Modernising the Great Western

For further informationThis is only a highlight of our plan for the Great Western. All of this work will be taking place around the 7-day railway, the National Stations Improvement Programme and the maintenance and track renewals that we need to do to keep Britain moving.

To find out more about the bigger picture, visit our website at networkrail.co.uk/thegreatwestern or read our Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy at networkrail.co.uk/rus

If you have any further questions you can also call our helpline on 08457 11 41 41

Royal Albert Bridge at dusk, photographed by Colin Brooks ®

networkrail.co.uk

1804

Steam locomotive invented

1806

Isambard Kingdom Brunel born

21 January 1833

Great Western Railway company founded at a public meeting in Bristol

4 June 1838

The first section of the Great Western Railway opened from London to a temporary station on the east side of the Thames at Maidenhead

30 March 1840

Line to Reading finished

1867

Whole line to Penzance finished

1854

London Paddington station, designed by Brunel, opened

Where do you want to go in 2020?We have a vision for rail in the South West.

Our modernisation of the Great Western is the biggest investment in this railway since it was built by Brunel.

Faster, more reliable services, more seats, better stations and more freight trains will not only improve the experience of rail users but also stimulate economic growth across the region and beyond.

We have been continually improving the railway with punctuality now at an all time high. But the better the service becomes, the more people choose to use it.

Our forecasts point to major growth, particularly around London Paddington and Bristol, where passenger numbers are predicted to increase by 51% and 41% respectively, in 10 years.

Demand for freight is also predicted to rise by 20% nationally as its strengths as an economically sensible and environmentally efficient form of transport become increasingly recognised.

The time is now right to transform the Great WesternTo meet these challenges, 13 major engineering projects are either planned or already underway on the line.

The next decade will bring:

• new high-speed electric trains

• amajorredevelopmentatPaddingtonstation

• modernisationofsignalsalongthelength of the line

• CrossrailservicesfromMaidenheadintoLondon, and a host of other improvements.

The investment we’re making will be a massive boost for passengers, businesses, freight users and communities all along the line.

Delivery will be a complex challenge on this busy, historic line, taking place while the railway is being used every day of the week.

This document outlines our plan for the future of the Great Western and our commitment to delivering the work while still keeping the railway open for business.

Unification of gauge allowing the same trains to travel across the country

1892

Paddington fourth roof arch built

1916

Modernisation of the Great Western

2010 - 2020

21

Patrick Hallgate, route managing director, Western Network Rail said:

“It’s no exaggeration to say we’re on the threshold of a new golden age for the railways. Our vision for the Great Western means a world class service for customers and commuters.

The next few years will see continuous improvement: new, faster, greener trains, more reliable services, and better information for customers. The future of the railway is looking very bright indeed.”

A new entrance at Reading station

The Royal Albert Bridge at the millennium

Dawlish seafront Passengers at London Paddington station

31 August 1835

Great Western railway created by an act of Parliament

The West relies on rail

Connectingpeople

People who use the railway rely on rail every day to take them to work. With many more people now choosing to travel longer distances every day, living and working in different places is becoming the norm.

The Great Western takes people to some of Britain’s best loved tourist destinations. The spa town of Bath, the dreaming spires of Oxford or the coastal towns of St Ives and Newquay. These are just some of the holiday spots that draw visitors from, not

only the West, but from around Britain and the rest of the world.

The Great Western also provides a vital link to the international tourist market via Heathrow Airport and connections to Gatwick Airport.

People need and expect to have fast, frequent and reliable train services to and from their destination. Delivering this for passengers and businesses alike will allow our towns and cities to thrive.

The Great Western links a number of thriving towns and cities – from the might of London to the important regional economies of Oxford, Bristol and Exeter.

25% OF ALL DEEP-SEA CONTAINERS

GROCERIES, FURNITURE, FOOD, ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

80% OF ALL CONSTRUCTION STONE FOR THE GREATER LONDON AREA

90% OF ALL COAL FOR POWER GENERATION

Rail freight delivers:

43

Mark Hopwood, managing director, First Great Western, said:

“In the past 10 years we have seen marked journey growth in the area First Great Western serves, with over 40% growth. The combination of improved reliability, better connectivity and competitiveness of rail against other modes is increasingly attracting customers to use the railway.”

Connectingbusinesses Businesses rely on rail to get their staff to and from work and around the country for business. Increasingly, businesses use rail to move raw materials and finished products around the country.

