Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[steverailer]

From what I understand the section between Windsor Street and Ordsall will be energised this weekend. Not sure of the plan for the rest, but its a start.

 

[DJH1971]

The wiring gap at Glazebury has finally been plugged in the past few days with catenary and contact wires in place on the Up line.
Continuous wiring on both lines throughout the Phase 1 route now.
Still plenty of tidying up of the OHL to do between Eccles and Glazebury, power up maybe by the end of the month.
Some more foundations have been placed on the westbound line in Olive Mount cutting, marching slowly towards Broad Green.

I've just heard from someone today that went on a trip today and reliably tells me there is still one full length of wiring missing from the down line.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I've just heard from someone today that went on a trip today and reliably tells me there is still one full length of wiring missing from the down line.

He must have keener eyes than me...
I'm pretty sure the catenary and contact wires are all up, but I wouldn't swear to the return or AT wires around Astley.
There are certainly still some insulators without wires attached yet.

 

[Bevan Price]

He must have keener eyes than me...
I'm pretty sure the catenary and contact wires are all up, but I wouldn't swear to the return or AT wires around Astley.
There are certainly still some insulators without wires attached yet.

On Sunday, a driver told me there were "no gaps" between Parkside & Ordsall Lane, but alignment was still incomplete.

 

[deltic08]

Travelled today on a Ranger ticket from Wigan to Huyton then to Manchester Vic just to see what is happening. Surprised by the number of masts erected between St Helens and Huyton on mainly concrete foundations, Didn't notice any piled foundations but I presume the gaps are where piles will be inserted later.
No contact wire between mileposts 24 1/4 and 24 3/4 as far as I could see in the dusk on the Manchester to Liverpool track and many droppers unconnected yet between Patricroft and Eccles on the same track. According to TPEx the overhead is completed and energised. I think not.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Travelled today on a Ranger ticket from Wigan to Huyton then to Manchester Vic just to see what is happening. Surprised by the number of masts erected between St Helens and Huyton on mainly concrete foundations, Didn't notice any piled foundations but I presume the gaps are where piles will be inserted later.
No contact wire between mileposts 24 1/4 and 24 3/4 as far as I could see in the dusk on the Manchester to Liverpool track and many droppers unconnected yet between Patricroft and Eccles on the same track. According to TPEx the overhead is completed and energised. I think not.

If you mean over the M62 bridge I think the wires are in place.
It's quite complicated to follow with all the various strings branching off to terminal masts and whatnot.
You only have to see the peculiar angle of some of the droppers to realise there is no power on yet!

There are plenty of metal piles on the Wigan branch, but as yet none have masts on them (last Saturday at least).
There are some either side of the M57 bridge on the steep embankment, and others near the Pilkington works and right along to Bryn.
While most of the concrete bases seem finished, only about 50% actually have masts on them.
Every time I pass the electrification train at Edge Hill it is loaded with masts and registration arms, but it's not easy to see where they are going up.
Progress seems to be in fits and starts.
The stretch between Ordsall Lane and Victoria is pock-marked with big but shallow excavations. Difficult to tell what these are for.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are there any ground stability problems between Bryn and the WCML ?

 

[DJH1971]

I do have to say it has gone a bit quiet lately concerning the stretch between Huyton to Wigan.

 

[deltic08]

Having not travelled Liverpool-Vic-Stalybridge since the last trans Pennine Deltic, my route knowledge is fairly rusty. Would have been even worse had I not been following this post for a few months. I was having a good look around closer to ground level but happened to look up and could only see catenary wire for probably one complete wire length. This ended close to mile post 24 3/4.
As Day Ranger tickets on this side of the Pennines are only £10 until Sunday, I may have a trip over to Liverpool again. Had planned a trip to Carlisle yesterday but the car park was so full and no street parking available near to Skipton station that I missed my intended 1126. The next train was 1326 so drove to Keighley where parking was equally full but was able to find street parking. First train was for Bradford and decided to brave the walk between Forster Square and Interchange rather than travel via Leeds. Wrong decision. Half way between the two stations, the heavens opened. The sooner a decision is made to join both stations at Bradford with a rail connection the better. Absolutely barking to build again on the line of route before a cut and cover tunnel is constructed.
Thank you for filling in about piled bases on the St Helens line. Not as easy to spot as concrete bases especially on the "express" service from Preston.

