Swindon to Kemble re-doubling - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

The offending wagon was in the naughty siding at Kemble at the weekend (24/25 August):

I like the way they put a coach in it to stop it rolling away again.

Brilliant! That response had me guffawing, FT,N.

Not an ideal thing to do with a leccy fag in yer gob. 

[TonyK]

The offending wagon was in the naughty siding at Kemble at the weekend (24/25 August):

I like the way they put a coach in it to stop it rolling away again.

Brilliant! That response had me guffawing, FT,N.

Not an ideal thing to do with a leccy fag in yer gob. 

The concept of a "naughty siding" had me clutching my sides, and Mrs FT, N! wondering what was wrong with me.

[JayMac]

The concept of a "naughty siding"

....which had me thinking that Sapperton Tunnel was temporarily possessed by the spirit of the Rev. W Audrey.

[Chris from Nailsea]

See also http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:The%22real%22S.C.Ruffey.jpg for a striking similarity ...

[Sapperton Tunnel]

Did another set of Photos on Monday 26th August which was day 17 of the 23 day closure. They are all at http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/sets/ and the more interesting ones are here.

From Kemble going towards Swindon they are:

66599 waits at Wick Bridge for a driver before exiting the possession at Kemble:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607219356/



At Oaksey Bridge the new Up line was being Stressed after welding together the lengths.
Looking towards Swindon:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9543610117/



My wife read the instruction manual that comes with the camera and found that there is a telephoto lens on it. I wondered what that button was for.
So, looking in the distance from Oaksey Bridge towards Swindon:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9603965807/


What intrigued me were the extra clips on some of the sleepers; it would be nice if someone could explain:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604012439/



At Minety Askew Bridge work continues with the ground anchors. On the left you can see the reinforcement rods that have been grouted in and the rock drill is still at work on the right.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9603948611/



and a better shot of the completed North West side:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9603953659/



At Minety Crossing the new track has been laid in front for the Up, but the levels need sorting!! Workmen were making shuttering for the new crossing barrier posts. The Crossing Keepers hut is still extant, but looking a little forlorn. This one and Purton Collins Lane Crossing will remain shut for a week after the line scheduled reopening on 2nd September according to the closure notices.

 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9603959603/



At Minety Bridge, tracklaying continues in the distance towards Swindon:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607156604/


At Black Dog Bridge, new track for the Up on the right has been laid. Looking North towards Kemble:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9603909541/


and is being tamped, looking South towards Swindon:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607150438/



In the Purton area, very little has been done and I would think that there must still be some track to slew in the Collins Lane Crossing area; looking towards Kemble:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607122380/



Finally, at Bremhill, some of the old Single line track that was slewed into the Up line position has now been lifted, with trains running on the new Down formation. Looking South towards Swindon:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9607116454/


I will do the next set on weekend 7/8th September when the line has reopened. Overall, I think they are on plan except for the Purton Collins Lane area, but that is just my opinion and might be due to the wagon derailment


ST

[Red Squirrel]

Brilliant stuff as ever, ST - thanks!

[Railfriend]

Thanks, ST.  Great work.

As I understand the plan, the track from Swindon to Kemble is being realigned such that the line will reopen in a few days with one of the two tracks (either up or down) being in its final position, with the other track to be completed over the coming months.  If so, does anyone know if there is an expected date for both tracks to come into use -- or will use of both tracks only start after the Easter 2014 official completion date?

[paul7575]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604012439/

When they stress the rail, they temporarily fit these devices all the way along the length of rail to hold the rail up off the sleeper pads, you can just see a roller at an angle to the rail web under the railhead on the RH side.  They allow the entire rail to move along the line of the track without moving any sleepers.

Manufacturer's info here:  http://www.vortok.com/rail-stress-management/vortok-stressing-rollers-vsrs

Click on pictures or videos.  You see much of the complexity is because they have to be adapted to match the clip system in use on the sleepers.