The Great Western is currently the second busiest freight corridor into London.

This popularity has come about because rail freight is an increasingly cost effective, reliable and sustainable way of transporting both traditional bulky goods like coal and steel, as well as consumer goods like wine, groceries and electrical goods.

Andrew Cooper, managing director, Crosscountry, said:

“Driven by the region’s connectivity to the national network, Crosscountry’sservicestotheSouthWest and Thames Valley have seen significant growth.

By improving even further the rail’s capacity and reliability, we expect passenger demand to continue increasing to the region’s many tourist destinations, and between its economic and industrial areas, and theMidlandsandtheNorth.”

David Rosser, director, CBI South West, said:

“A modern and efficient railway is a critical part of the infrastructure needed to support business in the 21st century. For Wales and the South West, linkages to London and the international transport networks will be a fundamental component of regional competitiveness, so this programme of investment is very good news.”

International links are of increasing importance to major businesses. The Thames Valley is a thriving economic hub thanks to its combination of state-of-the-art business accommodation and excellent links to Heathrow Airport.

The airport and its access from the Great Western make it a strategic hub

of national importance, due to the economic growth that comes through commerce and leisure travel to London.

The route and its links to airports such as Gatwick, Exeter and Bristol ensure the South West benefits from the economic growth access to air travel brings.

To and from the airport

Newport station

Oxford spires

Bath’s Roman Spas

The railway is nearly full

• Journeys made to and within the Great Western area have increased by 23 million in the 10 years to 2007. That’s 40% more journeys

• 11 million passengers travel to and from Bristol each year

• Over 30 million passengers per year begin or end their journey or change trains at London Paddington

• Sea container freight is predicted to grow nationwide by 30% in the next decade and 140% in the next 30 years

CASESTUDY

To and from the airport

Trains have become more overcrowded at peak times but there is not enough space to increase the numbers of services or make journeys faster while still being punctual between London, the Thames Valley and the West of England.

Today, the line between London Paddington and Reading and Taunton is more than 80% full for the majority of the day. Should passenger growth continue to rise as expected, 100 million passengers a year are predicted to be travelling on the Great Western by 2019.

Bristol 90%

Exeter 50%

Bath Spa 70%

Swindon 50%

Reading 35%

Oxford 65%

London Paddington 23%

65

Our 19th century railway is struggling to cope with the 21st century demands being placed on it.

MorepeoplechoosingrailHow demand for rail has increased across the Great Western over the last 10 years

FACT

Our plan

We’re delivering a better service, with more seats and improved stations, by leading the biggest investment in the line since it was built.

Swansea

Cardi�

Newport

BristolParkway

BathSpa

Swindon

KembleDidcotParkway

Oxford

Reading

Heathrow

Newbury

BristolTempleMeads

Exeter St Davids

Penzance

London Paddington

Charlbury

4

32

1

87

£5bn investment

13 major projects

10 years of improvement work

The modernisationThe Great Western

Newport – a station for the 21st century

Reading – more space for passengers and trains

Paddington – a station fit for the gateway to the West

Access for All – improved accessibility

Intercity Express Programme (IEP) – new trains

North Cotswolds – more room for trains

Swindon to Kemble – a more reliable service

Crossrail West – more trains and better stations

Freight – more room for transporting goods

South Wales – modernised signalling

Electrification – faster, quieter, greener railway

In-cab signalling – a new, more flexible technology

Railway Communications System (RCS) – improved communications

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

3

2

1

4

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to KembleRCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

RCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to KembleRCSALL

LINES

KEY

The Great Western and ERTMS

South Wales re-signalling

Freight

Cotswolds

Crossrail Electrification

Swindon to Kemble

The future of the Great Western

ElectrificationElectrification will transform the railway between London and Oxford, Newbury, BristolandCardifftodeliverafaster,greener, quieter and more reliable railway for passengers, with extra capacity.

Electrifying this part of the Great Western will enhance 235 miles of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways, better connecting major towns and cities across southern England and South Wales.

This investment, as well as the introduction of a fleet of new trains, will improve journey times and make services more comfortable, smoother, cleaner and quieter for passengers and people living near the railway.

Intercity Express ProgrammeThe new fleet of trains, delivered by the Intercity Express Programme, will transform passenger rail travel on the Great Western by providing faster, longer and more frequent trains for long-distance intercity journeys.

