So at long last we only have a matter of days to wait before the redoubled line is complete - the final closure period beckons!

Over the past week there has been a steady build up of materials and machinery at both ends of the single line where the 'old' turnouts and signalling will be removed. New signals are in place in both directions along the line and with the removal of the crossovers at the Swindon station end we could be in for some interesting movements as the lines from the station to the 'new' Loco Yard Junction are being set up for bi-directional working. The work at Kemble will be slightly more complex due to the need to fit the final part of the new crossover in the down line but with as much of the new track in place as can be through the tunnel it shouldn't take too long to complete. A turn-back facility looks as if it is being implemented at Kemble with an associated walking route from the end of the up platform towards Sapperton already in place. Are we to see London - Kemble - London trains in the future as why should so much trouble be taken at this stage?? 

I am surprised to see a significant build up of materials near Purton where, I understand, further work is needed on the up line where the track needs to be significantly lowered. Why was this not dealt with when the line was closed for relaying this time last year. No doubt there is a good reason and someone will be able to explain why?

With the line closed it leads me on to the replacement bus services next week and the publicity of them. I was expecting, in line with earlier closures, that a timetable booklet would be provided that as well as showing the bus arrangements would also confirm the details of the through London services via Bristol Parkway. But alas nothing! At Swindon station, and in support of the works between there and Didcot during August I was able to pick up a booklet "Alterations to train services from Swindon".   The booklet does just that! It only covers services leaving Swindon but there is no mention of the times to get to Swindon. I can't see the logic in producing this kind of limited material, to me it is about as useful as a wet paper bag as I will still have to resort to other means to find out times of travel to Swindon - assuming there is travel 'To' of course!!

No.3 is Stonehouse. My local!!

A week or so has passed since the short possession before Easter so here is a quick update on the work completed as far as can be seen from the daily commute.

At Kemble a new low speed leading cross-over has been installed between the existing lines between the station and the tunnel. The trackwork in the up direction is complete but some further work will be needed on the downside to complete this connection.

At the tunnel entrance the double to single track pointwork remains in use. The remainder of the major works were completed at Purton. Previously the single line switched from the up to the down alignment here. This has now been eliminated with the current single line now running in the up alignment all the way from Kemble to the new 'high speed' cross over set by B&Q at Moredon. Here the running line uses the crossing to gain the down alignment for the few yards to Loco Yard Junction where the existing double track section is regained. Presumably this arrangment will remain until the final work is completed to remove Loco Yard Junction and commission the new signalling.

Along the rest of the line work is concentrated on preparing the last parts of the trackbed in the down alignment. Ballast, track and sleepers are in place for about 60% of the way with ongoing works very evident along the remainder. Numerous lineside cabinets and cables are now in place in support of the new signalling.

Hopefully the project is still on course for the revised August commissioning date, we then just need to find some extra trains to enjoy the increased capacity!

 

With the onset of the lighter mornings and evenings it is easier to see what progress is being made with the redoubling work. So here is a quick update of what can be seen from the daily commute!

Starting at the Kemble end various new bases and ground structures have been laid for signals and line side cabinets on the Sapperton side of the station. Presumably this is to even out the signal spacing to the new sections already installed and in operation. At Kemble itself other than the signal base prep little has been done. Moving southwards and work to relocate the cable runs is in progress in the tunnel and beyond but other than that no trackbed works have taken place. The second line in the 'down' formation is in place from about two miles beyond the tunnel and continues past Oaksey towards Minety before it runs out. At Minety crossing a large new concrete base has been built and during this week a large metal box has appeared (larger in size than the crossing control box) presumably to house electronics as it has a cooling fan at one end. The second track has been laid in some parts but at Minety village and beyond is where the majority of the excavation and trackbed prep work is currently happening.  There must be a few miles of temporary lineside lighting installed, it seems to go on forever!

Towards Purton there is some significant drainage prep work going on and after all of the rain it is very wet in some areas. The work seems to end a couple of miles from Purton crossing where the current line crosses from the up formation to the down.  Little work has been done around the crossing area. Towards Swindon with the second line already in place little remains to be done since the major possession last August

At Loco Yard Junction a number of signal and cabin bases have been installed. The area behind B&Q has started to receive materials and equipment probably in anticipation of the completion of the cross over works and the removal of the double line to single line turnout.     

