Thanks, TG, for locating that thread.
It references the Network Rail CP7 Delivery Plan, which can be found at:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Wales-and-Western-CP7-Delivery-Plan.pdf

Further grubbing located the Wales & Western Performance Improvement Plan (2024) at:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Wales-and-Western-CP7-Delivery-Plan.pdf


Still very much a management-orientated description.  The only hint of hardware-specifics is:

I guess that W63 refers to Westinghouse type M63 point machines; please correct me if you know otherwise, or if you can identify "East DU area" !

 
It has to be in the watercourse around the north and west of the reservoir really. There are several reasons why going through the reservoir wouldn't work, but principally that this is a 'bunded' reservoir raised above the nearby land on all sides, rather than a dammed valley. So you'd be locking up into the reservoir, crossing it, and then locking down again, losing water from the reservoir at each end.

I don't blame WBCT for asking for a fully constructed canal, and a bit of smart planning would see it funded by new housing and commercial development at locations along the way. But realistically I think the most they'll get is a channel of the relevant width and a promise not to block navigation in the future, and even that's a stretch.

(I'm reminded of the Droitwich Junction Canal, which was fortuitously able to make use of the Body Brook culvert under the M5 - constructed some 30 years before restoration - because someone in the Worcestershire county surveyor's office managed to get a 7ft width written into the plans...)

 

Experience suggests that the majority of delays to station openings are caused by delays in local highways issues, but IIRC the public realm is all the developer's responsibility and reasonably straightforward.

Its a pretty standard Network Rail design - similar to Ashley Down, Charfield, Okehampton Interchange etc, so should be pretty much "tried and tested" by now.

IIRC, the service is already running but currently terminates at Filton, so hopefully no issues with rolling stock availability. 





 

 

Yes, all installed and ready to go AFAIK. There are definitely photos online.

As it happens, I took a detour on the way to work and walked past it this morning. The university plaza looks very smart indeed with paving and planting complete, just a few workers applying finishing touches.

Incidentally, the floating walkway along the river from the university to Temple Quay looks nearly complete, I think they just have the final ramp at the Temple Quay end to level and pave.

 
Thank you, and yes. That is what I was referring to.
Some way to go? A very long way to go.

Do we still have ORR to re look at this issue I wonder, or is it all being woven into GBR, so nothing to be done for another long while!

 

This may be what you're after?

https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=29248.0

There's a NR report from 2024 within the thread which details how they acknowledge that the Thames Valley/Paddington is a "critical corridor" and how they intend to improve its reliability.

I'd say they still have some way to go.

 
I make it that GWR are at least 4 serviceable trains down today. A sample from each diagram

18:59 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 20:30
18:59 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 20:30 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

16:23 Okehampton to Exeter Central due 17:07
16:23 Okehampton to Exeter Central due 17:07 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

16:20 Truro to Falmouth Docks due 16:44
16:20 Truro to Falmouth Docks due 16:44 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

15:15 Penzance to Plymouth due 17:18
15:15 Penzance to Plymouth due 17:18 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

07:19 Paignton to Exmouth due 08:49
07:19 Paignton to Exmouth due 08:49 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

There are some crew shortages cancelling trains Exeter <-> Penzance, and something under investigation on the Severn Beach lie with trains turning round at Clifton Down for - according to Journey check - for most of the rest of the day.

 

I've been reading into this a bit more - a blog from Lichfields - in particular, travel-to-work areas, distances from stations, and services there.

The top 60 travel to work areas in England have been expanded to 80 and notable additions in the South West are Trowbridge, Newbury, Poole and Cheltentham.  Most of the South East and Central Southern England is included, but further South West only the south of Devon through to Plymouth makes the grade.  Notably, Bath and Salisbury are not included.  Station service wise, the specification is two trains per hour acheievable in the peak direction, and we are looking as I read it as development totally within 800 metres of the station.

Where does that leave us in our region?  If there are sites near existing town stations such as Trowbridge, there's an assumption to favour development, as there is near Dilton Marsh and Avoncliff, both of which have multiple peak hour trains that could call.  Freshford is in the Bath travel to work area which is not a top one, and I question for Melksham as to whether 2 trains per hour can be achieved in "peak" direction - towards the named town in the area, perhaps, with a gap from 06:29 to 09:09 and nothing running through that could have a stop added.   We do have 2 trains in the hour to Chippenham and Swindon - 07:21 and 08:02 and I wonder if they meet the criterion even though going out of area?

