Trains at: Reading, GWML, 03/09/22

A good morning session spent at Reading on the Great Western Mainline where we see plenty of services from Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and Elizabeth Line.
The original station was completed and opened by the Great Western Railway in 1840 as is the theme with the majority of this section of the line and in that time has gone through some pretty major changes. The first station was built and designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and at the time was nothing more than a small single platform terminus station for his trains from London, 1 year later the line was extended to Bristol which meant that Reading then became a generic through station for passenger traffic. At the time it was taking trains roughly over 1 hour to cover the line to Reading, this was over a quarter of the time quicker than the fastest stage coach at that time. As travelling by horse was the only way to get around the country if you couldn't afford the then luxury of train. Because of the nature of the way that the station was first put together it meant that any trains running to Bristol would have to cross over the lines in front of the trains coming back down the line. This was perfectly fine because you hardly had any rail traffic back then. Of course if you try that this day and age then you'll have a right mess on your hands. Less than 4 years after the station was opened the Great Western Hotel was officially opened and is believed to be the oldest surviving railway hotel in the world. Although oddly enough I've never seen it. Within a 10 year period the station would start to get more and more busy with the introduction of two new routes, these being the Newbury and Hungerford line and the line head in off to Basingstoke. The Newbury line was opened in 1847 and the Basingstoke line in 1848.
20 years later the station was given its first makeover with a new station building being constructed in 1865/67 which also brought a new tower complete with clock, if your trying to operate a successful railway enterprise then keeping to a somewhat strict schedule is paramount, so clocks would soon become a common feature throughout most stations in the UK.
By the time 1898 rolled around the old station was no longer fit for purpose because of the growing numbers in rail traffic and passenger usage. So it had to upgraded. The original platform was removed and instead replaced with a standard design that we would all recognise today with up and down platforms built as well as relief platforms. These were linked by a pedestrian subway as a footbridge wasn't installed at the time.
The station wasn't always known as Reading though, its name was changed to Reading General in 1949 to avoid confusing it with an ex-South Eastern Railway station that was relatively nearby. However British Rail dropped the General in 1973 so it once again became known as Reading.
During the mid 1960's to the mid 70's the station went under some work in order to take on additional trains. This was done by adding two new terminus platforms at the southern end of the station which would see traffic arriving and departing to Gatwick Airport. These trains used to run in and out of Reading Southern but were moved to the main central station.
The station once again saw redevelopment taking place when British Rail opened a new concourse inside the station boosting a brand new shopping arcade named after Brunel himself. Along with this an impressive footbridge was installed linking the old Reading Southern station to main complex. A brand new multi story car park was also constructed which took off near enough instantaneously with better access to the station than there had ever been. This did mean however that the old good yards and signal works were demolished and built upon.
Once that work had been completed Queen Elizabeth reopened the station officially on the 4th April 1989.
Everything that you now see today is a result of work taking place from 2009 to 2015 with the Reading flyover being installed, more platforms being built and better ease of traffic throughput as the station was deemed to be a bottleneck because of the amount of trains trying to access the station. Once again Queen Elizabeth The Second was brought in to reopen the station on the 17th July 2014.
My next film will be from Basingstoke on the South Western Mainline.
You can find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2022.
You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922 where it isn't just rail related content that I produce

[@chrisatrailway7573]

Another great video and I still like the acceleration of the class 800s amazing 🍺👍

[@thomasmahoney4991]

Hi Tornado 922 - about the Redhill service from I think platform 15 - there is a very discreet underpass just east of the station that means trains from the northernmost platforms can join the Gatwick/Redhill route ! Thanks for this great content

[@robertstrainsnsw1596]

Great video at Reading Can't wait for you next film

[@coyi51]

Excellent upload, cannot believe how much the station has changed over the years, but always remember it for lots of passengers and crowded trains.

[@LookingForLocos]

Thank you for visiting Reading (AKA my fave station) Please keep it up ❤

[@thetrainandbusspottertflgw3669]

Amazing

[@atmrtwbike]

Swindon - the transfer point for the bus to Devil's End! The class 390s are my favourite. I wasn't taken with the class 80Xs to begin with. But they grew on me and are now a very close second.