The line between Swindon and Gloucester will be closed on Saturday 12th April and Sunday 13th April. On Monday 14th April and Tuesday 15th April the line will be closed between Swindon and Kemble with the hourly shuttle running from Kemble to Gloucester and Cheltenham. For the following Easter weekend the line is again completely closed on Friday to Sunday 18th to 20th April. Presumably this will allow for some of the major works to be undertaken before the final push in August!

The new footbridge half a mile or so west of Stroud station is now open and what a grand structure it is complete with LED lighting and long slopes. It has been built high enough to allow overhead wires should we see electrification in the future!

As we are coming to the end of the first week of operation after the reopening then I thought a travellers view of the work done so far might be of interest. So here we are!

Starting at Kemble no work has been done at all other than some preparatory work to relocate lineside cabinets. The line continues in the 'Up' alignment for the first mile on the single line where the slewing comes into effect. The line sits on the 'Up' formation all the way to Purton where it moves over to the 'Down' as far as Loco Yard Junction. As at the time of writing there is a 75mph restriction from Kemble to Purton where a 50mph limit covers the rest of the line to the Junction. It would seem that just about the entire line has been renewed. However there are a number of rough sections that will presumably be tamped out over this weekend.

It is clear that a lot of work has been done on the embankments notably at Minety, just of Bremhill and at Moredon. The new cross-over set has been installed at Moredon by B&Q with the switches secured out of use. Trains use the down alignment and the existing points to regain the double line. The signal protecting the exit from the single line to the double in the down direction has been relocated to the right hand side of the track as it previously sat in what will become the Up cess!

As for the second track and trackbed it is evident in isolated locations only. There is still a lot of work to do especially around Purton where the line switches from the Up to the Down. Some basic excavations have been done to prepare and in some areas bottom ballast has also been dropped. Presumably this work can proceed overnight. It seems that only short stretches of the pre-blockade track remain and so presumably the rest will be new sleepers and track.

The derailment damage has left discarded lengths of track and sleepers crudely dumped either side of the formation near Purton. The state of some of those sleepers shows just how bad the damage was! Hopefully the mess will be cleared up at some stage?

From Kemble to Standish junction the new signal blocks have been brought into use effectively doubling the capacity. The new structures look very odd! They are of the latest lightweight design and seem to have little or no substance about them. They are single LED headed. The older signals have been refitted with single LEDs too. 

So still much to be done in anticipation of the final (we hope) nine day shutdown next Easter.

There is work in progress today along the entire length of the line.

At Oaksey the existing single track has already been slewed onto the down side to make space for the new track and about half a mile further south new track laying was in progress that further extended the down line in that alignment.

At Minety Crossing various deep holes have been excavated presumably to allow for cable runs. The crossing gates have been removed presumably to allow more space for the track slew to occur here too. In Minety village itself the embankment has received significant attention with numerous metal rods and cement materials injected to stabilise the formation. There is also much evidence of piling where metal large 'motorway' style armco style barriers have been driven in. These seem to be used where space around the formation is difficult.

Looking at Real Time Trains for Monday 12th there are numerous engineers trains scheduled from Bescot to Kemble to enter the worksite. These seem to come in waves of three at a time before all three exit to return to Bescot later in the day before the next set of three pitch up. Are these delivering ballast and/or sleepers or collecting spoil, or both?

These works are obviously planned with military precision so if anyone with the inside 'track' on this can share any of the detail it would make interesting reading!

Work on the redoubling seems to be gathering pace in anticipation of the first shutdown on 10th August.

There are a number of work sites along the line the most significant being just north of Swindon at Morden where the embankment extension and stabling work is largely complete. On the land behind the B&Q superstore adjacent to the line various track and sleeper components are being assembled that would appear to be a set of up and down cross overs. Perhaps these will be installed during the first blockade period?

At milepost 76 there is a mile of so of sleepers and track installed on what will become the Up line. Line side clearance of the track bed has occurred where the alignment allows and just north of Minety crossing a further stretch of ballast sleepers and rails is in place on the Down side. At Kemble the work seems to have been completed on the cutting stabilisation on the Down side with some earthworks completed to allow the second line to be installed. 

There is no activity at Kemble station itself, the site 'village' at the north of the station seems not to have seen any activity for a few weeks.

On the double track section between Brimscombe and Stroud AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) magnets have been installed on both lines and what presumably are signal bases are being constructed.

Perhaps those 'in the know' can explain the work program as I was surprised to see the signal work being down now when that part of the scheme is not due for completion until next Easter?

