Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[QueensCurve]

One of the current oddities at Euxton is the way Up Slow trains on the WCML heading for Bolton find themselves on the Down Bolton for a spell before reaching the Up Bolton.
That can't do much for the capacity of the junction.

It is a hangover from when British Rail remodelled Euxton Junction as a single lead junction.

This was remodelled again to a double lead a few years ago.

The really odd thing is that the Bolton lines join the fast lines and not the slow. Capacity would perhaps be enhanced if the fast and slow lines were transposed, but this would then presumably require a flyover between Euxton and Preston.

 

[LDECRexile]

Joe Callaghan and Wrinkley have sent photos of very different happenings on "our" line over the past few days.

Joe's can be seen on his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651953947345

Wrinkley's can be seen on his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157654034635234

They can all be seen in the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you both, Joe and Wrinkley

 

[Bullfield WEst]

The Northbound (down) service must've been following something, because the linespeed is now 75 through the tunnel on both lines.

It was indeed following the late running, 2F83 1719 Blackburn to Wigan Wallgate.

 

[QueensCurve]

between Preston and Blackpool North / Blackpool South on Sunday 21 February
Start date21/02/2016 End date21/02/2016 Route affected Download map of route afected First TransPennine Express between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North
Northern Rail between York / Leeds / Manchester Oxford Road and Blackpool North and also between Colne and Blackpool South


Train operators affected First TransPennine Express; Northern Rail; Description Engineering work is taking place between Preston and Blackpool North / Blackpool South with all lines closed.
Buses replace trains between Preston and Blackpool North and also between Preston and Blackpool South.

Planning your Journey
For full details of these changes and the impact on your journey, please use the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner

Does anyone know what work is programmed?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

First run round the Euxton-Salford route for 7 weeks.
The only thing new on the electrification front that I noticed was a run of marker pegs and some light excavations for mast bases, between Euxton Jn and Chorley tunnel.
I didn't make it to Blackpool, so I don't know what the weekend's blockade achieved.
Anybody else know what was going on?

 

[LDECRexile]

First run round the Euxton-Salford route for 7 weeks.
The only thing new on the electrification front that I noticed was a run of marker pegs and some light excavations for mast bases, between Euxton Jn and Chorley tunnel.
I didn't make it to Blackpool, so I don't know what the weekend's blockade achieved.
Anybody else know what was going on?

Sticks and scrapes = action on the ground! Yippee!

 

[Viscount702]

According to post 2442 above they are supposed to be doing trial holes and bases between Adlington and Lostock at the moment.

Do we take it from LNW-GW Joint's post above that nothing is happening here at present

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Apologies if this has been posted before, but I've just come across this video about the tunnel from Murphy,,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9wtYAoDpc4&ebc=ANyPxKo4T3fxg6_VYQyTxe6gqFpHfdr68asiWZrBUCc9rkQYp_zPH6kpWjrHk8XSgDzqnD4l0_SF

 

[Joseph_Locke]

According to post 2442 above they are supposed to be doing trial holes and bases between Adlington and Lostock at the moment.

Do we take it from LNW-GW Joint's post above that nothing is happening here at present

All the BB-installed bases between Lostock and (at least) Horwich now have a tag giving the new MG structure number - a portent of main steel?

 

[Howardh]

So we have to wait another bloody year to get the electrification Pre/Bon/Manchester - Dec 2017 is the earliest date now.

Why don't they abandon the whole thing and give us the best second-hand stock that's being released from other lines that have been electrified, or replaced by new stock?

Some Northern Powerhouse. We're the Forgotten Lands.

 

[snowball]

Some Northern Powerhouse. We're the Forgotten Lands.

Consider yourself lucky you don't live in Bristol or Swansea.

 

[ALX400]

All the BB-installed bases between Lostock and (at least) Horwich now have a tag giving the new MG structure number - a portent of main steel?

Isnt the end of March the timescale for starting to see Masts Joe ?, sure i've read that somewhere, hope it is like

 

[QueensCurve]

There is a Rail Engineer write up on the Farnworth Tunnel works.

http://www.railengineer.uk/2016/03/03/farnworth-tunnel-once-in-a-lifetime/

 

[snowball]

Isnt the end of March the timescale for starting to see Masts Joe ?, sure i've read that somewhere, hope it is like

The document posted in #2442 and #2453, covering Lostock to Euxton, has the first masts up in May between Blackroad and Lostock. I haven't seen a corresponding document for Deal Street or Ordsall Lane to Lostock.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Isnt the end of March the timescale for starting to see Masts Joe ?, sure i've read that somewhere, hope it is like

The document posted in #2442 and #2453, covering Lostock to Euxton, has the first masts up in May between Blackroad and Lostock. I haven't seen a corresponding document for Deal Street or Ordsall Lane to Lostock.

