by (gloved) hand and then using a plasterer's trowel.
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paul7575
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« Reply #2604 on: February 24, 2014, 20:31:41 » |
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RBC‡'s contractors have been slowly pouring concrete to form the steps down into the pedestrian pit, and have now got to the top flight. I was wondering how they had formed the smooth top of the steps, and (while it's not in the photo) I now know it's just a lot of scooping up of the surplus by (gloved) hand and then using a plasterer's trowel.
I think that smooth finish they achieve will still be hidden by the eventual surface 'slabs' as used on the already completed section that we use to reach the subway, which (as I understand it) is actually part of the RBC project but was completed early. Paul |
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stuving
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« Reply #2605 on: February 24, 2014, 22:33:20 » |
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I think that smooth finish they achieve will still be hidden by the eventual surface 'slabs' as used on the already completed section that we use to reach the subway, which (as I understand it) is actually part of the RBC‡ project but was completed early.
That's why I was surprised - I'd expected it would be (in some sense) tiled, and so would only need to be screeded level. But the way they were using their hands to shovel concrete from one step to another was really very quaint. |
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paul7575
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« Reply #2606 on: February 25, 2014, 16:41:34 » |
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And yesterday both P10 and P11 were out of use, as well as P9, and P8 except to or from the Westburys. So I was expecting something new in the trackwork from P10 and P11 Westwards - but I couldn't see anything.
Thinking about this though, there have been a number of Sundays with platforms closed for reasons unconnected with track work. In the case of P11 I'd assume any work to remove the temporary stuff (such as the steel I-beams holding up the blue hoardings) would probably take place with the platform closed to passengers. A recent example I can recall would be the whole of P9 being closed a few weeks back while manhole covers were being fitted in the block paving surface, where the the relevant openings had previously been buried under what was apparently completed block paved surface. Paul |
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Jason
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« Reply #2607 on: February 26, 2014, 09:03:21 » |
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Indeed - a canopy support kit has been delivered to P7, presumably not by big crane this time (nor for its erection). And some smaller supports have appeared along the back (or front) of the 3 Guineas.
Said canopy support kit was mostly in place yesterday evening. The uprights were in situ as far as the aperture into the Brunel Arcade. The horizontal beams as far as the pub. |
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stuving
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« Reply #2608 on: February 26, 2014, 09:47:14 » |
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The specific area where I have some doubts over sudden rapid progress occurring is the refurbishment of the existing concourse area at the head of P4-6, and the interface with the new canopy.
Yesterday, as well as the main canopy support spar going up by leaps and bounds (IYSWIM), there was also a guy up a ladder examining the end of the Brunel Plaza structure. I imagine the P7 canopy has to interface here in a similar way to what happens along the G3 frontage (backage?). Looking at the size of the vertical members up against the 3 Guineas (which has been cut away slightly in some places), they must be there to provide rigidity not to bear any significant weight. Obviously any watertight seal can only cope with a very small amount of vertical movement, and these broad canopies balanced on a relatively narrow beam will be really quite floppy in high winds. The reinforced concrete frame of the Brunel Plaza, unlike Victorian masonry, may be able to withstand the forces involved and so perhaps take a direct attachment. Also last night, P3 was mostly ready, and workers were clearing debris off the rest of the station end. There's still a bit at the far end of both P3 and P7 that looks to need a bit more building work. All in all, a lot of night-shift work underway even before midnight - a sign of deadlines looming? |
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« Last Edit: February 26, 2014, 10:36:33 by stuving »
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stuving
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« Reply #2609 on: February 28, 2014, 19:47:17 » |
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Here's that P7 canopy beam - there's one more span still to go on the end. On the left, you can also see the steel sections attached to the side of the Brunel Plaza shell. This is supported by steel uprights along the side facing P7. (Sorry - I had a better-framed picture, but it didn't record.)
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