Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

They may be making progress on the east side of the station, but I think they've some way to go at "Whitehouse Junction"  (ie Scours Lane East).  When I went past on Tuesday it looked like some track slewing was still to be done, and some crossovers to put in place.  Maybe that's planned for Sunday as well, if it hasn't been done since Tuesday.

Went out to Tilehurst and back this morning, and there's no work whatsoever going on at the west end of the layout at all now, however the new connections (as shown in the first of the diagrams posted on page 55) are all in operation.  XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains to/from Basingstoke and freight services are running up and down what will now be the interim 'mains' (ie the old reliefs) as far as Reading West Jn, the block (stop lights) on this pair of tracks was further east, nearly at Cow Lane I think?

One point about the track layout I hadn't realised so far is that the running junction at Tilehurst East is only a single ladder, so parallel moves by up and down trains between the reliefs and the mains aren't possible - presumably exactly why that area became the main bottleneck...

PS - since posting that I thought I'd see if webcam 04 tab 4 showed these tracks in use, and although there isn't much to see, I did find a couple of freightliners at 1130 and 1345 today.

Paul

[JayMac]

Surely such a wonderful example of late 1980s design and architecture should have been preserved for the nation. Wasn't there any interest from a heritage railway in relocating it?   

I think that 'joke' counts as a repeat - too like mine at #1309...   

Great minds eh? 

[onthecushions]

Paul7755,

Thank you for your kind and lucid explanation.

I can see that the great gain will be in access and quality space. I used to complain that it was a crowded 500m+ from my seat (!) in quiet coach A to the No 5 bus stop, also about short notice platform changes via the sub-way (old 5 to 9 then back to 4!). I also admired B'ham International with its deck above platforms and visible tracks.

I imagine that the 1991 concourse will soon look jaded and the poor, uneconomic site-ratio of the present building may prompt rebuilding.

I'm now looking forward to Monday!

Thanks,

OTC

[paul7575]

Another theory might be that Network Rail are hoping the council will chip in with a sufficiently large contribution to make a difference.  I can think of a few situations where the local authority has helped out, Southampton Central's new south entrance being a typical joint effort.

Paul

[SandTEngineer]

One point about the track layout I hadn't realised so far is that the running junction at Tilehurst East is only a single ladder, so parallel moves by up and down trains between the reliefs and the mains aren't possible - presumably exactly why that area became the main bottleneck...

PS - since posting that I thought I'd see if webcam 04 tab 4 showed these tracks in use, and although there isn't much to see, I did find a couple of freightliners at 1130 and 1345 today.
Paul

There is an existing double junction between the new Relief lines (the old Goods Lines) via the new Main lines (old Relief lines) and across the out of use old Main lines (gosh hope that makes sense ) to Reading West curve (see the previous track layout drawings).  I don't think that the main lines themselves between Tilehurst Reading West Junction and Twyford are commissioned until tomorrow tonight (Sun 07/Mon 08 April 2013).  I suspect the old double junctions will be de-commissioned when the new flyover lines come into operation.

[paul7575]

There is an existing double junction between the new Relief lines (the old Goods Lines) via the new Main lines (old Relief lines) and across the out of use old Main lines (gosh hope that makes sense ) to Reading West curve (see the previous track layout drawings).  I don't think that the main lines themselves between Tilehurst and Twyford are commissioned until tomorrow tonight (Sun 07/Mon 08 April 2013). 

When I wrote that the new main lines were already in use, I was only referring to the stretch from Tilehurst as far as Reading West, but I'm sure I'm right on this because as I left Tilehurst towards Reading, at about 1330, there was a Freightliner service bombing along in parallel, having stayed on the up main whilst my 165 made its station call at Tilehurst. 

Realtimetrains has the Turbo (2P52) at Reading West Jn at 1344 on 'RL' and the Freightliner at same timing point at 1344 on 'M'.  All the timings seem about right from what I recall, although I wasn't writing anything down...

I remember thinking that train's still moving pretty fast, and ah now it's passed that signal, so it can't be crossing over to the relief side where I am...

Paul

[SandTEngineer]

Paul, quite possible then that last weekend they connected up the Main lines to the old Relief lines at Tilehurst.  Its a shame that there don't appear to be any photographs of the work at that end

I have edited my post above to reflect your recollection.

[ellendune]

All the bits of footbridge were piled on the P8/9 island, which makes me think they'll be craned off starting later tonight once normal services have ceased.

Crane started working at about 22:30 tonight

[paul7575]

All the bits of footbridge were piled on the P8/9 island, which makes me think they'll be craned off starting later tonight once normal services have ceased.

Crane started working at about 22:30 tonight

...and they seem to be in the tidying up phase now, around 1130, as the crane is removing the heavy machinery and the baulks of timber used to protect the platform surfaces.

Paul

[paul7575]

You know that bit in the movies, where they're waiting for it to kick off, and someone says it all seems a bit too quiet?   

Just looked at the long shot of the east end track works (available by zooming in on webcam 02/2), and there doesn't seem to be anything going on...

Paul

[johoare]

I have just renewed my monthly season ticket so apologies to everyone should I now have jinxed the service being good tomorrow morning 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Erm ... thanks for that, Jo. 

[johoare]

Erm ... thanks for that, Jo. 

I know!..It was a difficult choice though.. Had I not done it today.. and the trains were ok (as I am sure they will be) in the morning.. the queues for tickets would have been very long tomorrow.. Hopefully all will be ok though...

[swrural]

Will not blame Jo for this (!) but I notice that the reduced platform availability is causing major delays (5 to 10 minutes) on trains passing through Reading, both ways.  These are doubtless chargeable by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) (mainly) to NR^» (Network Rail - home page).

Those of you in the know, I have a question.  Given that the temporary timetable must have been drawn up in anticipation of this reduced capacity, who is really to blame?  Is it right that NR should be coughing up, as at the moment, apart from annoying customers, it seems a nice little earner for FGW?

Put me right someone please, especially if you are 'in the know'.

[bobm]

But they haven't got reduced platforms this week have they?  I though they were all open apart from Platform 11 and possibly 3 - which means they have more platforms available than ever before.

Will find out for certain when I pass through there in a couple of hours.