Reading Station Upgrade

[Shed Cat]

Prompted by Alan's post about Crewe, I though I would add this post about the proposals for Reading Station. I dont think these have been given the go ahead though, and I think the work would be for 2010-2015

1) New tracks and platforms to the north of the station
2) An additional over bridge for platform access
3) Reopening of the access to the station from the north
4) Extension of platforms 4a & b and a new platform 4c to the east
5) Upgrades to other platforms
6) Removal of the depot at Cow Lane
7) Relocation of the existing Turbo Depot in the Reading Triangle
8) The provision of a new bridge and access road at Scours Lane
9) Grade Separation of the freight and main lines at Cow Lane

[Arthur Maunsell]

Originally Posted by Shed Cat

Prompted by Alan's post about Crewe, I though I would add this post about the proposals for Reading Station. I dont think these have been given the go ahead though, and I think the work would be for 2010-2015

1) New tracks and platforms to the north of the station
2) An additional over bridge for platform access
3) Reopening of the access to the station from the north
4) Extension of platforms 4a & b and a new platform 4c to the east
5) Upgrades to other platforms
6) Removal of the depot at Cow Lane
7) Relocation of the existing Turbo Depot in the Reading Triangle
8) The provision of a new bridge and access road at Scours Lane
9) Grade Separation of the freight and main lines at Cow Lane

surely the access to the north is still open? new access from the multi storey car park was provided some years ago. Maybe they mean from Subway road?

[Shed Cat]

Originally Posted by Arthur Maunsell

surely the access to the north is still open? new access from the multi storey car park was provided some years ago. Maybe they mean from Subway road?

I dont know. This list was from a press release. I am still hunting for drawings or plans- even architectural style in a public consultation leaflet. Reading Council told me to contact Network Rail.

I am mainly curious as to how they will squeeze in that extra platform without moving or demolishing existing patforms and canopies. They have the space, I think, to squeeze the existing platforms closer together. Simply tacking on a new platform to the North of the station will put quite a large dog-leg in the main line alignment, unless they widen the embankments on the eastern and western approaches for a mile each side of the station.

I predict an afternoon on Google-Earth for me

[Arthur Maunsell]

Originally Posted by Shed Cat

I dont know. This list was from a press release. I am still hunting for drawings or plans- even architectural style in a public consultation leaflet. Reading Council told me to contact Network Rail.

I am mainly curious as to how they will squeeze in that extra platform without moving or demolishing existing patforms and canopies. They have the space, I think, to squeeze the existing platforms closer together. Simply tacking on a new platform to the North of the station will put quite a large dog-leg in the main line alignment, unless they widen the embankments on the eastern and western approaches for a mile each side of the station.

I predict an afternoon on Google-Earth for me

i should think extra platforms would be dead easy as they can use the freight avoiding lines which I assume are hardly ever used anymore....demlolish platform 9 and 10 ,slew the up relief to where the centre line used to be and provide a new no 9 etc....yeah loads of room.....platform 4 C will be harder to acheive, as will lengtheneing 4A and B

[Arthur Maunsell]

and how about third rail to Basingstoke with a through service from Waterloo.....dunno what use it would be, but I always thought it would be a good idea...

[Shed Cat]

and a direct connection from the up Berks and Hants towards Basingstoke, at Southcote Junction (I think).

[CAVREADINGRAIL]

It was this title in Google which led me to joining Railway forum. If we are not to repeat our mistakes in the future then we must learn from our mistakes in the past. The history of Reading station is littered with mistakes,

• The first Reading station built by the GWR comprised of two separate platforms both on the south side of the down main line, one serving down trains and one serving up trains. Up trains had to cross the down line to call. Reading station was re-organised into something like it 's present layout in the late 19th century
• The second Reading station built by the LSWR was to the east of Vastern road approximately opposite Reading gaol. Later on a new station known as Reading South was opened in Station square when the line was extended across a via duct over Vastern road
• In the late 19th century the up line just north of Reading General was connected via an incline, a low level line in King's meadow and a burrowing junction east of Vastern road under the GWR embankment to the LSWR but any connection with the Berks and Hants line and therefore to Basingstoke was frustrated by the GWR by having a prohibition clause inserted in the parliamentary bill.
• A connection was made from the LSWR to the GWR down line in the early 20th century east of Vastern.
• Yet another similar connection was made further west but still east of Vastern Road in the 1940's
• 1965 saw the demolition of Reading Southern (changed from Reading South in the early 1960's and a single platform built to accept electrics to Waterloo using the above connection
• The 1970's saw the above platform doubled
• The 1990's saw the closure of Reading West and the reversal of all North (Midlands) South (Southampton) passenger trains stopping at Reading in west bays of Reading General
• The 1990's also saw the construction of the new ticketing hall (on the site of the earlier demolished Reading Southern station with an overbridge to platform 4 but no investment in track or platforms

It must surely be time to take a radical view of this location where north south, east and west meet and stop tinkering about. My suggestion is to relocate the entire station complex further west and at the same elevation as the present western main line taking advantage of the triangle where Reading shed 81D used to be and derelict land around it. The main terminal building would be approximately where Tudor road and the old abattoirs used to be allowing north/south platforms in the triangle to be connected with east west platforms. A burrowing junction would connect the up main, east of Reading, with the down main of the Berks and Hants and a low level platform would serve passengers from the north changing at Reading. Similarly a burrowing junction would connect up trains on the Berks and Hants with the up main going east with same low level platform enabling passengers to change trains. The existing station area could be used for east bound commuter traffic either to Waterloo or to Paddington. In fact Waterloo could run loop trains via Basingstoke as envisaged by our Victorian forefathers.

It seems to me that all the ingredients are in place. The necessary difference in height courtesy of Brunel, brown field sites and the general need for development in and around this area, the triangle already in the hands of Network rail, the need for an efficient alternative route to Birmingham, preferably via Oxford etc.

No more tinkering it's time to think on a bigger scale, after all Reading is the second busiest station after Paddington on the western, why not make it number one.

[Arthur Maunsell]

i dont think it needs to be that radical..
.there is planty of room on the freight avoiding lines for extra platforms and a tunnel exists to bring waterloo nad guildford trains into this area thus eliminating the junction to the east of the Station.
.
Platform 4/5 can then be used for west of england services...8/9 for bristol/south wales services and the new platforms for stopping services....strageic provision of freight lines can be incorporated too.(reinstate the line between 8/9 and make it revesible)....oh, and a Gricers Buffet at a conveniant spot would be brilliant....

finally...is Reading West closed!!! shock horoor.....didnt know that

[Shed Cat]

Building a brand new "Interchange Station" to the west in the Triangle would be a good idea, but would move the station even further away from the centre of the town and inconvenience the local passengers.

( I would just like to fnd some layout drawings of the Network Rail proposals)

[Arthur Maunsell]

I cant see the point of relocating the station...its in the ideal spot for the traffic flows.