Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[LDECRexile]

Except Network Rail and their design partners at Furrer+Frey have very definitely taken the lessons of the ECML into account. The Series 1 system is arguably over engineered, but as Roger Ford says - "too much is a good starting point" and that's very definitely true of OLE.

That's why we're installing heavier, more reliable catenary that has mechanically independent registration. It has 140mph capability even with two pantographs, fewer failure points, far fewer unique parts and can easily be adjusted to cope with switches and crossovers being added or removed, or other track layout changes.

The heavier, more robust OLE needs heavier, more robust foundations, that's why the foundations are far bigger and different in design to the ECML poured concrete foundations. They're far more resistant to in-situ rotational movement, which has been something of an issue on various parts of the ECML.

The actual components are designed to deform in a carefully controlled manner, causing as little damage to other parts of the system as is possible, but a dewirement at high speed puts a lot of force into the catenary, so having a stronger, more robust catenary will ensure less damage is done during a dewirement, and if there's less damage done, it's going to be much easier and quicker to repair.

It sounds dramatic, but all it takes is a huckbolt or fastener to be damaged during a dewirement and you've got the repair team having to cut bolts to continue with their repairs, a delay of 10 minutes on one bolt, repeated over a half dozen structures puts your repair an hour behind target, so the design of the components will hopefully make such instances much less frequent, making repairs after dewirements a quicker, easier process. We certainly hope never to see the sort of 2 and 3 days of disruption that a dewirement on the ECML can cause.

The whole design, for reliability and ease of repair has demanded more modern tensioning arrangements, and the removal of the slightly absurd situation where tensioning on a four track railway has the tail wires from the central pair of tracks crossing over the outside pair of tracks to reach their tensioners. That's resulted in over track tensioning, which requires much more substantial portal structures, but in return, reliability should be much improved.

The Great Western is going to have the gold standard for railway electrification in the UK when it's finished, and it'll go almost completely un-noticed - nobody is going to stop and sing its praises because there are so few dewirements, or when a rare dewirement causes just one track to be closed and services can operate with only a few minutes delay - because that's what a good quality OLE system should be capable of providing. I feel a little ashamed that we've become content in some quarters to accept just small improvements over the abomination that is the British Rail Mark 3 overhead line system. We are capable (with a bit of Swiss help) of doing something much better, and thankfully we're doing it.

Yo!!

Am I glad you didn't give up.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Yo!!

Am I glad you didn't give up.

Glad to be of some use.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Except Network Rail and their design partners at Furrer+Frey have very definitely taken the lessons of the ECML into account. The Series 1 system is arguably over engineered, but as Roger Ford says - "too much is a good starting point" and that's very definitely true of OLE.

That's why we're installing heavier, more reliable catenary that has mechanically independent registration. It has 140mph capability even with two pantographs, fewer failure points, far fewer unique parts and can easily be adjusted to cope with switches and crossovers being added or removed, or other track layout changes.

The heavier, more robust OLE needs heavier, more robust foundations, that's why the foundations are far bigger and different in design to the ECML poured concrete foundations. They're far more resistant to in-situ rotational movement, which has been something of an issue on various parts of the ECML.

The actual components are designed to deform in a carefully controlled manner, causing as little damage to other parts of the system as is possible, but a dewirement at high speed puts a lot of force into the catenary, so having a stronger, more robust catenary will ensure less damage is done during a dewirement, and if there's less damage done, it's going to be much easier and quicker to repair.

It sounds dramatic, but all it takes is a huckbolt or fastener to be damaged during a dewirement and you've got the repair team having to cut bolts to continue with their repairs, a delay of 10 minutes on one bolt, repeated over a half dozen structures puts your repair an hour behind target, so the design of the components will hopefully make such instances much less frequent, making repairs after dewirements a quicker, easier process. We certainly hope never to see the sort of 2 and 3 days of disruption that a dewirement on the ECML can cause.

