Search results

Wrinkley and I did our approximately monthly Wigan to Stalybridge and back via Manchester Victoria yesterday. Heartening progress visible, lots of masts marching, bases blossoming and cabling careering along. Impossible to tell from train windows if there are gaps, but bases now extend well...

Bridge 7 has been completed and formally opened by local schoolgirls (after appropriate training on how to safely cut a ribbon.) Wrinkley and I passed under it yesterday, it looks the biz. The only other sign of work on the route visible from a train is clearance work around a bridge nearer...

Wrinkley and I did a railtour Wigan Wallgate to Stalybridge via Bolton and back today. Contrary to the report in RAIL magazine Crow Nest to Lostock Bridge 7 was not replaced over the weekend as planned, perhaps due to the storms. A wholly new, very stout looking concrete support for the...

Thanks for the kind mention Gralastair. Wrinkley and I went for our first jaunt in the Hindley and Westhoughton area ten days ago. The most tangible evidence of action we saw were notices around Bridge 7 in Westhoughton informing the public that it will be closed until the Spring. We are in...

I've been asked off-site whether the 769s I saw at Southport last week were quieter than other trains. They were noticeably quieter than the 150s, 156s, 507s and 508s which arrived and departed whilst I was there. The 769's idling diesel engine purred rather than growled or rumbled. When it...

Shots of 769442/450 at Southport yesterday

I have created a flickr album aiming to cover the Halton Curve. It can be accessed here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157704110962922 I invite anyone to contribute photos and short film clips. My established ways are 1. by email, to set that up please send me a message...

I'd wager a pint that the term used was "passive provision".

This has not been my impression over recent years on Liverpool-Manchester/Preston and now Manchester-Blackpool trains. The repeated sensation on 319s has been akin to when I start my car in 2nd gear from traffic lights; similar vehicles alongside start faster, then I overtake them after 30...

Aha! Thank you.

On pure battery you may be right, but see Ian Walmsley's article in Modern Railways, February 2019, pp36-8, especially bottom of p37 onwards. Mr Walmsley is a battery sceptic on many grounds, but he reckons the new Class 93 tri-mode locomotives have the technology cracked for running on and off...

My camera and I had a good day out in the sun today. Photos attached to the Combined Volume here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

That should put the tin hat on it. Fingers crossed that it's all systems go.

Agreed, I've done a similar calculation from Moses gate to Clifton with a similar result. I wonder if anyone closer to the action can comment.

Yes, that's overall picture, but it appears to have stopped between Salford Crescent and Agecroft South Jct, passing there 22 minutes late, eventually passing Buckshee 14 minutes late, a gain of 8 minutes.

Looking at this: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S11527/2019/02/21/advanced the train passed Buckshee Parkway 28 minutes early then went on to pass Salford Crescent 48 minutes early, gaining 20 minutes in the process. This suggests high speed running, or am I missing something?

I have managed to cock the link up. Here's another go: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633 Apologies. Dave

As hoped, I had a jaunt along the southern part of "our" line today. I've posted photos in the Combined Volume here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/with/72157661069863633 Alas, a film I took at Salford Crescent won't load, probably too big.

Smashing shots Mike, thank you. I see you have them in flickr. Could I please link your album to the one we have been building for some time covering the Manchester-Blackpool electrification, which we (I) call the Combined Volume? It is here...

As hoped, I've got back from my inexquisitely timed grandadding trip to The Great Wen to find lots of photos and films of Monday's excitement. I've added films from Joe Callaghan to his album here (great to hear from you Joe!)...