Joseph_Locke
Established Member
If Blackrod had announcements:
"Attention - the next prefabricated staircase to arrive is not for public use. Do no attempt to board this staircase"
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Blackpool - Manchester Electrification
- Thread starter GRALISTAIR
- Start date
- Status
"Attention - the next prefabricated staircase to arrive is not for public use. Do no attempt to board this staircase"
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Joseph_Locke
Established Member
And this one was the most debated one on phase 4, narrowly beating the Clifton Country Park / Motorway Bridge chaos.
In what way?
LDECRexile
Established Member
ALX400 has kindly sent shots of Red Moss footbridge-to-be components being transported south through Blackrod for erection.
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.
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.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
I have no words other than “ magnificent “
SansHache
Member
Earth wires now up between Clifton and Kearsley. Observed at Clifton Country Park but full extent not confirmed.
Just passed Chorley station
Team orange installing cross member of a portal in the platform area
td97
Established Member
- Joined
- 26 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 1,556
For what reason are the registration arms initially cable tied down?
Like from this to this:
And from this to this:
Not sure if it's been noted previously, but there also seems to be some progress in terms of the masts on the approach to platform 3 in the background at the top right of the first image
themiller
Established Member
No doubt someone will advise if I'm wrong but the registration arms are tied up to stop them from dinging and blowing in the wind and the whole assembly is at 90 degrees from its final position to keep it out of the way of rail borne plant such as scissor lifts. I think that it's only the wiring that keeps it in place across the line because it's mounted on a pair of hinges to allow it to float along the axis of the track with the movement of the wires.
Bolton-long stretches of earth wire from the station southbound
-within the station area, the approaches to platforms 1 and 3 from the north require one mast each, platform 5 also missing a mast.
-south of Orlando St bridge one of the replacement bases has been used as part of a new portal.
pics to follow.
-within the station area, the approaches to platforms 1 and 3 from the north require one mast each, platform 5 also missing a mast.
-south of Orlando St bridge one of the replacement bases has been used as part of a new portal.
pics to follow.
Last edited:
Joseph_Locke
Established Member
Wrangles about building a bridge in a nature reserve (famous for dragonflies, apparently) versus a short footpath diversion over an existing bridge just to the south.
The two FP crossings at Clifton Country Park / Motorway Bridge have been two bridges, one bridge in the middle, no bridges, one bridge to the north, one bridge to the south and finally one bridge in the middle ...
LDECRexile
Established Member
Bill Morton has kindly sent shots of the brand new Red Moss footbridge.
I've added them to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157650900509369
and to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Whilst this might be just a footbridge in the middle of nowhere with a likely footfall in the hundreds per annum, in terms of the electrification project it is a significant hurdle jumped, as it removes a clear impediment to wiring.
Yesterday 42626 posted two shots of bridging materials being transported through Blackrod. He has created an album for them and others he took around the same time and kindly linked them to the Combined Volume, as he has done with other fine albums before. To access this new album go into the Combined Volume and click on the very first image then look down the Comments, each comment contains a link to other albums, the new one being the last. Thank you 42626.
I've added them to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157650900509369
and to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Whilst this might be just a footbridge in the middle of nowhere with a likely footfall in the hundreds per annum, in terms of the electrification project it is a significant hurdle jumped, as it removes a clear impediment to wiring.
Yesterday 42626 posted two shots of bridging materials being transported through Blackrod. He has created an album for them and others he took around the same time and kindly linked them to the Combined Volume, as he has done with other fine albums before. To access this new album go into the Combined Volume and click on the very first image then look down the Comments, each comment contains a link to other albums, the new one being the last. Thank you 42626.
LDECRexile
Established Member
Reg has kindly sent his photos as above. I've added them to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863
and to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you Reg.
59CosG95
Established Member
Early morning posting of the GSoP today - I'm on the Night Shift at Wimbledon Tennis this next 2 weeks so apologies in advance for any late replies subsequently!
Anyway...
GSoP Post 11.0
Manchester Victoria - Preston; State of Play, week beginning 2nd July 2018.
