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Note the timings are indicative only as the speed and power draw will be incremented progressively during the test programme.

The Catterall feeder (near Garstang) feeds the WCML south down as far as Euxton Junction. It also feeds the Preston - Blackpool route. The Manchester - Preston route will initially be fed from Willow Park (Parkside) via the Chat Moss route to Ordsall Lane and then up through Bolton and Chorley...

Train paths should be appearing soon for testing on Wednesday and Thursday night.

The "extension lead" from Heyrod is also due to connect at the Ordsall Lane feeder station so this may be associated with the final configuration of the scheme.

Plenty of activity at Ordsall Lane MPATS feeding station when I passed by a few minutes ago. Looks like the Bolton route may be getting energised tonight. If all goes to plan we should see test trains later this week.

There was an incident at Manchester Piccadilly (incidentally 12 months ago today) where a passenger attempted to climb onto the roof of a Class 390 and was electrocuted. As a result of this incident ORR have been examining the arrangement of inter-car cables more stringently. Class 390 has fewer...

I think it is planned for the OLE to go live this weekend followed by a week of static testing then dynamic test runs. Still chance for Santa to arrive in Bolton on an electric train this year! (Presumably it would be a Class 325 ).

[/ATTACH] Spot the difference on the two Driving Trailers (first photo)? It took me ages but once you see it it is rather obvious!

The issue is caused by the high frequency harmonics in the primary return current. This is a consequence of the switching of the input converters rather than the Traction 3-phase inverter. When opersting in diesel mode there is no return current through the rails so far less likely to be an...

Yes, there is no benefit in running test trains over short sections of the route, particularly the Pendolino tests. The dynamic testing will take place once the complete route is electrified and the section proving tests have been completed.

Test trains have been postponed to the end of the month as the testing strategy has evolved with the staged energisation of the route.

A few photos of the TPE Mark 5A set that is currently parked up at the Alstom Manchester Traincare Centre (Longsight Depot). The Class 37 stabled on the adjacent road provides an interesting comparison in front-end designs. There again will the Mark 5As still be running beyond their 50th birthday?

One of the major considerations was to avoid any modifications to the existing Alstom (GEC Traction!) control and power electronics that would require a new electromagnetic compatibility assessment (electrical safety cases are expensive and can require older rolling stock to be assessed against...

The Class 769 lecture presented by senior engineers from Porterbrook and Wabtec in Manchester last night included a short video of the first unit moving around the site at Loughborough under its own power. The unit is due to move to the GCR in the next few days. There has been extensive static...

The Class 769 Flex bi-mode is the subject for the first lecture of the season at the IMechE North Western Railway Division. The event takes place in the John Dalton building at Manchester Metropolitan University at 6:30 pm on Tuesday 11th September. A good opportunity to hear first hand from...

The main reason Edge Hill was chosen as the site for road delivery is the facility for unloading vehicles from trailers to rail. This was constructed for the Pendolino extension project back in 2011 but was never used as the new vehicles were eventually shipped from Italy through the Channel...

Earth wires now up between Clifton and Kearsley. Observed at Clifton Country Park but full extent not confirmed.

I can confirm that 390013 is en route to Blackpool in passenger service for the naming ceremony at lunchtime. It is running service 1P92 and if anyone wants to jump on board it departs Warrington Bank Quay at 10:56, Wigan North Western at 11:12 and Preston at 11:33. Should be a perfect day for...

More good news, the ORR have now authorised the NWEP Phase 3 electrification allowing passenger services to commence between Blackpool and Preston with electric traction from the timetable change on Sunday. Good to see all the hard work of recent months finally come to fruition.

I am not on the circulation for the Class 319 documentation so I cannot confirm. We will find out in less than 48 hours though!