Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[CAF397]

Several points have been delivered to Blackpool North, residing opposite the carriage sidings on the down side.

 

[driver9000]

Several points have been delivered to Blackpool North, residing opposite the carriage sidings on the down side.

Have you seen the weird looking set of points near where the platelayers hut used to be? Looks like 4 points in 1!

 

[LDECRexile]

Wrinkley has kindly sent shots of Moses Gate bridge.

I've added them to his album here:

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

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you Wrinkley.

 

[Whistler40145]

Have you seen the weird looking set of points near where the platelayers hut used to be? Looks like 4 points in 1!

I wonder how many lines will exist in Blackpool North Carriage Sidings once remodelling has been completed?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I wonder how many lines will exist in Blackpool North Carriage Sidings once remodelling has been completed?

I noticed last week that new track has been laid in the easternmost siding headshunt, with major work in progress further west.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Have you seen the weird looking set of points near where the platelayers hut used to be? Looks like 4 points in 1!

Photo required for positive ID, could be one two things ...

 

[driver9000]

Photo required for positive ID, could be one two things ...

Very difficult for me to obtain I'm afraid. I hardly ever go to Blackpool these days and no longer sign the yard. Definitely looks like a fan set of points, the kind I would associate with a tram depot really.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Are the resurfaced platforms at Bolton ever so slightly lower than they were, or is it just me?

 

[LDECRexile]

ALX400 has kindly sent shots of Anderton Hall level crossing.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651121057352

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you ALX.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Are the resurfaced platforms at Bolton ever so slightly lower than they were, or is it just me?

To allow water to drain into the new slot drain, in turn required by the cutting back of the canopy which is allowing rain to hit the platform ?

 

[Ploughman]

ALX400 has kindly sent shots of Anderton Hall level crossing.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651121057352

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you ALX.

Does the Right hand arrowed 75 Speed sign 8292k apply to the crossover in the distance?
Seems a bit short and sharp to be capable of 75 through the crossover.
Or is it just the camera giving the wrong impression?

 

[coxxy]

Does the Right hand arrowed 75 Speed sign 8292k apply to the crossover in the distance?
Seems a bit short and sharp to be capable of 75 through the crossover.
Or is it just the camera giving the wrong impression?

No it's just to show that there is a TSR in place on the line when you move over the crossover..

 

[SodTheDrummer]

To allow water to drain into the new slot drain, in turn required by the cutting back of the canopy which is allowing rain to hit the platform ?

Ah, gotcha. We're used to rain in Bolton so I don't notice it too much - whoever wrote the cliche about Manchester and rain had obviously never been to Bolton! Thought it might have been a way or getting round the clearance issue, which someone decided wasn't an issue anymore..

On a positive note however, the new interchange and skylink are excellent!

in a separate but related issue, how are they going to wire P1 at Salford Crescent? There doesn't appear to be enough room for a base unless it's going on the platform itself..

 

[CAF397]

Why the 75mph TSR from the outskirts of Bolton to Chorley? What work wasn't completed/needs to be carried out? Seem strange they stuck new speeds signs up following the line reopening, and then stuck the 75 on.

Not to mention the 60mph TSR for Bradshaw Fields crossing (removed and fenced off) remaining, complete with whistle boards.

 

[LDECRexile]

in a separate but related issue, how are they going to wire P1 at Salford Crescent? There doesn't appear to be enough room for a base unless it's going on the platform itself..

I've wondered this, too, as have others such as LNW-GW. The only ways I can see are:

1 stretch some sort of mega gallows over the station from the east
2 attach something to the station structure
3 plant a mast or two just off railway land to the west, ie immediately beyond the fence.

Assuming a deal can be struck with the neighbour, 3 should be doable. For a precedent see masts on the south side of the Chat Moss route between St Helens Junction and Collins Green.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I've wondered this, too, as have others such as LNW-GW. The only ways I can see are:

1 stretch some sort of mega gallows over the station from the east
2 attach something to the station structure
3 plant a mast or two just off railway land to the west, ie immediately beyond the fence.

Assuming a deal can be struck with the neighbour, 3 should be doable. For a precedent see masts on the south side of the Chat Moss route between St Helens Junction and Collins Green.

Pretty certain it's not 1, 3 is best avoided and I'm dead certain that the roof wasn't designed for 2 ("Electrification? in the north? you're having a laugh").

You've missed 4 (a hint is that some cores have been drilled): brackets off the retaining wall / bases cast into retaining wall?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

And the scores on the doors appear to be:

3 off option 3
2 off option 4

 

[notlob.divad]

At this, point may I ask what the problem with putting the mast bases at the back edge of the platforms is? It seems to happen in other places.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

At this, point may I ask what the problem with putting the mast bases at the back edge of the platforms is? It seems to happen in other places.

