Reading Station Area Re-development (RSAR)

Excerpts from Planning Application 11/01885/FUL showing a summary of works on the lines, the works programme and illustrations of the station buildings.

To alleviate the problems in the Reading area several issues need to be addressed at the same time, including:

• Two new island platforms and a new platform face (adding five platform faces) to the north of the existing layout to create a total of nine through platforms, instead of four through platforms and three bay platforms. To achieve this, there will be extensive station construction work and track remodelling at both the western and eastern approaches;
• Restoration of a subway running under the station to provide accessibility for nonfare paying public access north to south;
• The existing concourse will remain the same and platform access to existing and new platforms will be supplemented by the construction of a new gateline and transfer footbridge with access to the north and south. Southern access will be to the immediate west of the old station building (the grade II listed Three Guineas Public House). The bridge will be around 120m long, 30m wide and 14m in height.
• Restoration of the eastern underpass from the Southern lines, located near Napier Court on Napier Road;
• To the west, a bridge deck extension to the north span over Caversham Road;
• To the west, grade-separation of the chord lines from Oxford Road Junction to the Relief lines to the west (to benefit freight services from Southampton etc.) and a new chord from Oxford Road Junction to the two new island platforms. Grade-separation is to be achieved by the construction of a new viaduct, starting from the west of the station rising to around 9m above grade at Cow Lane and returning to existing track level near Wigmore Lane;
• Bridge deck extension over Vastern Road for the Southern lines (wide enough to allow future expansion to three tracks and three platforms) to create a two-track throat to the Southern platforms 4a and 4b and to allow their lengthening to cater for 12-car trains and widening to the north for new island platforms;
• Cow Lane Bridge (North) will be demolished and replaced by a new double structure to the immediate north and a new two way highway to the west of the existing. Cow Lane Bridge (South) will also be widened to allow two way traffic;
• Other bridges effected include embankment extensions at Littlejohn’s Lane, and new bridge deck also being constructed at Wigmore Lane;
• The demolition of the signal box and telecoms buildings;
• The construction of a new train care depot to the north side of the tracks at the Reading triangle to replace the depot lost in the triangle of lines west of the station. This will include the construction of a new maintenance shed up to a maximum of 210m long by 30m wide. Provision is to be made for the future IEP servicing and stabling.

Timescale

Construction of the RSAR is to be undertaken between early 2010 and the end of 2015. During this time construction compounds will be required at the current Royal Mail site, Napier Road, the current Train Care Depot located in the triangle area and allotments on Cow Lane. Work on bridges will be undertaken at night to minimise the impact on the road network. Work within the railway corridor will be undertaken under possession of the track at night to minimise disruption to rail traffic.

The amount of construction traffic required is expected to be small when compared to the 166,248 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) already entering and exiting the centre of Reading each day.

Page updated: January 2012