3 bases & 115 (at a guess/at most) masts still missing.
All mileages from Manchester Victoria. Bridge mileages are approximated where noted.
1. Man Vic Station (West End) - Man Vic West Jct - Deal Street Jct; 0m 0ch to 0m 32ch
Fully wired 2013-15.
2. Deal Street Jct - Salford Central (East End); 0m 32ch to 0m 59ch
Fully masted. Limit of electrification is currently at 0m 46ch; SPS is up along the unwired stretch.
3. Salford Central; 0m 59ch
Fully masted, most SPS (Small Part Steelwork e.g. dangly bits) up. No wires.
4. Salford Central (West End) - Windsor Bridge South Jct; 0m 59ch to 1m 46ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts, no catenary or earth wires. Two runs of Earth wire are up.
5. Windsor Bridge South Jct - Windsor Bridge North Jct (inc. Salford Crescent); 1m 46ch to 1m 70ch
No catenary/contact wires. The bespoke "right triangle" fixings on one of the footbridges have turned out to be fixings for dangly bits. Each side has two stovepipes; one for a registration arm, one for an earth wire.
All masts, almost all SPS and both Earth Wires now up through the station.
S Jct looks ready for wiring, but mast gaps still present at N Jct. Lots of SPS up immediately north of Salford Cres.
6. Windsor Bridge North Jct - Clifton (South End); 1m 70ch to 4m 57ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires.
At Pendleton (the Old Station site), just north of Broughton Rd Bridge (2m 26ch), the Pendleton retaining wall has been cut back in several places to make room for bases (which are all now in).
Between Frederick Rd & Broughton Rd (2m 26ch) bridges, most masts are up, except on the "problem bases" around Broughton Rd. The 3 bases, between Broughton Rd Bridge & Cockrobin Bridge (approx. 2m 51ch) have now all gained masts.
The "problem base" north of Cockrobin Bridge has now finally gained a TTC (Twin Track Cantilever) on the northbound (see photo A384g); the gap is now closed.
Dangly bits up near Agecroft, and the missing bases in the walled stretch north of Agecroft Rd have now appeared & gained TTCs - woohoo! The problem was due to excessively sandy ground conditions in the area.
Steelwork either side of Park House Rd Bridge looks well advanced.
Lot of masts with SPS up on the southern approach to Clifton.
7. Clifton Station; 4m 57ch
1 boomed TTC (with SPS), no wires. Base for another TTC in behind the southbound platform.
8. Clifton (North End) - Kearsley (South End); 4m 57ch to 7m 57ch
Most/all bases in place, large no. of masts, no wires.
Brackets are fitted to the underside of the M60 overbridge. Bridge MVE1 27B (immediately NW of this) is fully erected, but unopened, and work the walkway is not yet finished.
The line through the former Dixon Fold station site (around the new footbridge, approx. 6m 00ch) looks ready for wires; the wire-readiness extends south to the M60 bridge.
Earth wires now up between Clifton & Kearsley; definitely through Clifton Country Park but the full extent is not confirmed.
Looking south from Kearsley, all masts that are up appear to be fully kitted out with SPS.
9. Kearsley Station; 7m 57ch
All bases in place, no masts, no wires.
10. Kearsley (North End) - Farnworth (South End); 7m 57ch to 8m 31ch
All masts (almost all with booms), no wires. Dangly bits starting to appear at the Kearsley end. Farnworth tunnel (8m 25ch) has all its registration arms in place.
11. Farnworth Station; 8m 31ch
All bases in place, 1 or 2 masts, no wires. Looks pretty much ready for wiring south of the Farnworth Station Footbridge.
12. Farnworth (North End) - Moses Gate (South End); 8m 31ch to 9m 06ch
A pair of bases & squat masts are up between Farnworth Station footbridge and Rawson St Bridge (approx. 8m 44ch). Two bases have now gone in in the southbound cess, awaiting masts; one each side of the "squat portal" uprights.
Fully boomed and fully bedanglied TTCs up between Rawson St & the Balustraded Bridge (approx. 8m 56ch); this stretch now looks wire-ready.