 

[DJH1971]

However, I did today see a couple of masts with arms attached in place not far from St Helens Central near where the World Of Glass museum is situated. I didn't see them there previously.

 

[deltic08]

However, I did today see a couple of masts with arms attached in place not far from St Helens Central near where the World Of Glass museum is situated. I didn't see them there previously.

From what I saw on this line on Wednesday, all upright masts had registration arms fitted except a couple.

 

[DavidL]

However, I did today see a couple of masts with arms attached in place not far from St Helens Central near where the World Of Glass museum is situated. I didn't see them there previously.

Agreed - there are now also several gantry uprights in the area around Watson st, Greengate hot end, and the old Ravenhead works. Thatto Heath (& Eccleston Park, actually!) station also now has a gantry upright or two on it's platforms. Looks like it is picking up again locally.

It had gone a bit quiet since the 2am piledriving in and around Garswood and Carr Mill! Very odd to be woken up by such sounds!

How is Huyton to Newton looking?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually, I do have a related question. I have tried searching - I'm sure it is out there, but don't really know that correct terminology to search intelligently:

There seem to be a variety of cantilever mast designs. Most notably are:
Some have little yellow plates up by the cantilever arm, some don't. Does anyone know why?
More obviously, several masts have two large heavy looking circular pieces up at the level of the cantilever. Again, what and why?
Sorry for no pictures or better descriptions, I'm afraid I'm just seeing them whizzing by!

Many thanks in advance

 

[nw-sparks]

More obviously, several masts have two large heavy looking circular pieces up at the level of the cantilever. Again, what and why?

If you mean a pair of "drums" on the side of the mast at the top, these are the tensioners for the catenary and contact wire at the end of each length. Older systems had a pulley and a weight hanging below.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come up with the correct name for these.

Phil

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

How is Huyton to Newton looking?

Nothing yet, apart from some "scratching around" in the places where masts will go.
Probably checking ground conditions and marking up the construction locations.
It would be interesting to know at which point they make the choice of foundations, ie concrete or metal piles.
It intrigues me how much of the OHLE route is designed in advance and how much is left to the construction crews to decide.
And for that matter how much NR does and how much they leave to the contractor (BB).

 

[DJH1971]

Saw more excavation work alongside and in between the tracks this morning between Salford Central and Victoria.

 

[ianhr]

If you mean a pair of "drums" on the side of the mast at the top, these are the tensioners for the catenary and contact wire at the end of each length. Older systems had a pulley and a weight hanging below.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come up with the correct name for these.

Phil

It is called a "Tensorex" and uses a spring to maintain a constant tension in the contact wire.

 

[HSTEd]

How does it maintain a constant tension at various lengths though?
Is it a very long coiled spring or somesuch such that any change in length can be considered negligible?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

From what I saw on this line on Wednesday, all upright masts had registration arms fitted except a couple.

I checked the Up line today and the contact wire is in place throughout.
Where it still looks unfinished though is over the Moss around Astley.
The vertical wires which suspend the contact wire from the catenary every 10 metres or so along the route between the steel posts are not connected for several lengths, and are essentially flapping in the breeze.
I guess this is put right when they tension the OHLE.

In Olive Mount cutting I counted 23 concrete foundations east of Wavertree, reaching almost to the Queens Drive bridge.
They are all on the south side, and it looks like they are going to cantilever the steelwork over both tracks.
This will make it look "heavy" in appearance, so if you want to get an iconic shot of the unencumbered deep rock cutting looking something like the original, now's the time!

On the Wigan branch, they have made progress with the steelwork up to St Helens - there are only about 16 bases missing their masts on this stretch.
There are still some stretches without bases at all though, including the deep rock cutting near Thatto Heath.
Further east, there were 17 mast bases in east of Bryn, so the gap to Springs Branch is closing slowly.

