Presentations from the November events now available online via links in the page
[here]The Bath presentation is directly at
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/TPOD-2-Bath-stakeholder-event-presentation.pdfThe Bristol presentation is directly at
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/TPOD-2-Bristol-stakeholder-event-presentation.pdfThese are the evening's agendas and also the Network Rail presentations - the
GWR▸ presentations by Steve Bale are not included in the note set on the Network Rail web site.
Basically, it's buses from Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads, some extras from Keynsham, some none-stop and some calling near (but not at) the intermediate stations, and I think there's also a couple of peak buses to Bristol from Castle Cary or Frome.
Portsmouth - Cardiff trains will run Portsmouth - Trowbridge - Chippenham - Swindon.
Weymouth - Bristol trains will run Weymouth - Bath Spa, and extras will run so that the service into Bath is hourly
London - Bristol trains will run London - Chippenham - Bath, and London - Parkway - Temple Meads, each hourly
Only alternate trains on Westbury to Swindon will call at Melksham, and on being questioned the presenter told me that "via Melksham" tickets will only be valid on trains that call at Melksham. On being asked why that's the case, when other routings such as "via Newbury" and "Via Gomshall" are valid on trains that don't stop at the named stations, he informed me that those stations are outside his area and so he's not informed on the different rules there. He's promised to let me know (but I've still not heard 5 weeks later) and I have raised this matter with our main
GW▸ contact too - also informally with both forum experts and national regulatory professionals, who can't understand why the tickets would not be valid.
Here is the text of an update email received from Network Rail in the last few hours!
Easter 2016 workIn preparation for a planned closure of the railway between Bristol and Bath next Easter, a series of stakeholder events and drop-ins have been held. To update stakeholders on the planned nine day closure between 2nd and 11th April 2016, Andy Haynes, West of England, programme director gave presentations in both Bristol and Bath (see picture below). These were followed up by events in Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Saltford.
The closure, which will see both Keynsham and Oldfield Park stations closed and rail services suspended, is required to undertake essential work to support the electrification of the Great Western Route. Once all railway upgrade work is complete, this will bring greater capacity, cleaner trains, higher frequency services and better connections.
During the closure period, rail replacement services will be provided by Great Western Railway (GWR). More information on these services will be made available early next year and will be advertised on the GWR website (
www.gwr.com), in passenger leaflets and via in-station communication channels.
Further drop-ins are planned for Keynsham and Oldfield Park in the new year. Dates and venues for these will be advertised on the Network Rail webpage (
www.networkrail.co.uk).
Bridge workReconstruction work continues on the Somerset and Dorset Intersect Bridge, with the contractor^s compound now fully installed in Linear Park. The bridge, which is currently a Network Rail asset, was originally earmarked for full demolition, as it did not meet the clearance requirements required for electrification.
Work is progressing well, with both sides of the arches filled to allow the central of span of the bridge to be removed on Christmas Day - which was a success. This will be replaced by a new raised section in the new year to meet electrification clearance requirements.
This pedestrian bridge is also used by cyclists being a key part of the Two Tunnels cycle route. Network Rail has been working closely with Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) Sustran^s to transfer the ownership of the bridge over to B&NES post reconstruction.
Sydney gardensA number of stakeholders have been visiting a mock-up of potential parapet designs in Sydney Gardens. Parapets need to be raised to a minimum of 1.8m to ensure there is enough height to prevent anyone leaning over the bridge and making contact with the electric over head cables, which will be installed to allow electrification of the railway.
We have received extremely positive feedback from these visits and the design for Sydney Gardens itself is developing well.
Network Rail has been and will continue to hold engagement and regular design reviews with B&NES, Historic England and Bath Preservation Trust, among others, to ensure the best and most sympathetic solution is achieved. This has led to the development of the railing design which will be used across all parapet-raising work in the Bath World Heritage site.
Christmas workHundreds of thousands of passengers and freight users are set to benefit from one of the biggest Christmas and New Year investment programmes ever carried out on Britain^s rail network.
Over 20,000 members of Network Rail^s orange army will be spending their Christmas Day and the days that follow working on the railway across Britain to deliver the Railway Upgrade Plan.
New station facilities, longer platforms, extra tracks, new junctions and thousands of pieces of new, more reliable equipment will be installed and delivered in a ^150m investment programme that will begin late on Christmas Eve once the last trains have run.
In the south west and Thames Valley the orange army will be working hard to upgrade and modernise the Great Western Main Line in preparation for the arrival of electrification, the new fleet of electric trains and Crossrail services in the south east.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year and we look forward to engaging with you further in 2016, on the work Network Rail has planned for Bath and surrounding areas.