The Gravity "Base of the century" just south of the Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge (approx. 8m 67ch) is now curing away nicely, with shuttering removed.
13. Moses Gate Station; 9m 06ch
Fully masted, no wires
14. Moses Gate (North End) - Bolton (South End); 9m 06ch to 10m 50ch
Weston St to Moses Gate looks almost ready for wiring.
Many bases, many masts, no wires. SPS and Tensorex drums appearing on some masts/cantilevers around Burnden Jct (10m 09ch).
All uprights appear to be up on both sides of Lever St footbridge; a multi-track portal is up immediately to the south of the bridge. To the north (on the east side), a TTC with reduced-height registration arms is up.
Stretching south from Bolton, long stretches of earth wire are now up. Another portal has been erected in 2 replacement bases.
Orlando St Bridge appears to be fully "stovepiped".
15. Bolton Station; 10m 50ch
Through the station, all lines are fully masted with the exception of P1 and P3 (1 mast missing between Weston St & Newport St bridges, on each line) and P5 (1 mast missing within the platform), according to the observations of Reg.
The 1st TTC up over P1/2 has now been bedanglied; in total, P1/2 is covered by 4 TTCs and 3 STCs. P2 still requires its "termination mast".
Platforms 98% open to public; the 2% not open is a fenced-off section of canopy support to the right of signal "MP9239". P2 buffers look finished. Canopies look complete.
Earth wires now going in; the first one runs parallel to P3, from the southern end almost up to the road bridge at the northern end. A second one (parallel to P5) is up, and it extends south through Burnden as far as the eye can see.
Two sets of chalked "hieroglyphs" are etched into the bridge deck of Trinity St over P3/4; possible locations for stovepipes? Additionally, bolts & brackets are now drilled into the glazed brick retaining wall opposite P1.
16. Bolton (North End) - Lostock (South End); 10m 50ch to 13m 52ch
Newport St bridge has now had studs/brackets of some kind drilled in. The run of masts between Newport St & the NW end of P5 now have their earth wire affixed. Just east of Newport St Bridge, a TTC (unbedanglied) has now gone up on the southbound side.
Between Newport Street Bridge & Moor Lane (the Bullfield Tunnels area), the tunnels are bedanglied throughout, with Aerial Earth Wire (AEW) brackets up over both tracks' respective tunnels/bridges.
Immediately NW of Newport St, one of the concrete bases that was poured over the weekend of May 5th has now had a mast affixed; the other mast for the other base is lying in wait.
Gt. Moor St. bridge now has a stovepipe in on the Down side. The most recently cured base, fresh from unwrapping, has now had a mast & two dangly assemblies put up (see pic. A300k; between Great Moor St. & Dawes St. bridges). Of the "3 amigos" (the three closest masts to Great Moor St. Bridge), 2 now have Tensorex Drums fitted and the other has its dangly bits cabled-tied down(see pic. A320k).
Cable ducting troughs laid between Black Horse St & New St on the Down side, in the cess; all 6 masts are now up in this gap.
The overrun along the line to Blackburn (as far as Bradshawgate Tunnel) looks nearly ready for SPS & wires.
All masts are now up between Moor Lane & Mayor Street bridges, with the addition of a portal just NW of Moor Ln.
East of Dean Clough Bridge (12m 26ch), 2 "failed" driven pile bases on the southbound side now have formwork for concrete gravity pad replacements in position, awaiting the concrete pour.
Between Dean Clough Bridge and 'the' Ladybridge (next one further west), all masts appear to be up, with cantilever assembles affixed (and folded out of place).
Thence, between 'the' Ladybridge and Beaumont Rd, all masts of all varieties are now up. Earth wires are already being strung!
All bases and masts are in place between Beaumont Rd & Lostock station.
Masts have started to appear immediately south of Lostock; at the extreme southern end of the station, a twin track portal with SPS has been erected, with the 4-track portal over Lostock Jct (13m 39ch) immediately south of that now being boomed too. 3 "failed" protruding, uncapped pile bases are on the Wigan Line; one assumes that gravity pad replacements will eventually be in the offing.
