Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[snowball]

Which will make Micklefield interesting as the current (newish) junction alignment has made the York route the main but Selby is within the allowance for flashing yellows. Making York even higher speed would surely mean approach control being applied to the Selby line.

As I said in #6506, @sjm77's statement about the combined speed is a consequence of the physical constraints of the site at Stalybridge, not general signalling rules, so is irrelevant to Micklefield.

 

[Mollman]

As I said in #6506, @sjm77's statement about the combined speed is a consequence of the physical constraints of the site at Stalybridge, not general signalling rules, so is irrelevant to Micklefield.

Yes, but Micklefield is also a constrained site given the station and A1M overbridge

 

[Senex]

I thought that the new layout at Micklefield is designed for 100 to and from York, 70 to and from Selby, but that 100 is not yet authorised and the maximum is still 90, which does now apply in the York-Leeds direction. However, it's been kept down to 80 Leeds-York because if that went up to 90 (or the eventual 100) then flashing yellows would need to be installed to avoid having approach control for the 70 divergence to Selby.

 

[CAF397]

Full OLE installed on both the Up Ashton and Down Ashton through Katherine Street Tunnel.

Does that mean Diggle signal box is now out of use?

And best to drop an email to real time trains. They might already be doing the updates but email is the best way to tell them of problems.

Diggle Jn signalboxes is still there and operational. All that was recontrolled was the former Manchester East SCC are of control went into Manchester ROC Manchester North work station.

 

[jonesy3001]

Will they putting the wires and remaining gantries up during the next few weekends in april/may as noticed on the main TRU page they've added more dates.

⚠️ Upcoming Closures and changes to services

Upgrading the Transpennine main line is a huge job. This means that, at times, we’ll need to close certain parts of the railway so we can make it more reliable and greener. When this happens, we’ll get you to where you’re going on a diversion route, or on a high quality bus or coach with comfy...

thetrupgrade.co.uk

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Will they putting the wires and remaining gantries up during the next few weekends in April/May as noticed on the main TRU page they've added more dates.

⚠️ Upcoming Closures and changes to services

Upgrading the Transpennine main line is a huge job. This means that, at times, we’ll need to close certain parts of the railway so we can make it more reliable and greener. When this happens, we’ll get you to where you’re going on a diversion route, or on a high quality bus or coach with comfy...

thetrupgrade.co.uk

That is 6 Saturdays and 6 Sundays. Should be able to do quite a bit in that time I would hope.

 

[a1904]

They did remove a week long closure in Batley in June though - wonder what that's about

 

[Batley Lad]

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne Crossing.

Still grading the embankment and working backwards from Lady Anne crossing towards the new footbridge location.



Rutland Road

Working on the trackside embankment at this location. (Not really visible as the view is restricted.) When viewed from Lady Anne crossing, they appear to have dug out a large chunk of the Rutland road embankment (right hand side of the second/ third picture below) in line with the bridge landing points. I’ve seen a mobile piling machine working either side of the tracks here and wondered what other work was required. At a guess, in the last photo below, a large pre done rebar cage is waiting to be fitted somewhere and I think it may be for the bridge but I’m unsure as to it’s actual use or purpose. Looks to have a a preformed circular support built in to the formwork - bridge foundation support?

 

[3RDGEN]

They did remove a week long closure in Batley in June though - wonder what that's about

The new Morley station was due to be completed during a week block in June, nothing currently shown on National Rail for that. Maybe related.

 

[endofthetunnel]

I wouldn’t read too much into the June dates being removed, it’s possible they’ve only put a certain number on the webpage so now there’s more in May the June ones don’t show. I believe Batley signal box is due to get recontrolled in the June blockade so it would be a surprise if that’s been cancelled at such short notice

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

That is 6 Saturdays and 6 Sundays. Should be able to do quite a bit in that time I would hope.

Would have been more sensible and economic to extend the blockade by another week

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Would have been more sensible and economic to extend the blockade by another week

I am sorry to be thick but what do you mean?

 

[Class 170101]

That is 6 Saturdays and 6 Sundays. Should be able to do quite a bit in that time I would hope.

