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All across the Great Western territory => Across the West => Topic started by: grahame on September 11, 2018, 12:31:14



Title: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: grahame on September 11, 2018, 12:31:14
Lines inwards from Slough to Paddington will be CLOSED from 23rd December 2018 to 26th December inclusive, and also on 30th December. Between 27th December and 29th December, and on 1st January, 2 tracks rather than 4 will be available.

Trains from the South West and from Bristol and South Wales will terminate at Reading.  Cheltenham Spa services will run only to Swindon. Cotswold line services will run to Slough, and there will be additional trains from Slough to Reading (twice an hour) and Didcot (hourly).

Services from Reading to Waterloo will be strengthed, and there will be additional services too.

Passengers from West of Exeter for London may wish to take the South West Railway service via Salisbury into Waterloo; these trains will have additional carriages.

Passengers from the Cotswold line and between Banbury and Oxford may wish to use Chiltern Trains in from Oxford to Marylebone.

There will not be any IET or HST diversions into Marylebone or Waterloo. At Marylebone, the maximum IET length would be 5 carriages and (at one per hour) of very limited use. Waterloo has its own closure of platforms 1 to 10 and would lack capacity for long distance diversions.

I will follow up with rail replacement bus data in due course.

Two additional West of England service are scheduled on each on 20th 21st and 22nd December (westbound) and two additional eastbound on 27th December.

Note - West of England services will not call at Westbury from 23rd December to 3rd January inclusive due to relaying works there - they will use the avoider. See separate post.

Note - from Chrismas until 1st January inclusive , Severn Tunnel Junction is also closed and South Wales passengers will be transferred by bus from Bristol Parkway to Newport.  See separate post.

Note - Bridge works at Guildford will close the North Downs line from Christmas to 30th Decemmber inclusive. See separate post.

Above as told by GWR major possessions team - a couple of elements may still be draft, but. am cleared to share. Please take this more as guildines that rules just for the moment.  Exact timetables online early November.

Separate posts will follow in next few days. I will come back and add links!


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on September 11, 2018, 12:33:55
Grahame, thanks for posting that advance information.  I think I'll stay indoors and consume a G&T (or two, or three....) instead  ;D


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: grahame on September 11, 2018, 13:36:33
Grahame, thanks for posting that advance information. 

My pleasure - provided that members don't shoot the messenger if they feel there's something they don't like


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on September 11, 2018, 13:47:29
Incredible that both diversionary route terminals will be unavailable as well.  Never known that to happen before!


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: phile on September 11, 2018, 16:15:08
Incredible that both diversionary route terminals will be unavailable as well.  Never known that to happen before!

We've got the IETs now


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: Timmer on September 11, 2018, 17:54:39
Incredible that both diversionary route terminals will be unavailable as well.  Never known that to happen before!
That is most disappointing especially when you couple that with the Severn tunnel being closed.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on September 11, 2018, 18:54:40
….and Westbury and Filton bank....


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on October 03, 2018, 10:33:59
I've been advised that the reason for the Paddington closure is to allow decomissioning of the OOC HST depot and access sidings, and the permanent recovery of the single line to Park Royal (Greenford), to allow the start of HS2 works.  Note the Greenford connection will not reopen and the Chiltern 'Parliamentary Service' will be permanently diverted via Ealing Broadway, the latter commencing from 10 December 2018.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: Oxonhutch on October 03, 2018, 13:05:06
That's going to mean a few more white levers in Greenford 'box. I wonder how long it will survive after this.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: ChrisB on October 03, 2018, 13:29:03
I think NR have plans for the Greenford connection to allow Chiltern to serve Old Oak Common after completion. My bet is that it'll get reinstated eventually


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: JayMac on October 03, 2018, 14:33:06
I've been advised that the reason for the Paddington closure is to allow decomissioning of the OOC HST depot and access sidings, and the permanent recovery of the single line to Park Royal (Greenford), to allow the start of HS2 works.  Note the Greenford connection will not reopen and the Chiltern 'Parliamentary Service' will be permanently diverted via Ealing Broadway, the latter commencing from 10 December 2018.

If the passenger service between Old Oak Common West Junction and Northolt Junction via Park Royal is to be withdrawn permanently then doesn't there have to be a formal closure procedure?


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: paul7575 on October 03, 2018, 17:15:25
The Chiltern Parliamentary will terminate in West Ealing bay from December, and not run through via Ealing B’way into Paddington.   I saw it in a track access application a few weeks back, but RTT already shows the curtailment.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/WEA/2018/12/17/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=CH

Looks as if they’ll share the platform with the Greenford shuttle.

I’m going with it being unnecessary to undertake formal closure procedures, because the section of line is planned for reinstatement.

Paul


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on October 03, 2018, 18:06:17
The Chiltern Parliamentary will terminate in West Ealing bay from December, and not run through via Ealing B’way into Paddington.   I saw it in a track access application a few weeks back, but RTT already shows the curtailment.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/WEA/2018/12/17/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=CH

Looks as if they’ll share the platform with the Greenford shuttle.

