Passing loop near Bolton?

[itsjamierawr]

Was on the Manchester Piccadilly today on the (delayed) 1916 Transpennine Express to Edinburgh which due to the delay passed at Oxford Road the Southport train which was held to let us get ahead (all perfectly normal).

However shortly before the approach into Bolton I noticed on the section of track that I've never seen used before a 142 with passengers on held at a red signal for us to pass - I've never seen this used as a passing loop before, is it something new and which service was it (I assume the Clitheroe stopper from Victoria)?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There are both Up and Down Passenger Loops between Moses Gate and Burnden Jn (just east of Bolton station)

 

[itsjamierawr]

Ahh, I always thought those tracks were disused, it makes sense having a passing loop there - just wish they'd use them more often

 

[edwin_m]

Same happened to me with the 1715 Glasgow last Wednesday. The train overtaken was a 2-car class 150 and judging by the number of signal checkes we had it was making intermediate stops.

 

[driver9000]

Ahh, I always thought those tracks were disused, it makes sense having a passing loop there - just wish they'd use them more often

They're used more often than you'd think. The Down (from Moses Gate) loop tends to be used more than the Up loop.

 

[snail]

Same happened to me with the 1715 Glasgow last Wednesday. The train overtaken was a 2-car class 150 and judging by the number of signal checkes we had it was making intermediate stops.

It causes no end of confusion if you're waiting at Bolton for the overtaking train. That day, the 1737 to Blackpool North was indicated as 'on time', with the 1732 to Glasgow due at 1740 until the very last minute when the Glasgow train turned up first!

 

[lancastrian]

It causes no end of confusion if you're waiting at Bolton for the overtaking train. That day, the 1737 to Blackpool North was indicated as 'on time', with the 1732 to Glasgow due at 1740 until the very last minute when the Glasgow train turned up first!

I wonder if there had been anyone on the Blackpool train who wished to join the Glasgow train expecting to be in Bolton first? Just a thought.

I know that these two loops are used a lot, but perhaps if there was a passing loop between Bolton & Lostock Junction of services going north. That would solved that problem of overtaking before a potential connection is lost.

Just a thought.

 

[Bevan Price]

I wonder if there had been anyone on the Blackpool train who wished to join the Glasgow train expecting to be in Bolton first? Just a thought.

I know that these two loops are used a lot, but perhaps if there was a passing loop between Bolton & Lostock Junction of services going north. That would solved that problem of overtaking before a potential connection is lost.

Just a thought.

Loops south of Bolton sometimes used for allowing steam railtours to be overtaken.

Bolton - Lostock Junction used to be 4 tracks, and Lostock Junction once had separate platforms on the Wigan line.

 

[Nym]

Loops south of Bolton sometimes used for allowing steam railtours to be overtaken.

Bolton - Lostock Junction used to be 4 tracks, and Lostock Junction once had separate platforms on the Wigan line.

And very nice it would be if this was the case again...

 

[SeanG]

Isn't that the plan?

 

[Nym]

I beleive so, additional platforms and starter signals, but I don't think four tracking will come.

 

[edwin_m]

I had a look at Bolton-Lostock a few years back and the remaining two tracks seem to have been slewed into the roughly one-third and two-third positions across the formation. In the cutting at the Bolton end this puts them under the centre of the two-arch bridges and probably therefore avoids reconstruction for electrification (which was "imminent" when they did it sometime in the 80s...). It is also evident closer to Lostock, possibly to allow safe maintenance under single line working, so would have to be slewed back if any loops were laid here.