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6871  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Reading Station improvements on: December 31, 2012, 21:49:54
According to the Signalling Scheme Plan (final layout) its 50mph along the Down Main Loop and back to the Down Main (back up to 60mph) with a 40mph turnout to the Up Westbury.

Well, there's no way on earth that it'll be 50mph - I'll try and get a picture to demonstrate how sharp it is.  I suspect it's a temporary crossover pending further remodelling and a higher linespeed when all the bits of the jigsaw at the western end of the station are in place?
6872  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Reading Station improvements on: December 31, 2012, 20:49:57
Not quite in view from any of the lobstervision.tv webcams, but the new connection at the western end of the station from Platform 8 (what will be the 'Down Main Loop') to the Down Main was also installed over the Christmas shutdown.  It looks like a fairly slow turnout of 25mph to me (compared with everything else installed so far which looks like 40mph) and cuts across what was the extreme end of Platform 8 and, prior to 2012, the connection into the old Platform 7 bay platform.
6873  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: What's this? on: December 30, 2012, 13:34:04
Looks like a portable AWS (Automatic Warning System) magnet to me.  Used for TSR (Temporary Speed Restriction)'s and ESR (Emergency Speed Restriction )'s.  Here's one of them from the catalogue:

http://www.hellotrade.com/yardene-engineering-2000/aws-tsr-magnet.html
6874  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion on: December 30, 2012, 00:16:49
No, there's no masts within the station area at the moment.  Only the area I described at Kennet Bridge Junction, about half a mile east of the station extending about another half a mile towards London.

Regarding 3rd Rail electrification, platforms 13/14/15 have passive provision, as well as the underpass, so I assume compatible sleepers will be used in all of those areas.
6875  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Major delays/cancellations, Paddington to Reading, 20 December 2012 and ongoing ... on: December 29, 2012, 23:48:26
So I wonder how many staff would feel they want to "help out" by getting into Swindon Control at 5 am at short notice on a Monday morning to deal with an engineering overrun.  If they were told to they would because they may be worried by the consequences if they didn't, but would they willingly volunteer because they thought their contribution would be appreciated by their employer?

I would imagine some form of sweetener in the form of a bonus payment or possibly a couple of extra days leave would be enough to get the interest levels up.  Also, bearing in mind that some of the staff I mentioned are involved in quite menial tasks on a day-to-day basis, so some might enjoy the change?
6876  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion on: December 29, 2012, 23:25:50
The first electrification masts are up on the GWML (Great Western Main Line)!  Quite a surreal sight to be honest, but about half a mile of track just to the east of Reading station has now got masts up (no wires yet of course) in the same area as the new switches and crossings that have been installed at Kennet Bridge Junction.  I'm guessing that this is a short test/proving area prior to the HOOP train starting in earnest next year?

I think it was always the plan to make passive provision for electrification during the Reading remodelling. It makes sense, in order to minimise disruption later, to do as much as possible in places that are currently away from the live railway. I suspect that now electrification beyond the extent of Crossrail is going ahead, it's worth putting up the masts before the new platforms open.

Of the two options, I think Western Explorer's is the more likely explanation, despite my huge respect for Industry Insider's encyclopaedic knowledge. The High Output Operating Plant system isn't due for delivery for a few months yet.

Thank you, and yes, having thought about it a little 'Western Explorer's' hunch is probably closer to the mark, though the section that's been done is very much still part of the live railway - I remember hearing that electrification of the new platforms would start to take place by the end of the year, so this may be the first sign of that phase of the work.
6877  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Major delays/cancellations, Paddington to Reading, 20 December 2012 and ongoing ... on: December 29, 2012, 12:32:34
I would suggest that there are ways to provide more staff during periods of disruption, with little overall increases in cost.  There are no shortage of other FGW (First Great Western) staff working at (or near) Swindon, you could have a pool of them trained to become assistants at times when there is service disruption - i.e. they get pulled from their normal duties to help out answering telephone calls, or updating the website for example (getting through to someone is one of the major bug bears of staff). 

Be they a combination of office workers (not ideal when the disruption is outside of office hours), or station staff (barrier staff - if it's bad enough just leave the gates open at Swindon or Didcot for a few hours and get those staff up in Control answering telephones), or even agency staff (could some kind of dual roles be created where security/cleaning/car park staff are trained up to help?).  I'm not talking about real decision making roles - that should stay with the 'three in charge' currently, but just some admin support which is desperately needed.

Also, perhaps an agreement with NR» (Network Rail - home page) that decisions can be devolved more locally during times of disruption without everything having to go through Control.  For example, the AOM's at the out stations could allocate drivers like the previous Train Crew Supervisors at those locations used to do (editing Genius themselves so that everyone knows what everyone is doing), or the Duty Manager being able to issue a stop order for small locations such as Appleford?
6878  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion on: December 29, 2012, 11:53:18
The first electrification masts are up on the GWML (Great Western Main Line)!  Quite a surreal sight to be honest, but about half a mile of track just to the east of Reading station has now got masts up (no wires yet of course) in the same area as the new switches and crossings that have been installed at Kennet Bridge Junction.  I'm guessing that this is a short test/proving area prior to the HOOP train starting in earnest next year?
6879  Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: Class 180s return to the Cotswolds on: December 29, 2012, 01:04:42
Thanks for the info II - it's good to get *some* kind of explanation. FGW (First Great Western) themselves don't seem capable of it. If you happen to know of any non-turbos running today, I'd be keen to hear!

