National Audit Office report into Great Western Electrification

“The modernisation of the route has potential to deliver significant benefits for passengers but this is a case study in how not to manage a major programme. The Department's failure to plan and manage all the projects which now make up the Great Western Route Modernisation industry programme in a sufficiently joined up way, combined with weaknesses in Network Rail's management of the infrastructure programme, has led to additional costs for the taxpayer. It is encouraging that since 2015 the Department and Network Rail have a better grip and put in place structures to manage the programme in an integrated way. However significant challenges to the timetable still remain and there is more to do to achieve value for money.”

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 9 November 2016

I think it particularly shortsighted that Filton Bank will remain unelectrified this effectively means Bristol Parkway becomes the boundary for electric trains to Bristol via the Badminton route. seems illogical to me.

I think it particularly shortsighted that Filton Bank will remain unelectrified this effectively means Bristol Parkway becomes the boundary for electric trains to Bristol via the Badminton route. seems illogical to me.

simmybear in post 87304 said:

I think it particularly shortsighted that Filton Bank will remain unelectrified this effectively means Bristol Parkway becomes the boundary for electric trains to Bristol via the Badminton route. seems illogical to me.

Perhaps, but there aren't going to be any pure electric trains outside the Thames Valley, and while the SETs performance on Diesel is slightly less than on Electric (although contrary to popular wibble they are more than capable of reaching 125mph on Diesel, and have done so routinely during testing - the "100mph on diesel" being a design goal, not a limit) - that disparity in performance will not impact train running on the comparatively slow Filton bank. Coming off the wires at Bristol Parkway to coast down the hill into Temple Meads isn't going to make an iota of difference to the proposed timetable or journey times, it's just going to kill off a few polar bears more quickly. Similarly West of Bath where the ruling line speed is 90mph.

The bits they've deferred are the bits that provide a purely environmental benefit, as opposed to a performance/operational benefit. All 125mph sections of the GW will be wired.

The costs of the extra diesel engines (required solely due to NR/DfT foul-ups) being saddled onto the GW franchise for the next 27.5 years, rather than paid as a lump sum up front.