It seems that an engineering train in last night's possession managed to break the points in some way at the Swindon end of the single track section. As a result trains towards Swindon have had to run 'wrong line' from the start of the two track section as far as the junction that leads to the platforms.

Presumably repairs will be made this evening to remove the delays that have been encountered today? In the meantime considerable overnight civils work is being undertaken based simply on the volume of equipment that is on site at this location.

Whilst the work going on at Reading over the past few weeks has grabbed lots of attention the re-doubling work here is continuing.

The activity seems to be centred on two sites at the moment;-

1) Just to the south of Kemble tunnel where the cutting on the west side of the line has been reprofiled. A wire mesh with tie rods is also being fitted to make sure everything stays where it should be. A few folks may remember the derailment a number of years ago caused by a landslip at this site. The repair for that was massive with a concrete wall extending for quite a distance on the eastern side of the track. Presumably the geology here means that they have to complete a significant amount of reinforcement work on the other side of the track alignment too?

2) Just north of where the single line starts at Swindon there is signifcant piling and embankment reinforcement works going on. The first signs of trackbed clearance work can be seen where the remnants of the former long siding used to be.

Now a few questions;-
1) What is the work that is planned for Kemble North presuming that is the current double track section?

2) At Stonehouse station new signs have been added at each end of the 'Up' line platform saying that "Trains can pass in either direction on this track". There are no signs in the 'Down' direction. Does this mean that we can expect a 150/153/155 service as far as Kemble when the August blockade starts such that the trains will 'reverse' back up the single track to Standish Junction? If that is the case what about protecting all of the foot crossings and the one at St Marys?

Thoughts anyone?     

I was on this train yesterday morning. Everything was fine until a few minutes out of Kemble on the single line when a nasty electrical burning smell started to come through the air conditioning. Very quickly the folks travelling in the leading coach A (set was in reverse formation) were moving into the next coach as the fumes in there were very unpleasant. The brakes went on and we stopped a mile or so short of the Minety level crossing.

The fire on the leading power car seemed to be quickly extinguished. The Train Manager advised everyone what the problem was and explained in the right level of detail what the process would be to sort matters out. It is clear that there are well defined procedures in these circumstances which were executed effectively.

Having stopped so far away from the nearest road there was always gong to be a delay in getting the fire brigade, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) management and fitters, and Network Rail to the scene. However we were kept informed and the buffet was opened to all and when the rear power car was switched back on the hot drinks and heating followed! The Train Manger provided periodic updates and seemed to manage the situation very well.

We finally moved - being pushed by the rear power car - and arrived at Swindon just under three hours late. The platform was awash with FGW staff adorned in orange hi-viz jackets to ensure passengers were ushered to the waiting London train at the next platform. Transport was also arranged to take those that wanted it back to Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester and Cheltenham however it was a bit odd that the already delayed 1054 to Cheltenham was not held to pick up those folks that wanted to turnaround and go back home. Probably the lack of enough platforms at Swindon precluded this!

So, in summary, well done FGW for resolving a difficult problem that could have been much worse had an evacuation been necessary and well done to the on train staff for their actions.

Hopefully the provision of the second track when the redoubling is completed will make it easier and quicker to recover these problems in future?

I notice that two long-term work compounds seem to have been created.

At the Kemble end a series of cabins have been set up with power supplies and plumbing just to the north of the station on the western side of the track. The cabins are white with blue and red bands painted on them.

At Swindon just as the single track becomes the current short double track section a similar compound has appeared on the eastern side of the tracks and is adorned with cabins of a similar colour scheme. This morning there was match activity going on with the neighbouring fishing lake being fenced off as well as vegetation clearance going on on the embankment.

Presumably we can expect some of the preliminary civils work to get going shortly?

As an aside the December timetables for the line show adjustments to the hourly service pattern with trains from Swindon to Cheltenham being brought forward by 15 minutes or so starting at the end of March. There are minor revisions in the other direction too. Why is this necessary on a single line railway?     

Arriving at Swindon this evening expecting to catch the 1654 to Cheltenham (ex 1548 from Paddington) I was surprised to find the train pulling into platform 1 at 1645 rather early.

It transpires that the normal service at 1548 from London to Cheltenham was instead going to Cardiff with the Swindon to Cheltenham service being formed of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) starting at Swindon. The loading on the service from Swindon was well down on normal levels as the through service on an ordinary Friday is normally standing room only at this time of day.

A review of Open Train Times showed that the set forming the service positioned as ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) from St Phillips Marsh with the balancing Cheltenham to Paddington terminating at Swindon t run as ECS back to Bristol.