More masts around the switchgear box are sprouting dangly bits, switchgear kit etc.
A UTX has been installed in the "vee" in Lostock Jct, for buried service access.
Work currently going on with stacks of cable ducting on the Wigan Line - possibly from the substation?
Another TTC (with boom) has gone up on the Wigan Line.
East of Lostock, a possession was taken over the weekend of 23rd/24th of June - registration arms/dangly bits appeared to be on a road-railer trailer, so perhaps some masts gained their dangly bits. One of the booms was affixed for one of the portals over the junction.
17. Lostock Station; 13m 52ch
Switchgear box delivered 6th April '18.
All TTCs now in behind the Down platform; one of them is not like the others (additional bracing member).
18. Lostock (North End) - Horwich Pkwy (South End); 13m 52ch to 15m 50ch
Two more UTXs have been installed in the "vee" between the two lines, to the north of the station.
Immediately north of the station, the closest TTCs to the platforms have now sprouted part of their switchgear kit.
For a mile between the stations, all wires up from the "Golf Course" Footbridge (approx. 14m 04ch) to half a mile south of Horwich Pkwy (approx. 15m 10ch). Earth wires have gone up on the Down side immediately north of the station; these presumably extend to the existing wired section.
All masts appear to be in place with SPS for the remaining sections between the two, including the A6027/De Havilland Way overbridge, which now has dangly bits mounted on the walls.
19. Horwich Parkway Station; 15m 50ch
Two new TTCs up on the south end of the platforms; one portal and one TTC to go up. Bedanglied TTCs now up through the station, with more to erect.
20. Horwich Pkwy (North End) - Blackrod (South End); 15m 50ch to 17m 14ch
All masts appear to be up NW of Horwich Pkwy to the M61 bridge. Earth/AT wires linking 9 masts together between the 2 stations, heading north (on the Up side) from immediately north of the M61 bridge (approx. 16m 29ch).
More Earth/AT wires are now up immediately NW of the footbridge at the NW end of Horwich Parkway Car Park, on the Down side (N'bound); the footbridge in question has also been sandwiched by some very complex-looking steelwork (presumably for the reduced clearances).
SPS appearing on portals near Blackrod, and SPS assemblies have been folded out of the way on the station's southern approach.
Work has concluded on the footbridge that will replace Red Moss foot crossing; complex portal/masts are up there too.
21. Blackrod Station; 17m 14ch
No wires. Empty mast base at the southern end. Bonding complete on P1, and a (boomless) TTC has now been erected. Masts look complete to Lostock. P2 re-tarmacing ongoing.
22. Blackrod (North End) - Adlington (South End); 17m 14ch to 19m 15ch
Lots of masts up just north of Blackrod, with SPS all fitted. Some base replacement work occurred over 17th/18th Feb to replace failed bases. Successful bases have masts up with SPS on.
23. Adlington Station; 19m 15ch
2 single masts up (one on each side) and 2 TTCs (on one of the sides); all are bedanglied and earth bonded. The raod bridge at the southern end has also been stalactited. No wires.
24. Adlington (North End) - Chorley (South End); 19m 15ch to 22m 20ch
2 short stretches of wire on the s'bound track.
All bespoke mast fixings are now up on Yarrow Viaduct (21m 26ch at the southern end); work had stopped after the alleged discovery of a large void within the structure, but this appears to be resolved. All evidence of a worksite has now gone, which suggests a portal (south end) and a TTC (north end) are next!
25. Chorley Station; 22m 20ch
No wires. First mast now up over the Down/Northbound/Preston-bound platform; this is at the northern end of the station, and features dangly bits.A portal has now gone in (presumably at the southern end).
26. Chorley (North End) - Buckshaw Pkwy (South End); 22m 20ch to 24m 39ch
Many bases, some masts, 1 or 2 wires. Roof brackets affixed in Chorley Tunnel (23m 20ch to 23m 25ch), and at least 6 dangly bits/SPS are up in the Flying Arches cutting. All bases on top of the retaining wall at the northern end now have portal booms affixed.
One of the problem bases nr Chorley is now being sorted.