Adlington -Lostock should be happening now according to the docs.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Adlington-Lostock should be happening now according to the docs.

No masts before May according to the dates quoted.
Foundations Lostock-Blackrod have been about 75% finished for 9 months, maybe 50% Blackrod-Adlington.
Plenty of trial holes all along the route.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

No masts before May according to the dates quoted.
Foundations Lostock-Blackrod have been about 75% finished for 9 months, maybe 50% Blackrod-Adlington.
Plenty of trial holes all along the route.

My misread - trial holes Feb 2016 -foundations start Feb -April 2016 and steel starting May 2016.

 

[ALX400]

I will keep my eyes peeled as soon as work starts al send the ness photos

 

[LDECRexile]

I've been knocked for six by family stuff for a few weeks, I now aspire to get back into gear.

I attach page 18 of the current Modern Railways which sets out most expected dates for NW Electrification.

 

[LDECRexile]

I was delighted to come back from London yesterday to find an unsolicited approach from Chris Davis, offering to share the album of photos of the Ordsall Chord works he has started.

Not only has this added good material which will grow, but it has also shown me an omission I'd made when I started the new Blackpool-Manchester flickr album in the New Year, ie I forgot to re-create the links to Ian Fitter's Ridgway album and the Real Mad Haggis's Ladybridge album which were long standing opening features of the earlier album.

I've therefore added the first image in the same style as before, if you click on it you are offered links to Chris's, Ian's and Haggis's albums.

To see for yourself please go there from here:

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

Welcome aboard Chris, thank you for your initiative.

 

[absolutelymilk]

I've been knocked for six by family stuff for a few weeks, I now aspire to get back into gear.

I attach page 18 of the current Modern Railways which sets out most expected dates for NW Electrification.

When it says Huyton to Roby four-tracking, where exactly will be four-tracked? Just from Huyton station to Roby station?

 

[swt_passenger]

When it says Huyton to Roby four-tracking, where exactly will be four-tracked? Just from Huyton station to Roby station?

The second of the two diagrams here shows it:

http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

 

[absolutelymilk]

The second of the two diagrams here shows it:

http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

Thanks, it says "as close to Roby station as possible" for the junction, are there physical constraints on making it four-track closer to Wavertree or is it a financial constraint?

 

[notlob.divad]

Thanks, it says "as close to Roby station as possible" for the junction, are there physical constraints on making it four-track closer to Wavertree or is it a financial constraint?

This isn't strictly Manchester - Blackpool Electrification, and there is another thread on it. But at the risk of a moderator's rath, if you look on Google maps satellite view you can see where the 4 tracking will end at Roby Junction. It is just missing the turnout. I think it was technically feasible to run it closer to Broad Green but it would have to finish by the station. 4 tracking couldn't run through Broad Green or beyond without major civil works at the start of the M62.

If you want to carry on the discussion I suggest we switch to one of the other threads

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

No obvious progress at lineside between Victoria and Euxton today, on the Down side anyway.
I went through to Blackpool, and likewise nothing to see by way of route upgrades, either for electrification or resignalling.
Though the current weekend possessions must be for something.
There's an awful lot to do to get electric trains running to Blackpool in a little more than 2 years.

The best part of the trip was the incredibly clear view of the snow-covered Lakeland fells from near Poulton, at a range of more than 30 miles.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

If you want to carry on the discussion I suggest we switch to one of the other threads

This one , for instance

 

[snowball]

This article from Rail Engineer about Farnworth Tunnel has already been linked by QueensCurve in #2503, but in case there's anyone who didn't read it then, I think it's worth mentioning again. It answers some of the questions we had at the time.

 

[Hophead]

I've been knocked for six by family stuff for a few weeks, I now aspire to get back into gear.

I attach page 18 of the current Modern Railways which sets out most expected dates for NW Electrification.

I have to say that I find it regrettable that Network Rail are not attempting to prioritise either the Bolton or the Stalybridge scheme, with a view to getting a few more DMUs displaced in a shorter timeframe, rather than working on both simultaneously (or so it seems from the published dates).

I'm sure there will be a good reason, but it's not immediately clear what that reason might be.

 

[Class 170101]

Depends upon where possessions are already booked.

Operators don't like NR changing possessions at late notice just to suit NR. Indeed they usually, in my experience, throw them out.

 

[Hophead]

My comment arises from the fact that the whole project's running late and has had to be substantially replanned in any case. In view of that, I was wondering if there would have been merit in trying to get one part complete sooner than December 2017. Obviously that's not going to happen now, so it's rather academic.