Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 13:55 28 Mar 2024
- Man held over stabbing in front of train passengers
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
* Jet2 launches first flight from Liverpool airport
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
28th Mar (1992)
MOD Kineton tour, branch line society (*)

Train RunningCancelled
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
13:26 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
13:28 Weymouth to Gloucester
13:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
14:13 Par to Newquay
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:10 Newquay to Par
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
11:29 Weymouth to Gloucester
11:48 London Paddington to Carmarthen
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
12:42 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury
12:46 Avonmouth to Weston-Super-Mare
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
13:07 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
13:26 Okehampton to Exeter Central
14:05 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
16:19 Carmarthen to London Paddington
Delayed
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
11:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
12:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
14:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 28, 2024, 14:05:57 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[142] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[80] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[56] Return of the BRUTE?
[46] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[43] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[34] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 57 58 [59] 60 61 ... 176
  Print  
Author Topic: Great Western Main Line electrification - ongoing discussion  (Read 1046641 times)
Electric train
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4355


The future is 25000 Volts AC 750V DC has its place


View Profile
« Reply #870 on: October 31, 2013, 18:14:33 »

It looks like Amey are not waiting for the arrival of the High Output train before starting work on this section of the line.

That's because the time to get the "test section" built is tight, the IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s will be run at line speed between Didcot and Tilhurst as part of the shake down of the trains
Logged

Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
DidcotPunter
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 166


View Profile Email
« Reply #871 on: November 01, 2013, 08:32:30 »


That's because the time to get the "test section" built is tight, the IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s will be run at line speed between Didcot and Tilhurst as part of the shake down of the trains

That's interesting - anyone know when the first IEP is due in the UK (United Kingdom) for testing?  I would presume that any shake-down running on this section would need to be at night as both main and relief lines are pretty busy during the day.

I can't see electrification work west of Didcot starting before the end of 2014 as they won't have completed the bridge rebuilds before then and completion north of Didcot is dependent on the upgrade work at Oxford station.
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #872 on: November 01, 2013, 10:52:49 »

I thought the IEPs (Intercity Express Program / Project.) are going straight to the ECML (East Coast Main Line) for testing?
Logged
anthony215
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1260


View Profile Email
« Reply #873 on: November 01, 2013, 12:50:53 »

I will have a read through later but I am sure there is something about this in the August issue of Modern Railways.

Hitachi were supposed to build at least one pre-production unit in japan before shipping it to the UK (United Kingdom) sometime in 2015.

"Correction"

There is a feature on page 17 of the November 2013 issue of Todays Railways UK about GBRF winning the IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.) testing contract which states that the pre-series IEP's will be shipped to the UK for testing which will commence in March 2015. From this I think these 1st units should be in the UK by December 2014/January 2015.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2013, 20:39:22 by anthony215 » Logged
DidcotPunter
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 166


View Profile Email
« Reply #874 on: November 08, 2013, 11:05:42 »

First part of High Output Plant train arrived yesterday in the UK (United Kingdom) from Windhoff in Germany.

Pictures of it passing through Market Harborough en route from the Channel Tunnel to the High Marnham test track.

http://mark5812.smugmug.com/Trains2013-1/November-2013/i-cGXVQgJ/A
http://mark5812.smugmug.com/Trains2013-1/November-2013/i-VN8tkjb/A

I think this consist includes the piling rig.  Clearly there is more to come.
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #875 on: November 08, 2013, 20:13:47 »

Well spotted, DidcotPunter! I've been waiting for a glimpse. If that is five units in the pictures, there are still 18 to deliver. The two vehicles to the rear of the train appear to be almost identical. The third looks like the one that holds the pile vertical. I believe the white shields are used to allow working next to a live line. Any insider info here?
Logged

Now, please!
paul7575
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5316


View Profile
« Reply #876 on: November 09, 2013, 11:16:22 »

Well spotted, DidcotPunter! I've been waiting for a glimpse. If that is five units in the pictures, there are still 18 to deliver. The two vehicles to the rear of the train appear to be almost identical. The third looks like the one that holds the pile vertical. I believe the white shields are used to allow working next to a live line. Any insider info here?