27. Buckshaw Parkway Station; 24m 39ch
Some bases in place, 2 TTCs up on the Down side, 1 TTC up on the Up side. The footbridge has now sprouted stovepipes. No wires.
28. Buckshaw Pkwy (North End) - Euxton Jct; 24m 39ch to 25m 31ch
Almost fully masted; about half the wires up until halfway to Euxton, then fully wired the rest of the way.
Do let me know if I've missed anything!
Anyway...
GSoP Post 11.0
Manchester Victoria - Preston; State of Play, week beginning 2nd July 2018.
3 bases & 115 (at a guess/at most) masts still missing.
All mileages from Manchester Victoria. Bridge mileages are approximated where noted.
1. Man Vic Station (West End) - Man Vic West Jct - Deal Street Jct; 0m 0ch to 0m 32ch
Fully wired 2013-15.
2. Deal Street Jct - Salford Central (East End); 0m 32ch to 0m 59ch
Fully masted. Limit of electrification is currently at 0m 46ch; SPS is up along the unwired stretch.
3. Salford Central; 0m 59ch
Fully masted, most SPS (Small Part Steelwork e.g. dangly bits) up. No wires.
4. Salford Central (West End) - Windsor Bridge South Jct; 0m 59ch to 1m 46ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts, no catenary or earth wires. Two runs of Earth wire are up.
5. Windsor Bridge South Jct - Windsor Bridge North Jct (inc. Salford Crescent); 1m 46ch to 1m 70ch
No catenary/contact wires. The bespoke "right triangle" fixings on one of the footbridges have turned out to be fixings for dangly bits. Each side has two stovepipes; one for a registration arm, one for an earth wire.
All masts, almost all SPS and both Earth Wires now up through the station.
S Jct looks ready for wiring, but mast gaps still present at N Jct. Lots of SPS up immediately north of Salford Cres.
6. Windsor Bridge North Jct - Clifton (South End); 1m 70ch to 4m 57ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires.
At Pendleton (the Old Station site), just north of Broughton Rd Bridge (2m 26ch), the Pendleton retaining wall has been cut back in several places to make room for bases (which are all now in).
Between Frederick Rd & Broughton Rd (2m 26ch) bridges, most masts are up, except on the "problem bases" around Broughton Rd. The 3 bases, between Broughton Rd Bridge & Cockrobin Bridge (approx. 2m 51ch) have now all gained masts.
The "problem base" north of Cockrobin Bridge has now finally gained a TTC (Twin Track Cantilever) on the northbound (see photo A384g); the gap is now closed.
Dangly bits up near Agecroft, and the missing bases in the walled stretch north of Agecroft Rd have now appeared & gained TTCs - woohoo! The problem was due to excessively sandy ground conditions in the area.
Steelwork either side of Park House Rd Bridge looks well advanced.
Lot of masts with SPS up on the southern approach to Clifton.
7. Clifton Station; 4m 57ch
1 boomed TTC (with SPS), no wires. Base for another TTC in behind the southbound platform.
8. Clifton (North End) - Kearsley (South End); 4m 57ch to 7m 57ch
Most/all bases in place, large no. of masts, no wires.
Brackets are fitted to the underside of the M60 overbridge. Bridge MVE1 27B (immediately NW of this) is fully erected, but unopened, and work the walkway is not yet finished.
The line through the former Dixon Fold station site (around the new footbridge, approx. 6m 00ch) looks ready for wires; the wire-readiness extends south to the M60 bridge.
Earth wires now up between Clifton & Kearsley; definitely through Clifton Country Park but the full extent is not confirmed.
Looking south from Kearsley, all masts that are up appear to be fully kitted out with SPS.
9. Kearsley Station; 7m 57ch
All bases in place, no masts, no wires.
10. Kearsley (North End) - Farnworth (South End); 7m 57ch to 8m 31ch
All masts (almost all with booms), no wires. Dangly bits starting to appear at the Kearsley end. Farnworth tunnel (8m 25ch) has all its registration arms in place.
