Crewe blockade?

[Mcr Warrior]

So, when is it currently believed that the blockade will take place?

 

[The Planner]

So, when is it currently believed that the blockade will take place?

There is more than one.

 

[TrainOnLine]

Access to Arriva Train Care during the blockade will be challenging using the Up Fast via Basford Wood Ground Frame.

There would need to be a series of WD moves made at Basford Hall Junction - logistically a bit of a tricky one. I imagine the Up/Dn Chester Independent Line will see more use depending on where the blockage starts and ends

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So, when is it currently believed that the blockade will take place?

There is more than one.

Thank you for so clarifying. I'll re-phrase the question...

When is it currently believed that the blockades will take place?

 

[childwallblues]

Did the 85 diversion behind various classes mainly 86 and 87 but also a 85. This time as no Avanti Liverpool service stops at Stafford (only LNW 350s) it would have to be a 390 to Lichfield Trent Valley or a 807 to Milton Keynes Central.

 

[The Planner]

Thank you for so clarifying. I'll re-phrase the question...

When is it currently believed that the blockades will take place?

Someone else can do that, as I am not risking putting stuff out in the public domain before its officially announced. Its in the EAS section 7 final documents on the NR website.

 

[Vexed]

Thank you for so clarifying. I'll re-phrase the question...

When is it currently believed that the blockades will take place?

To give more specific dates than my post in #6 (all dates 2027) from the EAS plus a few other non-Crewe closures nearby on the WCML in italics:

There are works in Jan and Feb around Manchester Airport / Piccadily and Stockport for resignalling and Manchester Airport remodelling not included.

Sat 13th to Sun 21st Feb, full station block at Crewe

Sun 14th and Sun 21st, unrelated to canopy works closure from Crewe to Stockport.

Sun 28th Feb & 21st March, full station block

Sat 1st to Mon 3rd May, unrelated to canopy works 3 day closure around Warrington BQ plus Tues 4th to Fri 7th slow line closure for Golborne station (quite a few slow line closures in April as well)

Sat 8th to Sun 9th May, unrelated to canopy works closure of WCML around Warrington BQ

Sun 9th May, full station block at Crewe

Mon 31st May to Fri 4th June, 5 day full station block

Sat 5th June to Fri 27th Aug, platform 6 / down slow closed for 3 months

Sat 19th to Sun 20th, Trent Valley line closure unrelated to canopy works

Sun 20th June, Sun 27th June, Sun 11th July, Sun 18th July, Sun 25th July, all these Sundays are morning blocks until 1240 for platforms 1-6 including Up & Down fast

During the Sunday closures above, from Sat 10th July to Tues 20th the Marches line to Shresbury will be closed unrelated to canopy works

Mon 26th July to Thur 5th Aug, 11 day full station block

Sun 15th Aug, full station block

The previously mentioned plat 6 / down slow closure ends Fri 27th Aug and then it all starts again on the other side of the station.

Sun 29th Aug, full station block

Mon 30th Aug to Fri 26th Nov, platform 5 / up slow closed for 3 months

Sat 4th to Sun 5th Sep, weekend closure near Warrington BQ unrelated to canopy works

Sat 16th and Sun 17th closures in the Chester area for signalling recontrol

Sun 12th to Thur 16th Sep closure between Wilmslow and Stockport (exclusive) for resignalling
Fri 17th Sept to Sun 3rd Oct closure for resignalling between Crewe and Stockport

Sun 19th Sep, 26th Sept, 3rd Oct, all Sunday morning blocks until 1240 for platforms 1-5

3rd Oct, closure through Stoke-On-Trent & Macclesfield

Sun 10th Oct, full station block

Sun 17th Oct, Sunday morning block until 1240 for platforms 1-5

Sun 24th Oct, Sun 31st Oct, Sun 7th Nov, unrelated to canopy works closure of the slow lines towards Stafford running Sat night to Mon morning.

Manchester Airport remodelling closure on 24th Oct & Sun 28th Nov

Looking ahead to 2028 there is a Manchester Airport to Health Green North blocade for 11 weeks 8th Jan to 20th March for remodelling. This is the side of the triangle outside Man Pic between Manchester Pic and Manchester Airport.

Unless otherwise noted closures are for the full day and may include part of the evening before & early morning after

 

[GRALISTAIR]

To give more specific dates than my post in #6 (all dates 2027) from the EAS plus a few other non-Crewe closures nearby on the WCML in italics: -------------/ snip

Wow -thanks for that detailed information.

 

[The Planner]

To give more specific dates than my post in #6 (all dates 2027) from the EAS plus a few other non-Crewe closures nearby on the WCML in italics:

Sat 1st to Mon 3rd May, unrelated to canopy works 3 day closure around Warrington BQ plus Tues 4th to Fri 7th slow line closure for Golborne station (quite a few slow line closures in April as well)

Sat 8th to Sun 9th May, unrelated to canopy works closure of WCML around Warrington BQ

Sun 9th May, full station block at Crewe

Mon 31st May to Fri 4th June, 5 day full station block

Sat 5th June to Fri 27th Aug, platform 6 / down slow closed for 3 months

Sat 19th to Sun 20th, Trent Valley line closure unrelated to canopy works

Sun 20th June, Sun 27th June, Sun 11th July, Sun 18th July, Sun 25th July, all these Sundays are morning blocks until 1240 for platforms 1-6 including Up & Down fast

During the Sunday closures above, from Sat 10th July to Tues 20th the Marches line to Shresbury will be closed unrelated to canopy works

Mon 26th July to Thur 5th Aug, 11 day full station block

Sun 15th Aug, full station block

The previously mentioned plat 6 / down slow closure ends Fri 27th Aug and then it all starts again on the other side of the station.

