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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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PR1Berske said:
Network Rail would suffer as an organisation in its current form were May 2018 missed.
Click to expand...

There are other risks to the May timetable, including the rolling stock cascades from GWR/Scotrail.
Preston-Blackpool will probably be ready, so Liverpool-Blackpool could go electric and VT can start Euston electric services.
The national media's attention is still on the GW route and the IEP project (plus Thameslink and Crossrail).
They have never paid much attention to the NW project.
 
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InOban

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Remediation of old, shallow, unmapped mining works has caused delays to other projects including Edinburgh to Glasgow.
 
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swanhill41

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I have just read a posting on a reliable facebook site that has been following the Blackpool North area workings,that the station site is 2 weeks behind and the carriage sidings are 4 weeks behind schedule....This has been gleaned from workers on the sites...Reason is the bad weather,in particular over 2 inches of rain in 4/5 hours about 2 weeks ago....The weather I can vouch for,as I live Fleetwood,6 miles away...Remember flash flood at sae time in Galgate near Lancaster
 
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swanhill41

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Might be worth you joining a Facebook site, Fylde Coast transport jibber,if you want to keep up to date about the workings in particular at Blackpool North....Yes that is the correct title....Not my site,but is a guy who lives within 100 yards of Devonshire road bridge Blackpool ,top end of carriage sidings...A few people on the site also have workings of the engineer trains from Crewe Basford Hall to the line...All in all worth a look...It keeps me up to date on the line from Preston to BPN.
 
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absolutelymilk

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I'm probably going to have a trip Preston-Manchester on Thursday or Friday - are there likely to be many gaps where there are no bases altogether or should I just assume if there's a gap on one side there will be a base the other side?
 
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Malay States

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I had a look from North Junction bridge (the Kirkham northerly bypass) this morning. The new trackwork seems all in place, with no new signalling that I could see, or masts. The up Lytham line joins the new down (previously up) line opposite North Junction box (which still stands) and, almost out of site from the bridge, there is a crossover to gain the up line, just opposite the biscuit factory. There is a trailing point from the down Lytham line into the goods yard, forming only a short siding, this being the only track in the goods yard as far as I could see.
I assume the only other pointwork will be at the site of Kirkham South Junction where the down Lytham splits from the down main. This being above field level, there is no public access to see it, although I live almost opposite there.
Looking from North Junction bridge, the abutment to the old Bradkirk flyover still appears to stand 50 years after last use (it was hard to see without binocs). If it does still stand, it may go when the masts are erected. I hope so, because it will get rid of the graffiti which Network Rail can't be bothered to remove.
 
LDECRexile

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absolutelymilk said:
I'm probably going to have a trip Preston-Manchester on Thursday or Friday - are there likely to be many gaps where there are no bases altogether or should I just assume if there's a gap on one side there will be a base the other side?
Click to expand...

I reckon the remaining gaps (ie no bases on both sides or only side), from the north, are:

1. Chorley Arches
2. Chorley tunnel (unknown)
3. Chorley tunnel southern approach cutting
4. Viaduct short distance south of Chorley
5. Tunnel approaching Bolton (unknown)
6. Bridges south of this tunnel
7. Bolton, east side between Platform 2 buffers and Orlando Street bridge
8. Bolton, west side between north end of Platform 5 and Orlando St bridge
9. Unclear stretches between Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge and Farnworth station, there are some bases
10. Farnworth tunnel (unknown)
11. Unclear between Farnworth tunnel and Kearsley, there are some bases
12. Quarter mile or thereabouts immediately north of Agecroft Road bridge
13. Two, possible three masts-worth of bases missing between Cock Robin Bridge and site of Pendleton Old station
14. Salford Crescent Platform 2

I will be delighted to be shown that I'm wrong, uninformed or out of date on any of these.
 
LDECRexile

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Malay States said:
I had a look from North Junction bridge (the Kirkham northerly bypass) this morning. The new trackwork seems all in place, with no new signalling that I could see, or masts. The up Lytham line joins the new down (previously up) line opposite North Junction box (which still stands) and, almost out of site from the bridge, there is a crossover to gain the up line, just opposite the biscuit factory. There is a trailing point from the down Lytham line into the goods yard, forming only a short siding, this being the only track in the goods yard as far as I could see.
I assume the only other pointwork will be at the site of Kirkham South Junction where the down Lytham splits from the down main. This being above field level, there is no public access to see it, although I live almost opposite there.
Looking from North Junction bridge, the abutment to the old Bradkirk flyover still appears to stand 50 years after last use (it was hard to see without binocs). If it does still stand, it may go when the masts are erected. I hope so, because it will get rid of the graffiti which Network Rail can't be bothered to remove.
Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks. If you were (or will be) able to take any photos I would be very pleased to add them to our album.
 
Elecman

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There won’t be bases at Chorley arches as the registration arms will be attached to the metal under each arch
 
Joseph_Locke

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LDECRexile said:
I reckon the remaining gaps (ie no bases on both sides or only side), from the north, are:

1. Chorley Arches
2. Chorley tunnel (unknown)
3. Chorley tunnel southern approach cutting
4. Viaduct short distance south of Chorley
5. Tunnel approaching Bolton (unknown)
6. Bridges south of this tunnel
7. Bolton, east side between Platform 2 buffers and Orlando Street bridge
8. Bolton, west side between north end of Platform 5 and Orlando St bridge
9. Unclear stretches between Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge and Farnworth station, there are some bases
10. Farnworth tunnel (unknown)
11. Unclear between Farnworth tunnel and Kearsley, there are some bases
12. Quarter mile or thereabouts immediately north of Agecroft Road bridge
13. Two, possible three masts-worth of bases missing between Cock Robin Bridge and site of Pendleton Old station
14. Salford Crescent Platform 2

I will be delighted to be shown that I'm wrong, uninformed or out of date on any of these.
Click to expand...

