The Anonymous Widower

Electrification At Didcot Parkway – 29th March 2016

On the 25th of March, I wrote Electrifying Didcot Parkway, after I passed through Didcot Parkway station on the way to Oxford.

Yesterday, as I passed through on the way to Bath, I took this picture of the forest of masts at the station.

A Forest Of Masts At Didcot Parkway

It does appear to me, that more have gone up over Easter, but because WordPress doesn’t let me look at galleries, I can’t be sure.

I also took this picture looking towards Oxford.

Masts Marching Towards Oxford

It would appear that the electrification is going to go at least as far as Didcot North Junction, where the West Curve from the direction of Swindon joins the Cherwell Valley Line. This schematic was clipped from Wikipedia.

Didcot To Oxford On The Cherwell Valley Line

And this is a Google Map of the same area.

Didcot To Oxford

I estimate that from Didcot North Junction to Oxford station is about ten or twelve miles.

This would mean that if an IPEMU could reach Didcot Parkway station using overhead electrification, it could undoubtedly reach Oxford and then get back to Didcot.

Between Reading and Didcot, it would appear that the wires are going up.

Wires Between Reading And Didcot

This picture shows the wires over the two slow or relief lines.

March 30, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Electrification, Great Western Railway, IPEMU, Oxford Station