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Junipers in the new platforms at Reading

Anyone who has travelled through, or to and from, Reading General station in the past year or so cannot help but notice the long overdue extensive redevelopment of the station intended to increase passenger capacity and improve train flow through the station and its nearby junctions. On 30th June 2012 Colin Price diverted his attention from a passing steam railtour to the new east-end lengthy terminal platforms 4 and 5, which have replaced in function the previous island platforms 4a and 4b, which in their time replaced Reading South station. Platform 6 has yet to be completed. The platforms were renumbered on 30th December 2011, platform 4 being entirely new and platforms 5 and 6 being extensively rebuilt platforms 4b and 4a respectively.

458016 brings up the rear of the 10.42 Reading - Waterloo service departing from platform 4 on 30th June 2012 458016 brings up the rear of the 10.42 Reading - Waterloo service departing from platform 4. It is believed 458026 was on the front.
458009 & 458015 are in platform 5 before forming the 11:12 Reading - Waterloo on 30th June 2012 458009 & 458015 are in platform 5 before forming the 11:12 Reading - Waterloo.

photographs by Colin Price