open electrified line in sections

[robert2000]

i think it would look better if the line would be done in sections and opened up so it looks better. and people can see the timetable gradually improve each year.

for example
london - bristol to open in 2015
london - cardiff to open in 2016
london - swansea to open in 2017

 

[37401]

what about London-Penzance

 

[djw1981]

That does mean changing tra8ins at Biristol for Cardiff and Swansea for a year or two though.

 

[gordonthemoron]

That does mean changing tra8ins at Biristol for Cardiff and Swansea for a year or two though.

Not necessarily, most London-Wales trains don't go through Bristol TM

 

[Mcr Warrior]

what about London-Penzance

Would be interesting at certain places along the route if it was third rail electric.

 

[37401]

Would be interesting at certain places along the route if it was third rail electric.

 

[johnb]

The government's report says "London to Oxford, Newbury and Bristol by the end of 2016, and London to Swansea by the end of 2017."

There's not much point in doing it before 2016, as the 319s from Thameslink will only be released then...

 

[djw1981]

Will the 377 not be being cascaded from TL by then as well? And I guess there is a high chance of some new EMUs being procured to influence the 2015 election in GWML constituencies.

 

[thelem]

They are already talking about London - Reading as part of crossrail (or at least, delivered at the same time as crossrail, so that would be well before Bristol). I agree it would be good to get the benefit as soon as possible, but only if there are existing trains terminating along the way - you don't want to disrupt the timetable if you can avoid it.

 

[johnb]

Will the 377 not be being cascaded from TL by then as well? And I guess there is a high chance of some new EMUs being procured to influence the 2015 election in GWML constituencies.

377s from TL are going to go to the Southern (that's why they've already got SN internal spec).

And I doubt, given the likely financial situation, that any new commuter EMUs are going to be procured that aren't for Thameslink or Crossrail (unless it turns out there's something cataclysmically wrong with the 1980s EMUs and they need scrapping early).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

They are already talking about London - Reading as part of crossrail (or at least, delivered at the same time as crossrail, so that would be well before Bristol). I agree it would be good to get the benefit as soon as possible, but only if there are existing trains terminating along the way - you don't want to disrupt the timetable if you can avoid it.

Bristol is planned for 2016 - Crossrail is planned for 2017. So not really...

 

[Bring Back GNER]

i think it would look better if the line would be done in sections and opened up so it looks better. and people can see the timetable gradually improve each year.

for example
london - bristol to open in 2015
london - cardiff to open in 2016
london - swansea to open in 2017

What about the sections to Newbury and Oxford. Would they open with the Bristol mainline?

 

[schenker]

Would be interesting at certain places along the route if it was third rail electric.

Ha, Interesting to say the least xD

Would it not make more sense to keep going through Bristol onto Exeter SD?

 

[asylumxl]

Ha, Interesting to say the least xD

Would it not make more sense to keep going through Bristol onto Exeter SD?

Where's the fun in that? Nothing like going round the coast in an intercity train.

I'm partial to stopping off in Dawlish myself.

 

[schenker]

Where's the fun in that? Nothing like going round the coast in an intercity train.

I'm partial to stopping off in Dawlish myself.

Well there is no fun in that is there, Give me a HST to ride the coast any day!

Dawlish sea wall electrification would be impossible wouldn't it anyhow?

 

[Bayum]

Well there is no fun in that is there, Give me a HST to ride the coast any day!

Dawlish sea wall electrification would be impossible wouldn't it anyhow?

Where theres a will, theres a way... However, the way will probably be more expensive than the government would like to spend

 

[Mojo]

Dawlish sea wall electrification would be impossible wouldn't it anyhow?

Don't see why it would be harder than Saltcoats, unless the water or something is different:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3198683573_1b612bd57c.jpg

 

[Metroland]

All electrification projects open in sections, ECML certainly did as did the WCML and GEML.

 

[schenker]

Don't see why it would be harder than Saltcoats, unless the water or something is different:

Oh right, I'm still new to this and was unaware of Saltcoats, I just assumed that
if a big lump of water crashed over it would possibly short out or something...

 

[starrymarkb]

Its simple - you use 50kV insulation

 

[Waverley125]

does saltcoats have people walking immediatley the other side of the line though? we don't want people walking along and getting electrocuted as the water conducts the sparks off of the OHL.

 

[Mojo]

does saltcoats have people walking immediatley the other side of the line though? we don't want people walking along and getting electrocuted as the water conducts the sparks off of the OHL.

Yes it does you can walk alongside between the sea and the line.

 

[Phoenix]

does saltcoats have people walking immediatley the other side of the line though? we don't want people walking along and getting electrocuted as the water conducts the sparks off of the OHL.

I think the boffins of BR back in the day took some time to sort that problem out otherwise electrification along large bodies of water would just not happen.

As for the old Dawlish theorists out there I can honestly say I doubt it's going to happen any times soon as the maintainence cost to that section of line for the wires would be staggering considering salt water does an amazing job at corroding the majority of metal types.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Its simple - you use 50kV insulation

Then how would trains collect the current

 

[johnb]

I think the boffins of BR back in the day took some time to sort that problem out otherwise electrification along large bodies of water would just not happen.

As for the old Dawlish theorists out there I can honestly say I doubt it's going to happen any times soon as the maintainence cost to that section of line for the wires would be staggering considering salt water does an amazing job at corroding the majority of metal types.

Eh? How come Saltcoats (name = type of water) works, then?

 

[starrymarkb]

Then how would trains collect the current

Through the bare contact wire. The main risk of shorting out is between pole and wire. So you use 50kv insulators to increase the gap between wire and pole.

if the sea is sufficiently high to short the wire to ground (providing a continuous path - not spray) then you don't want to be running trains on the wall however powered.

Also Dawlish is relativly sheltered as it faces east (most storms blow from the west)