Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[LDECRexile]

That is close, they need to go all out as Network Rail is still showing December 2014.

Could have done with a longer or another blockade.

According to http://nw-sparks.co.uk/works.php Edge Hill-Wigan/Earlestown will be closed to normal traffic on a number of forthcoming Sundays.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

According to http://nw-sparks.co.uk/works.php Edge Hill-Wigan/Earlestown will be closed to normal traffic on a number of forthcoming Sundays.

Closed on Sundays until the end of August, and also on 7 September until 1200.

 

[DJH1971]

Closed on Sundays until the end of August, and also on 7 September until 1200.

That's just as well now.

 

[joke2711]

Closed on Sundays until the end of August, and also on 7 September until 1200.

Forgive me for my ignorance but why cant Northern operate a service to Kirkby from Wigan Wallgate on a Sunday when the Wigan North Western -Liverpool via St Helens line is closed?

Appreciate that for progress work has to be undertaken but it is really starting to grate having disruption every Sunday from Wigan to Liverpool for what should be a relatively short journey!

 

[Geeves]

It could well be rubbish but Kirkby lost its late night trains as they were constantly being bricked etc, I dont know if the Sunday service falls under the same punishment?

At the Manchester end they were busy again last night, Looking from Vic towards Salford is just one 1m droppers. Going to be some very dense OHLE thats for sure.

 

[Starmill]

It could well be rubbish but Kirkby lost its late night trains as they were constantly being bricked etc, I dont know if the Sunday service falls under the same punishment?

At the Manchester end they were busy again last night, Looking from Vic towards Salford is just one 1m droppers. Going to be some very dense OHLE thats for sure.

I'm interested; has the line ever had Sunday service?

And surely it was years ago now that evening service stopped? Modern economy and all that... the level provided currently is rather behind the times. Take a look at the Merseyrail service to Kirkby, that's about right!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The new layout at Huyton is in full use today and seemingly working like clockwork.
There is no Up Slow or even a turnout for it (or junction signal).
Amazingly all the platforms at Huyton are finished including lifts.
P4 is ready for trains including totems, shelters and PIS - but no track!
I think NR will be well pleased with the result, including the start-up of Manchester ROC's signalling area.

Edit:
Having toured the Phase 2 lines today, there has been negligible electrification progress in the last 2 weeks.
Some more steelwork around Ince Moss, and registration arms fitted to the gantries between Ordsall Lane and Salford Central, and that's about it.
Maybe BB's construction trains have been unable to get to work because of the NR blockade.
No sign of masts on Sankey viaduct or around Earlestown.


A bit more on Roby-Huyton:
The 90mph speed limit sign has been moved from Huyton Quarry westwards to beyond the new junction at Roby (though there is a 50mph TSR over the new junctions for now).
The platform extremities at Roby and Huyton are not yet finished, but this does not impact current services.
Most of the platform surfaces still await a final coat of tarmac, but all the levelling has been done.

I've attached some pictures taken at Huyton this morning.
If you look at the one marked "eastward" (taken from the new P3) you can see the new Up Fast vanishing away from the camera.
It is obvious where NR need to take a strip of land to make room for the new Up Slow.

 

[DJH1971]

No sign of masts on Sankey viaduct or around Earlestown.

Just as well there are some Sunday closures coming up then.

They need to move on now.

 

[Starmill]

Wow, just been through on the TPE and Huyton and Roby look good! I don't have my head around the layout though, or what used to be where!

How long has platform refurbishment at Lime St HL been completed for? It too is looking very nice!


Nick Donovan was there being shown around it.

And while I'm here marvelling that Huyton and Roby are niw 3 platform stations, Roby has signage on P4 already! ?

 

[swt_passenger]

Wow, just been through on the TPE and Huyton and Roby look good! I don't have my head around the layout though, or what used to be where!

From the link in post #2058 a few days ago:

http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

 

[AM9]

From the link in post #2058 a few days ago:

http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

Interesting that the diagrams show lines to Liverpool as down and to Manchester as up. Is this a convention?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Interesting that the diagrams show lines to Liverpool as down and to Manchester as up. Is this a convention?

It's to match the general directions in Manchester and Liverpool established by the LNWR.
Up is essentially towards London (Liverpool-Runcorn-Crewe or Liverpool-Earlestown-Warrington-Crewe or Liverpool-Earlestown-Eccles-Piccadilly-Crewe or Liverpool-Eccles-Victoria).
It breaks down at Victoria though, because the L&Y treated Victoria as its origin and so it's Down in all directions from there.
So Liverpool-Leeds changes from Up to Down at Victoria.
It also breaks down at Wigan, with the Up Wigan from Liverpool running into the Down WCML.
There are many discontinuities like this across the network, such as at Shrewsbury where every direction is Down except towards Wolverhampton.
It all derives from the origins adopted by the companies building the line.