  1. As mentioned, they should be hung off the arches
  2. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  3. Can't remember
  4. Two portals founded on brackets fixed outside parapets
  5. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  6. Some STC, at least one boom on wall anchors
  7. TTCs on east of P1, possibly waiting for SSA behind buffer on P2 to be sorted
  8. STCs, waiting for P5 to finish
  9. Waiting resolution of foundation issues
  10. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  11. Focus is north of here
  12. Ditto
  13. Waiting resolution of foundation placement issues
  14. Plan was some wall mount stubs, some gravity pad, all STC
 
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edwin_m

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Joseph_Locke said:
  1. As mentioned, they should be hung off the arches
  2. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  3. Can't remember
  4. Two portals founded on brackets fixed outside parapets
  5. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  6. Some STC, at least one boom on wall anchors
  7. TTCs on east of P1, possibly waiting for SSA behind buffer on P2 to be sorted
  8. STCs, waiting for P5 to finish
  9. Waiting resolution of foundation issues
  10. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  11. Focus is north of here
  12. Ditto
  13. Waiting resolution of foundation placement issues
  14. Plan was some wall mount stubs, some gravity pad, all STC
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. Just to be clear, are all these items already in place or some of them just intended?

Also why is the focus on the northern half? It's unlikely any electric trains will turn back intermediately (and if they do they will only run south of Bolton) so there will be no significant electric running until the whole route is done. Is there some future blockade on the southern part or some other reason to leave this until later?
 
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Malay States

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LDECRexile said:
Interesting, thanks. If you were (or will be) able to take any photos I would be very pleased to add them to our album.
Click to expand...
I did take photos but I'm afraid I don't know how to add them to the album. Incidentally, my first Ian Allen book was the one in your title. First cop A4 60021 at Leeds Central 15 December 1958. That's why I'm not good at computer technique!
 
LDECRexile

LDECRexile

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Malay States said:
I did take photos but I'm afraid I don't know how to add them to the album. Incidentally, my first Ian Allen book was the one in your title. First cop A4 60021 at Leeds Central 15 December 1958. That's why I'm not good at computer technique!
Click to expand...

Dear Mr States (or may I call you Malay?)
I remember Wild Swan (Mucky Duck, to us irreverent lot) well; most clearly once when taking water at Retford station southbound.
I have 45615 underlined in my 1959 Combine, but can't remember it specifically.
I've sent you a "conversation", if you log in, a number in white on red at the top of the screen should take you to it. In that "conversation" I've given you my email address so you can simply send me photos as attachments, easy peasy.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Welcome!
Dave
 
LDECRexile

LDECRexile

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Joseph_Locke said:
  1. As mentioned, they should be hung off the arches
  2. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  3. Can't remember
  4. Two portals founded on brackets fixed outside parapets
  5. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  6. Some STC, at least one boom on wall anchors
  7. TTCs on east of P1, possibly waiting for SSA behind buffer on P2 to be sorted
  8. STCs, waiting for P5 to finish
  9. Waiting resolution of foundation issues
  10. Stovepipes and bridge arms to tunnel soffit
  11. Focus is north of here
  12. Ditto
  13. Waiting resolution of foundation placement issues
  14. Plan was some wall mount stubs, some gravity pad, all STC
Click to expand...
Yo!

Thank you for taking so much trouble.

I take it to mean that 1-10 and 14 have Cunning Plans but are gaps at this stage and 11-13 are gaps good and proper.

I'd rather hoped I'd be bombarded with "nyar, nyar na nyar naaar, there are danglies at A, D, E & J, masts at B & K and bases lurking in the undergrowth at G and L; you need glasses"
 
LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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So still some trouble at t' mill then, in places.
Trying to visualise a "gravity pad" too.
I assume the line thankfully missed most of the snow over the weekend, engineering in deepest winter can't be much fun.
 
Joseph_Locke

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LDECRexile said:
Like these?
Click to expand...

The combined album also has two cast in-situ ones at Bolton West junction - some of the ones at Lostock Junction are also of this type. The "pancake" ones are best where you can't even dig a hole (like on a viaduct).

STC - single track cantilever
TTC - twin track cantilever (aka TGBU)
SSA - self supporting anchor
EWA - earth wire anchor
BWA - balance weight anchor
MPA - mid-point anchor
AFA - autotransformer feed anchor
STA - spring tensioner anchor

The stovepipes and arms may well be up, but they're goshdarn hard to see from a passing train in an unlit tunnel!

The northern focus is almost certainly because that's the bit with fewest mining "issues", allowing the wiring trains to get going north to south while the "issues" south of Bolton are dealt with. Plus it all has to be fitted into the available access opportunities - those pesky TOCs.
 
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ole17

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Can I ask how stable are these 'gravity pads'? They look as if the mast could be blown over if a strong hurricane (unlikely of course!) were to blow.
 
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edwin_m

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The whole idea of gravity foundation is that it's heavy enough to be held down by, er, gravity, without the need for any other sort of restraint. So, unless somebody's fouled up in a big way, the weight and its distribution will have been calculated allowing for the weight of the structure, the wind loading, and the forces arising from the tension in the OLE (including fault conditions such as a broken wire).
 
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WatcherZero

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From that frame the pads would be in the 1-1.5 tonne range before the steelwork is included.
 
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