I’m going with it being unnecessary to undertake formal closure procedures, because the section of line is planned for reinstatement.

Paul

Paul, thanks for your update. Since my original post I've seen it confirmed elsewhere that the service will terminate in West Ealing bay.  I'm searching elsewhere to see if the Park Royal-OOC line will reopen when HS2 is commissioned.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: ChrisB on October 03, 2018, 18:15:14
Possibly after OOC station is completed, which may not be at the same point in time that HS2 commences service


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on October 03, 2018, 18:59:52
This was posted on the WNXX Forum but not sure how accurate it is:
Quote
.....the intention is to incorporate two terminating platforms in the layout of the OOC joint HS2/Crossrail station - this effectively frees up space at Marylebone for extra services. Although TBH some could even continue and terminate at Paddington in the old platform 14 if there is enough capacity between Crossrail services. West Ealing is recognised as an unsuitable destination long-term to provide a terminating platform to transfer from a Chiltern train onto Crossrail.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: stuving on October 03, 2018, 22:20:53
This was posted on the WNXX Forum but not sure how accurate it is:
Quote
.....the intention is to incorporate two terminating platforms in the layout of the OOC joint HS2/Crossrail station - this effectively frees up space at Marylebone for extra services. Although TBH some could even continue and terminate at Paddington in the old platform 14 if there is enough capacity between Crossrail services. West Ealing is recognised as an unsuitable destination long-term to provide a terminating platform to transfer from a Chiltern train onto Crossrail.

Whose intention, and with what influence on what's going to happen?

One of the odd things about this is that all the official information about Crossrail at OOC has been part of HS2 - presumably because they are purchasing the land, and have to justify its use even if they are not going to be the users. But while there are plans in the successive Additional Provisions (1-5), I find it very hard to work out which got into the act and where (if public) the details of the railway design are.

But I think that process (which finished in terms of new data with AP5 in December 2015, leading to the Act in February 2017) left a latest plan with three reversing sidings that run from the two central platforms of the OOC Relief Lines roughly along the path of the High Wycombe Single. These stop short of the NLL bridge, but obviously could extend to allow services to run onward to High Wycombe or the WCML - though nothing in the HS2 documents tells you about the. The High Wycombe Single itself does seem to be still there, rather than being removed as in the original HS2 plans, but again it's not something HS2 need to say anything about in their environmental statement.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: stuving on October 04, 2018, 00:29:32
I've now found where we discussed this before: the "Great Western franchise to be broken up? (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=17921.msg226409#msg226409)" thread. That was less than a year ago, and apparently at the time I knew all about how the NNML will not be  not permanently obstructed by what HS2 will build. No doubt they didn't mention its reinstatement for the same reason as I gave above - not their business, and no environmental impact (in the sense it's already there before they start.).


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: SandTEngineer on October 04, 2018, 16:48:34
Thanks STUVING.  I kew you would come up with the goods..... :)


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: eightf48544 on October 05, 2018, 10:51:51
Wonder where the Grand Central Adelantes will be serviced. They used to come from the ECML via the NL down the ramp at Acton and then round via Greenford to OOC.

As an aside in the late 60s one of the passenger/car carriers from X to Newhaven? (what were they called?) used to use that route  from the MML via Duddinghill to Acton and then round to OOC via Greenford cross the mainlines and join the West London Line to Clapham jn and the Brighton line. Why? Because the Class 45 were banned for Herne Hill to Tulse Hill which is the route it would have had to take if it carried on the NL from Acton to Kew  and Clapham Jn.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: paul7575 on October 05, 2018, 11:41:38
Wonder where the Grand Central Adelantes will be serviced. They used to come from the ECML via the NL down the ramp at Acton and then round via Greenford to OOC.
Didn’t that stop completely once they went off lease with GWR?  Criticism of GC reliability elsewhere suggests they may not be maintained very well at all...

Paul


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: Dispatch Box on January 02, 2019, 13:11:43
I suppose this has been completed now.


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 02, 2019, 13:38:26
I suppose this has been completed now.

Yes, all competed on time for yesterday morning.  Good to see the renewal of Southall East Junction has been given back with a Temporary Speed Restriction of 90mph on the main lines, instead of the traditional 50mph, so that'll help things flow much better than they would have done otherwise in the next week or so until linespeed is restored.  I remember reading an article that gave details of technology improvements that made that possible, as well as handing back plain line renewals at 125mph, which is a massive improvement on the 50mph of old!


Title: Re: Christmas 2018 - Slough to Paddington closure for engineering works
Post by: Dispatch Box on January 02, 2019, 18:18:21
I suppose this has been completed now.

Yes, all competed on time for yesterday morning.  Good to see the renewal of Southall East Junction has been given back with a Temporary Speed Restriction of 90mph on the main lines, instead of the traditional 50mph, so that'll help things flow much better than they would have done otherwise in the next week or so until linespeed is restored.  I remember reading an article that gave details of technology improvements that made that possible, as well as handing back plain line renewals at 125mph, which is a massive improvement on the 50mph of old!

Does anyone have pictures of Southall west Junction.



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