Reinstate Reading And Bristol Rail Plans - SWRA/SWRDA Tell ORR

[whole diary]

[Lee]

In its response to the Office of Rail Regulation^s draft determination of Network Rail^s Strategic Business Plan, the bodies have called for full support for Network Rail^s core high speed route strategy for the Great Western Main Line. They also demand backing for the infraco^s original plans to redevelop Reading station and a commitment to specific funds for schemes including a fourth platform at Bristol Parkway station that are required in order to achieve a Bristol Metro high frequency service (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/09/reinstate_reading_and_bristol.html#more

The SWRA and SWRDA^» (South West Regional Development Agency - about) also want other rail schemes, such as Swindon to Kemble track redoubling and a Taunton to Westbury line speed increase, reinstated. They say that if accepted by the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about), the changes would help to ensure that the rail network and rail services are capable of meeting current and future demands of people, places and businesses in the south west.

[Tim]

Does SWRDA^» (South West Regional Development Agency - about) have any money on offer to make any of this happen?

[eightf48544]

I thought Reading was now on, provided the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) upgrade is finished satisfactorily and Networkrail doesn't have more millions confiscated for late running engineering work.

[Tim]

My understanding is that the Reading upgrade is not in the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) document because it is not a project promoted by NR^» (Network Rail - home page) inorder to meet the HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification) and is not subject to complex processes normally part of NR enhancements which include the ORR review.  It is funded separately with most of the money coming directly from DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) (NR does make a small contribution as does the local council).  It is similar to the Birmingham New Street redevelopment in this respect and was anounced by Ruth Kelly in the same speech

The first stage of the work is about to start.  This involves the clearance of land to the north of the station which involves demolition of a signalling centre which can only happen when the signalling equipment is moved to Slough.  This will involve a lot of work and take some time and means that there will not be much visable activity on the ground for a while.

By 2010 the land ought to be clear and the 4 new through platforms to the North of the station will start being built.  Once they are in use, there will be spare capacity released to do the work on the existing station which includes lengthening (from 8 to 12 car) the two SWT^▸ (South West Trains) waterloo platforms and increasing their number to 3.  An old dive-under to the east of the station will be reopened to allow the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Gatwick trains to access other platforms in the station further releaving pressure on the SWT platforms. 

To the west of the station the whole of the track layout is being revised to reduce conflicting movements with the biggest change being a new flyover so that Trains to Swindon and Westbury are kept separately and so that Crosscountry trains can exist and leave the station without crossing the path of FGW services.  Crosscountry will use current platform 4 in both directions which is long enough to accomodate trains longer than the 4-car voyagers which currently use the bay platforms to the west

The Reading Turbo depot will need to be moved out of the way.  It was suggested that it be moved to teh ex-Eurostar Northpole depot but this is now earmarked for the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)/HST2 and a new depot near to reading will need to be build (so many turbo services start and end at Reading that this makes more sense anyway)

SWT gets three 12-car platforms in place of two 8-car platforms and gets Gatwick trains moved out of its way.

FGW and Crosscountry get 4 new through platforms although it Crossrail and/or airtrack comes to Reading some of these might be used by those trains. 

Conflicts between Crosscountry and FGW are removed

The passenger footbridge is being replaced to cope with more pedestrians although the barrierline and passenger concourse/ ticket office is not going to be expanded (although presumably this could be done later if required and would be a "simple building project" rather than a rail engineering project so hopefully wouldn't be hugely expensive to do 

All in all it is a fantastic and vitally important scheme.  You could even argue that it it of national importance because delays at Reading can be propergated to Aberdeen or Penzance (and vice versa).  The cost benefit ratio was apparently 1:4 which is very high and far ahead of many other worthwhile schemes.  I refuse to belive that it won't go ahead. 

[IndustryInsider]

The first stage of the work is about to start.  This involves the clearance of land to the north of the station which involves demolition of a signalling centre which can only happen when the signalling equipment is moved to Slough.  This will involve a lot of work and take some time and means that there will not be much visable activity on the ground for a while.

I refuse to belive that it won't go ahead. 

It will be going ahead, Tim! Thanks for your detailed post - just one minor correction in that the signalling will be transferred to the new Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot and not Slough.

[Tim]

The first stage of the work is about to start.  This involves the clearance of land to the north of the station which involves demolition of a signalling centre which can only happen when the signalling equipment is moved to Slough.  This will involve a lot of work and take some time and means that there will not be much visable activity on the ground for a while.

I refuse to belive that it won't go ahead. 

It will be going ahead, Tim! Thanks for your detailed post - just one minor correction in that the signalling will be transferred to the new Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot and not Slough.

Didcot is right.  Thanks for the correction and confirmation that it is happening. 

I guess with such a huge project it takes a while for things to ramp up.  Do you know if any enableing work has started yet or are we still at the planning stage