Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[Class377/5]

No chance, if there's still works being done on 1st March, there is a need to do some training runs first with the 319s overly the newly electrified railway. After all, they handle a little differently to 156s!

Plus there's the now-expected delay with the wiring on top of what's already happened. Quite frankly if a 319 leaves Liverpool Lime Street in passenger service before March 31st I'll be shocked. And if one leaves on April 1st I won't believe it that day!

Worry currently is the wires won't be ready before Paraliment is broken up for the election now.

 

[LDECRexile]

Can see the handles being used in this archive film.


http://youtu.be/CSvLAtPwSKc

Wonderful at many levels; thank you Mike.
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The complex pair are familiar as there are many on the system and yes, the two long handles are for truning off sections for repair or maintenance. They are also found at the entrances to wired sidings.

Keep up the good work. Sadly, your progressometer is becoming a little dull now. It was so much prettier six months ago!!

Does the complex pair have a name?

The Progressometer wants to be any colour as long as it's black!

 

[Camden]

Worry currently is the wires won't be ready before Paraliment is broken up for the election now.

But surely such bad timed publicity about not being able to get a single line electrified on time in the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE! will mean red faces over any credibility to pull off major rail projects for the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE! (oh I don't know, HS2?), not to mention the extra billion or two chucked at Manchester (apparently the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE!) in the autumn before the election being wasted for nothing??

Shame!

(NORTHERN POWERHOUSE!
Sorry, it's catching)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

But surely such bad timed publicity about not being able to get a single line electrified on time in the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE! will mean red faces over any credibility to pull off major rail projects for the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE! (oh I don't know, HS2?), not to mention the extra billion or two chucked at Manchester (apparently the NORTHERN POWERHOUSE!) in the autumn before the election being wasted for nothing??
Shame!
(NORTHERN POWERHOUSE!
Sorry, it's catching)

You can hardly blame the government (this time) for NR's failure to deliver on time...
They've only had 5 years to plan and build it, after all.
The red faces are in NR HQ.

 

[Techniquest]

Well, with these added blockades in place at least it will speed up things ni matter what the introduction date will be.

Even so, the manure is really hitting the fan now at Network Rail., and they know it.

I hope it does speed things up a bit! Better late than never I suppose, but still it's been such a long wait it's getting annoying now.

 

[DJH1971]

I hope it does speed things up a bit! Better late than never I suppose, but still it's been such a long wait it's getting annoying now.

And it is clearly becoming an embarrassment for Network Rail now, with rumours now going about that it won't be ready for May. Looks like they may have to rewrite the May timetable then. Now

 

[Camden]

You can hardly blame the government (this time) for NR's failure to deliver on time...
They've only had 5 years to plan and build it, after all.
The red faces are in NR HQ.

Of course you can! First of all, the buck stops with the politicians anyway. Especially as far as the public goes.

Secondly, to say otherwise is to gloss over the fact that this programme of works was already considerably delayed by Mr Purse Strings as once cameron and friends took office they put everything on the back burner.

As sods law would have it, the additional governmental calamity over the Thameslink procurement (enabling or stalling the cascade) would have seen the stock going up on the current timetable it is going... which if work would have progressed as planned in the first place would probably be just about in time for the line to be powered up!

OH I think plenty red face to be had. Also... how are things up in Todmorden

 

[Techniquest]

And it is clearly becoming an embarrassment for Network Rail now, with rumours now going about that it won't be ready for May. Looks like they may have to rewrite the May timetable then. Now

Considering that would be at least a 6 month delay, as it was originally expected to have 319s running in/out of Liverpool in December 2014, that's dreadful.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to re-write the May timetable now, just in case it does indeed over-run. Heck, at this rate the 387 cascade will be starting

 

[DJH1971]

Considering that would be at least a 6 month delay, as it was originally expected to have 319s running in/out of Liverpool in December 2014, that's dreadful.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to re-write the May timetable now, just in case it does indeed over-run. Heck, at this rate the 387 cascade will be starting

I wouldn't be suprised if the reason for these Sunday blockages up to 1st March (possibly more if the rumours of a start for May appear to bear fruit) is that Northern are really losing patience over the delayed introduction of the 319's, which may as well have dust covers or moved to an MoD rail depot until then!

 

[Whistler40145]

Looks to me that Network Rail couldn't organise a "P*ss up in a Brewery", regarding completing the electrification without delay!

 

[DJH1971]

Looks to me that Network Rail couldn't organise a "P*ss up in a Brewery", regarding completing the electrification without delay!

Wonder if another fine from the rail regulator is looming for NR?

 

[Whistler40145]

Wouldn't surprise me!

How much pressure can the Rail Regulator put on Network Rail to get the job moving for a possible reduction in delayed completion?

 

[darloscott]

I wouldn't be suprised if the reason for these Sunday blockages up to 1st March (possibly more if the rumours of a start for May appear to bear fruit) is that Northern are really losing patience over the delayed introduction of the 319's, which may as well have dust covers or moved to an MoD rail depot until then!

I'd be hoping Northern are getting all of their side sorted out, driver training for further introductions (admittedly they'd need refresher training before launch?) later in the year.

