Today’s railway
The scope of the Western route is extensive and diverse, the focal element being the Great Western Main Line which runs from London to Bristol leading into the main line route through the south west to Penzance. This creates main line links between London and the South West and to Wales. Extending from this are radial routes to Oxford, the Cotswolds, Birmingham and the South Coast. Branch lines into the London suburbs, to the Devon and Cornish coast and dedicated freight-only lines complete the mix of areas contextualising the route.
Rail services within the route support long-distance, interurban and commuter passenger flows into and between the main centres of London, Reading, Bristol and Exeter. Significant freight flows also operate across the route and include intermodal, automotives and aggregate traffic serving a number of key freight terminals.
Tomorrow’s railway
There are a number of large investments proposed over the next 10 years including station improvements, service improvements and infrastructure interventions.
Highlights include:
- Electrification of the Great Western Main Line between London, Oxford, Newbury and Bristol by 2016, extended to Cardiff by 2017.
- New ‘Super Express trains’ as part of the Intercity Express Programme providing a fleet of new electric and bi-mode trains for services between London, the south west and Wales from 2016.
- Major station investment delivered through the Reading Station Area Redevelopment project and Crossrail.
- Significant investment to improve capacity and reliability with Swindon to Kemble redoubling, Bath Spa capacity upgrade and resignalling programmes
- In the south west, capacity improvements proposed around Bristol and at Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway stations.
- Freight improvements include gauge enhancements between London and Bristol and improved capacity between Southampton and the West Coast Main Line and around the Oxford area.
Network specification 2012 - Western 3.6 MB
Route specifications 2012 - Western 4.1 MB
UK Traction Power Supply System Strength 0.8 MB