[@bobbrooks266]

Pork crackling black pudding mmm now your talking my language. Another great video. Thanks for taking the time to post them. Keep up the sterling work. Regards to the family

[@ianstevenson7037]

Great as aways, including an early running 18.39, think you meant 13.39😀

[@AshBehindtheCamera]

recently seen on RTT that trains are now doing Reading to Abbey Wood & some still Reading to Paddington but more Abbey Wood now

[@camotech1314]

I love hearing those turbo engines!!!😁

[@theimperialist2686]

Excellent railway video as always

[@ghighlandchieftain4462]

Brilliant video legend I was enjoying your videos

[@ashleyhoye]

Great video tornado922 keep up the good work 👍👍

[@kennysvlogs4389]

I love near Reading

[@ClaretBlueTrainspotter]

Great video.

[@class917]

Hi Tornado been a while how much old film have you got left

[@adamstrains9330]

I love reading

[@keithedmunds7536]

you should get some freight at basingstoke especially on the reading line my local station nice video of reading

[@miahaskurti4539]

I Always Go To Reading During Holidays

[@ianlaw7968]

Another great vlog. Have you been to Acton Main Line now they have a new station loads of 66's there.Keep up the good vlogs

[@progenlol]

Hey tornado, I have a recommendation for a station, maybe you can come down to Preston on Tuesday. Every Tuesday at 10:00 There's a tar train headed down to the docks. Usually it's class 47's and class 50's that pull it!

[@mrquickogaming]

Yoooo, I was at reading on that day! What time of day where you there?

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

So do you think it’s getting back to Pre Covid compacity

[@chriswhitaker4577]

Hi Tornado922. Great film at Reading. Always love visiting the station whenever I can. Extra information for you: at 19:22, it was the 1349 (not 1849) GWR service to Oxford. Looking forward to next film at Basingstoke. Kind regards, Chris.

[@leihacinar4320]

Redding is one of my favourite station to go to I have never been to Redding station l Really like to go to Redding station this is from Ritchie

[@RWL2012]

It's spelled Reading, like reading a book but pronounced like "redding" 😜

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@RWL2012 aye lol

[@stefheigh123]

I thought cross country calls at reading on the Bournemouth service

[@JackJackProductions]

They do. But at the other end of the station

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

Reading is a great station indeed and with the HST's having disappeared, you do need the freight to appear in order to stay long here! Will you do a session from Reading that involves just the other end which includes the services from Cross Country?

[@JackJackProductions]

He usually does go to the other end, but was at the London for a change of scenery and to get some services he wouldn't normally get, such as SWR

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

@@JackJackProductions I think if he was there just that little bit longer, there would have been some 458's as they go to Reading as well but not as frequently as they used to do. The class 455 and the class 707 are staying in their South West Trains livery as class 701's replace them. The class 458's might go at some stage in the years to come I would have thought, which is why they probably haven't been repainted and probably won't be.

[@JackJackProductions]

@@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784 The 458s are going to be rebuilt and reconfigured for Portsmouth via Guildford services

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

@@JackJackProductions More so rebuilt and repainted.

[@JackJackProductions]

@@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784 Yeah then taking over the diagrams of the now gone 442s

[@charlottelarimore9261]

GWR should get some 68s and 82s will u be happy LOL

[@SionsTrainVideos]

you mean DVTS not 82s because 82s was built in the 60s there different trains

[@charlottelarimore9261]

Yh ur right Sion thx for that

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@charlottelarimore9261 no worries

[@thomasgriffiths3001]

Since when have GWR operated a service to Gatwick?