Would have been more sensible and economic to extend the blockade by another week

I am sorry to be thick but what do you mean?

Extend the Blockade thats just finished at Stalybridge but the equivalent of the six weekends so the blockade would have actually finished around 23 April for start of service on Monday 24th I would suggest it means.

 

[The Planner]

Would have been more sensible and economic to extend the blockade by another week

Only if operators agree it and it doesnt knacker the cyclical maintenance elsewhere.

 

[GardenRail]

As far as we know, ETCS will only be installed east of Stalybridge (to be controlled from York ROC).
The western end (Victoria-Stalybridge) is signalled from Manchester ROC and is not in the ETCS plan.

When is ETCS supposed to be up and running on that part of the route...?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Extend the Blockade thats just finished at Stalybridge but the equivalent of the six weekends so the blockade would have actually finished around 23 April for start of service on Monday 24th I would suggest it means.

Ah, ok, that makes sense.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

When is ETCS supposed to be up and running on that part of the route...?

I'm not aware of a specific date.
It will follow the ETCS roll-out now going on on the ECML (Kings Cross-Peterborough-Stoke tunnel, but managed from York ROC, as will the TRU setup).
Sounds like 2030 or beyond (CP8).

 

[Traf73]

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne Crossing.

Still grading the embankment and working backwards from Lady Anne crossing towards the new footbridge location.

View attachment 133031View attachment 133032

Rutland Road

Working on the trackside embankment at this location. (Not really visible as the view is restricted.) When viewed from Lady Anne crossing, they appear to have dug out a large chunk of the Rutland road embankment (right hand side of the second/ third picture below) in line with the bridge landing points. I’ve seen a mobile piling machine working either side of the tracks here and wondered what other work was required. At a guess, in the last photo below, a large pre done rebar cage is waiting to be fitted somewhere and I think it may be for the bridge but I’m unsure as to it’s actual use or purpose. Looks to have a a preformed circular support built in to the formwork - bridge foundation support?

View attachment 133035View attachment 133033View attachment 133037View attachment 133036

Yes, the column base sits on top of that. Nice photo diary by the way thanks.

 

[Batley Lad]

Yes, the column base sits on top of that. Nice photo diary by the way thanks.

View attachment 133164

Thank you for the response. I don’t work within the rail or construction industry’s so the input is valued.

The idea to take photos was based on recording a bit of social history in my local area. The bridge abutment has stood within this area for over one hundred & fifty years. I just thought it was worth recording its transformation into something else by doing a daily or weekly photo before the opportunity passed.

Likewise, the level crossing has been a part of the community for a long time. A shame it will be history along with bridge abutment but that’s progress, I guess.

 

[CAF397]

Anecdotal evidence from colleagues. The new signalling system at Stalybridge, now controlled from Manchester ROC Manchester North work station using ARS, is causing early running trains to arrive into the station onto a red signal, before the ARS clears the route onwards.

So it's causing trains to run slower into the station! From memory, ARS won't set a route until 2 minutes before departure.

 

[Trothy]

Anecdotal evidence from colleagues. The new signalling system at Stalybridge, now controlled from Manchester ROC Manchester North work station using ARS, is causing early running trains to arrive into the station onto a red signal, before the ARS clears the route onwards.

So it's causing trains to run slower into the station! From memory, ARS won't set a route until 2 minutes before departure.

The ARS issue has had some teething issues that are way more problematic than that.

To be fair what is the problem with arriving in to a station you're booked to call at on a red? Especially if as you say you're already running early? At other locations ARS has delayed route calls for stopping trains to avoid tying up junctions for this very reason. (Deansgate - Castlefield Jn) and (Salford Central - Deal St Jn) being the main two I know of.

 

[edwin_m]

Anecdotal evidence from colleagues. The new signalling system at Stalybridge, now controlled from Manchester ROC Manchester North work station using ARS, is causing early running trains to arrive into the station onto a red signal, before the ARS clears the route onwards.

So it's causing trains to run slower into the station! From memory, ARS won't set a route until 2 minutes before departure.

No doubt it could be configured to do something different at a particular signal if there was a need to.

