furnessvale
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It does demonstrate what can be achieved with a complete blockade as opposed to 5 hours a night and part weekends.
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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification
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DJH1971
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Maybe they need to do the same with Manchester to Preston, given that it's more than a year overdue already.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
You might ask why more was not done in the several extended blockades that the route has had already (eg for the Farnworth/Chorley tunnel works).
Halish Railway
Established Member
I have to agree with you. It seems amazing how long it has taken to do the Bolton Corridor.
Speaking of Bolton, what's the progress on that? Are there any masts up?
absolutelymilk
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GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Loads of masts- but loads missing too. Still bases missing also
Elecman
Established Member
By testing I assume they mean height and stagger, certainly no HV short circuit testing required as it is the same cb as the original overrun wiring
Elecman
Established Member
Euxton Junction Phase 4 wiring also tied into the WCML now
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
OK I am doing a full Fylde Jct to Blackpool photography run tomorrow with LDECRexile which will in effect double up as a progressometer run if Dave is game. Just in case we get rained-snowed-sleeted-hailstoned off etc, I made hay while the sun shone and the little wifey was out shopping and borrowed my daughters car and did a Fylde Jct to Spen Lane partial run today. I have sent photos to Dave who may or may not publish them depending on his schedule and the fact we are doing a run tomorrow. Here is my progress report.
1. Salwick Station Bridge not raised but road closure posted in January and I bet it will get done then as Carr Lane, Lea Lane, Darkinson, and others have been raised by putting larger coping stones on.
2. Wires fully complete to the start of Tom Benson Way from Fylde Jct
3. No wires on Tom Benson Way!!
4. Wires (2) from just east of UCLAN sports complex all the way to about Lea Lane
5. Wires (1) to just east of Spen Lane
6. Lots of new live signals - and as widely reported no Salwick Box
7. I tried to play “ spot the start of the neutral section” as live copper wire is - well copper colored - neutral section would be different. Looks to be Tulketh Viaduct area.
8. They are doing something about the wall on St Marks road as the wall is low and built with engineering bricks and 25kV is very very close!
9. Most important - I spotted zero missing masts on my trip.
1. Salwick Station Bridge not raised but road closure posted in January and I bet it will get done then as Carr Lane, Lea Lane, Darkinson, and others have been raised by putting larger coping stones on.
2. Wires fully complete to the start of Tom Benson Way from Fylde Jct
3. No wires on Tom Benson Way!!
4. Wires (2) from just east of UCLAN sports complex all the way to about Lea Lane
5. Wires (1) to just east of Spen Lane
6. Lots of new live signals - and as widely reported no Salwick Box
7. I tried to play “ spot the start of the neutral section” as live copper wire is - well copper colored - neutral section would be different. Looks to be Tulketh Viaduct area.
8. They are doing something about the wall on St Marks road as the wall is low and built with engineering bricks and 25kV is very very close!
9. Most important - I spotted zero missing masts on my trip.
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QueensCurve
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If you get time, don't forget that there are bridgeworks on the South branch too!
Many thanks for that fantastic list of observations!
Malay States
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Salwick Station Bridge was replaced on 24th February 2013 (I was there), so there should be no more to do to it. There is a road closure for about 4 days in January but I don't know why.
LDECRexile
Established Member
Warm thanks for the bouquets; I'll wear my MBE with pride and a smile. I thank everyone who has taken the trouble to send films and photos in a timely manner with enough to go on to make captions and locations doable.
This thread and Liverpool-Manchester Electrification have three consistent attributes which make it work for me:
Civility, goodwill and lack of whingeing
Strongly sourced material
Variety of sources, ranging from skilled internet surfers through observant amateurs to professional Orangemen and women past and present
Gralistair has seized the sunshine to go out and about today, camera at the ready. Let's hope our long-planned jaunt tomorrow is not kyboshed by the weather.
I've added his shots to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651259517065
and to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you Graham
This thread and Liverpool-Manchester Electrification have three consistent attributes which make it work for me:
Civility, goodwill and lack of whingeing
Strongly sourced material
Variety of sources, ranging from skilled internet surfers through observant amateurs to professional Orangemen and women past and present
Gralistair has seized the sunshine to go out and about today, camera at the ready. Let's hope our long-planned jaunt tomorrow is not kyboshed by the weather.
I've added his shots to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651259517065
and to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you Graham
LDECRexile
Established Member
Indeed there SHOULD be nowt more to do to it, but since the rebuild the rules re parapet heights have been changed, leading, for example, to Sidgreaves Lane and Lea Lane bridges having their parapets raised (see photos over the past couple of months). The Salwick bridge looks as if it will need different forms of surgery with the green cladding.
The closure may be for a completely different reason, of course....
LDECRexile
Established Member
Oh dear, that would be very disappointing. I have been encouraged by the gap-filling I've seen over the past month south of Bolton, but they aren't all plugged, eg Salford Crescent Platform 2. I've always maintained that getting bases in is critical, not only because no base=no mast=no wire, but because it removes unknowns. Once bases are in the teams can get stuck in. I do not minimise the skill needed or size of the task when installing masts, danglies and wires, but they are working with known quantities under human control.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
And Lea Lane was done AFTER it, but still, about 1 month ago new coping stones much higher were used to replace the 2013 versions. Don’t be too sure. Watch this space
As Dave points out in his posts above.