[@SionsTrainVideos]

for years and years lol and FGW because they are the same thing just swapped names

[@RWL2012]

@@SionsTrainVideos Hi

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@RWL2012 lol old thing for great Western to go to Redhill and Gatwick

[@cannadineboxill-harris2983]

I wanted to know why don’t dig a tunnel and do an extension for the main line Train so they extend the new abandoned underground stations. Why couldn’t they use the part D78 Stock train doors on the sides and also restructure the front face of the A60 and A62 stock that includes the class 313, class 314 and class 315 remix and make them all together and also redesign them an overhead line and also make them into six cars per units and also having three Accessible Toilets on that six cars per units A60 and A62 stock trains and also convert the A60 and A62 stock trains into a Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXC, Gardner 6LXB and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Engines and also put the Loud 7-Speed Voith Gearboxes even Loud 8-Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Gearboxes in the A60 and A62 stock, class 313, class 314, and class 315 and also modernise the A60 and A62 stock and make it into an 11 car per unit so it could have fewer doors, more tables, computers and mobile phone chargers? A Stock Train and also having 8 DisaAccessiblelets on those A stock trains. why couldn’t we refurbish and modernise the waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel and make it bigger and extend it to bank station, making it into a Triple-Track Railway Line so those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden to convert the waterloo and city line Triple-Track Train tunnel into a High-Speed train? The Third Euro tunnel Triple-Track Train line to make it 11 times better for passengers so they could go from A to B. then put the modernised 11 car per unit A Stock and put them on a bigger modernised waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel so it could go to bank station to those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. The modernised refurbished 11 cars per unit A stock could be a High Speed The Third Triple-Track Euro Tunnel Train So it is promising and 37 times a lot more possible to do this kind of project that is OK for London Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. Oh by the way, could they also tunnel the Triple-Track Railway Line so it will stop from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex so that the Passengers will go to Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden and also extend the Triple-Track Railway Line from Bank to Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex Stations so that more people from there could go to Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden Easily. Why couldn't they extend the Piccadilly line and also build a brand-new underground train station so it could go even further right up to Clapton, Wood Street and also make another brand new tunnel train station in Chingford and could they extend the DLR? All of the classes 150, 155, 154, 117, 114, 105, and 106, will be replaced by all of the Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Six carriages three accessible toilets are air conditioning trains including Highams Park for extended roots which is the Piccadilly line and the DLR trains. Could you also convert all of the 1973 stock trains into an air-conditioned maximum speed 78 km/hours (48 MPH) re-refurbished and make it into a 8 cars per unit if that will be alright, and also extend all of the Piccadilly train stations to create more space for all of the extended 8 car per unit 1973 stock air condition trains and can you also build another Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive Companies and they can order Every 17 Octagon and Hexagon shape LNER diagram unique minor no.13 and unique small no.11 Boilers from those Countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, can they make Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive speeds by up to 117MPH so you can try and test it on the Original Mainline so it will be much more safer for the Passengers to enjoy the 117MPH speed Limit only for HS2 and Channel Tunnel mainline services, if they needed 16 Carriages Per units can they use those class 55’s, class 40’s and class 43HST Diesel Locomotive’s right at the Back of those 16 Carriages Per Units so they can take over at the Back to let those Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s have a rest for those fascinating Journeys Please!!! oh, can you make all of those Coal Boxes’ 16 Tonnes for all of the 117MPH Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s so the Companies will Understand us, passengers!! so please make sure that the Builders can do as they are Told!! And please do something about these very important Professional ideas Please Prime Minister of England, Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister of Germany, Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister of Poland and that Includes the Mayor of London.

[@georgedowns4034]

Chill...

[@RWL2012]

I can't tell if this is a joke or serious, but Gardner stopped making engines in 1993.

[@cholloway0046]

Annoying copypasta.

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@RWL2012 lol so much words for some reason from harris

[@RWL2012]

​@@SionsTrainVideos I wonder if the person is actually OK

[@Sophiebryson510]

Tomato922

[@SionsTrainVideos]

tonardo922 you mean

[@Sophiebryson510]

@@SionsTrainVideos nope tomato922

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@Sophiebryson510 why

[@SionsTrainVideos]

i said why

[@Sophiebryson510]

@@SionsTrainVideos like a play on words, i guess, like maybe a tornado 922 cooking channel?

[@jordanjones7172]

Shame a cross country voyager didn’t show

[@RWL2012]

wrong end

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@RWL2012 yep