Why has the bay at Swindon been electrified?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I'm scratching my head ... it's a 3 car maximum train length bay facing west.  Minimum GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) electric or bi-mode train 4 carriages.   Someone got a secret plan for .....

[Lee]

SEWWEB gets the go-ahead and the logical thing is to extend it to Swindon and interface with TransWilts land?

[Adelante_CCT]

I think a class 319 (769) could just fit.

4 x 20m length,,, platform being 80m?

[Lee]

Perfick - Pilning Westgate and Aztec West, here we come!

[stuving]

I think a class 319 (769) could just fit.

4 x 20m length,,, platform being 80m?

The rules says P2 is 80 m, but "a train formed 4 x 20m vehicles CANNOT be accommodated behind signal". Presumably it might be done in extremis, but not for a routine working.

Of course plenty of 3-car EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) do exist, and new ones could be made to if you really wanted some. However, I wonder if it was seen as easier to wire it than to make arrangements for a boundary of electric track at that point.

[Bmblbzzz]

I was thinking along the same lines as Stuving. If you're wiring the rest of the station, then wire the whole station. Easier to do it all than leave an awkward little bit out. It might never get used, but doesn't matter.

[Electric train]

It is custom and practice to wire roads that come off of and electrified one this is to allow for wrong routing of an electric train; the wire prevents the pan going off wire which is messy
Plus it is easier to wire it now than in the future, should say the platform gets extended.

[grahame]

SEWWEB gets the go-ahead and the logical thing is to extend it to Swindon and interface with TransWilts land?

Wellllll ... the electrification will be in place for a regional service from Swindon calling at Royal Wootton Bassett, Hullavington, Badminton, Sodding Chipbury, Coalpit Heath and Winterborne, Bristol Parkway, Patchway, Aztec West, Pilning Westgate, Severn Tunnel Junction, Magor, Newport, Wentloog and St Mellons, Splott and Cardiff Central. All you would need would be the stations.   Amazingly, many of those have been talked about. A service which links Swindon, residential development and development potential near the M4 in Wiltshire, existing houses with nearby railways but no stations in South Gloucestershire, business areas in north Bristol and Severnside, with cities, suburbs and towns in South Wales .... such a service makes too much sense and is too bold a suggestion for anyone to take seriously  .

[grahame]

It is custom and practice to wire roads that come off of and electrified one this is to allow for wrong routing of an electric train; the wire prevents the pan going off wire which is messy
Plus it is easier to wire it now than in the future, should say the platform gets extended.

That does indeed make sense.   My understanding is the the signalling isn't (or wasn't until recently) as sophisticated as you might expect ... and at 2+7 (or was it 2+8) was routed in there ... pulled up blocking a number of main lines!