Unable to help yesterday unfortunately as I was otherwise engaged in the pub all day!
6880  Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: Worcester shrub hill station. Heritage line?? on: December 28, 2012, 14:45:40
Surely 4 through platforms could be achieved using a Gloucester style arrangement making the most of the very long platforms and the a and b ends.  The middle siding would need to be restored to one or two through roads though.

The platforms at Shrub Hill are hardly Gloucester length - they can only accommodate around eleven 23 metre carriages.
6881  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Major delays/cancellations, Paddington to Reading, 20 December 2012 and ongoing ... on: December 28, 2012, 13:15:46
Out of interest is it really prudent to block the single line because someone is stuck in the toilet?

In this case they'd pulled the emergency chord in the toilet, so until the staff could gain access they couldn't reset it and the brakes were stuck on.

Re II's report on the missed connection at Worcester Shrub Hill, platform space may also have been a problem had the message got through.  Often trains to Gloucester use the same platform (1) as incoming trains from London.  If platform 2 happened not to be free at the time, it may have been necessary to let the connection go anyway.  If, however, the Gloucester train had started its journey at Great Malvern, it could have been held at Henwick.

Whilst it might be a problem some of the time, the Gloucester train was booked off of the up platform at 12:54 having arrived from Worcester Foregate Street at 12:42 (so it had a 12-minute layover), and could have waited at the end of that platform, as the only other train (besides the train I was on) was a LM (London Midland - recent franchise) arrival which was then heading back towards Birmingham, so that could have been accommodated at the other end of the platform.
6882  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Major delays/cancellations, Paddington to Reading, 20 December 2012 and ongoing ... on: December 28, 2012, 11:27:49
I think the FGW (First Great Western) team have worked extremely hard over the past few weeks with disruption happening permantly... Not to say that this acceptable but just from my sources, I would like you all to know that, there are only 3 people in the control room that provide all the info to both internal and external sources (websites, news, stations etc...). They also have to order and cooridnate replacement bus services, taxis and an array of other jobs. Yes they will be supported by managament, but when there are so many incidents it is very very hard to actually keep on top of so many service alterations.

And that's the problem.  There aren't enough people in Control to control things when they go wrong, so with a weak link at the very top of the information structure what chance does the rest of the chain stand?

Here's an example:  I was on a train the other day to Hereford from London chatting to the crew and we got delayed at Hanborough by about 20 minutes because someone got stuck in the disabled toilet.  We had a fair few people on board wanting to make a 15-minute connection to Gloucester and Cheltenham at Worcester (their original train via Swindon had been cancelled I think).  The train crew managed to get on to Control after a fair while and an agreement was made to hold the connection.  The TM(resolve) then made an announcement to everyone on board saying that the train would be held.  A great example of good customer service.

BUT... We came over Norton Junction and what was waiting at the signal to come the other way?  Their connecting train.  Which had left Shrub Hill on time.  A phone call from the TM to Shrub Hill station revealed that nobody had told Shrub Hill staff to hold the train so they let it go on time.  Cue a very embarrassing announcement from the TM and a whole heap of angry passengers.
6883  Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: Class 180s return to the Cotswolds on: December 27, 2012, 09:26:23
I note that II mentions that the 180s are having GSM-R (Global System for Mobile communications - Railway.) fitment. Is the fact they only had NRN (National Radio Network) the reason for them not operating DOO (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard))-P?

One of the things the rulebook says if a train does not have access to CSR (Cab Secure Radio) or GSM-R then it cannot run DOO-P, so now that they have GSM-R is there any other reason why they need a guard between Paddington and Oxford?

The cab isn't really set up for driver only operation - the view isn't great and stations with 'look back' dispatch, where the driver literally looks back, would prohibit DOO-P use on them.  Though in terms of door controls, the driver has got buttons for everything they would need, unlike in a HST (High Speed Train) for example.
6884  All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Christmas and Boxing Day trains - ongoing discussion on: December 26, 2012, 18:47:52
Wolmar has joined in the argument:

http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/2012/12/time-to-run-trains-on-boxing-day/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feed%2Fchristianwolmar+%28Christian+Wolmar%29
6885  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: First Great Western announces extra capacity across network on: December 26, 2012, 13:55:06
Here is a full comparison of carriages provided at Paddington last December and this December.  All (Except Heathrow Express) AM Peak arrivals 06:30-10:30 are shown, as are PM Peak departures 16:30-20:30 together with the number of carriages provided on each service.

I deliberately chose a day with minimal disruption on both occasions and at the same time of year.  Since last December the HSTs (High Speed Train) have all been extended to 2+8 sets, Class 180s have returned, and Class 150s have been deployed between Reading and Paddington.

The result, as you can see below, is around 30 extra carriages over each peak period compared with a year ago.  That doesn't actually translate to 30 extra carriages of extra seats, as a few of the trains that were 3-Car Turbos are now 5-Car Adelantes but still provide roughly the same number of seats.  Though to balance that out there are still a couple of 2+7 HST sets running around and there shouldn't be if everything was running as planned.

Last December there was a short formed trains in the evening peak which explains why the difference is 33 carriages - in reality it should be 30.  In total, I reckon around 2300-2500 extra seats are now being provided each peak for the times I've surveyed.

Here are the full details:



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