That's how NR» (Network Rail - home page) describe the shields: http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Gallery/The-steel-safety-39-wall-39-on-the-HOPS-to-allow-adjacent-line-working-at-speed-1bf2.aspx

There are a number of descriptions knocking about of the functions of different modules, but one thing I've gleaned is that certain modules can split again on site, so the lead section, referred to as 'the' piling module, is two (or three) sets of equipment that can run independently.  So I wonder if the best idea is to think of it as having five functional tasks, but there'll be more than five separate sections when in operation.

The NR Electrification RUS (Route Utilisation Strategy) of 2009 has a fairly detailed explanation (in its Appendix 2) of what they intended it to look like when ordered, obviously it may be slightly different by now but it gives a good idea including artists impressions.   The press release containing the picture I linked to above also describes the five functional areas of the train:

Quote
- A piling rig, with two MPVs with Movax vibro piling heads, which literally vibrate the steel piles into the soil, 2 pile carrying wagons, and finally a Fambo hydraulic percussion hammer MPV for tougher ground.

- An excavation and concrete batching consist. This will feature an Hitachi excavator plus a Kniele concrete unit which will mix concrete from onboard aggregate, cement and water tanks.

- A structures consist, which will erect the Series One masts, portal booms and twin track cantilevers. It is intended to carry 30 masts for erection, per night.

- Ancillary conductor consist, which will install the earthing wires, return wires and small parts such as registration arms and other equipment.

- The contact and catenary consist, which will string up the remaining wires, under tension. Another unit install other articles such as contenary wires under low bridges, neutral sections and record information such as height and stagger.

Each consist will include two MPVs with full driving cabs, powered by MTU (Motor Traction Unit) power packs, which can be driven at 60mph off-site. On site driving cabs will allow the train to be driven very slowly in possessions, such as when installing contact
wire.
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Groundbreaking-factory-train-to-cut-years-off-Great-Western-electrification-1e0d.aspx

Note for instance how the explanation of the first 'consist' of the five includes 3 MPVs.

Paul
« Last Edit: November 09, 2013, 11:35:09 by paul7755 » Logged
bobm
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 9809



View Profile
« Reply #877 on: March 07, 2014, 18:54:02 »

Saw this at Swindon today - looks to be part of the High Output Plant system (HOPS) train - all shiny and new.





Couldn't see too much of the rest of the train as the "safety guards" were on my side of it.
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #878 on: March 07, 2014, 19:15:42 »

That looks like the 'Excavation and Concrete Batching' section of the HOPS train:

http://www.railexpress.co.uk/news/new-factory-train-will-slash-gwml-electrification-schedule
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #879 on: March 07, 2014, 19:29:06 »

Swindon is the High Output Operating Base, or HOOB. From my research (I'm not a professional railwayman but I'm usually pretty good with Google) I believe it will look something like this:



Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #880 on: March 07, 2014, 19:31:55 »

They're smart, they're fun, they know!
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
bobm
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 9809



View Profile
« Reply #881 on: March 07, 2014, 20:16:36 »

That looks like the 'Excavation and Concrete Batching' section of the HOPS train:

http://www.railexpress.co.uk/news/new-factory-train-will-slash-gwml-electrification-schedule

Thanks - yes that looks to be the one.  I was told it was going for a run from the depot, into Swindon to change ends, then off to go around the Didcot triangle to turn it.
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #882 on: March 07, 2014, 23:05:46 »

Swindon is the High Output Operating Base, or HOOB. From my research (I'm not a professional railwayman but I'm usually pretty good with Google) I believe it will look something like this:



Post of the week! If I could award a prize, you'd get it Tufty.  Grin Grin Grin

♪HOOB HOOB hooray! The HOOBmobile is coming your way♫.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdm0KUbEo4o

And worth adding. I laughed when seeing Red Squirrel's post. I laughed hard. Damn near coughed up a lung.
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #883 on: March 08, 2014, 10:16:20 »

Well now you've gone and encouraged me: I just can't wait for the day when one of these rolls over the new Stapleton Rd viaduct:

Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #884 on: March 10, 2014, 08:05:54 »

First electric services from London to Bristol Parkway should be running by 2018, with electric services to Temple Meads the following year according to Chris Aldridge of Network Rail - http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Electric-trains-London-Bristol-running-Great/story-20785715-detail/story.html
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 57 58 [59] 60 61 ... 176
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page