Great Western Electrification Progress

[SouthEastBuses]

Just a reminder of how work was left around Appleford Crossing.

Taken 04/05/21View attachment 96426View attachment 96427View attachment 96429

Back in September and October, I remember there were a few poles around Appleford but that's it.

 

[Max]

I would be pretty surprised if this were the case, given the recent correspondence from DfT to the Oxfordshire Growth Board, which states that any future decision to resume electrification "will be subject to a satisfactory business case offering value for money for the taxpayer". This implies that the decision has not yet been taken (at least as of March).

https://www.oxfordshiregrowthboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DFT-response-East-West-Rail.pdf

 

[Bikeman78]

Where do the wires end on the Chippenham line? When the cutbacks were announced, I thought they were supposed to go to Thingley junction but they haven't even got that far.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Where do the wires end on the Chippenham line? When the cutbacks were announced, I thought they were supposed to go to Thingley junction but they haven't even got that far.

Christian Malford, isn’t it?
Just before the station.

 

[The exile]

Christian Malford, isn’t it?
Just before the station.

With isolated masts marooned to the west of the station, and piles either in the ground or lying on it at various locations between there and Bristol

 

[mr_jrt]

Out of curiosity, I've read a few times about Didcot to Oxford getting additional tracks in the mid-to-long term. Presumably any electrification would have quite a short working life if that were to happen as the masts are in the way?

 

[Backroom_boy]

Christian Malford, isn’t it?
Just before the station.

Is it energised to there? Or just the wires strung up?

 

[JohnRegular]

They could do that (well, IET cracks aside) now as the Bedwyns are nearly all IET, but Pewsey gets a two hourly service now along with Westbury, you've also got the option from Westbury to go Via Salisbury to Waterloo

Westbury currently has surprisingly poor connectivity to the B&H stations- services to London are frequent enough but very few provide good local connectivity. This in turn means the B&H stations miss out on the connections available at Westbury.
Seems downright logical to extend the wires, and B&H electric stoppers there, so it's probably not gonna happen any time soon.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Is it energised to there? Or just the wires strung up?

Energised to there, and in regular passenger use.

 

[td97]

A source on Flickr has said that electrification of Didcot - Oxford "apparently resumes very shortly".

Didcot - Hanborough in fact. To be completed in 6 stages, A - F, as a "rolling programme".

 

[59CosG95]

Christian Malford, isn’t it?
Just before the station.

Correct. Wires continue physically to Langley Burrell, but no pans are up there as (IIRC) the wires are dead. No ATF west of Christian Malford either; it's troughed from the AT site there to Thingley Jn ATFS.

Didcot - Hanborough in fact. To be completed in 6 stages, A - F, as a "rolling programme".

Oh that IS good news. Nothing public yet I trust?

 

[JamesT]

Out of curiosity, I've read a few times about Didcot to Oxford getting additional tracks in the mid-to-long term. Presumably any electrification would have quite a short working life if that were to happen as the masts are in the way?

The suggestion I've seen for additional tracks is that they'd end up being a somewhat separate alignment bypassing the small stations between Oxford and Didcot. So the presence of electrification on the existing tracks shouldn't make much difference.

 

[edwin_m]

The suggestion I've seen for additional tracks is that they'd end up being a somewhat separate alignment bypassing the small stations between Oxford and Didcot. So the presence of electrification on the existing tracks shouldn't make much difference.

Operationally the logical thing would be to add two new lines to the east, as these could be continuations of the existing Didcot avoiding line whereas all trains stopping at the existing stations would also need to stop at Didcot. Unfortunately the OS map suggests housing close to the eastern boundary in several places, including around Appleford station.

 

[zwk500]

Operationally the logical thing would be to add two new lines to the east, as these could be continuations of the existing Didcot avoiding line whereas all trains stopping at the existing stations would also need to stop at Didcot. Unfortunately the OS map suggests housing close to the eastern boundary in several places, including around Appleford station.

With a bit more ambition, you could kill two birds with one stone by building a new grade-separated junction at Moreton, and taking 2 new lines at 100mph+ off that would avoid Didcot and Appleford entirely, joining the old alignment near the A415 Abingdon Road overbridge. Then either keep the East Curve as a regulating opportunity for freight or lift it to save on maintenance costs.

 

[59CosG95]

With a bit more ambition, you could kill two birds with one stone by building a new grade-separated junction at Moreton, and taking 2 new lines at 100mph+ off that would avoid Didcot and Appleford entirely, joining the old alignment near the A415 Abingdon Road overbridge. Then either keep the East Curve as a regulating opportunity for freight or lift it to save on maintenance costs.

Something similar to this, perhaps?

The golfers might have a few unprintable words to say about that!

 

[zwk500]

Something similar to this, perhaps?

Pretty much!

The golfers might have a few unprintable words to say about that!

Oh dear. How sad. Never Mind.

Regrettably, I've drifted yet another topic into speculative territory (sorry mods!) so we should probably get back to work that's actually happening.

 

[didcotdean]

Pretty much!

Oh dear. How sad. Never Mind.

Regrettably, I've drifted yet another topic into speculative territory (sorry mods!) so we should probably get back to work that's actually happening.

Plus houses have already been built around your red line between Lady Grove and the B4016 in the last few months. Aerial / satellite photographs go quickly out of date in Didcot

 

[59CosG95]

Plus houses have already been built around your red line between Lady Grove and the B4016 in the last few months. Aerial / satellite photographs go quickly out of date in Didcot

Here's hoping the pale pink line avoids any further obstacles!

But this is getting wildly speculative now. Just have to wait and see what happens...

 

[Mag_seven]

OK as its clear that there are no further Great Western Electrification updates at the moment and its not certain if there will be any further works we will now lock this thread.

If the project starts again we will look to reopen the thread.

In the meantime posters are welcome of course to discuss any speculative ideas they may have in the speculative ideas section.

Thanks