On 19/07/2011 21:33, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:46:52 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote:

"Paul wrote in message
...

Excellent find - thanks for providing the link. Some of the work
seems to be moving along at a cracking pace. I am surprised that some
track laying will start in November !!

I wonder if they might deliver rails and sleepers via a newly laid Old Kent
Rd junction; on the basis that it is the more straightforward route. It
needn't be signalled initially as it could be done in a full possession. If
they used that Balfour Beatty 'New Track machine' (as seen on Airdrie to
Bathgate) they'd get the track laid in a few days...

I was quite surprised to see that Old Kent Rd junction had already
been attended to although more work is planned for October.

I'm not sure which end they will use - I suspect they might use both.
We'll have to wait and see what approach they're taking and I'm not
familiar with the machine you mention. The only downside might the
fact they've got to get the track through several old viaducts which
may restrict the use of clever track laying machines.

That would also be the least disruptive to the ELL overall, as an approach
from the north would mean engineering trains shunting via Surrey Quays?

Well one of the newsletters says that in (IIRC) September the junction
at the Surrey Quays end will be put in place. It says there will be
some possessions needed to make that happen. While I doubt great big
engineering trains will trundle through the Brunel Tunnel I'd not be
surprised if there was access via NXG at certain times.

I'm almost wondering if there is a secret "target" to see if the line
can be up and running for the Olympics rather than the December 2012
timetable change.

I thought that this section was to be up and running by the Olympics.