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  1. W

    What other possibilities are there to improve capacity around Reading?

    The answer to this depends on whether you want to make rail operation easier or facilitate travel around Reading. The rebuilding of Reading station included much expensive junction work linking the Basingstoke line with the GWML westwards. Given the choice, I would have preferred Green Park...
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    Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

    ....and the inspection and detailed testing both statically and under load has to satisfy the various stakeholders before being presented to ORR for signing off/approval to use. That's when ORR does earn its money. Previously, IIRC, ORR has been quite prompt about this, if all's well. After...
  3. W

    Rail Preservation for Peace - did it work in Ireland?

    The mention of the Palestine Railways is very timely. It was IIRC built the army (ours) as a standard gauge widening of the previous Turkish 1.0/1.05m gauge system and was state owned from 1920, well before BR! It connected Haifa through Gaza to El Kantara in Egypt and had the benefit of Sir...
  4. W

    Class 503 disposal

    Your perspective. WAO
  5. W

    Class 503 disposal

    Electrification would only be applicable to a heritage railway for the same reasons as on the commercial railway; when there is the frequency and weight of traffic to warrant it, along with the availability of attractive rolling stock. One could erect a "dead" section of OLE or third rail for...
  6. W

    Could electrically-heated steam locos be a solution for preserved railways?

    I don't think that there's any mileage in immersion heaters in boilers and pantographs on tenders - the thermodynamics are all wrong. What might be possible is a LNG/CNG (Methane) tank in the tender. The gas burner would be automatically controlled (no fire-person needed and firing up would be...
  7. W

    HS2 Manchester leg scrapped: what should happen now?

    I think that those figures just show that LNER is best at pulling in customers. WAO
  8. W

    Mark Harper announces in Llandudno North Wales electrification

    Wonderful what the proximity of a general election does to a government not just trailing but collapsing in the polls. Based on traffic, one would have thought that Cross Country and the suburban routes around the provincial cities would have better cases. However, spending on a depressed...
  9. W

    4VEP 3417 back on mainline, still fundraising

    I suspect that the VEP's were so rammed that nobody could be thrown around in an accident - passengers were airbags in effect - so fewer injuries. The first element of crash worthiness is of course not to have crashes, such as with TPWS (thank you John Prescott). The SR Mark 1's were not so bad...
  10. W

    Bradford Forster Square 4th Platform Funding Announced: what improvements would you like to see made?

    Wouldn't a reversing siding, north of the station, with a defined staff walkway, be better value than an extra platform, for avoiding parked EMU's within the station? Think Liverpool Central.... Even better would be to make FS a through station (takes cover). WAO
  11. W

    Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

    The reason for the lead is surely to feed the GM system at the centre of the star of routes, rather than through one leg, a fault in which would close down the whole network. I understand the City's commercial and residential supplies are also fed in a similar manner from Heyrod. WAO
  12. W

    4VEP 3417 back on mainline, still fundraising

    Wonderful achievement, just a shame it's not a (usable) 4CIG. The five a side VEP's were exquisitely uncomfortable - you always seemed to be sitting next to an "out of gauge" passenger - would anyone really want a railtour in such cramped conditions? WAO
  13. W

    Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

    So that would confirm that we are now definitely seeing wiring from Church Fenton (North Junction) to Micklefield, although not specifically announced! Hiding one's light.... WAO
  14. W

    ECML Power Supply Upgrade

    The ORR letter of 21/12/23 gives the following description (Quote): "Two No. new traction power supplies at Hambleton Junction with the principal component parts of each circuit being a 132kV incoming supply cable from Northern Powergrid, 132kV / 27kV transformer, triple-pole disconnector, 3ph...
  15. W

    Third rail - becoming a better option for electrification?

    Both the nuclear and aviation industries have tighter safety regimes than the Railway. Both produce cost effective schemes for continuing progress. Do we have a "not a chance" rail industry?" WAO
  16. W

    Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

    When HS2a(?) to Manchester was cancelled, a number of electrification schemes were touted by DfT for the North, such as Leeds - Hull, Sheffield to Manchester and Leeds. The Calder Valley route is a mystery as the plan for a third/additional rail terminal in poor Bradford with a high speed route...
  17. W

    Third rail - becoming a better option for electrification?

    If the problems with OLE are contractual then the answer is to do more in-house, i.e. with less outside contracting, with its consequent arms length delays and costs of design and procurement, due diligence, costs of variations, commercial profit, limited choice of suppliers etc. This does of...
  18. W

    Third rail - becoming a better option for electrification?

    Extract from H&SE Guidance (Regulation 7): 116 Electric railway and tramway operators, in conjunction with the Office of Rail and Road, have developed standards and safety specifications for the construction of those parts of their systems which use bare conductors at overhead and at track...
  19. W

    Third rail - becoming a better option for electrification?

    An airline has to earn its keep by flying passengers even if it's safer not to take off. The Railway (and ORR) just float on government money. WAO
  20. W

    Third rail - becoming a better option for electrification?

    The ethics of safety is to balance risk with reward, not to do nothing. Consider aviation. WAO

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