Waterloo station upgrade launched

[whole diary]

[rogerw]

Off to have my own look on Thursday, at least as much as you can see from a train.

[SandTEngineer]

If you want to look at it all from your armchair, this link was posted on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum: http://sentry.og2.co.uk/waterloo

[CyclingSid]

On the re-direct to Reading; last Saturday I went to Salisbury and found there was a direct train from Reading (P3).Very convenient. On the way back, it appeared that the train sat at Basingstoke for 30 minutes or so, presumably to allow the normal BSK^▸ (Brake Standard Corridor (carriage))-RDG^‡(resolve) and XTC services to maintain their timetable. Apparently there were positive comments from RDG passsengers, plus "you should bring back the Brighton service" (how long ago?).

[Timmer]

Good news is that platforms 11 and 12 are back in use with just platform 13 closed.

[Timmer]

That looks like some evidence of their having been two issues (as was reported on SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s website yesterday morning), perhaps the points giving access to P13 from the P14 approach track are a separate fault?  P13 is now showing NOGO on the opentraintimes map, and as you say P11 and P12 are seeing normal movements via yesterdays main incident site.

http://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/wat

Paul

Which is a bit of a shame that the advice given was not to travel today. I know with what was known at the time it was the best advice to give, but how many didn't make their journey today based on that advice? In the case of those who have to travel to work probably not many. Perhaps those who were planning a day out to London may have postponed doing so.

Slightly sad that the last days of the SWT franchise will be remembered for the blockade at Waterloo that will benefit the new franchise and not all the many good things that SWT have achieved over the years. Not saying they were perfect but it has been one of the better franchises.

[IndustryInsider]

Slightly sad that the last days of the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) franchise will be remembered for the blockade at Waterloo that will benefit the new franchise and not all the many good things that SWT have achieved over the years. Not saying they were perfect but it has been one of the better franchises.

I'm guessing you're not a member of the South Hampshire Rail User Group then?   

First Group must be relieved it didn't happen just after they'd taken over, as that would no doubt have been a difficult start from which to recover.

[stuving]

Slightly sad that the last days of the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) franchise will be remembered for the blockade at Waterloo that will benefit the new franchise and not all the many good things that SWT have achieved over the years. Not saying they were perfect but it has been one of the better franchises.

I'm guessing you're not a member of the South Hampshire Rail User Group then?   

First Group must be relieved it didn't happen just after they'd taken over, as that would no doubt have been a difficult start from which to recover.

How do you know it won't have?

[Timmer]

I'm guessing you're not a member of the South Hampshire Rail User Group then?   

LOL^▸ (laughing out loud) Nope

[paul7575]

I guess SHRUG will be wound down now, because he's been pushing the line that everything that ever goes wrong is down to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) for years now. 

(I always assume there are very few members of SHRUG - and they don't deserve the coverage  they get.)

Obviously everything will be perfect again from Sunday, just like it was under BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))...

Paul

[ChrisB]

Further points failures affecting Pl 13....

[IndustryInsider]

I guess SHRUG will be wound down now, because he's been pushing the line that everything that ever goes wrong is down to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) for years now. 

(I always assume there are very few members of SHRUG - and they don't deserve the coverage  they get.)

Obviously everything will be perfect again from Sunday, just like it was under BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))...

Their website, whilst being triumphant about the change, does state that it will take a while for First to unravel the years of bad work from Stagecoach.  I would expect, if it does continue, that positive news will actually get a mention and any negative news will be either not mentioned or they will claim it only happened because of the poor legacy left by Stagecoach.

[SandTEngineer]

Interesting article on the Waterloo station changes here: https://www.londonreconnections.com/2017/back-future-relengthening-shortening-waterloo/ and how the new track layout was pre-constructed off-site here: https://www.railengineer.uk/2017/05/17/cemex-constructs-its-biggest-rail-crossing-for-waterloo-station/ with thanks to Paul7755 of this parish for posting that link on another forum.

[paul7575]

Now that they are into the final phases of work the barrier train seems to be long gone, I think it went around 0230 Thursday.   There's now much less activity than before, haven't seen much in the way of yellow plant either.

I expect most of the interlocking testing is done in lineside locations, is there ever a stage when they actually get a handful of real trains out and test all the moves?

Paul

[SandTEngineer]

Now that they are into the final phases of work the barrier train seems to be long gone, I think it went around 0230 Thursday.   There's now much less activity than before, haven't seen much in the way of yellow plant either.

I expect most of the interlocking testing is done in lineside locations, is there ever a stage when they actually get a handful of real trains out and test all the moves?

Paul

It depends on the complexity of the alterations.  In this case, just using my experience and personal judgement; no insider knowledge, that it would most likely be a reconfiguration of the interlocking rather than a total rewire and thus not requiring what we call 'Principles Testing' only requiring 'Functional Testing'.  Most of the alterations would probably be in external equipment housings and thus fairly straightforward......

Test trains are very expensive to hire in and run, so if needed they are usually restricted to one.  I once tested the whole of the new North Pole EPS Depot with a single locomotive (and if I recall correctly, it had some 90 signalled routes).

[paul7575]

Presumably one of the major aspects is the Wimbledon panel changes, because that is very much a hardware panel as opposed to a display?