21st Century upgrade of the Great Western Main Line

Network Rail plans to spend £5 billion on modernising the Great Western and its South Wales

South Wales Main Line

The South Wales Main Line , originally known as the London, Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain...

branch plus other associated lines like the North Cotswolds

Cotswold Line

The Cotswold Line is an railway line between and in England.-Route:The line comprises all or part of the following Network Rail routes:*GW 200 from Oxford*GW 310 from Wolvercot Junction*GW 300 from Norton Junction*GW 340 from Worcester Shrub Hill...

which was completed in 2011. The modernisation plans were announced at separate times but their development timescales overlap each other to represent a comprehensive modernisation plan for the Great Western and its associated lines during the second decade of the 21st Century. The modernisation include: electrification

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

, resignalling

Railway signalling

Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...

, new rolling stock

Rolling stock

Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...

and station upgrades. According to Network Rail, the modernisation started in June 2010 and will end in 2017.

Historical background

At the start of the 21st Century, the Great Western Main Line

Great Western Main Line

The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...

was the last of the major main line routes in the UK to be using diesel trains as the main source of locomotive power. When the announcement was made in July 2009 to electrify the Great Western (along with the Liverpool-Manchester line

Liverpool to Manchester Lines

There are two Liverpool to Manchester railway lines between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in the North West of England. The 'Northern Route' via and to either or follows the route of the original Liverpool and Manchester Railway...

), it represented the first big rail electrification project in the UK for 20 years. The South Wales Main Line branch of the GWML is set to be the first electrified cross-country railway line in Wales.

The plan to upgrade the rolling stock on the Great Western was included in the Intercity Express Programme (IEP)

Intercity Express Programme

The Intercity Express Programme is an initiative of the Department for Transport in the United Kingdom to procure new trains to replace the InterCity 125 fleet on the East Coast Main Line and Great Western Main Line, as well as replacing other trainsets on long distance services from London to...

announced in 2007, a Department for Transport (DfT)

Department for Transport

In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...

-led initiative to replace the ageing fleet of InterCity 125

InterCity 125

The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...

and InterCity 225

InterCity 225

The InterCity 225 is a locomotive-hauled domestic train in the United Kingdom, comprising a Class 91 electric locomotive, nine Mark 4 coaches and a Driving Van Trailer...

train sets currently in use on much of the UK rail network.

Electrification

At present, the only electrified

Railway electrification in Great Britain

Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...

portion of the Great Western is between London Paddington and Airport Junction (west of ). This portion of the Great Western is equipped with a 25 kV AC

25 kV AC

The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...

overhead system which was implemented for the Heathrow Express

Heathrow Express

Heathrow Express is an airport rail link from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...

service. The electrification will be extended from Airport Junction to under the Crossrail

Crossrail

Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...

scheme. Further electrification west of Maidenhead was announced by the DfT separately. Though the electrification will be done as one scheme.

July 2009 Announcement

The UK government first considered electrifying the Great Western between London and Bristol

Bristol Temple Meads railway station

Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...

in a first phase, then electrifying the rest of the line between to at a later date. However, in July 2009, the Department of Transport under the then Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

(in the run-up to the 2010 UK General Election), announced that there would be a £1 billion programme to electrify the whole of the Great Western from London to Swansea as well as to Bristol. The Labour government claimed that the investment would pay for itself over a 40-year period.

The scheme announced by the government on 23 July 2009 stated that, "work will begin immediately on the electrification of the Great Western Main Line between London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, Reading

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

, Oxford

Oxford

The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...

, Newbury

Newbury, Berkshire

Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...

, Bristol

Bristol

Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...

, Cardiff

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

and Swansea

Swansea

Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

, to be completed within eight years" (2016/2017). The proposed electrified route will include:

the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...

between and via ;
the South Wales Main Line
South Wales Main Line
The South Wales Main Line , originally known as the London, Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain...

from to via the Severn Tunnel
Severn Tunnel
The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....

;
the connecting line from to stations;
the section of the Cherwell Valley Line
Cherwell Valley Line
The Cherwell Valley Line is the railway line between Didcot and Banbury via Oxford. It links the Great Western Main Line and the south to the Chiltern Main Line and the Midlands...

connecting with ; and
the section of the Reading to Taunton line
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....

connecting with .

Estimates showed that the Hitachi Super Express trains could reduce journey times from London Paddington to Swansea by 19 minutes.