The whole design, for reliability and ease of repair has demanded more modern tensioning arrangements, and the removal of the slightly absurd situation where tensioning on a four track railway has the tail wires from the central pair of tracks crossing over the outside pair of tracks to reach their tensioners. That's resulted in over track tensioning, which requires much more substantial portal structures, but in return, reliability should be much improved.

The Great Western is going to have the gold standard for railway electrification in the UK when it's finished, and it'll go almost completely un-noticed - nobody is going to stop and sing its praises because there are so few dewirements, or when a rare dewirement causes just one track to be closed and services can operate with only a few minutes delay - because that's what a good quality OLE system should be capable of providing. I feel a little ashamed that we've become content in some quarters to accept just small improvements over the abomination that is the British Rail Mark 3 overhead line system. We are capable (with a bit of Swiss help) of doing something much better, and thankfully we're doing it.

All phases in the NW are Series II, good to 100mph only; it has a fault - the shiny booms and reg. arms can look like junction indicators in bright sunlight - two close calls have already happened to my knowledge.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

All phases in the NW are Series II, good to 100mph only; it has a fault - the shiny booms and reg. arms can look like junction indicators in bright sunlight - two close calls have already happened to my knowledge.

Yeah, I was drifting off onto defending the GWML scheme from the tales of woe doing the rounds as usual.

I was slightly surprised at the finish of the Series II components, but it's supposed to weather to a matt finish. We shall see.

The projects using the Series II equipment do benefit from some of the Series I improvements (and vice versa) - more piled steel foundations, less so around the North West but extensively being used on the Edinburgh to Glasgow works and to be used on East West Rail, and slightly better tail arrangements which have thankfully dropped weighted tensioners and pulleys for the Tensorex spring loaded tensioners (with handy indicator).

There's some assorted improvements over what's gone before - polymeric insulators, better resistance to bird strikes/better catenary cable routing around structures and an ability to eradicate pulleys from elsewhere in the system.

 

[QueensCurve]

Except Network Rail and their design partners at Furrer+Frey have very definitely taken the lessons of the ECML into account. The Series 1 system is arguably over engineered, but as Roger Ford says - "too much is a good starting point" and that's very definitely true of OLE.

The report of the ECML "Lessons Learned" conference is here.

 

[ironstone11]

The report of the ECML "Lessons Learned" conference is here.

Is that what you intended? This is the ECML Project Completion Certificate

 

[Philip Phlopp]

The report of the ECML "Lessons Learned" conference is here.

That's the ECML completion report, which points out even when new, the ECML electrification was, to be fair, a bit of a shambles.

What was there, two or was it three feeders out of use and back-up feeding arrangements needed to allow the first electric trains to run to Edinburgh because of unresolved interference problems.

We've definitely come along way since then.

 

[LDECRexile]

Joe Callaghan has kindly sent a copy of a letter from NR which he's received as a local resident, concerning Cemetery Road bridge, which crosses 'our' line between Farnworth Tunnel and Farnworth station.

1. It is expected to be demolished this weekend, 22:00 Fri 11th to 05:00 Monday 14th September.

2. It is expected to reopen for road and pedestrian use on 17th November 2015.

Thank you Joe.

Please book your places on Phythian Footbridge in good time.

 

[snowball]

Not sure how long this has been the case, but the 3rd issue (August) of the leaflet called the Farnworth Flyer is accessible from NR's Farnworth page (which also serves as its Manchester-Preston electrification page).

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/farnworth/

For the Flyer, scroll down to just above the heading "Progress update".

Interesting to see that Fillie's driver has a "traditional plum line" - presumably to feed him with fruit snacks.

 

[Darren R]

What was the problem at Farnworth earlier today? According to NRE emergency engineering works resulted in services being diverted via Atherton between Salford Crescent and Bolton. No wonder trains were half an hour late!

Interesting to see that Fillie's driver has a "traditional plum line" - presumably to feed him with fruit snacks.

I doubt if any of Network Rail's press office staff studied Latin!

