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Author Topic: Reading Station improvements  (Read 1356639 times)
Gordon the Blue Engine
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« Reply #555 on: February 11, 2012, 15:50:52 »

I spent a while at Reading station yesterday (in the cold!) waiting to meet someone.  It struck me how much capacity is lost because of the normal operating practice of not closing the doors on departing trains until the starting signal clears. I saw several trains that were loaded up and ready to go, and just waiting for the signal to clear after a previous train.  Then when the signal cleared there was blowing of whistles and the door closure routine starts - maybe 20-30 seconds elapses from the signal clearing to HST (High Speed Train)'s actually departing, but of course much longer for Voyagers with their drawn-out door closing process. 

It seems to me that this is an old railway practice which goes back to slam door stock, when of course passengers could and would join the train if it was in the platform and stationary.  With modern stock with lockable doors, why cannot trains close their doors at train time and draw up to the starting signal, so they are ready to go as soon as it clears?  This would improve punctuality and improve throughput at busy junctions like Reading
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eightf48544
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« Reply #556 on: February 11, 2012, 22:18:56 »

Intersting idea but I can't see elfandsafety being too happy with a train starting to move and then stopping again. People would be trying to board thinking it was stopping to pick them up.

With ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System.) and enough baliases(? spelling) a train could in theory be given the start signal sooner but only at 5 mph say, the train would then get successive higher speeds until it was following the train ahead at line speed.

Watch Docklands to get an idea of what I mean where trains creep up to around 50 yards behind a stopped train, enter the platform as the previous train leaves and then follow it out quite closely. You can see the block sections if you are in the front as they are where the control wire loops and there is numberplate. it's very precise especialy station stops which are spot on the stop plate everytime.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2012, 16:23:41 by eightf48544 » Logged
ellendune
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« Reply #557 on: February 12, 2012, 14:05:09 »

If you try and find a map of Reading Station on the FGW (First Great Western) website you are directed to national rail (not a problem) .  However this map has not been updated and still has the old platform numbers on it.

[Note The Paddington map will also need changing now they ahve moved the Taxi Rank.]
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JayMac
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« Reply #558 on: February 12, 2012, 15:41:18 »

I've recently read on Twitter that NRE(resolve) are aware of the issue regarding the online map of Reading and the incorrect platform numbers. Brought to their attention by an FGW (First Great Western) staffer who is also a member of this forum. Well done Ollie!

National Rail Enquiries are, however, painfully slow in updating incorrect information on their website.
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paul7575
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« Reply #559 on: February 12, 2012, 18:24:08 »

I suspect that they used a specialist contractor to produce all the drawings and photos for the whole network as part of that 'stations made easy' scheme, but then didn't set up a system to deal with future changes as and when they happen.

Paul
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eightf48544
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« Reply #560 on: February 13, 2012, 11:50:50 »

Heard from a very reliable source that the TV Signalling Centre is finding it very hard to work Reading without the old platform 7. They've nowhwere to park an out of course Voyager terminator without blocking a through platform if 3 is occupied.
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Gordon the Blue Engine
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« Reply #561 on: February 13, 2012, 16:34:07 »

Yes 8F, I can see the XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Reading terminators (only every 2 hours now of course) must be a bit of a headache even if they are on time.  They arrive at xx07 and depart at xx41, so presumably block P9 or P10 for 34 minutes.  Else they're put across to P3 with all the extra conflicting moves, and squeezed in after the xx11 northbound XC departure and effectively blocking P3 for the xx46 southbound XC.  Unless they shunt them out of the station for the layover time?

I'll check the Reading departures this evening and see where the 1741 Newcastle goes from (although the inward wrorking is 22 late from Oxford so it will need less platform time at Reading than usual)
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BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #562 on: February 13, 2012, 16:48:59 »

Yes 8F, I can see the XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Reading terminators (only every 2 hours now of course) must be a bit of a headache even if they are on time.  They arrive at xx07 and depart at xx41, so presumably block P9 or P10 for 34 minutes.  Else they're put across to P3 with all the extra conflicting moves, and squeezed in after the xx11 northbound XC departure and effectively blocking P3 for the xx46 southbound XC.  Unless they shunt them out of the station for the layover time?

I'll check the Reading departures this evening and see where the 1741 Newcastle goes from (although the inward wrorking is 22 late from Oxford so it will need less platform time at Reading than usual)

I can tell you that the 1741 Xcode to Newcastle is normally parked at p3 as it is there when I catch the 1736 service to thatcham
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Gordon the Blue Engine
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« Reply #563 on: February 13, 2012, 17:15:31 »

. as it is this evening.  Just looking at the Reading departures on the FGW (First Great Western) website to see where the 1711 XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to Manchester is leaving from (in 1 minute's time!) but no platform is showing yet.  So presumably it doesn't normally goes off P3!  Just hope the punters at Reading can see a platform number!

So maybe they keep P3 for the XC Reading terminators, and use P7-P10 for XC's when P3 is so occupied.

1711 XC to Newcastle has now left Reading, platform not known.
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JayMac
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« Reply #564 on: February 13, 2012, 17:26:21 »

1711 is to Manchester Piccadilly.

But as you rightly say, Live Departures showed no platform number.
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paul7575
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« Reply #565 on: February 13, 2012, 17:30:59 »

Yes 8F, I can see the XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Reading terminators (only every 2 hours now of course) must be a bit of a headache even if they are on time.  They arrive at xx07 and depart at xx41, so presumably block P9 or P10 for 34 minutes.  Else they're put across to P3...)

All the XC terminators are diagrammed to layover in P3. This was shown in route planners from about last November onwards, and displayed on posters around the station back in December when P7 notionally closed, although until Christmas P7 was still used on occasions.

The through services on the SOU/RDG(resolve)/NCL route nearly all use P3 as well - 1640 northbound from Southampton and 1815 southbound to Eastleigh are about the only through services that don't use P3;  platform allocations checked with opentraintimes.com for tomorrow - avoiding any late changes!

PS - a similar check suggests nearly all Bourrnemouth/Man Picc trains use the through platforms, either 8 or 9, but I did also find a 1646 to Bournemouth in P10

PPS here's a link (for tomorrow):  http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/RDG/2012/2/14/0700

Paul
« Last Edit: February 13, 2012, 17:40:52 by paul7755 » Logged
BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #566 on: February 13, 2012, 17:43:22 »

. as it is this evening.  Just looking at the Reading departures on the FGW (First Great Western) website to see where the 1711 XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to Manchester is leaving from (in 1 minute's time!) but no platform is showing yet.  So presumably it doesn't normally goes off P3!  Just hope the punters at Reading can see a platform number!

So maybe they keep P3 for the XC Reading terminators, and use P7-P10 for XC's when P3 is so occupied.

1711 XC to Newcastle has now left Reading, platform not known.

1741 is now sitting at p3 wtg departure
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Gordon the Blue Engine
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« Reply #567 on: February 13, 2012, 17:49:01 »

Sorry, 1711 to Manchester not Newcastle as you say BNM.  But obviously the closure of the old P7, whilst necessary for the station modernisation, adds to congestion etc. in the short term and presumably more instances of late platform changes and passengers rushing about to and from P3.
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ellendune
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« Reply #568 on: February 20, 2012, 23:19:17 »

More recent photos posted on

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=88717140&postcount=142
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Boppy
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« Reply #569 on: February 21, 2012, 14:12:18 »

Took this photo this morning standing between platforms 8 & 9 looking east.

I believe this was the building that housed the goods lift and store cupboards.

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