In an effort to minimise disruption during the electrification works, Network Rail is developing new "factory engineering trains" to facilitate the process of installing overhead lines. There will be three types of trains: the first train will be used to install pylons, followed by a train to hang the wires and finally there will be a train which will check the installation. The system is expected to be able to install 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) of electrification in one eight hour shift.

In its initial survey, Network Rail identified 113 structures - mainly bridges and tunnels - which require modification. One structure which could pose major difficulties is the Severn Tunnel

Severn Tunnel

The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....

with rail expert Christian Wolmar

Christian Wolmar

Christian Wolmar is a British journalist, author, and railway historian of Swedish and Russian descent. He is best known for his books and commentary on transport, especially as a pundit on Britain's railway network, and was named Transport Journalist of the Year in the National Transport Awards in...

commenting "It's pretty wet and damp in there, and there might not be enough room to electrify it without digging out the tunnel somewhat, so it will be a big barrier."

Review and announcements after May 2010 general election

After the 2010 UK General Election in May 2010, the coalition Conservative/Liberal Democratic alliance placed all major government capital expenditure, including the Great Western electrification scheme on hold pending a return-on-investment review. In November 2010, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond

Philip Hammond

Philip Hammond MP is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the current Defence Secretary in the Coalition government led by David Cameron, having succeeded Liam Fox on 14 October 2011...

gave the go-ahead for the line from Oxford via Didcot and Newbury to London to be electrified in the next six years. Extension from Didcot to Swindon, Bath, Bristol and to South Wales would be dependent on a further assessment due in 2011 of the costs and implementation requirements of the Intercity Express Programme

Intercity Express Programme

.

On 1 March 2011, transport secretary Philip Hammond announced that rail electrification from Didcot Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central would go ahead. The section linking Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads would also be electrified.

Resignalling

Current systems

The Great Western Main Line is currently equipped with colour light signalling

UK railway signalling

The railway signalling systems used across the majority of the United Kingdom rail network use lineside signals to advise the driver of the status of the section of track ahead...

common to the rest of the United Kingdom. At the time of the Ladbroke Grove rail crash

Ladbroke Grove rail crash

The Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash was a rail accident which occurred on 5 October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove, London, England. Thirty-one people were killed and more than 520 injured...

, the ATP

Automatic Train Protection

Automatic Train Protection in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a train protection system installed in some trains in order to help prevent collisions through a driver's failure to observe a signal or speed restriction...

(Automatic Train Protection) warning system was under trial. In response to the Ladbroke Grove crash, it became a requirement for First Great Western trains to have all their trains to be fitted with ATP.

Future systems

When the Department for Transport

Department for Transport

first released the train specification for the new trains for the Intercity Express Programme

Intercity Express Programme

in November 2007, it was stated that the Great Western Main Line would be upgraded to ETCS

European Train Control System

The European Train Control System is a signalling, control andtrain protection system designed to replace the many incompatible safety systems currently used by European railways, especially on high-speed lines.- History :...

level 2 and ERTMS

European Rail Traffic Management System

The European Rail Traffic Management System is an initiative backed by the European Union to enhance cross-border interoperability and signalling procurement by creating a single Europe-wide standard for train control and command systems....

Level 2 in-cab signalling. Some or all of the resignalling work will be carried out alongside the electrification work. Signalling Solutions is to resignal the 12 miles from Paddington to , including the Airport branch, as part of the Crossrail

Crossrail

project.

Thames Valley

In November 2008, Westinghouse

Westinghouse Rail Systems

Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd is a British supplier of railway signalling and control equipment to the rail industry worldwide. Its head office is in Chippenham, Wiltshire, where it manufactures a variety of mechanical and electrical/electronic railway signalling equipment...

was awarded a £20 million contract for a 30 month programme of signalling enabling work. Over a series of 12 commissionings, Westinghouse will re-lock the existing Reading Station and Spur interlockings to three new WESTLOCK units, re-control the remaining 18 relay interlockings and move signalling and telecommunications control from Reading Station to the new Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot. The work culminates in a final commissioning, scheduled for 5 December 2010 and paves the way for future stages of the remodelling programme.

The Thames valley signalling centre will eventually replace older signalling control in the entire English Western region. The London area is due to switch over at the end of 2011, followed by the old Slough PSB (Power Signal Box) area. Attention will then be given to abolishing Oxford, Swindon A, Bristol PSBs and the 1990s Swindon B IECC

Integrated Electronic control centre

The Integrated Electronic Control Centre was developed in the late 1980s by the British Rail Research Division for UK-based railway signalling centres, although variations exist around the world...