So well done to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) for providing a proper service today noting the 'bustitution' of the through services between Swindon and Cheltenham last Saturday. Or was it a case that there were no spare 150/153/158 units available or with the Franchise up for grabs they were trying to 'behave'?

I was on the 1847 last night as well through as far as Stonehouse and got chatting with the Train Manager about the incident.

This particular train is crewed from Swansea depot and is apparently the only trip on any of that depot's rosters that requires a Twyford stop. With 40 or so drivers at that depot the opportunity to drive the 1847 doesn't come around that often. It would seem that whilst the driver knew he needed to make the stop he simply misjudged the stopping distances such that the rear power car was 10 meters beyond the platform end when the train came to a halt.

In view of the view of the time involved in getting clearance to set back and the driver having to change ends twice to achieve this (i.e., to reverse and then go forward again) just about 30minutes was lost by the time the train got to Reading.

I would have thought that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should have cut its losses and gone on to Reading with the Twyford passengers coming back on an alternative train as a number of following HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) had been routed onto the slow lines around us. Quite what the cumulative delay penalties would be to FGW I don't know but presumably the driver would have been invited for a chat with his supervisor at the end of his shift?

At least it added to the entertainment on what is normally an uneventful trip.

To answer eightf48544 the driver for the 1754 is normally on 'the cushions' from Bristol every evening however yesterday was different in that strangely he came from Cardiff!

After a reasonably good run of reliability on the service out of Swindon the 1754 from Swindon to Cheltenham was without a driver this evening, apparently stranded in Cardiff as a result of the signalling problems down there this afternoon.

I got on the train at 1740 on platform 2 as usual, normally the engines are running but this evening all was silent. The departure time came and went then the inevitable sms text message to advise cancellation duly arrived from FGW^▸ (First Great Western). However the conductor hadn't been told and was still apologising for the delay explaining that the driver was still en route. In the meantime he had loaded a wheelchair passenger via the ramp which was all well and good. At 1805 the expected on train announcement was made advising cancellation and telling passengers that they had to evacuate the train much to the amusement of most! The conductor then duly produced the ramp and off loaded the wheelchair customer.

For the savvy traveller the next service would be the 1854 to Hereford however no on-station announcements were made to this effect resulting in many folks trying to find out information. Then a further sms text message arrived from FGW advising that the train was reinstated which seemed strange that at 1820 there was still no driver and no sign of any trains coming from South Wales.

A few minutes later the reinstated message was passed to the conductor by a member of the station dispatch team and he invited the wheelchair passenger to join the train, getting the ramp out again for a third time. There was still no station announcements advising the service reinstatement.

The regular travellers will know that once a service is delayed by more than 10 minutes or more the single line bottleneck comes into play. With the service coming down from Gloucester going on to Southampton not due until 1840 and with the 1854 to Hereford to go up the line to fit in there was no realistic way the 1754 was going to run. Unsurprisingly the next sms text arrived at 1830 confirming cancellation again! In the meantime other people had joined the train again, still silent, no engines or driver having been advised by the conductor that the service would now go. So everyone was turfed off again including the poor wheelchair customer who enjoyed his forth trip of the evening on the ramp!

Throughout this time the doors on the train were open and with the 1844 to Southampton due that normally runs from platform 2 a number of passengers were getting on thinking incorrectly that it was their train. 

The 1844 duly pitched up and was diverted into platform 1 and after rounding up the passengers it left a few minutes late. A delayed South Wales train arrived and the missing driver turned up and started up the unit. Only then were the train doors closed and the unit made inaccessible to the travelling public!

The 1854 turned up but not before the usual comedy show of last minute platform changes. The 1854 was diverted to Platform 3 and a further train from South Wales bound for London was switched to platform 1 .  The digital Dennis announcements were made so late that both trains had come almost to a halt in the platform before all the passengers made the change to get their required trains!

My thoughts on this would be;-
1) Why did FGW think about reinstating the train when they must have known that the driver would not have got to Swindon until 1835 at the earliest
2) Why didn't the station staff make 'manual' announcements at Swindon just to tell everyone what was happening in regard to the cancellation but also to advise of the late platform change for the 1854 and the London bound service?
3) If a train is cancelled why not lock it out of use rather than leave it to confuse passengers still further?

As usual - communications are dire in times of service disruption. This time the staff had the information, it simply wasn't conveyed to the passengers!