I have a theory that the Liverpool-Manchester line was originally Down from Liverpool (because that is where the mileage is measured from), and was reversed at some date by the LNWR, to match its Euston origin.
Can anybody confirm or deny this?

 

[Geeves]

Had a ride out too. First ride out on the TPE and back on the Slow via St Helens Central.

All very impressive, you can see where the blockage on line 4 is but as said all the platforms, screens and even signs are all done!

The slow trains/TPE from Manchester using platform 1 and the trains out of Preston/Wigan NW using platform 2. The trains going towards Wigan and Manchester as far as I could see have no choice but to use the new line as there are no points to go anywhere else.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The slow trains/TPE from Manchester using platform 1 and the trains out of Preston/Wigan NW using platform 2. The trains going towards Wigan and Manchester as far as I could see have no choice but to use the new line as there are no points to go anywhere else.

Yes, a slight degree of confusion at Huyton as to which Liverpool platform to go to!
Especially with the new walking routes via the subway/lifts/underpass.
You can even use the P4 entrance to get to other platforms.

From the layout as constructed, they will have to have another blockade to lay in the line 4 junctions and the associated signalling when the time comes.

 

[Geeves]

Haha, yes I did see a few confused faces today!! I suppose going from two platforms to having three with both your old platforms going the same direction is going to take a while for passengers to get used to!

Really very impressive though to say they chucked in signalling control moving all the way to Manchester, they deserve a big pat on the back.

As you say they will have to have another closure but the works to finish are thankfully small in comparison. Looking forward to seeing line 4 in place.

 

[snowball]

Really very impressive though to say they chucked in signalling control moving all the way to Manchester, they deserve a big pat on the back.

Is this the first bit of line to be controlled by the new signalling megacentre?

 

[Geeves]

Thats right Desk No1 is now up and running. 49 more to go!

 

[PDG1949]

The new layout at Huyton is in full use today and seemingly working like clockwork.
There is no Up Slow or even a turnout for it (or junction signal).
Amazingly all the platforms at Huyton are finished including lifts.
P4 is ready for trains including totems, shelters and PIS - but no track!
I think NR will be well pleased with the result, including the start-up of Manchester ROC's signalling area.


I've attached some pictures taken at Huyton this morning.
If you look at the one marked "eastward" (taken from the new P3) you can see the new Up Fast vanishing away from the camera.
It is obvious where NR need to take a strip of land to make room for the new Up Slow.

Thanks - Great set of pics and current situation clearly shown. Unfortunately been tied up travelling to the Wirral a lot of last week (by car), so missed a fair degree of the action, but great coverage of the blockade progress via both this forum and Phil, 'NW Sparks' website blog.

As a St. Helens town resident, not a lot to report here except for a couple of bits of stanchion work north of the station adjacent to St. Helens signal box (probably now feeling very lonely on this stretch !!).

What I find concerning is that there seems to be relatively more work in place between Huyton Junction and Wigan than between Earlestown and Huyton Junction, considering the first call would appear to be electric service between Manchester and Liverpool via the Chat Moss route.

Yes, Sankey Viaduct has just got LB planning clearance and Earlestown station's should be through soon, fingers crossed; the intervening LB bridges seem to be OK (they were applied for earlier), but so far as I can see, Rainhill's LB permission submission hasn't gone in yet [ NB - LB clearance is basically ' Listed Building/Monument work permisssion' ]

Don't tell me we'll have '319's running from Liverpool to Wigan first ??!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Report on NR's website re the blockade work

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...s-resume-as-railway-reopens-on-time-20e8.aspx

Pity they don't seem to have done a time-lapse version of it, as they did with Mcr Victoria (....still there's time...)

 

[Geeves]

I didnt realise till I saw today that the new desk at the ROC Manchester covers the Bootle Branch triangle too, bit more work than I thought. I had assumed this was controlled from Edge Hill.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I didnt realise till I saw today that the new desk at the ROC Manchester covers the Bootle Branch triangle too, bit more work than I thought. I had assumed this was controlled from Edge Hill.

This must be the start of the wider resignalling out of Lime St, with changes like platform and throat remodelling to come.
I've noticed there are already new cable routes down the cutting from Edge Hill, and a new (return?) OHLE wire running the whole length on the Down side.
It must now be the oldest layout on the WCML, barely touched since 1962.

 

[Wavertreelad]

This must be the start of the wider resignalling out of Lime St, with changes like platform and throat remodelling to come.
I've noticed there are already new cable routes down the cutting from Edge Hill, and a new (return?) OHLE wire running the whole length on the Down side.
It must now be the oldest layout on the WCML, barely touched since 1962.