 

[The Planner]

Heard rumours of 23/24 November for the switch on from Castlefield to Parkside.

 

[DJH1971]

Heard rumours of 23/24 November for the switch on from Castlefield to Parkside.

Just in time for TPE's new 350's to work 'out of the box'!

 

[8A Rail]

In Olive Mount cutting I counted 23 concrete foundations east of Wavertree, reaching almost to the Queens Drive bridge.
They are all on the south side, and it looks like they are going to cantilever the steelwork over both tracks.
This will make it look "heavy" in appearance, so if you want to get an iconic shot of the unencumbered deep rock cutting looking something like the original, now's the time!

Already too late as the sun don't get into the cutting and only get worst as the Autumn/Winter progresses. So past its sell by date then!

 

[DJH1971]

Been into Liverpool today and I can confirm that mast bases are spreading eastwards a bit more, as they are now stretching past Broad Green station.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There are now 6 mast bases east of Broad Green on the Down, but none yet on the Up.
There are also a few bases west of Wavertree on the Up, in between the old 1960s masts.
It looks like they don't plan to reuse the masts which had been de-wired over several hundred yards in the area, east of where today's live wiring starts.

They are excavating the spoil filling the old platforms at Huyton.
The old subway is now visible and it looks like they are preparing to concrete over it.

On the Wigan branch 25-odd masts are now in place on both lines east of St Helens, reaching almost to Garswood.
Big lattice structures are going up on the Up side along the Pilkington embankment (cantilevering over both tracks), and at some of the stations.
New bases continue to go in, and there are still 20-odd bases without steelwork on each line west of St Helens.
Bases still run out about half a mile east of Bryn.

 

[DJH1971]

There are now 6 mast bases east of Broad Green on the Down, but none yet on the Up.
There are also a few bases west of Wavertree on the Up, in between the old 1960s masts.
It looks like they don't plan to reuse the masts which had been de-wired over several hundred yards in the area, east of where today's live wiring starts.

They are excavating the spoil filling the old platforms at Huyton.
The old subway is now visible and it looks like they are preparing to concrete over it.

On the Wigan branch 25-odd masts are now in place on both lines east of St Helens, reaching almost to Garswood.
Big lattice structures are going up on the Up side along the Pilkington embankment (cantilevering over both tracks), and at some of the stations.
New bases continue to go in, and there are still 20-odd bases without steelwork on each line west of St Helens.
Bases still run out about half a mile east of Bryn.

Seems things went quiet for a bit there.

I wonder what structures they will use on the Carr Mill bridge over the A580?

 

[8A Rail]

They are excavating the spoil filling the old platforms at Huyton.
The old subway is now visible and it looks like they are preparing to concrete over it.

The last time I looked at the plans for this station, the subway to what will be platform 4 is being introduced, let alone being concrete in! They are building lifts for this station but it dont include stair ways, so may be concrete for the bases for the lift shafts?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Seems things went quiet for a bit there.
I wonder what structures they will use on the Carr Mill bridge over the A580?

Nothing visible from train level yet.
I imagine they will do what they did over Castlefield Viaduct, although access will be difficult!

 

[Ploughman]

As long as they do not do what happened on crossrail a few months back and try and drill through a train.

 

[swt_passenger]

As long as they do not do what happened on crossrail a few months back and try and drill through a train.

Are you sure that incident wasn't on the GN&C Moorgate route, in which case wasn't it just a random building site whose piling contractor was working from completely inadequate info? (Such as the tube map in the back of his diary or something..).

But nothing too do with Crossrail...

 

[Class377/5]

Are you sure that incident wasn't on the GN&C Moorgate route, in which case wasn't it just a random building site whose piling contractor was working from completely inadequate info? (Such as the tube map in the back of his diary or something..).

But nothing too do with Crossrail...

Nor was a train involved but an (thankfully) empty tunnel when the drill head came through.

Tho the rumor was Crossrail initially until it was realized where the incident happened some distance off Crossrail's route.

 

[Ploughman]

Could not remember which route just that it was London and the biggest project there is Crossrail so putting 2 + 2 together and getting 7.

Ta for the corrections.