Paul

[Sapperton Tunnel]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99295362@N07/9604012439/

When they stress the rail, they temporarily fit these devices all the way along the length of rail to hold the rail up off the sleeper pads, you can just see a roller at an angle to the rail web under the railhead on the RH side.  They allow the entire rail to move along the line of the track without moving any sleepers.

Manufacturer's info here:  http://www.vortok.com/rail-stress-management/vortok-stressing-rollers-vsrs

Click on pictures or videos.  You see much of the complexity is because they have to be adapted to match the clip system in use on the sleepers.

Paul

Thanks, Paul

[Sapperton Tunnel]

Thanks, ST.  Great work.

As I understand the plan, the track from Swindon to Kemble is being realigned such that the line will reopen in a few days with one of the two tracks (either up or down) being in its final position, with the other track to be completed over the coming months.  If so, does anyone know if there is an expected date for both tracks to come into use -- or will use of both tracks only start after the Easter 2014 official completion date?

Both tracks will only come into use at the Easter 2014 shutdown. The signalling between Swindon and just beyond Kemble is controlled by Swindon 'A' Panel which is due to close at Easter 2014 and the control transferred to the Thames Valley Signalling Centre (TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about)) at Didcot.

There is a big shutdown in the Swindon area at Easter 2014 to do this, as SandTEngineer has posted. It would be a waste of money to modify Swindon 'A' to accommodate the extra line just for a short period of time before the move to TVSC.
The closure of Swindon 'A' and transfer to TVSC has always been the main driver for the timing of the Kemble line redoubling - any earlier completion would in reality just leave the asset unused and not earning its keep.


It will be interesting to see how much of the original Single line sleepers and rail remain. As in my last photo at Bremhill, some of the old Single line track is being lifted and at some overbridges the new track is about a couple of feet or more lower than the old in order to provide clearance for potential future electrification.


Talking to one of the now retired gangers a little while ago, one of the reasons why the track was slewed to the middle in places was because the ballast needed renewing and instead of digging the old out, new ballast was just dropped on top and the track slewed to keep the correct clearance under the elliptical bridges. The side ballast could also be easily dealt with.
I think that this proves that Wiltshire chlorophyll is in accordance with the relevant EU^» (European Union - about) specs and not at increased levels as suggested by Red Squirrel - in short you leave our Cotswold chlorophyll alone. I admit, however, my explanation does not account for the actual migration process.

   
ST   

[TonyK]

Nice wok Sapperton Tunnel, and thanks! It's extremely interesting.

Now, back to my Latin prep...

[Sapperton Tunnel]

I hadn't, but now you say that I suspect that it is actually caused by changes in the refractive index of ballast caused by increased levels of chlorophyll in the local environment - this could easily reverse the polarity of the neutron flow in the sleepers, even at that distance from Cardiff.

Photo from Wikipedia

As I said, you leave our chlorophyll alone - especially when it produces such beautiful flowers as the Snakeshead Fritillary, above. These are rare flowers in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) now, but are found at Clattinger and Lower Moor Farms, Oaksey, which is just a really damn good stones throw from Oaksey Bridge.

More information here...

http://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/Reserves/clattingerfarm.htm


ST



PS..... seems that all is well for the reopening of Kemble to Swindon on Monday, as of Friday morning according to the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)........possibly including the new Signals between Kemble and Stroud as buses replace trains between Kemble and Gloucester all weekend. In the original plan is was trains Kemble to Gloucester on Saturday and from Sunday afternoon.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23895702

[Railfriend]

Anyone know what is the minimum separation that has to be maintained between double tracks?  Based on some of ST's photos the tracks appear to be separated by 7 or 8 feet.

[IndustryInsider]

Not sure, but it's always called the 'six foot' within the railway world regardless of distance.   

[GlawsterPanelS&T]

I believe the minimum allowed distance between track centres is 3.26 metres (10' 8.5" in old money).