. This will be followed by the elimination of the 1980s PSBs at Westbury and Exeter, and the 1970s Plymouth PSB, the 1960s PSB at Gloucester as well as substantial semaphore signalling in Cornwall.

The signalling is due to be overlaid with ERTMS control system level 2 from 2016.

South Wales

The first phase of a £400m, 10-year resignalling scheme in South Wales by Network Rail was carried out on a 22 miles (35.4 km) stretch between Port Talbot

Port Talbot

Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...

and Bridgend

Bridgend

Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...

(termed Port Talbot East) in 2006/2007. The works provided a new turnback facility in both directions at Port Talbot Parkway

Port Talbot Parkway railway station

Port Talbot Parkway railway station is a railway station in Port Talbot, Wales. The station is located at street level near Station Road in Port Talbot town centre.-History:...

if required. The renewals replaced an old British Railways Western Region NX panel installation, dating from 1963. Railway technology has evolved somewhat since 1963 and the renewals will make some signalling facilities redundant. Further signalling renewals are programmed for the Newport area (which will be implemented in two phases), Cardiff and Port Talbot West.

The first phase of the Newport Area remodelling and resignalling began in 2009 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. The first phase covers the stretch of line between Patchway

Patchway

Patchway is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated northwest of central Bristol. The town is a housing overflow for Bristol being contiguous to Bristol's urban area, and is often regarded as a large outer suburb. Nearby are the other Bristol satellite towns of Filton and Bradley Stoke....

and Marshfield

Marshfield, Newport

Marshfield is an electoral ward and smaller village community and parish on the fringe of the city of Newport in South Wales. The area is governed by the Newport City Council.It is considered to be an affluent and sought-after area....

to the west of Newport

Newport

Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...

. A new control centre for South Wales, the South Wales Control Centre, built on the eastern end of Canton Depot in Cardiff opened in Spring 2009. The signals implemented in Newport Area resignalling phase 1 will be the first have control transferred to the South Wales Control Centre and once Phase 2 of the Newport Area resignalling is complete in 2011, the Newport signalbox will be closed. Control will pass to the South Wales Control Centre for other parts of the south Wales network as resignalling progresses.

Long distance inter-city services

Services from London Paddington to south west England

South West England

South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...

and south Wales

South Wales

South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...

are currently served by Class 43

British Rail Class 43 (HST)

The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....

"InterCity 125" train sets. The Intercity 125 trains were built between 1975 and 1982 and due to their age are set to be replaced by new Hitachi Super Express train sets. The "Intercity 125" trains are the fastest trains on the Great Western, capable of 125 mph. The new Super Express trains will have the same top speed of 125 mph but are capable of 140 mph with minor modifications. The upgrading of the signalling on the Great Western to in-cab signalling is one pre-requisite to allow the new Super Express trains to run at 140 mph. In the 2010 GWML RUS Network Rail stated that linespeeds in excess of 125 mph west of Reading would be "reviewed in line with electrification and resignalling opportunities as ERTMS becomes deployed across the RUS area" after Control Period 4 (2014–2019).

The new Hitachi Super Express trains are to be delivered from 2013.
The new Hitachi Super Express trains planned for the Great Western inter-city services will now be predominantly electric units

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

instead of the planned diesel units. However, a proportion of the fleet will be using dual power source electro-diesel

Electro-diesel locomotive

An Electro-diesel locomotive is powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine...

bi-mode trains, which will enable services to operate to Swansea

Swansea

before line electrification reaches Swansea. The bi-mode trains will allow inter-city services to operate from London directly to places in South Wales and south west England, to which electrification does not extend under the current electrification proposals, like Carmarthen

Carmarthen

Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....

, Worcester

Worcester

The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...

, Gloucester

Gloucester

Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....

, Cheltenham

Cheltenham

Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...

and the regions to the south west of Bristol. The new Super Express trains will bring about an estimated 15% increased capacity during the morning peak hours.

Thames Valley commuter services

Thames Valley

The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...

commuter services, from London Paddington to Reading and to Oxford are currently served by a combination of Class 165

British Rail Class 165

The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992...

"Network Turbo" and Class 166

British Rail Class 166

The British Rail Class 166 Turbo Express is a fleet of diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by ABB at York Works between 1992 and 1993...