 

[Chrisyd]

Just wondering, what services people expect to be running from the 5th October?
Obviously it will be one track through the tunnel, but will the section of slow/single track be reduced as the works on the track and stations aside from that being diverted into the tunnel, when finished, should be completed as there has been no indication that these tasks are slipping behind schedule.
Mainly can we have some weekend and evening services - the concept of replacement bus services on a Saturday from 14th November when the Manchester Christmas Markets start is an interesting one to say the least! Appreciate there then would need to be some closure prior to double track running, to divert the tracks either side of the tunnel.

 

[Greybeard33]

What was the problem at Farnworth earlier today? According to NRE emergency engineering works resulted in services being diverted via Atherton between Salford Crescent and Bolton. No wonder trains were half an hour late!

I think only the Clitheroe services were diverted to Bolton via Atherton, involving a double reversal. The Hazel Grove to Prestons were diverted via Atherton to Wigan then via the WCML to Preston, missing Bolton. The Blackpool North to Victorias were turned back at Bolton.

 

[nosmo king]

Anyone know when the revised timetable for October 5th onwards is likely to be announced? I know that the line will be 'awesome' when completed, but not sure I can put up with another 3 months of extended commutes and squeezing onto Bolton's miniscule parking facility. Services going north in the morning and south in the evening are just too few.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I think only the Clitheroe services were diverted to Bolton via Atherton, involving a double reversal. The Hazel Grove to Prestons were diverted via Atherton to Wigan then via the WCML to Preston, missing Bolton. The Blackpool North to Victorias were turned back at Bolton.

I'd guess that the continuing disaster at Frederick Road may have something to do with it - last weekend's work was cut short, over-ran and the top was terrible, prompting the erroneous* 40/50 TSR to be dropped to a 20.

* Erroneous because the maximum permissible speed is only 40 at one end ...

Anyone know when the revised timetable for October 5th onwards is likely to be announced? I know that the line will be 'awesome' when completed, but not sure I can put up with another 3 months of extended commutes and squeezing onto Bolton's miniscule parking facility. Services going north in the morning and south in the evening are just too few.

Ironically, the PPM for the line is the best it's ever been, with nearly a minute of recovery time available through Farnworth, plus whatever the driver feels they can get away with between Farnworth and Moses Gate (it's 30 lads, for a very good reason).

I suspect the TT won't change from current and will probably run on past Christmas ...

 

[LDECRexile]

I can't find Frederick Road on Bing Maps (other than Down South).

Could you please tell where it is?

Dave

 

[ironstone11]

I can't find Frederick Road on Bing Maps (other than Down South).

Could you please tell where it is?

Dave

Salford, at 53.490931,-2.277948 , perhaps?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Salford, at 53.490931,-2.277948 , perhaps?

MVE1/8 "Frederick Road Salford" works in Google.

 

[LDECRexile]

MVE1/8 "Frederick Road Salford" works in Google.

It works in Bing, too, but plain Frederick Road doesn't. Dashed odd.

Thanks to you and Ironstone11.

What work is this? Is it bridge works which I've managed to miss off the Bridgeoscope?

 

[snowball]

From Joseph's remarks in #1723 it sounds like track relaying or reballasting.

 

[Greybeard33]

I'd guess that the continuing disaster at Frederick Road may have something to do with it - last weekend's work was cut short, over-ran and the top was terrible, prompting the erroneous* 40/50 TSR to be dropped to a 20.

* Erroneous because the maximum permissible speed is only 40 at one end ...

NRE, that unimpeachable source of impeccably accurate information, described the cause of yesterday's temporary line closure as follows:

Delays between Bolton and Salford Crescent

Incident created:
10/09/2015 10:21

Route affected:
First TransPennine Express between Blackpool North and Manchester Airport
Northern Rail between Blackpool North / Clitheroe and Manchester Victoria and between Preston and Hazel Grove

Train operator affected:
First TransPennine Express; Northern Rail;

Description:
Trains are now running normally between Bolton and Salford Crescent following disruption caused by emergency engineering work at Farnworth.