The trains, expected to come into use from 2016, will take advantage of the newly electrified railway and will support the move to a greener, cleaner and more efficient rail network.

Longer trains will need the infrastructure to match. We are currently looking at where to make improvements, such as longer platforms, to accommodate the trains and the expected increase in passengers.

ReadingReading sits at the heart of the Great Western. It’s one of the busiest junctions on Britain’s rail network and the complicated track layout limits the number of trains that can get through.

We’re building five new platforms at the station and constructing a viaduct to take fast lines over slower ones, dramatically increasing the number of trains that can use this part of the Great Western.

We’re building a depot that will cater for electric trains and making big improvements to the station, building two new entrances and a new roof to improve the passenger environment.

CrossrailCrossrailwillbeanewservicelinkingstations on the Great Western with Heathrow,CentralLondon,CanaryWharfand East London.

Network Rail is responsible for delivering thepartsofCrossrailontheexistingsurface network.

ThirteenstationsfromMaidenheadto Acton will benefit from a raft of enhancementstofacilitateCrossrailservices.

These services will ease congestion on parts of the Great Western by up to 30% and bring an additional 1.5 million people within a 45-minute commute of the capital’s key business districts.

Paddington station has been opened up to the light with a roof restoration project above platforms 9 -12.

The station will also benefit from two other projects that will cement its place as the West’s gateway to London. CrossrailLtdwillbebuildinganewstation underground and the current

London Underground Hammersmith & CityLinestationatPaddingtonisalsobeing replaced.

These new facilities will reduce overcrowding, allow space for future growth in passenger numbers and provide step-free access.

Paddington station

109

Mike Gallop, principal programme sponsor, Network Rail, said:

“Electrifying 235 miles of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways by 2016 is ambitious and challenging but we’re fully committed to delivering a faster, greener, quieter and more reliable railway for passengers all along the line.”

Robbie Burns, major programme director, Crossrail and Reading, Network Rail, said:

“CrossrailandReadingare,intheir own right, two of the biggest engineering projects currently taking place in the UK.

To manage both of these projects while working on an operational railway is a huge challenge.

We’re working closely with the train and freight operators to keep people going to their destinations while delivering the improvements the railway needs.”

We’ve upgraded the route from the Port of Southampton through the Thames ValleytoNuneatonintheWestMidlandsto take freight off roads and onto rail.

To do this we’ve increased the headroom through tunnels, under bridges and through stations so larger freight containers can be used.

Upgrading this part of the railway will take 50,000 lorry journeys off the road each year. This is 1.5 million lorry miles, easingcongestionandCO2 emissions.

Better for freight Alain Thauvette, chief executive of DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd, said:

“This upgrade means that road congestion is reduced, carbon emissions are lowered and lives are saved on the road network as more containers are moved by freight trains rather than on lorries.”

By investing in projects that open up bottlenecks and get more trains on the line we’ll make people’s journeys more reliable and more comfortable.

A faster train on electrified lines The new Reading station A new Crossrail train

Better journeysThe projects we’re investing in will reduce delays and create more space on the line for trains and therefore more people. Passengers and freight customers will make more comfortable journeys that start and end on time. The projects will also allow the industry to cater for predicted growth.

Reading,Crossrail,ElectrificationandIEP’s new trains are key to making this a reality. But that’s not all we’re doing. Other improvements include:

New in-cab signalling will improve train performance by replacing traditional railway signals with a computer display inside every train cab.

Railway Communications System (RCS) will provide secure communication between drivers and signallers 100% of the time.

Better stationsWe want to invest in comfortable facilities that cater for passenger needs, helping make their journeys more pleasant. Stations are also central to local communities, acting as a gateway to towns and cities, giving that vital first impression for many visitors.

Our vision is for stations to become transport hubs, providing seamless links with airports, bus and tram stations, cycle storage and car parks.

TheReadingredevelopmentandCrossrailwill deliver station improvements in London and the Thames Valley, but many more stations will benefit along the whole line.

Newport Station is the greenest and biggest station investment in Wales, including two brand new terminals, a new northern entrance and a station footbridge connecting passengers to all platforms.

Access for All’s programme to improve step-free access is making stations better for passengers across the line with Exeter Central,TauntonandWestburyhavingalready benefited.

National Station Improvement Programme is a joint rail industry initiative that will improve passenger information, way finding and facilities to stations across the Great Western.