"Network Express Turbo" three-car DMUs which are capable of operating at 90 mph. These trains will be replaced by the Class 319

British Rail Class 319

The British Rail Class 319 dual-voltage electric multiple units were built by BREL York in two batches in 1987–88 and 1990. The trains were introduced for new north-south cross-London services from Bedford to Brighton, and since privatisation these services have been operated by Thameslink and...

four-car 100 mph trains currently used on Thameslink

Thameslink

Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...

, after refurbishment. The UK Government's plans are to replace the Network Turbo trains with the Class 319 trains from the end of 2016. The Network Turbo/Network Express Turbo trains would then be transferred for use for services in the Bristol and South West area (see Bristol Metro scheme below).

Crossrail

It is planned that 65 new trains

British Rail Class 345

Class 345 is the registered rolling stock class name for the planned fleet to operate the London Crossrail routes across Central London when complete in 2018...

are to be constructed for use on Crossrail. These will be electric multiple units and are planned to have speeds up to 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h) on the surface parts of the route and up to 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h) in the tunnels. It is envisaged, as part of the government's rolling stock plan, that the stock for Crossrail will be similar to the new rolling stock planned for the Thameslink Programme

Thameslink Programme

The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, is a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London without requiring passengers to change...

and will displace other types of multiple unit currently used on the Great Eastern and Great Western routes for use elsewhere on the network.

Station upgrades

Several stations along the Great Western like London Paddington and Reading are under going redevelopment or have recently be upgraded to cope with growing passenger numbers and to ease rail traffic congestion.

Bristol Parkway

Bristol Parkway railway station

Bristol Parkway railway station is situated in Stoke Gifford in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail, and is managed by First Great Western....

had a new third platform (Platform 4) completed in 2007 to provide a new platform for trains departing to London and Birmingham

Birmingham

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...

and to make services more reliable between London and south Wales

South Wales

. A new fourth platform is planned on the south side of the station.

Reading

On 10 September 2008, Network Rail

Network Rail

Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...

unveiled a £400 million regeneration and reconfiguration of Reading railway station

Reading railway station

Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...

and surrounding track incorporating an overpass system to the West of the station; with freight and passenger trains able to transit from the Reading to Taunton Line

Reading to Taunton line

The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....

and Reading to Basingstoke Line

Reading to Basingstoke Line

The Reading to Basingstoke Line is a short railway link between the South Western Main Line and the Great Western Main Line, constructed by the Great Western Railway between 1846 and 1848. The line is served by First Great Western local services between Reading and Basingstoke, which stop at the...

to the 'slow' lines without crossing the 'fast' lines via an underpass beneath the 'fast' lines, rather than the conventional points in place. This is planned to help alleviate current delays, due to slow moving freight service passing through the station. As well as the reconfiguration of the track, five additional platforms are planned to be added; the terminal platforms for services to/from London Waterloo will be altered and the Cow Lane bridge under the tracks will be made two-way and include a cycle path. There will be improvements that will allow the capacity for at least four extra trains in each direction every hour.
The station will receive:

Five new platforms to ease overcrowding
A new foot-bridge between platforms
New escalators and lifts
A new northern entrance for the station will improving the link through the station between Reading town centre to the Thames (Caversham).

These plans provide for possible future Crossrail and Airtrack services at Reading station, building a railway that will be fit for at least the next thirty years. Network Rail are also examining options to:

Improve the station concourse
Provide new facilities such as improved ticketing
Enhance cycle facilities.

Also, the improvements will allow six new freight trains each day - this could take around 200 lorries a day off the roads. Rail freight has only a quarter of the carbon footprint

Carbon footprint

A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...

of moving freight by road, meaning this project will contribute to reductions in carbon and congestion.

Newport

In 2009, an upgrade to Newport railway station

Newport railway station

Newport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...

was started to enable the station to cope with the expected passenger traffic associated with the 2010 Ryder Cup

2010 Ryder Cup

The 38th Ryder Cup matches were held 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in the city of Newport, Wales. It was the first time the competition was staged in Wales. With the USA as the defending Cup holder the event was played on the newly-constructed Twenty 10 course, specifically designed for the...

. A new passenger bridge and two new terminal buildings were constructed with each platform being served by a lift. The new bridge is clad in Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), the material which protects the Eden Project

Eden Project

The Eden Project is a visitor attraction in Cornwall in the United Kingdom, including the world's largest greenhouse. Inside the artificial biomes are plants that are collected from all around the world....

in Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

. The new development at the station includes a new multi-story car park and a new bus station will be developed outside, replacing the existing Newport bus station

Newport bus station

Newport bus station is a bus terminus located in the city centre, Newport, South Wales. It is the largest road transport hub for public services in the county.-Layout:...

