Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

Apart from connecting up the viaduct lines, how much passive provision is going to be installed for connecting up the remaining phases at a later stage, e.g. the Feeder lines etc?

Post No.2871 in this very thread will answer that question.

[CCTV99]

Thanks, S&TE.

[CCTV99]

I suppose the next few weeks are the last chance for photos, prior to the new viaduct and its track coming into use?

[stuving]

Yesterday I spotted that new track has started edging its way into P3. It's only just past the far end so far, but it looks as if there are enough panels stacked close by (it's been sat there for months) to complete the job.

[Jason]

Yesterday I spotted that new track has started edging its way into P3. It's only just past the far end so far, but it looks as if there are enough panels stacked close by (it's been sat there for months) to complete the job.

There was a huge amount of activity last weekend west of the station and P7/P8 were out of action on Sunday (at least). My Basingstoke service started from 13a out to Tilehurst and reversed back. The new track through the triangle looked to be mostly complete.

[paul7575]

I think they might end up with existing up Westbury properly re-aligned in the vicinity of Caversham Rd bridge to run smoothly into P8 over the coming weekends.  It will give them a bit of a head start before the Christmas & New Year full closure of the main line side.

I guess the new track through the triangle you mention is for the feeder lines, but AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) they'll remain disconnected on the other side of the viaduct underpass, and aren't intended to come into use until next Easter.

Paul

 

[CCTV99]

Presumably, the underpass will be the sole means of access to the north side of the viaduct and the work site for preparing and laying the feeder lines on that side?

Will that involve earthworks to provide a ramp down to the underpass?


 

[paul7575]

Presumably, the underpass will be the sole means of access to the north side of the viaduct and the work site for preparing and laying the feeder lines on that side?

Will that involve earthworks to provide a ramp down to the underpass?

If you look at the planning drawing I attached to a post a few weeks back:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6405.msg161424#msg161424

...the intention is to build a permanent road rail access point just on the east side of the Cow Lane road bridge, that goes under the festival viaduct and the central section of the main viaduct; so I'd anticipate there'll be a temporary means of access (or better) at the same place during the final phase of work to remove the temporary main lines and install the continuation of the feeder lines.

Paul

[lbraine]

Paul is correct - the access road and tunnel and under the new freight lines to get to the Westbury lines is in situ.

Coming out of Reading today it struck me that the new line under the main viaduct and festival line has quite a curve and dip on it just as it enters the under rifts !

P8 lines being worked on today - P7 closed to. A very large diamond crossing (with Spurs) - sorry don't know correct terms - was being lifted into place as I passed at about 100 yards from the start of the viaduct. I think I could see the new alignment for the mains into 8/9 and 9/10 in place - although not actually connected to the mains. That's Christmas!

[ellendune]

P8 lines being worked on today - P7 closed to. A very large diamond crossing (with Spurs) - sorry don't know correct terms - was being lifted into place as I passed at about 100 yards from the start of the viaduct. I think I could see the new alignment for the mains into 8/9 and 9/10 in place - although not actually connected to the mains. That's Christmas!

Interesting - can't see a diamond crossing on the plans http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6405.msg163179#msg163179.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

P8 lines being worked on today - P7 closed to. A very large diamond crossing (with Spurs) - sorry don't know correct terms - was being lifted into place as I passed at about 100 yards from the start of the viaduct. I think I could see the new alignment for the mains into 8/9 and 9/10 in place - although not actually connected to the mains. That's Christmas!

Interesting - can't see a diamond crossing on the plans http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=6405.msg163179#msg163179.

The diamond crossings in the old Mains were in place - at least until recently. Don't forget what are now the Mains were the Reliefs and the rails of the old Mains were left in situ, but unused. I suspect it was these crossings which were seen by Ibraine which were being lifted out as they lie right in the alignment of the new mains leading to the flyover.

[paul7575]

I was through the station yesterday and sort of convinced myself that the route taken by my XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Bournemouth service out of P8 towards the up Westbury was slightly different to previous trips, but I can't really describe why.   

All a bit academic really though, because I suspect that it will all be different again by Monday, my reasoning being that I've noticed that realtimetrains doesn't have any XC services at all using P8.  (Not quite true there is one reversal in P8 shown, but the whole day is nothing like Friday just gone):

  (resolve)/2014/12/15/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=xc" target="_blank">http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/RDG/2014/12/15/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XC

Perhaps there'll be another change next weekend, 20/21 December...

Paul

[lbraine]

On evidence it could have been the diamond cross was being lifted out - not being put in.

It was swinging a few feet off the ground on the end of the arm of one of those very large cranes reaching over from Abbottairs Rd.

I did notice too that the strange kink in the line as you exit P8 country end seemed a little less pronounced. Might be what Paul felt ?!

[ellendune]

If you look in this photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/wirewiping/15473608860/in/pool-1945836@N21 you can see the remains of the old crossovers in the middle distance just before the stack of track and the red barriers.

If the line from P8 to Westbury had been diverted to use the left hand route through turnout in the foreground I would not be surprised as this would be its future route. 

[stuving]

The announced reason for the work starting this week-end is to clear track out of the way in front of the viaduct. This was explained in the "Proposed G1 Network Change Notice" of March 2014:

5.4 Temporary re-alignment of the Up Westbury Line to facilitate Christmas 2014 commissioning.

In preparation for the Christmas commissioning there is a need to undertake track formation work in the Westbury Line Junction vicinity. To facilitate this work the section of the Up Westbury Line between 750B Points and 763A Points will be taken out of use on the 14 December 2014 prior to the Christmas blockade. During this period the only affected route will be from Platform 8 towards the Up Westbury and onto Oxford Road Junction which will not be available. Up trains from Oxford Road Junction will still be able to access Platform 8 via TR249 (Down Main) and 763 Points reverse.

That says that what's being taken out is the old track "straight" (i.e. via that wiggle) out of P8 and then left onto the Westburys, while the further one that goes right across to the current Down main, and is the one with two diamonds in it (the last vestiges of the old Main Lines), is being left in. That looks a little odd as a priority, as I'm sure that the whole area from P8-11 to the viaduct needs lots of big yellow toys to charge across it (sorry- "to be regraded") before the new track (now expected to be in its final position) goes in.