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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

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snowball

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Viscount702 said:
It quoted that she broke through on "28 August" so a bit slow really.- Yes I know it was 28 October.

Mind you are we surprised there is nothing from NR no not really.
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Where does it say that? At the end of the first paragraph it says "yesterday (28 October)". August is mentioned twice, to say the magazine visited the site in August, and to say that the running sand was hit on 14 August.

I added a comment giving the correct breakthrough date and the magazine have now replied saying they'll look into it.
 
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Inox

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Philip Phlopp

Philip Phlopp

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Inox said:
I twittered Northern Rail on Sunday. They favourited my twit. didn't hear anything more....
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The problem is the machine is only just finishing off the boring operation - there were still 2 or 3 rings of lining to install and fix in place with various seals and grouting to go into place around the portal after the breakthrough.

There was (and to a smaller extent, still is) a potential for some issues to arise, so proclaiming success only to have an issue with the lining or portal wouldn't have been good.
 
LDECRexile

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Wrinkey has been down there today and sent two shots and re-sent the superb exploded diagram to put today's images into context.

I've added all three to his album here:

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

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you Wrinkley.

I can't improve on Wrinkley's summary - "She's out!"
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Philip Phlopp said:
The problem is the machine is only just finishing off the boring operation - there were still 2 or 3 rings of lining to install and fix in place with various seals and grouting to go into place around the portal after the breakthrough.

There was (and to a smaller extent, still is) a potential for some issues to arise, so proclaiming success only to have an issue with the lining or portal wouldn't have been good.
Click to expand...

I agree, but breakthrough moments are customarily seen as newsworthy, dramatic and symbolic. The Channel Tunnel breakthrough was lead item on the BBC and Crossrail made much of each one.

No-one in their right mind equates breakthrough with finished or done and dusted. It is a readily understood and positive milestone which gives an opportunity for good news. Alas, in this case it appears to have been wasted.

There are quite enough moaners around, why not bang a real drum when there's one to bang?
 
SodTheDrummer

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LDECRexile said:
I agree, but breakthrough moments are customarily seen as newsworthy, dramatic and symbolic. The Channel Tunnel breakthrough was lead item on the BBC and Crossrail made much of each one.

No-one in their right mind equates breakthrough with finished or done and dusted. It is a readily understood and positive milestone which gives an opportunity for good news. Alas, in this case it appears to have been wasted.

There are quite enough moaners around, why not bang a real drum when there's one to bang?
Click to expand...

Precisely... I twittered them a while back asking for more/some pictures - they did reply, apparently they were doing a time lapse thingy of the whole process, so hopefully that will appear at some point...

Not holding my breath mind...
 
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snowball

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NR's press department have a record of false information about project dates in the NW. In July 2013 they issued this press release appearing to claim completion of the NW electrification phase 1, six months before it was actually completed:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-on-first-phase-of-north-west-electrification

Then in Feb 2014 they issued this one, appearing to claim that work was starting on the fourth platform at Manchester Airport station, which had actually been going on (as an add-on to MPT's Metrolink contract) since about the previous July:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-600m-rail-investment-in-the-north-of-england

In both cases the only actual event on the date of issue was a ministerial visit.
 
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Viscount702

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snowball said:
Where does it say that? At the end of the first paragraph it says "yesterday (28 October)". August is mentioned twice, to say the magazine visited the site in August, and to say that the running sand was hit on 14 August.

I added a comment giving the correct breakthrough date and the magazine have now replied saying they'll look into it.
Click to expand...

The date at the end of the first paragraph originally said 28 August - hence my comment but then as LDECRexile correctly pointed out I then misquoted the break through date as 28 October rather than 25 October. The article seems to have been changed to now say 28 October which is still wrong.
 
LDECRexile

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I have received a message from a hitherto impeccable source saying current aspirations are for:

Two-track operation (at reduced speed but faster than 15mph) through the new bore from Monday 14th December 2015, in which case there will be work over Sat/Sun 12/13 Dec, with recovery of the crossovers and 75mph operation aimed for by 1st Feb 2016.
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Thank you.
 
LNW-GW Joint

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WatcherZero said:
I thought the point was to clear it for 100mph?
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For what it's worth, there is a lot of new rail sitting in the 4-foot from Horwich Parkway northwards.
Presumably quite a lot of work will be needed to bring the track up to 100mph (ie more blockades!).
A few hundred yards around Farnworth isn't going to be much use for a while.
 