Slightly off topic but attached are a couple of pictures taken from the bridge over Rathbone Road on the last day of steam in 1968. The pictures show the Edge Hill Gridiron which ran parallel to Olive Mount Cutting to more or less Picton Road Bridge to the east of Edge Hill Station. What is interesting to note is that the Gridiron was electrified back in 1962 to allow access from both sides and if my memory serves me correctly the ramp from Edge Hill taking the line over the London and Chat Moss lines still has the original masts in place even though the bridge over the later was demolished many years before the Gridiron closed. The actual number of electrically hauled freight trains using the Gridiron over the years would probably not have made three figures, although the Circular Line that passed under it and joined the London lines at Wavertree Junction probably carried a few more. Sadly whilst the embankment between Rathbone Road and Mill Lane remains in place there is little evidence of the vast rest of the Gridiron between Rathbone Road and Edge Hill as the site was levelled and Wavertree Technology Park constructed on in and the old Edge Hill Shed. Thus whilst the signalling at Edge Hill may be the oldest on the WCML, the Gridiron must surely be the first part to be scrapped.

 

[Bevan Price]

I understand that St. Helens signalbox is expected to be closed early in 2015.

 

[PDG1949]

I understand that St. Helens signalbox is expected to be closed early in 2015.

Thanks for that, Brennan - it doesn't surprise me. I believe Wigan Wallgate's due to go in 2018 - one of the signallers informed me.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thanks for that, Brennan - it doesn't surprise me. I believe Wigan Wallgate's due to go in 2018 - one of the signallers informed me.

Ooops - sorry, I meant Bevan !!

 

[The Planner]

I understand that St. Helens signalbox is expected to be closed early in 2015.

Feb if we get our butts into gear.

 

[PDG1949]

Feb if we get our butts into gear.

Oooh right - any plans for dismantlement and heritage reconstruction,then, given that Rainhill's future might be somewhat iffy? ?

 

[The Planner]

No idea, will probably just get bulldozed.

 

[8A Rail]

Now that the first phase of the Huyton Remodelling has now took place, also up and running too along with further work taking place ar both Roby and Huyton stations, I took the opportunity over the last few days to take some images of the new operating arrangements. Images were taken at Huyton Junction, Huyton and Roby Stations with alot of angles covered.

Please click on this link to see the latest images - http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014# Images No's 58 to 93 inclusive.

From other observations, work has now commenced on the foundations for the other half of Platform Four at Roby Station. Work is continuing within the station building to construct and install the new lift with the canopy supports remaining in place, obviously for the eventual return of the canopy. Once that is done, I suspect they will finish the remainder of Platform One which is still a building site!

Members have been asking about Line Four and from observations, still considerable work to take place just to get a trackbed in places as some earthwork needs to take place especially either side of Huyton Station. On going work is continuing within Huyton Station Building.

Biggest thing I had notice was at Huyton Junction were the lines have moved over about 4/5 feet away from the Footpath fence (leading to Huyton Station) were previously they were in touching distance of the fence. The new third (up) line is I reckon situated in the middle of what will become 3 and 4 (up) lines. Clearly this means when the fourth line eventually goes in, it will mean another blockade to put everything in place again.

No doubt further updates from I and other members will follow I am sure.

 

[DJH1971]

Now that the first phase of the Huyton Remodelling has now took place, also up and running too along with further work taking place ar both Roby and Huyton stations, I took the opportunity over the last few days to take some images of the new operating arrangements. Images were taken at Huyton Junction, Huyton and Roby Stations with alot of angles covered.

Please click on this link to see the latest images - http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014# Images No's 58 to 93 inclusive.

From other observations, work has now commenced on the foundations for the other half of Platform Four at Roby Station. Work is continuing within the station building to construct and install the new lift with the canopy supports remaining in place, obviously for the eventual return of the canopy. Once that is done, I suspect they will finish the remainder of Platform One which is still a building site!

Members have been asking about Line Four and from observations, still considerable work to take place just to get a trackbed in places as some earthwork needs to take place especially either side of Huyton Station. On going work is continuing within Huyton Station Building.

Biggest thing I had notice was at Huyton Junction were the lines have moved over about 4/5 feet away from the Footpath fence (leading to Huyton Station) were previously they were in touching distance of the fence. The new third (up) line is I reckon situated in the middle of what will become 3 and 4 (up) lines. Clearly this means when the fourth line eventually goes in, it will mean another blockade to put everything in place again.

No doubt further updates from I and other members will follow I am sure.

I know there will be no trains for the next few Sundays. Just as well, as only 5 months left to complete the OHLE work.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Please click on this link to see the latest images - http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014# Images No's 58 to 93 inclusive.

Some nice pictures there.
Three of them show the value of the new layout, with fast Down trains on P1 overtaking stoppers on P2.
Previously the stoppers would have been held east of Huyton Jn.

 

[deltic08]

Thank you once again 8A RAIL for the photos. Helps those too far away to see progress at first hand. Next time you post photos I hope there are some stanchions in place at these stations.