This picture has been taken from the Dundas Aqueduct (Kennet & Avon Canal) which the railway passes under. The arch that the railway passes was built to a narrower gauge than is acceptable today. By lowering the track bed will enable container trains with the tallest containers to be able to use this line. The line was closed for some 5 days to enable this work to be carried out. Approximately 3 Km further on is a junction which connects with the main London - Bristol line which closed for 6 weeks to enable engineering work to be carried out for the electrification of the line. This has also entailed lifting bridges or lowering track beds to get the necessary clearance for the overhead wire. Additional civil engineering work is also taking place to up grade drainage. Bear in mind these lines were built by Brunel some 150 years ago and need up dating to the modern day. The electrification of lines is to replace the aged class 43 diesel hauled trains with Hitachi electric Class 801 Super Express stock. To give an ides of the scale of the work this is only a small section. The lines to be electrified are from London to Bristol and London to Swansea. This type of work has to take place all along these line. More information can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st-century_modernisation_of_the.._Line
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The line was closed for some 5 days to enable this work to be carried out. Approximately 3 Km further on is a junction which connects with the main London - Bristol line which closed for 6 weeks to enable engineering work to be carried out for the electrification of the line. This has also entailed lifting bridges or lowering track beds to get the necessary clearance for the overhead wire. Additional civil engineering work is also taking place to up grade drainage. Bear in mind these lines were built by Brunel some 150 years ago and need up dating to the modern day.
The electrification of lines is to replace the aged class 43 diesel hauled trains with Hitachi electric Class 801 Super Express stock.
To give an ides of the scale of the work this is only a small section. The lines to be electrified are from London to Bristol and London to Swansea. This type of work has to take place all along these line.
More information can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st-century_modernisation_of_the.._Line