 

[swt_passenger]

...is that Northern are really losing patience over the delayed introduction of the 319's, which may as well have dust covers or moved to an MoD rail depot until then!

How would that help with refurbishment and/or driver training though? Any delay to the electriifcation is obviously regrettable, but that's no reason to delay everything else.

It might allow them to have more drivers traction trained than originally expected, and more units physically ready and re-liveried for the eventual day 1.

 

[Whistler40145]

Even if the work is delayed, why didn't Network Rail give themselves extra time to get the work completed by announcing that the line would be live for the start of the May timetable?

 

[driver_m]

How would that help with refurbishment and/or driver training though? Any delay to the electriifcation is obviously regrettable, but that's no reason to delay everything else.

It might allow them to have more drivers traction trained than originally expected, and more units physically ready and re-liveried for the eventual day 1.

If the drivers or guards don't touch them within 6 months they'll need a refresh on them. A year and it'd be a full retrain. That'll be why northern are narked as well as the obvious reasons about providing an improved service etc.

 

[158756]

Even if the work is delayed, why didn't Network Rail give themselves extra time to get the work completed by announcing that the line would be live for the start of the May timetable?

More time means higher costs, and being able to do less within a given timeframe(ie CP5).
If they'd allowed for the time and expense which current electrification schemes appear to be taking I doubt the politicians or the Treasury would have been so keen on it.
North TPE already seems to be off into CP6, and at the current rate of progress I don't think it'd be a surprise to see more follow.

 

[Whistler40145]

Thanks for clarifying the situation to a non railway person.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wonderful at many levels; thank you Mike.
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The Progressometer wants to be any colour as long as it's black!

I love it!

You can hardly blame the government (this time) for NR's failure to deliver on time...They've only had 5 years to plan and build it, after all.The red faces are in NR HQ.

I tend to agree you can not blame government for everything even if the buck has to stop somewhere.

Even if the work is delayed, why didn't Network Rail give themselves extra time to get the work completed by announcing that the line would be live for the start of the May timetable?

With 20/20 hindsight this would have been the smart move.

 

[LDECRexile]

There's a wire up over the southbound line through St Helens Central.

Family commitments meant I had to leave at 13:10, by which point a road-railer and team were preparing the northbound overheads to receive copper wire, which was to hand.

I'll bet your pension that there'll be wires over both tracks by morning, if not by now.

Photos later.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's a wire up over the southbound line through St Helens Central.
Family commitments meant I had to leave at 13:10, by which point a road-railer and team were preparing the northbound overheads to receive copper wire, which was to hand.
I'll bet your pension that there'll be wires over both tracks by morning, if not by now.
Photos later.

We seem to be back to "electrifying" progress again.
What's hard to judge is how much of the wiring is ready for use.
I noticed on Saturday that at Eccleston Park, and in the cutting at Thatto Heath, both of which have been wired for months, there are still unconnected arms and droppers waving in the breeze.
Anyway, onwards and upwards.

 

[DJH1971]

There's a wire up over the southbound line through St Helens Central.

Family commitments meant I had to leave at 13:10, by which point a road-railer and team were preparing the northbound overheads to receive copper wire, which was to hand.

I'll bet your pension that there'll be wires over both tracks by morning, if not by now.

Photos later.

Nice one!

 

[snowball]

Can see the handles being used in this archive film.


http://youtu.be/CSvLAtPwSKc

If nesting birds caused flashovers then, presumably they still do now?

 

[MikeDel]

If nesting birds caused flashovers then, presumably they still do now?

In the film they said that the solid wire solved the problem over the wire in strands.

 

[deltic08]

Wonderful at many levels; thank you Mike.
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Does the complex pair have a name?

The Progressometer wants to be any colour as long as it's black!

Yes Henry.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In the film they said that the solid wire solved the problem over the wire in strands.

What a fascinating film, thanks for sharing.
I hope the RSPB weren't watching (or the HSE).
It does show you can replace OHLE on one line while traffic hurtles along on the others!
At that date (1967) most of the equipment would have been brand new.
I guess that at Rugby was only replaced in the last few years.
I like the idea of the results of pantograph experiments being freely available to other railways...

 

[LDECRexile]

Yes Henry.

I couldn't afford to miss this, so "Henry" is added to the great lexicon, meaning not only Hooray Henry and not only Henry the Green Engine but also a pair of complex portals marking the ends of electrified sections of track. I have used it in today's photos.

I went to St Helens Central today and struck lucky, wires were being put aloft.

Family commitments took me away at 13:00 so Paul Gaskell took over and was able to shoot the second wire actually being strung up, a first for the photo album, as it normally happens in the dead of night.

I have added eleven of Paul's photos here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157649792560381/

and woven them into the combined album with a further dollop of my own here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/

Thank you Paul.

 

[Gareth]

That's great stuff. Very much appreciate the work & effort you've put into catching that.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I went to St Helens Central today and struck lucky, wires were being put aloft.
I have added eleven of Paul's photos here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157649792560381/

and woven them into the combined album with a further dollop of my own here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/Thank you Paul.

Outstanding sir.

 

[Llama]

The horizontal gantry member over the slow lines (platform 3/4) at the east end of Man Vic was put in position last night (Sat 24th-Sun 25th).