Sun 29th Aug, full station block

Mon 30th Aug to Fri 26th Nov, platform 5 / up slow closed for 3 months

Sat 4th to Sun 5th Sep, weekend closure near Warrington BQ unrelated to canopy works

Sun 19th Sep, 26th Sept, 3rd Oct, all Sunday morning blocks until 1240 for platforms 1-5

Sun 10th Oct, full station block

Sat 16th and Sun 17th closures in the Chester area for signalling recontrol

Sun 17th Oct, Sunday morning block until 1240 for platforms 1-5

Sun 24th Oct, Sun 31st Oct, Sun 7th Nov, unrelated to canopy works closure of the slow lines towards Stafford running Sat night to Mon morning.

There are also closures for resignalling between Crewe and Stockport in September and October.

Unless otherwise noted closures are for the full day and may include part of the evening before & early morning after

There is one earlier than that. The Manchester south ones are bigger still.

 

[Vexed]

There is one earlier than that. The Manchester south ones are bigger still.

Thanks, that's a 9 day one from Sat 13th to Sun 21st Feb (and more resignalling closures towards Manchester for both the weekends that 9 day is there!) as well as Sun 28th Feb, Sun 21st March. I didn't look back at 2026-27 at all. I've edited the original message in case anyone refers back to it.

Maybe I'll detail the Manchester south ones if someone else makes a thread on them and I have time (I'm going on holiday tomorrow so probably not for the time being).

Wasn't that bad, they're mostly in there now.

 

[M60lad]

How will Rail services be affected by these blockades next year and where will any Rail Replacements run to/from during the blockades?

Will Derby services be Rail Replacements throughout as there's nowhere apart from Crewe to turn them round is there?

 

[saismee]

Better get my WMT splits ready so I can jump on Avanti for cheap

 

[SCDR_WMR]

How will Rail services be affected by these blockades next year and where will any Rail Replacements run to/from during the blockades?

Will Derby services be Rail Replacements throughout as there's nowhere apart from Crewe to turn them round is there?

Surely they will turn around at Stoke? They often do when they run late as standard. No point having a RRB for the entire journey

 

[The Planner]

How will Rail services be affected by these blockades next year and where will any Rail Replacements run to/from during the blockades?

Will Derby services be Rail Replacements throughout as there's nowhere apart from Crewe to turn them round is there?

Stoke

 

[spp]

How will this affect Birmingham to Liverpool services? (Particularly Wolverhampton to Runcorn a journey I make a lot)

 

[Peter0124]

How will this affect Birmingham to Liverpool services? (Particularly Wolverhampton to Runcorn a journey I make a lot)

Acton Bridge, Hartford and Winsford would be left without a service, so I can see being reduced to an hourly stopper and ran via the independents.

 

[childwallblues]

Acton Bridge, Hartford and Winsford would be left without a service, so I can see being reduced to an hourly stopper and ran via the independents.

Why will Acton Bridge, Hartford and Winsford br without trains? the line is not closed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Acton Bridge, Hartford and Winsford would be left without a service, so I can see being reduced to an hourly stopper and ran via the independents.

Why couldn't WMR trains temporarily not call at Crewe and just operate otherwise as normal between Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham New Street? Are there potential pathing issues?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Why couldn't WMR trains temporarily not call at Crewe and just operate otherwise as normal between Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham New Street? Are there potential pathing issues?

I'm not sure of the exact layout (As to what can be used by passenger trains or not), but the normally freight only lines tighten to effectively 2 1 track lines at the connections to the South WCML, which I think won't be anywhere near enough for the normal ~9.33tph of through trains through Crewe.

Per hour through trains:
2 Avanti (Scotland-London)
2 Avanti (Liverpool-London)
1 Avanti (Manchester-London)
1 Avanti (North Wales/Chester - London)
2 LNWR (Liverpool-Birmingham)
0.33 Lumo (Stirling - Euston)
And then also freight.

and also not going onto the WCML:
1 TfW (South Wales - Manchester)

 

[The Planner]

Acton Bridge, Hartford and Winsford would be left without a service, so I can see being reduced to an hourly stopper and ran via the independents.

No.

Why couldn't WMR trains temporarily not call at Crewe and just operate otherwise as normal between Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham New Street? Are there potential pathing issues?

They won't be using the independents.

 

[QueensCurve]

The 1985 blockade took six weeks.

Seven weeks in June and July.

 

[craigybagel]

I'm not sure of the exact layout (As to what can be used by passenger trains or not), but the normally freight only lines tighten to effectively 2 1 track lines at the connections to the South WCML, which I think won't be anywhere near enough for the normal ~9.33tph of through trains through Crewe.

Even if there were paths,I doubt there are enough freight drivers available to pilot.

I would be amazed if between TfW and Avanti we end up with much more than 2 tph.