The reason it doesn't set the route way in advance is because it leaves the signaller free to set a conflicting route if the need arises. And if the train is early enough to be running in 2min before departure time, does it really matter if it does so a bit more slowly?

 

[CAF397]

To be fair what is the problem with arriving in to a station you're booked to call at on a red?

Does it really matter if it does so a bit more slowly?

Because of company Professional Driving Policies you are now entering platforms slower than before because of the mandatory 15mph over an AWS magnet (and subsequent TPWS overspeed grids on approach). This might not seem like a big thing, but you are no longer braking for a station platform normally.

And in the scenarios given there are no conflicting routes being set, the arrivals into platform 4 from Manchester Piccadilly are arriving onto a red with nothing in the section ahead (as signal changes straight to green), the same as arrivals into Platform 1 from Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly. Train arrives into the station on a red and changes to straight to green as nothing in the section ahead.

ARS should really set the route throughout UNLESS it is required to be held at red for regulation purposes.

 

[YorksLad12]

Thank you for the response. I don’t work within the rail or construction industry’s so the input is valued.

The idea to take photos was based on recording a bit of social history in my local area. The bridge abutment has stood within this area for over one hundred & fifty years. I just thought it was worth recording its transformation into something else by doing a daily or weekly photo before the opportunity passed.

Likewise, the level crossing has been a part of the community for a long time. A shame it will be history along with bridge abutment but that’s progress, I guess.

In 20 years time, when people are looking for photos of what Batley Station and its surroundings looked like, they'll know where to go. Adding one to the thank-yous for taking the photos and sharing them.

 

[Geeves]

It's not just Stalybridge where ARS is doing odd things but Victoria too and it's got worse recently so you can only think it's related. Pulling off for trains that have not been given TRTS and clearing trains into platforms where the previous service either needs to reverse or come through the other direction first. Odd.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Only if operators agree it and it doesnt knacker the cyclical maintenance elsewhere.

Not sure TPE have that much say in todays world. Anyhow this should be about the balance between minimising cost of works vs cost of disruption in lost revenue and bus costs. TPE have spent months route learning for the works along this route and once you have setup a slick operating RRB easier to keep it going then having to find resources for it every weekend.

Also shutting the route for the next six weekends will impact mtce on those routes.

 

[The Planner]

Not sure TPE have that much say in todays world. Anyhow this should be about the balance between minimising cost of works vs cost of disruption in lost revenue and bus costs. TPE have spent months route learning for the works along this route and once you have setup a slick operating RRB easier to keep it going then having to find resources for it every weekend.

Also shutting the route for the next six weekends will impact mtce on those routes.

They have as much say as anyone, everything defaults to Part D of the Network Code.

 

[jonesy3001]

What works did they do at stalybridge over the weekend?

 

[nr758123]

TPE have spent months route learning for the works along this route and once you have setup a slick operating RRB easier to keep it going then having to find resources for it every weekend.

There are many words to describe the rail replacement bus operation during the 26 day Stalybridge closure. Slick is not one of those words.

 

[Trothy]

Because of company Professional Driving Policies you are now entering platforms slower than before because of the mandatory 15mph over an AWS magnet (and subsequent TPWS overspeed grids on approach). This might not seem like a big thing, but you are no longer braking for a station platform normally.

And in the scenarios given there are no conflicting routes being set, the arrivals into platform 4 from Manchester Piccadilly are arriving onto a red with nothing in the section ahead (as signal changes straight to green), the same as arrivals into Platform 1 from Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly. Train arrives into the station on a red and changes to straight to green as nothing in the section ahead.

ARS should really set the route throughout UNLESS it is required to be held at red for regulation purposes.

If it doesn't cause a delay, and keeps options for regulation open it's unlikely to be changed I'm afraid.

It's pretty rare signallers know the PDP for TOCs even exists let alone having any visability of them.

As an SSM I had multiple arguements with EMR about the ridiculous nature of their PDP which basically means their drivers standing off signals with approach control release/ Lime St controls and then arguing with signallers about drawing close enough for them to clear. It seems the attitude was if you don't go within 30 metres of a red signal you'll never SPAD it.