Extending Westbourne Park Bus Garage
I have noticed this structure grow over the last few months and have wandered what it is.
It now looks like it might be the extension to the bus parking area talked about in this article on Tower Transit in Wikipedia. This is said.
A new 180m bus parking area is to be built on a raised platform over railway lines as part of the Crossrail project.
This Google Map shows the garage squeezed under the Westway.
Westbourne Park Bus Garage
I think the Google Map was taken some time ago, as all that appears visible is probably the foundations furthest away from the bus garage.
It’s probably a sensible use for the site, where no-one would probably want to live sandwiched between the Westway and the Great Western Main Line.
It’s also a very good way of using the air space over the railway to effectively create new land.
Southall Station – 4th July 2015
These pictures were taken at Southall station.
Ealing Council has also given planning permission for the new station and also for West Ealing station as is reported in this article on rail.co.uk.
White Rails On The Great Western Main Line
On my trip today to see take pictures at West Ealing and Southall stations, I was also looking for the white rails,I spoke about in this article.
These pictures are just a few of many.
Acton Dive-Under – 4th July 2015
-I took these pictures as I passed the Acton Dive Under.
On this page on the Crossrail site, this is said.
The start of excavation follows nearly two years of work to re-configure the freight yard. The work on the dive-under is being managed by Network Rail and is expected to last until 2016.
Progress would appear to be in line with that statement.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this work finished earlier than expected, as surely when the Acton Dive Under is complete, this must make the operation of the railway easier, as freight trains crossing from the sidings at Acton will cause less disruption.
West Ealing Station – 4th July 2015
Work has started on the creation of the bay platform for the Greenford Branch at West Ealing station.
Some of these pictures were taken from a train that stopped at the station. The window intrudes on the right.
Ealing Council has also given planning permission for the new station and also for Southall station as is reported in this article on rail.co.uk.
It certainly appears that the builders have got of the marks quickly!
Could this be because it would make planning Crossrail and the station works easier, with the Greenford Branch just working a four times-per-hour shuttle to a bay platform well out of the way?
The Dreadful Wall Cabinets Are Down
This morning I took the dreadful cabinets off the wall in my kitchen, with some help from a friend.
Now it is time to start phase two.
Note the crude hole in the wall on the right. Luckily the house is too new to find asbestos.
Where’s The 33cl. Bottles?
I generally carry a 33cl. bottle of water in my shoulder bag, as this is the smallest size I can buy that is useful. I should say that I don’t believe in carrying excess weight either on, in or about my body. It’s usually Evian, as that is the only small one readily available. So I was surprised to see this promotional display in Sainsbury didn’t feature the small bottle.
Evian Promotion In Sainsburys
I would have thought that in this hot weather, a promotion based on small bottles would have been a good idea.
At least I can buy small bottles in dozens in Waitrose and probably other places, whereas in Europe, there was nothing smaller than the half litre anywhere.
A Police Car With 330,000 Miles On The Clock
At the commemoration for Prederick Parslowe the police brought along a couple of old police cars.
The Morris Minor was immaculate and had a genuine 330,000 miles on the clock. Apparently they own half-a-dozen, which get brought out for public relations purposes. One officer told me, that they’ve also got a couple of preserved Velocette LE‘s.
Tribute To A Hero
At the War Memorial on Islington Green today, there was a tribute to the bravery of Frederick Parslowe, who saved his ship in the Great War, but was killed in the action. He was postumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
According to this article in the Islington Tribune, a commemorative paving stone is being unvieled as part of the hundredth anniversary commemorations for the Great War.
Why Are Some Rails Painted White And What Is Saggy Wire Syndrome?
After reading this article on the Rail Engineer web site, I did think about calling this article something like – Who’d Be A Rail Engineer?
But I just had to include Saggy Wire Syndrome.
The article is a technical article about how using steel wheels on steel rails can be a nightmare for the railways and their engineers in hot weather.
When I was a child, the rails had a length of sixty feet and they were separated by a small expansion gap and connected by fishplates. This gave the clickety-clack. Now rails are continuous for several kilometres to give a smooth ride, so occasionally they buckle. To mitigate the problem rails are made pre-stressed to their length at 27°C, so the problems kick in, when the temperature of the track gets above that temperature.
As switches (points) and crossings are particularly vulnerable in hot weather, they are often painted white in the UK, to reflect the heat.
It’s funny, but after having come across Europe through Poland, Germany and Belgium, I can’t actually remember seeing any rails painted white on my journey. Although, there was no clickety-clack indicating jointed rails. Next time, I go to Germany or Poland I must look.
So what is saggy wire syndrome?
This is where the overhead electric wire stretches in the heat and sags, because the tensioning mechanism can’t cope.
The article finishes with this paragraph.
Summer is a real problem. Roll on winter, when the rails shrink as they get cold and eventually break, earthworks get soggy causing uneven track surfaces, and S&C gets flooded and won’t work.
Who’d be a rail engineer?
All passengers should read the article!
The Anonymous Widower 