1211

MoretrainsWe want to run more trains between the cities of the Great Western, as well as making them faster and more reliable. We need passengers to know that when they turn up to a station, they will not have to wait too long for the next train.

IEP,Electrification,CrossrailandReadingare central to delivering more trains to passengers but other projects will also support this.

The North Cotswolds line is providing more space for more trains and by restoring much of the line to double track we’re making it easier for trains to pass each other.

The track between Swindon and Kemble, ontheSouthCotswoldsline,isalsobeingdoubled to allow for extra trains and to reduce the impact of delays.

The RT Hon Philip Hammond, MP, secretary of state for transport, said: The case for developing the Great Westernintoarailwayforthe21stCenturyis above all an economic one.

The transformational 10-year programme that Network Rail is leading will do more than help to meet projected demand for increased passenger and freight journeys; it will deliver a long-term boost to the economies of Wales and the South West.

“

“

The new Access for All station at Canterbury West A train passing an RCS mast Newport station during the build

The North Cotswold line before our re-doubling work The Royal Albert Bridge

The new roof at Paddington station

Improving the railway

May 2010

Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy finalised

June 2010

North Cotswolds line work starts

August 2010

175th anniversary of the Great Western

October 2010

Newport station complete

Christmas 2010

Reading works start

2011

• Paddington roof renewal complete

• Crossrail tunnelling starts

• North Cotswolds complete

• Freight investment complete.

2015

Reading complete

2014

Electrification starts

Electrification complete to Bristol

2016

New trains delivered

2016 onwards

Crossrail complete

2017

Electrification complete for Cardiff

2017

Next Route Utilisation Strategy published

2019

1413

An industry commitmentWe’ve already done a huge amount of work at Paddington station, in the Reading station area,alongtheNorthCotswoldsline and to bridges and tracks to make more space for freight containers.

As an industry, we commit to continuing with our high standards of minimising our impact and keeping passengers informed.

We commit to:

Minimising disruption – We will do this by investing in new technology, scheduling work during quiet times and co-ordinating all the work together as much as possible to minimise the need for repeated closures of the line.

A cross-industry approach – The rail industry will work closely together to make sure any work has the minimum impact on thetravellingpublic.Communicationswillbe co-ordinated to make sure we’re giving people on the Great Western the same messages.

Giving early notice – To make sure people are aware of any work taking place, and that they understand why, we will run communications campaigns telling people to ‘check before you travel’ and will point people to the National Rail website.

Promoting changes – We will do our best to ensure they hear about any key work on the radio, in their local papers and at stations well in advance.

Keeping passengers on trains – Whenever we can we will avoid having to change onto buses. We’re investing in infrastructure in specific areas so that this is possible.

Close working with local councils – As a last resort, should we have to put passengers on buses, the industry will work closely with local councils to use stations that can accommodate the volumes of passengers.

The environment and communityWhenever Network Rail begins improvement projects we take our environmental responsibility seriously.

We always carry out in-depth environmental assessments that look at the impact our projects might have on their surroundings. From these we identify any issues that need to be addressed.

We also have a 24-hour helpline and a dedicated community relations team for the Great Western that will be able to answer any questions people living along the line may have over the duration of these projects.

OverChristmas2010weresignalledover 100 miles of railway in the Reading area and installed a 1,000 tonnerailbridgeoverCavershamRoadto the west of the station.

These engineering challenges had the potential to cause significant disruption to railway users. Network Rail and operators worked closely together to minimise this.

InadvanceoftheChristmasperiod,we’ve upgraded key parts of the rail network so that trains could run on diversionary routes, keeping people on trains and off buses.

An extensive integrated communications programme was delivered in advance of the works, beginning nine months in advance ofChristmas,sothatpassengerswere aware of the impact of our work before they travelled.

Keeping the railway running

Mike Greedy, Passenger Focus, said:

“This was an excellent example of how to manage and communicate the expectations of passengers leading up to major engineering work taking place.

The fact that these works did not make the news during the course of the blockade coupled with a virtual absence of complaints is testament itself to the success of this operation. It has certainly set the standard for future major blockades of this nature.”

Modernising the Great Western will involve a huge amount of work over the next decade.

All of this work will be a complex challenge on this historic line and will take place while the railway is being used every day of the week.

2013

Swindon to Kemble complete

Computer generated image of Reading station’s roof A Network Rail protected large blue butterfly in Somerset Christmas 2010, Caversham Road Bridge slide, Reading