This is Crescent - not Central. In case you haven't been, its a very* narrow island platform with a back-to-back cantilever roof. I didn't design it but I'd image you would be into significant structural alterations to drop the masts in, and they won't be small for a back-to-back twin track cantilever - I bet all the M&E etc. runs close to centre as well.

*very, as in "ORR don't like it".

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

stretch some sort of mega gallows over the station from the east

("Electrification? in the north? you're having a laugh").

I think these two posts are a fine example of is what is known as northern "gallows humour".
Especially as we seem to be heading back to Joseph's remark as default.
But good to know there is a solution.

 

[Geeves]

In one of those long forgotten plans that showed the Crescent with four platforms there was a platform and a second line on platform 2 side which to me says that NR (might) already own a sizeable chunk of land. I am going to guess that they will put some piles into the embankment/wall and just place the OHLE stanchion into the slot, its not like they have a lot of choice!

 

[snowball]

In one of those long forgotten plans that showed the Crescent with four platforms there was a platform and a second line on platform 2 side which to me says that NR (might) already own a sizeable chunk of land. I am going to guess that they will put some piles into the embankment/wall and just place the OHLE stanchion into the slot, its not like they have a lot of choice!

Was it this?

http://www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk/Salford Crescent website/Salford Proposed Station Planning X.jpg

 

[Geeves]

Good find snowball!

So that shows for certain that NR own a least a thin bit of land for any structures to be placed. I am thinking a similar set up to how they have that signal just before Farnworth tunnel on the Manchester bound side with metal work all around it.

 

[LDECRexile]

I toured Southport-Bolton-Salford Central and Crescent-Bolton-Southport today, nine days after my last jaunt.

Estimated speed through Moses Gate 45mph in both directions, platforms looked done and dusted. (Has it reopened?)

Overall I was disappointed, but I can only see what I can see, there may be tremendous progress I couldn't see.

I took several shots at Salford Crescent in pursuit of where masts might go, I'll publish them and other shots this evening.

Without doing a forensic comparison with previous photosets the only progress on 'pure' electrification I could see was some danglification between Salford Central and Windsor Bridge North Jct inclusive.

I saw one burst of signallers' Orange and some progress on troughing, but there remains a lot of bare signal wires and piles of new troughing material north of Salford Crescent.

There may be new bases between the M60 bridge and Dixon Fold, but they may have been there for a while and have been revealed by de-veging.

The new footbridge at Agecroft looks as if it is open, it should be a good vantage point.

Specific blanks are:

1. No masts at all between just north of the new footbridge and Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge, getting on for 5 and a half miles.
2. No bases by Platforms 1 and 2 and any part of the line past P5 at Bolton
3. No bases (unless there any in the tunnel) between Newport Street bridge and site of Bullfield West
4. No mega-electrical thingy at Lostock.
5. No bases by Platform 2 at Salford Crescent.
6. No evidence of work on the foot crossings either side of the M60 bridge.

I'd love to be shot down with evidence that all's well for kick-off at Xmas.....

 

[LDECRexile]

Good find snowball!

So that shows for certain that NR own a least a thin bit of land for any structures to be placed. I am thinking a similar set up to how they have that signal just before Farnworth tunnel on the Manchester bound side with metal work all around it.

Good find indeed!

The fencing therefore appears to be "defensive" rather than "boundary" which would remove contractual enfootlements with plonking masts just beyond the fencing ("option 3"), though the engineering wisdom is another matter.

 

[Greybeard33]

I'd love to be shot down with evidence that all's well for kick-off at Xmas.....

As I previously posted on another thread....

The TPE provisional timetable information on the same website shows all the 350-operated Manchester Airport to Glasgow/Edinburgh services switching from the Chat Moss line to the Chorley line from Monday 12 Feb 2018. So maybe that is now the target for the wires to go live.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added today's photos to the Combined Volume here:

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

 

[SodTheDrummer]

This is Crescent - not Central. In case you haven't been, its a very* narrow island platform with a back-to-back cantilever roof. I didn't design it but I'd image you would be into significant structural alterations to drop the masts in, and they won't be small for a back-to-back twin track cantilever - I bet all the M&E etc. runs close to centre as well.

*very, as in "ORR don't like it".

Crescent does seem to be a very restricted site. Frederick Road would seem to be a better location, much more room, still close to uni for idle students etc.
(waits to be shot down in flames by people who know what they are talking about! )

 

[Foggycorner]

Bolton platform 5 makings on the building are from the days when the platform was used for parcel and postal traffic when each "bay" between the white lines was a different destination, numbered so that the destinations could be changed without altering the markings
they could be used for loading or unloading trains of vans

 

[LDECRexile]

As I previously posted on another thread....

Thank you.