Which raised the spectre of Fillie destabilising the smaller tunnel!

I suspect someone put two and two together and got five. I recall Northern Rail's website was less specific about the the location of the problem.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've received this info:

Along with Farnworth Tunnel, Farnworth to Moses Gate, Bullfield Tunnels (already completed), Mayor Street, Chorley Tunnel and the two bridges to the south of Chorley, Frederick Road will have its headroom made bigger by track lowering rather than by reconstruction of the bridge. This is because the massive number of services over Frederick Road bridge makes a 400mm (or so) track lower the cheapest option at this location.

This is the most complex track lowering design on the route and one of the largest, by depth.

I've updated the Bridgeoscope and added a first pass at a new section at the bottom of the current worksheet, covering track lowering.

Warm thanks to the sender for this customarily helpful and informative data.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I've received this info:

I've updated the Bridgeoscope and added a first pass at a new section at the bottom of the current worksheet, covering track lowering.

Warm thanks to the sender for this customarily helpful and informative data.

Haven't they already done Chorley Tunnel as well? I'd also guess that the "two bridges south of Chorley" are Lyons Lane and Brooke Street, MVE2/57 and MVE2/58.

 

[ironstone11]

Haven't they already done Chorley Tunnel as well? .

Yes, as per this NR Press Release.

 

[LDECRexile]

Is this more like it?

 

[LDECRexile]

Joe Callaghan lives a stone's throw from Cemetery Road bridge, where things have been 'lively' all day, preparing for tomorrow's big bridge bash.

He's kindly sent a clutch of films and photos of proceedings throughout today.

I've added them to Joe's album here:

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

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648767927083

Thank you Joe, see you tomorrow.

 

[snowball]

Thanks to LDECR and Joe for the latest videos and photos. It took me a little while to work out exactly where they were taken from. It seems that for the latest phase of the work, the site has been expanded to take in a length of Bridge Road and the little car parking area on the SW side thereof. No doubt needed for the crane and the beams it will lift.

 

[LDECRexile]

I'm sure readers will understand my deliberate imprecision about where Joe took yesterday's photos from.

I prised myself out of bed this morning to go to Farnworth and found Joe has branched out further with two wonderful night shots. I've added them at the end of yesterday's batch in his album here:

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

and in the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648767927083

Thank you Joe, hope to see you today.

Now, where's my sou' wester?....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Busy, busy, busy on 'our' line today:

1. Cemetery Rd bridge was demolished; new beam is on site, hope to lift it in tomorrow.
2. At least one beam lifted off at Orlando Street
3. Track lowering (digging a drain, I think) between Farnworth and Moses Gate
4. Track lowering at Mayor St

No reason to doubt Fillie was at it, Joe reported that lorries carrying lining segments have been around and others taking spoil away likewise

No idea if Frederick St was busy.

I hope someone (more than one, ideally) can get to Farnworth tomorrow, if you can you should be rewarded with action.

Many photos from at least three sources to process, it may take me until Monday.

Dave
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've received this bulletin from Joe Callaghan re Cemetery Road bridge, Farnworth:

first half of bridge in place. weight 53 tonnes. too heavy. crane alarm stopped the lift while truck was repositioned .

2nd half waiting.

Exciting times!

Thanks Joe

A later note says the 2nd one is on now.

A note from Wrinkley says Orlando St bridge (known locally as plain Orlando Bridge) has almost gone and should be all gone by nightfall.

Thanks to both of you

Dave

 

[L+Y]

Have any new mast bases gone in in the past month or so?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Have any new mast bases gone in in the past month or so?

Probably not, but I'm intending to do a counting trip later this week!
With no contractor on site it's unlikely things will change for a bit, then one would hope for a blitz.

 

[Chrisyd]

Bolton News carrying an article about how Network Rail are upsetting the locals around the Farnworth Tunnel.

Train bosses apologise to residents for "not meeting high standards" during Farnworth tunnels work: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news...tandards_quot__during_Farnworth_tunnels_work/