I do hope you are right and I am wrong though
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QueensCurve
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This would seem likely to be an issue for the Chase Line too. And South Wales.
Dayton Superior Corp sounds a bit like "good food at the bar". Presumably no business would call itself the Dayton Inferior Corp
Perhaps Network Rail should have taken advice from Balfour Beatty rather than sack them off.
It has only taken 45y to get that far. Who knows how quickly they can reach Blackpool.
Indeed it has been (and blamed for the delay in completion), as discussed in the relevant thread.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Had a great day out today with Dave - did Blackpool to Fylde Jct. Photos will follow when Dave gets chance and an updated progressometer possibly too. My highlights are as follows:
1) major progress at Blackpool with steelwork up apart from Station area itself. Contractors/Orange army working hard
2) Some progress at Layton masts all up and mainly endanglied
3) Many masts up out in the country
4) Poulton Station semaphores gone and box still standing. Loads of steelwork up and work still to do on Station
5) Poulton to Kirkham loads of steelwork up
6) Kirkham area - about 400 meters of steel work up on the Blackpool South Line and some up heading to BPN itself. Work progressing nicely on the Station. Track looks laid and just needs Ballasting - electrical switch gear cabin in place. Many bases in place
7) The gap I saw between Kirkham Station and Carr Lane Bridge Treales on December 23rd has been filled - steelwork - mainly TTCs is now in place.
8) Not much further progress between Tom Benson Way and Salwick but work is in evidence
9) There are not many masts missing
A wonderful day out and not much that worries me regarding progress.
1) major progress at Blackpool with steelwork up apart from Station area itself. Contractors/Orange army working hard
2) Some progress at Layton masts all up and mainly endanglied
3) Many masts up out in the country
4) Poulton Station semaphores gone and box still standing. Loads of steelwork up and work still to do on Station
5) Poulton to Kirkham loads of steelwork up
6) Kirkham area - about 400 meters of steel work up on the Blackpool South Line and some up heading to BPN itself. Work progressing nicely on the Station. Track looks laid and just needs Ballasting - electrical switch gear cabin in place. Many bases in place
7) The gap I saw between Kirkham Station and Carr Lane Bridge Treales on December 23rd has been filled - steelwork - mainly TTCs is now in place.
8) Not much further progress between Tom Benson Way and Salwick but work is in evidence
9) There are not many masts missing
A wonderful day out and not much that worries me regarding progress.
Malay States
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One thing in particular does concern me. Preston to Blackpool South is due to open one month today. Kirkham station is nowhere near ready. They have still to build two lift towers, install the lifts, build a bridge and link it all to the booking office, tidy up and finish off. In 4 weeks? No. It has been supposed on this thread that trains ex Blackpool South will have to use the new up platform at Kirkham, so what will happen? They could make temporary access from the north side of the line through the access site, or they could use the old up (new down) platform and run 'wrong line' to Preston, effectively a single line Preston to Blackpool South with Kirkham being a loop. Could they do that? Doesn't seem likely to me. Brace yourselves for an announcement about a week before reopening is due that it is delayed x weeks/months due to any old reason except the true one, incompetence.
Anyone know anything?
Elecman
Established Member
Single line with Pilotman between Preston and Kirkham what’s the problem?
edwin_m
Veteran Member
They don't necessarily have to have everything finished at Kirkham, as long as there is some sort of access to the platform(s) to be used for the South service. Doesn't have to be fully accessible at this stage unless the old station was.
Shaw S Hunter
Established Member
That's an incredibly negative post. Many of the structures you mention are subject to a degree of off-site pre-fabrication. Every chance that stuff appears on site and is in final position in well under 4 weeks.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Here here. I made a visit Thanksgiving with LDECRexile and then again today so just about 4 weeks - absolutely amazing progress. I am optimistic on Preston to Blackpool but do confess to being concerned about Euxton Jct to Salford.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Surely they only need partial completion of Kirkham to run an hourly Blackpool South service?
New track and signalling from Preston onto the branch, with a loop at Kirkham using the old platforms should be sufficient.
The new platform would not be necessary, nor any wiring (though I expect they will try to complete that beforehand).
Presumably they will want to run doubled-up trains to meet the demand with only Blackpool South open.
New track and signalling from Preston onto the branch, with a loop at Kirkham using the old platforms should be sufficient.
The new platform would not be necessary, nor any wiring (though I expect they will try to complete that beforehand).
Presumably they will want to run doubled-up trains to meet the demand with only Blackpool South open.
Elecman
Established Member
It certainly wasn’t after they banned the use of the PWay access gate and path.
LDECRexile
Established Member
As Gralistair said above, we had a seriously fab jaunt today.
I've wanged our combined photoset onto the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
I'll add captions and all other housekeeping tomorrow.
I've wanged our combined photoset onto the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
I'll add captions and all other housekeeping tomorrow.
childwallblues
Established Member
Well done for the very positive progress report. Will we have electrci units into Blackpool North in May in your opinion?
LDECRexile
Established Member
A pint says "yes", unless we hit anything outside control, such as floods.
I've finished off yesterday's photos and added Gralistair's to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651259517065
Thank you Graham, hope your return Stateside is better than your horror-story to here.
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