Looking wider in the Bristol region, Pilning seems to be an obvious choice with 4 (and soon to be 5?) trains per hour passig through with 2 each to Parkway and to Temple Meads which could have a stop added easily enough, and a lot of presently-green fields close to the station.  The NPPF talks about travel TO work area and from comments I have seen nothing about travel FROM work, so it would appear that for people going home to Pilning, a bus from Severn Beach or doubling back at Severn Tunnel Junction would allow the presumtion to allow development to be met. 

Futher afield still, stations I identified earlier at Menheniot, St Erth and Bedwyn are outside designated travel to work areas, but  Mottisfont and Kintbury are in.  Don't know about Dean - the trains stop in a top TTWA but the passenger exit is outside it.

 
Cancellations to services between Truro and Falmouth Docks
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time between Truro and Falmouth Docks fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
One of the trains that operates the Truro to Falmouth Docks service has developed a fault that needs mechanical attention. We do have another train that is operating the service, which means we can only operate half of the service for the rest of today.
If you are wanting to travel to Falmouth, please check your journey and if there is not a service, we recommend take a local bus, where your ticket can be used at no extra cost.

 
I have a feeling when Network Rail had a new MD (?) they admitted there was a problem and they were/would be working on it.
A year ago/two years ago?
Somewhere discussed on this forum? 

 
The WH Smiths at Swindon Station, at 17:00 yesterday, had it shutters down and a sign saying "temporarily closed".  I have no clue how long temporary is or was - 10 minutes, the day,  the week, the summer, or indefinite. 

People carrying prams down the steps from the platform - "please use the handrail" instructions being impractical, and the lift out of order with a sign telling us that an engineer had been called. 

A smart looking sign encourages you to walk to Fleming Way for bus connections, even though a significant number call just outside the station. 

In the town centre, TJ Jones which includes the Post Office is having a closing down sale.

Gotta love Swindon!

 

That had occurred to me too.  A little like other canals linking larger bodies of water...the Caledonian Canal springs to mind.  I just wonder if boats on the reservoir would cause water quality issues....not that water companies seem to be too exercised about that matter these days.

 
Twerton Short Tunnel's up for a heavy repair in the near future. Newspaper article.

Mark

https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/council-approves-tunnel-repairs-impact-rail-services-119459/

 
Two tph in the peak direction?....

 
...and very unusual in my experience to get 3 coaches rather than 2.

Nice to see Graham on the platform at Melksham keeping an eye on things

 
It seems to me, if Thames Water goes ahead with their plans that the restored canal can follow the diverted watercourse that they are building around the western and northern edge of the reservoir.

 
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 is being delayed at Gloucester.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one

 

Indeed - on the way from Swindon.  It just said "delayed" here too - left use guessing.

Very interesting odd working of another 166 - arrived at platform 3  from the west with a "this train does not stop here" announcement, some people got off, some remained on board and it left headed west again. Mystery as to what that was!

 
I wonder how the seats in the "round room" compare with those on IETs?

 
Great - wish the Chippenham waiting room seats were made out of something a bit more comfortable than steel

Still showing as delayed, no actual time.

EDIT: changed to 18:05, only 5 mins late

 
For some reason, multi-only sets keep being allocated to this splitting service.

 

The NPPF refers to "well-connected stations" for which the following definition is provided:


I'm struggling with the last part; the criteria would be met of there were two trains toward the workplace hub, but none back? Or was it put in to refer to loop lines (like in Liverpool) where you only need trains in one direction around the loop?

 

 
I would like to see the output of any investigation that has been done on why these points are failing.

Surely there must have been such a study?... including the causes of failure; which types of equipment are most liable to conk out, etc.

I don't recall any communication from the industry to give an impression that they are "on top of the problem"... or even that it knows how to put the problem right.

 
‘Better’ is a relative statement.

 
I thought Network Rail admitted there had been a problem with this area, and were concentrating on making it all better?

 
........and again! 

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a points failure between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some Slough lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 17:00 20/08.

Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
There has been a points failure in the Slough area.

 
Ok, having consulted various maps, I can see that the eastern leg of the canal reaches the Thames actually to the east of Abingdon - south of Culham, and yes, the reservoir does rather obliterate a small part of the canal and a larger part of 'new' canal that will replace the route of the old canal.

I'm not sure that they'll win this unless an easy method of allowing narrowboats across the reservoir via locks?

 
Still ongoing, no reopening date yet available.

 

Doubt it - they'll just 'repaint'/revinyl another set/s surely? Then you won't be able to tell very easily....

Anyway, off to Selhurst depot (via Newhaven! & Brighton apparently)

Reopening on September 1