Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[GRALISTAIR]

I sent a load of photos to Dave. Loads of orangemen at hole in the wall, engineeers train near Sidgreaves-Darkinson and orangemen at Salwick. Further progress without doubt

 

[LDECRexile]

Photo 6884m - the caption should read early 1970s electrification - this was, of course, a different phase from the 1960's, shown by the Mk3 catenary.

Well spotted, thanks. I've also changed 6884k for good measure.

 

[LDECRexile]

Gralistair has sent another batch of photos.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651259517065

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

Thank you Graham

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The wife was cooking dinner ( I believe that is called tea in England) and she wanted me out of her kitchen. I went a run out and it is tremendous news mainly.
1) zero progress at Fylde Jct but huge deveg in progress.
2)At the hole in the wall on Fylde Road deveg and a piling machine
3) At the Blackpool Rd bridge piles in place
4) Along Tom Benson way - piling in progress and major deveg
5) At Salwick piling machines loaded with piles heading towards Tom Benson Way
6) Nothing at Carr Lane
7) Engineers train loaded with ballast at Kirkham

Photos on the way to Dave

 

[Elecman]

Lots of track work at Poulton

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Lots of track work at Poulton

Yes the Kirkham station notice I sent a photo of to Dave says work in the Salwick and Poulton area

 

[Railrover700]

Lots of track work at Poulton

Does that mean the Fleetwood line points have been removed?

 

[Elecman]

The works were the other end of the station towards Kirkham

 

[PR1Berske]

Does that mean the Fleetwood line points have been removed?

I believe the Fleetwood points have been severed, maybe a while back, forever cutting Fleetwood off from the network.

 

[Darren R]

Not forgetting the other end of the line, track work must be ongoing around the Kearsley area; twenty wagons full of shiny new ballast went through Darwen heading to Kearsley from Crewe a little while ago. (Taking the scenic route! )

 

[Whistler40145]

I believe the Fleetwood points have been severed, maybe a while back, forever cutting Fleetwood off from the network.

The points were still in situ last Saturday, the only weekend trains were running.

 

[snowball]

See posts #58 and #63 in this thread:

www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=121828&page=4

 

[Sox]

The abandoned wagons outside Bolton at Burnden have been removed.

Did they cut them up on site or were they hauled away?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7625881,-2.7163948,19z
.

So just opposite Alert St on the B6241 is The Hole in the Wall

Just went past again this morning and along TB way as my wife drove me to railway station to head back to the USA. I went Preston to Manchester airport via Chorley. Virtually all piles/ bases in between Euxton and Bolton. There are some short missing stretches but deveg is going on there. In my opinion there is less base completion between Bolton and Manchester. Definitely progress since my last trip from my true hometown to the airport.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added Graham's latest batch to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651259517065

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

Thank you Graham, hope you have a good flight.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thank you Graham, hope you have a good flight.

Thanks not home now until Spring Bank week so 3 months. The good news there should be progress and lots of it in that time. It does mean I won't be sending any updates so relying on the rest of you please.

 

[Railrover700]

See posts #58 and #63 in this thread:

www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=121828&page=4

Thanks, so points still in place for now. Also interesting to see progress being made on the restoration of the Fleetwood branch. Perhaps in a couple of years Poulton will be a little like Keighley, providing an interchange between a modern electrified service and a popular heritage line.

 

[Elecman]

Fleetwood branch switch and crossing units all still in place as of today

 

[AngelicUpstart]

Thanks, so points still in place for now. Also interesting to see progress being made on the restoration of the Fleetwood branch. Perhaps in a couple of years Poulton will be a little like Keighley, providing an interchange between a modern electrified service and a popular heritage line.

I believe you are misunderstanding the work going on here at the Blackpool end of Poulton. As I understand it, once complete, the Fleetwood branch will be disconnected, the signal box demolished and the track slewed slightly to allow for an increased speed limits. I assume the vegetation clearance work is just getting "rubbish" out the way.

 

[Whistler40145]

Fleetwood branch switch and crossing units all still in place as of today

I wonder if they're staying in until the re-signalling takes place?

 

[Elecman]

More likely till the station gets remodelled during the blockade starting in November

 

[Railrover700]

More likely till the station gets remodelled during the blockade starting in November

That would make sense

 

[GRALISTAIR]

More likely till the station gets remodelled during the blockade starting in November

That would make sense

That is sure some heavy engineering resources.

Remodel Kirkham - big job
Remodel Poulton-L-F
Remodel Blackpool North - big job
Resignal the lot - including Blackpool South
Finish off the wires

wowsers

 

[Whistler40145]

That is sure some heavy engineering resources.



Remodel Kirkham - big job

Remodel Poulton-L-F

Remodel Blackpool North - big job

Resignal the lot - including Blackpool South

Finish off the wires



wowsers

No doubt the majority of this work will take place during the 3 month blockade.

 

[reg]

Just back from Bolton station, plenty to see.

End of platform 5 (old parcels loading site)being demolished.

Counted at least 2 completed piles.

Carillion worksite full of men and equipment

other gangs of workers doing jobs around the station site.Pics to follow

 

[LDECRexile]

Reg has kindly sent photos of his visit.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

Thank you Reg.

 

[LDECRexile]

141trackworker has extended his fascinating album, which can be accesses by going into the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

then clicking on the very first image

then going down the list of Comments associated with that image until you find his album

Click on the link in that comment.

You can do the same for the other people who have kindly given permission to link to their work.

 

[ALX400]

7 engineering paths booked for this weekend at Bolton, 4 Saturday 3 Sunday, all starting there, Trackwork ?

 

[Railrover700]

I believe you are misunderstanding the work going on here at the Blackpool end of Poulton. As I understand it, once complete, the Fleetwood branch will be disconnected, the signal box demolished and the track slewed slightly to allow for an increased speed limits. I assume the vegetation clearance work is just getting "rubbish" out the way.

Sorry if this was unclear, by interchange I meant the proposed pedestrian link between heritage and network rail platforms. My understanding, however, is that the new track layout will allow a rail link to be re-instated if required in the future.

 

[AngelicUpstart]

Sorry if this was unclear, by interchange I meant the proposed pedestrian link between heritage and network rail platforms. My understanding, however, is that the new track layout will allow a rail link to be re-instated if required in the future.

What the PWRS proposed is that NR built a new plaform, they would take over the Preston bound platform and Northern would use the Blackpool platform as the Preston bound platform and the new one as the Blackpool bound one. That's not going to happen and, to be realistic, neither is a "serious" preserved railway.