GWR Electrification at Cholsey
Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.
The GWR at Cholsey has changed over the years but recently has undergone some major changes with the addition of pylons to take the electrification. This article is aimed to show what has gone on. Cholsey station dates back to when Brunel first built the GWR and was used as a place to change for Wallingford. Over the years it changed a small amount but in the next year or so will change again with the electrification that is happening. No more will you see a view with no pylons. I started recording in March 2015 and since the work started I have been going along around once a month to record how the line has changed. You can read some info about Electrification here
Link
Since I took a photo of Cholsey Station in 2008 it has changed little to when I took another in 2015 for reference to show what will change when the electrification of the GWR comes through. I took various views from each platform to show how it looked free from pylons or electric cables. You can read some info about Electrification here
The awning over platform 4 in 2008 is still in place at the present time I also showed Tornado flying through to Silly Bridge in 2009 along with Platforms 1 & 2 in 2009 looking towards Elms Bridge. I also showed a couple looking back from Elms Bridge in 2009 and showing the line to the station clear. I will return and get a more up-to-date photo.
The first we knew anything was happening was the noise at night when we heard the piles being knocked into the ground. Then I noticed marks on the station and the first of the pylons near Silly Bridge, not only that, I spotted some of the piling machines in the storage area.
The last photo of Silly Bridge was taken in May 2015 but work had started before that beyond the Lees Bridge as you can see in the photos below. Note the pylons in place near the bunk line (preserved railway). The opposite side you could see where some of the bases had been placed.
On the Silly Bridge side you could see piles of concrete ducting and the first pylon, markers had also been placed alongside the fence on platforms one and two.
In July the weekend afternoon quiet was broken by a hammering which turned out to be one of the pylons being knocked in near the station. Markings were more evident on platform two and on the bank by platform four a marker had been placed in part of the bank that had been cleared.
In August I noticed a storage area had been made at the end of the car park where they had stored more concrete ducting and some of the steel tubes that were pushed into the railside. On the fast line side you could see bases bolted on the pilings awaiting the pylons. Up on the hill behind another pylon you could see a small excavator. On platforms two and three the fence had been removed and replaced by safety fence. Platform one also had bases in place on the bank over the fence. Concrete had been poured and studs fixed in place. Looking up to Silly Bridge you could see work had been happening there as well. Nearer the station I could see a base between the fast and slow lines which turned out to be two close together.
On the Lees Bridge side you could see more pylons had been erected, I even spotted a train heading under the bridge.
In September I thought it was time to check what the line looked like from Silly and Moulsford Bridges. The old fence on Silly Bridge had been removed and they were in the process of building it up and had started putting on the coping stones. Down on the line looking towards Moulsford Bridge, pylons were in place and some of the steel bases were still going in. On the Cholsey side there were few pylons in place though near the station you could see a few.
Going up to Moulsford Bridge I noticed the height has been raised by using steel plates but reaching up I managed to take a photo towards Silly Bridge as well as towards the Moulsford Viaduct. There was also a substation built nearby for powering the line along with a storage area. Near the bridge I also noticed part of the wall boarded where I suspect a pylon was going.
Into October and I noticed more work had been done with gantries now extending across the line looking towards the Lees Bridge along with a couple of new pylons nearer the station. Looking towards Silly Bridge you could see the gantries in place. Shuttering had been put in place on platform two for a base. Nearer the Silly Bridge end of the platform little looked to have changed. Going onto platform one looking towards Silly Bridge you got a good view of all the pylons which were in place and going to the other end I was lucky to see a train coming under the gantries there.
Into November the fast line looked a little different on the Silly Bridge side and I could see from the concrete block I stood on to get a photo. I also noticed part of a pylon in the compound. A pile had been concreted in near platform four while in the back by the station another had been set. Going onto the platform and looking to Lees Bridge I could see the gantries in place and connections for hanging the wire were in place. Work had also been going on on platform two. Looking out from the platform you could see the gantries at the other end and a pylon was in place. Looking across to the end of platform four from platform three you could see a couple of piles in place. Looking out towards Silly Bridge a train ran along the fast line while the bridge behind looked to have had the coping stones put in place.
Mid November I went back for a further update after seeing they cut the trees back on the embankment. First thing I did was take a reference view from platform four to show how it was before any more pylons went in, then over to platform one to see the difference now the trees had gone. Things did not look much different looking towards Silly Bridge but it was easy to see the pylon and its base near the end of the platform.
At the end of November I noticed they had fixed a couple of connectors for the electric cables near Silly Bridge, there were also a couple of piles added in the area between the fast and slow lines near the station.
By December I finally saw how they were going place the pylons near Cholsey Station. They had also left a lot of material near the fence by the station. Looking out of the station to Silly Bridge you could see pylons in place and the same looking towards The Lees Bridge. Heading to platform one showed a better picture of the Silly Bridge side and The Lees bridge side. I took a reference view along platform one then left
Come the end of December I visited Silly Bridge and Moulsford Bridge again. All the coping stones had been laid and pointed apart from a couple, and though it was fenced off I snuck in and got a few photos over the parapet which is now well over six foot in height. Looking towards Moulsford Bridge showed most pylons were in, as with looking towards Cholsey Station. On a gantry nearer the bridge I could see the cable supports had been put in place.
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licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.
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