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snowball

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I thought it had been said that there is no current overall plan to upgrade the route to 100mph, however the Farnworth scheme is designed to remove local obstacles to doing so.
 
Joseph_Locke

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Paul Sidorczuk said:
What was the latest officially-projected reopening date for the four stations of Clifton, Kearsley, Farnworth and Moses Gate that have been closed for quite some period of time?
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If the line is going two track in December it could start then, but the continuing reduced speed may preclude stopping at Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley; it depends on what can be accommodated within the running times.

However, not many stopped at these stations in a given day! Real time trains is showing one an hour each way in January, but I don't know if that's current.

Clifton appears to have one a day each way ....
 
Howardh

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Joseph_Locke said:
If the line is going two track in December it could start then, but the continuing reduced speed may preclude stopping at Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley; it depends on what can be accommodated within the running times.

However, not many stopped at these stations in a given day! Real time trains is showing one an hour each way in January, but I don't know if that's current.

Clifton appears to have one a day each way ....
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Is Clifton a "Parliamentary" station - if there are such things? Ie stations left open for very little use to save the hassle and expense of closing them?
 
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thealexweb

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Is December 2016 at least a realistic date for all bridge, tunnel, track relaying and signalling work to be completed on the entire stretch?
 
LNW-GW Joint

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thealexweb said:
Is December 2016 at least a realistic date for all bridge, tunnel, track relaying and signalling work to be completed on the entire stretch?
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One would hope so, or else the work at Blackpool in early 2017 will be affected.
Apart from the delay at Farnworth, the other work on the line seems to be going pretty much to plan.
 
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CAF397

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LNW-GW Joint said:
One would hope so, or else the work at Blackpool in early 2017 will be affected.
Apart from the delay at Farnworth, the other work on the line seems to be going pretty much to plan.
Click to expand...

Mast bases still seem to be behind what I'd expect, and that was before the contract was terminated. I'm only a sporadic visitor via Chorey at the moment as most of my booked work is via Eccles, so it can be a few weeks between visits. Given all the weekend and night time closures, parts of the route look untouched by the mast teams, particularly the section between Salford and Lostock. That is surprising, as if they had concentrated on that section with the mast bases, Lostock Jn to Euxton Jn could be worked on and trains diverted via Westhoughton again, so Bolton retains its train service. Instead we will probably see a total closure once the contract gets up and running again.
 
LDECRexile

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Have added today's photos and films to the Combined Volume here:

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

Will add captions etc tomorrow.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Joe Callaghan has kindly sent three glorious dawn shots which he had the presence of mind to seize yesterday.

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

I've also added captions etc to yesterday's materal.
 
Joseph_Locke

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"5296c Farnworth Tunnel

A temporary generator is humming away next to Kearsley station.

Does anyone know what it's for?

Taken from the station car park."

The S&C at Moses Gate and Kearsley was not installed with points heating as it wasn't envisaged the S&C would be in use during cold weather.

This generator (and one at Moses Gate) are running a hastily retro-fitted system! It's placed here because its the closest you can get to the S&C with a Hiab lorry.
 
LDECRexile

LDECRexile

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Joseph_Locke said:
"5296c Farnworth Tunnel

A temporary generator is humming away next to Kearsley station.

Does anyone know what it's for?

Taken from the station car park."

The S&C at Moses Gate and Kearsley was not installed with points heating as it wasn't envisaged the S&C would be in use during cold weather.

This generator (and one at Moses Gate) are running a hastily retro-fitted system! It's placed here because its the closest you can get to the S&C with a Hiab lorry.
Click to expand...

Characteristically informative and interesting; thank you very much.
 
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Joseph_Locke said:
"5296c Farnworth Tunnel

A temporary generator is humming away next to Kearsley station.

Does anyone know what it's for?

Taken from the station car park."

The S&C at Moses Gate and Kearsley was not installed with points heating as it wasn't envisaged the S&C would be in use during cold weather.

This generator (and one at Moses Gate) are running a hastily retro-fitted system! It's placed here because its the closest you can get to the S&C with a Hiab lorry.
Click to expand...

Its up North isn't it always cold up there? :p
 
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