. The new north and south concourses opened on 13 September 2010. The development was criticised by RAIL magazine columnist Barry Doe for being at the wrong end of the station, having a leaking roof, a lack of seating and generally poor design.

Cardiff Central

Extra platform capacity at Cardiff Central

Cardiff Central railway station

Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...

will be introduced in the form of a new bay platform (platform 5) for services between Cardiff and Maesteg

Maesteg

Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000....

along the GWML and two new through platforms to the south of the station (platforms 8 & 9) for the Cardiff urban services

Valley Lines

Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....

to cater for up to 16 trains per hour. This will bring the total number of platforms from 7 to 10. Redevelopment of Cardiff Central bus station

Cardiff Central bus station

Cardiff Central bus station is the main bus transport interchange in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. With 34 stands, it is the largest bus station in the city and in Wales. It is located adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station forming a major bus-rail-cycle-taxi interchange.The station used...

outside the railway station commenced in 2008.

London Paddington

Between 2009 and 2015, a new Crossrail

Crossrail

station will be built under London Paddington, serving as both a connection to National Rail services, as well as London Underground. Services are due to start in 2018.

Network Rail had planned to demolish the arched section to the northeast of Paddington station, known as Span 4. Span 4 was an extension which was completed in 1916 but has since fallen into disrepair. An internal blanket was erected in the 1990s to protect people from falling glass. Span 4 was to be replaced by an office block over the rails. It was later decided that Span 4 would be restored. The restoration of Span 4 is taking place between 2009 and 2010.

Severn Tunnel Junction

Severn Tunnel Junction railway station

Severn Tunnel Junction railway station is a small railway station on the western side of the Severn Tunnel at Rogiet, Monmouthshire, Wales. It lies at the junction of the South Wales Main Line from London and the Gloucester to Newport Line....

serves as a Park and Ride station for commuters from southern Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...

to Bristol

Bristol

, Newport

Newport

and Cardiff

Cardiff

and there is a local action group - the Severn Tunnel Action Group (STAG) who are campaigning to enhance Severn Tunnel Junction's status as a transport hub for the southern Monmouthshire area. As of January 2010, Network Rail have remodelled the tracks around the station, re-opened Platform 4 and modernised the parking and passenger facilities. The junction where the Gloucester to Newport Line

Gloucester to Newport Line

The Gloucester to Newport Line is a railway line that runs along the bank of the River Severn in the United Kingdom from Gloucester to Newport....

joins the South Wales Main Line has moved west of the station and now joins the main line with high-speed turnouts.

Swansea

Swansea railway station

Swansea railway station is a railway station that serves Swansea, Wales. The station is one of four in the City and County of Swansea and is the fourth busiest in Wales after Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport.-History:...

will undergo renovation by Network Rail during 2011. The renovation work will include enlargement of the concourse, cleaning of the front of the station with a new entrance, replacement of the partition wall between concourse and platforms with a glazed wall, a new cafe and more shops.

Crossrail

is a major rail scheme to develop new railway connections under Central London

Central London

Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...

. The western portion of line will connect with the Great Western Main Line near London Paddington. The current plans are for Crossrail services to terminate at Maidenhead in the west. However with the rail electrification of the Great Western now being extended westwards beyond Maidenhead, past Reading, the Department of Transport is now considering extending the service to terminate at Reading from the outset. Some of the suburban services which traverse the GWML into London Paddington will be transferred to the new Crossrail service, which will in turn free up some capacity at the surface level station at London Paddington.

Connections to Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airtrack

Heathrow Airtrack is a proposed railway link in west London, England, UK. The line as proposed by BAA, would have run from into central London and across the suburbs of south-west London. BAA announced that it was abandoning the project in April 2011...

was a new service proposed by Heathrow Airport's operator BAA. If the proposals had been realised Heathrow Airtrack would have mostly used existing railway lines which would have connected Heathrow Terminal 5

Heathrow Terminal 5 station

Heathrow Terminal 5 station is a shared railway station at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 which was opened on 27 March 2008. It was designed by architects HOK International in conjunction with Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners....

with Reading railway station

Reading railway station

via a southerly route on the disused southern portion of the former West Drayton to Staines railway line. The scheme would have also provided direct services to Guildford

Guildford (Surrey) railway station

Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....

and London Waterloo. However, the Heathrow Airtrack scheme faced opposition in several of the settlements which trains would cross. (see main article for more details and references) Many objections were because the line has many level crossings on main roads and the effect that additional trains would have on road congestion.

The Windsor Link Railway

Windsor Link Railway

The Windsor Link Railway is a proposed new railway in Windsor, Berkshire, connecting the Great Western and South West Trains franchise areas and potentially linking both to London Heathrow Airport....

is a proposed scheme which would provide an additional or alternative route to the one defined in the Heathrow Airtrack proposal to link Reading with Heathrow Airport. If Heathrow Airtrack does go ahead, the link between Heathrow Terminal 5 and Staines could be used. Otherwise an alternative link can be provided by building a new bridge over the M25. (see main article for more details and references)

With the confirmed electrification of the Great Western Main line west of Airport Junction, local authorities in the Thames Valley identify a case to be made for introducing a service to Heathrow Airport from Reading

Reading, Berkshire

via the Great Western, which would also serve Maidenhead

Maidenhead

Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...

and Slough

Slough

Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...

Greater Bristol Metro scheme

The Greater Bristol Metro scheme

Greater Bristol Metro scheme

The Greater Bristol Metro scheme is a proposal to improve the rail services in Bristol, England, and the surrounding region first proposed at First Great Western's Stakeholder Event in March 2008. The aim of the project is to develop half hourly services through central Bristol which will also...

is a proposal to improve the rail services in Bristol

Bristol

and the surrounding region first proposed at First Great Western's Stakeholder Event in March 2008. The aim of the project is to develop half hourly services through central Bristol which will also serve the surrounding West of England region. Transport campaigning group, Transport for Greater Bristol are actively supporting the proposal.

Swindon-Kemble redoubling

The Golden Valley Line

Golden Valley Line

The Golden Valley Line is a railway line from Swindon to Cheltenham in the UK.The line was originally built as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in the 1840s...

serves as a diversionary line for several other lines in the area as well as serving its normal traffic. It will be a major diversionary route during the electrification of the Great Western Main Line. The portion of line between Swindon and Kemble is currently a single track line which limits capacity. On the 23rd March 2011 in his Budget Speech the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP approved the project after several years of campaigning by local politicians to re-double this section of line.

Controversies

Some press reports state that passengers face six years of disruption from the electrification work. Over 100 bridges and tunnels face demolition or modification work to accommodate the new overhead lines.

There are railway experts who are doubtful about the feasibility of electrification being deployed in the Severn Tunnel

Severn Tunnel

The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....

, stating that the tunnel may need to be enlarged and that the tunnel may be too wet and damp. However, experience gained by the construction of the Simplon Tunnel

Simplon Tunnel

The Simplon Tunnel is an Alpine railway tunnel that connects the Swiss town of Brig with Domodossola in Italy, though its relatively straight trajectory does not run under Simplon Pass itself. It actually consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 20 years apart...

and the Gotthard Base Tunnel

Gotthard Base Tunnel

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a new railway tunnel beneath the Swiss Alps, expected to open in 2016. With a route length of and a total of of tunnels, shafts and passages, it is the world's longest rail tunnel, surpassing the Japanese Seikan Tunnel....

in which overhead conductor rails are used in place of overhead catenary wire

Overhead lines

Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...

may offer a solution to this.

The announcement to electrify the Great Western led to the government changing their plans to purchase a new fleet of diesel trains consisting of 202 locomotives and 1,300 train carriages. The RMT union

National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom which unionises transport workers. It has more than 80,000 members, and its current general secretary is Bob Crow...

called for assurances that the plans will not have an adverse impact on jobs at the UK's only train maker Bombardier

Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....

.

In February 2010, it was announced the Intercity Express Programme (for long distance express services) was suspended pending an independent report, with a decision on its viability to be given after the 2010 UK General Election.

Developments timeline

2007
- November - DfT publishes specification for Inter City 125 HST replacement trains
2009
- 23 July - Electrification west of Maidenhead announced by Labour Government
2010
- 26 February - Plans for electrification (announced in 23 July 2009) west of Maidenhead suspended until after 2010 General Election
- 25 November - Electrification from Maidenhead to Newbury and to Oxford announced
2011
- 1 March - Electrification from Maidenhead to Bristol and Cardiff announced

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