11. Farnworth Station; 8m 31ch
All bases in place, 1 or 2 masts, no wires. Looks pretty much ready for wiring south of the Farnworth Station Footbridge.
12. Farnworth (North End) - Moses Gate (South End); 8m 31ch to 9m 06ch
A pair of bases & squat masts are up between Farnworth Station footbridge and Rawson St Bridge (approx. 8m 44ch). Two bases have now gone in in the southbound cess, awaiting masts; one each side of the "squat portal" uprights.
Fully boomed and fully bedanglied TTCs up between Rawson St & the Balustraded Bridge (approx. 8m 56ch); this stretch now looks wire-ready.
The Gravity "Base of the century" just south of the Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge (approx. 8m 67ch) is now curing away nicely, with shuttering removed.
13. Moses Gate Station; 9m 06ch
Fully masted, no wires
14. Moses Gate (North End) - Bolton (South End); 9m 06ch to 10m 50ch
Weston St to Moses Gate looks almost ready for wiring.
Many bases, many masts, no wires. SPS and Tensorex drums appearing on some masts/cantilevers around Burnden Jct (10m 09ch).
All uprights appear to be up on both sides of Lever St footbridge; a multi-track portal is up immediately to the south of the bridge. To the north (on the east side), a TTC with reduced-height registration arms is up.
Stretching south from Bolton, long stretches of earth wire are now up. Another portal has been erected in 2 replacement bases.
Orlando St Bridge appears to be fully "stovepiped".
15. Bolton Station; 10m 50ch
Through the station, all lines are fully masted with the exception of P1 and P3 (1 mast missing between Weston St & Newport St bridges, on each line) and P5 (1 mast missing within the platform), according to the observations of Reg.
The 1st TTC up over P1/2 has now been bedanglied; in total, P1/2 is covered by 4 TTCs and 3 STCs. P2 still requires its "termination mast".
Platforms 98% open to public; the 2% not open is a fenced-off section of canopy support to the right of signal "MP9239". P2 buffers look finished. Canopies look complete.
Earth wires now going in; the first one runs parallel to P3, from the southern end almost up to the road bridge at the northern end. A second one (parallel to P5) is up, and it extends south through Burnden as far as the eye can see.
Two sets of chalked "hieroglyphs" are etched into the bridge deck of Trinity St over P3/4; possible locations for stovepipes? Additionally, bolts & brackets are now drilled into the glazed brick retaining wall opposite P1.
16. Bolton (North End) - Lostock (South End); 10m 50ch to 13m 52ch
Newport St bridge has now had studs/brackets of some kind drilled in. The run of masts between Newport St & the NW end of P5 now have their earth wire affixed. Just east of Newport St Bridge, a TTC (unbedanglied) has now gone up on the southbound side.
Between Newport Street Bridge & Moor Lane (the Bullfield Tunnels area), the tunnels are bedanglied throughout, with Aerial Earth Wire (AEW) brackets up over both tracks' respective tunnels/bridges.
Immediately NW of Newport St, one of the concrete bases that was poured over the weekend of May 5th has now had a mast affixed; the other mast for the other base is lying in wait.
Gt. Moor St. bridge now has a stovepipe in on the Down side. The most recently cured base, fresh from unwrapping, has now had a mast & two dangly assemblies put up (see pic. A300k; between Great Moor St. & Dawes St. bridges). Of the "3 amigos" (the three closest masts to Great Moor St. Bridge), 2 now have Tensorex Drums fitted and the other has its dangly bits cabled-tied down(see pic. A320k).
Cable ducting troughs laid between Black Horse St & New St on the Down side, in the cess; all 6 masts are now up in this gap.
The overrun along the line to Blackburn (as far as Bradshawgate Tunnel) looks nearly ready for SPS & wires.
All masts are now up between Moor Lane & Mayor Street bridges, with the addition of a portal just NW of Moor Ln.
East of Dean Clough Bridge (12m 26ch), 2 "failed" driven pile bases on the southbound side now have formwork for concrete gravity pad replacements in position, awaiting the concrete pour.
Between Dean Clough Bridge and 'the' Ladybridge (next one further west), all masts appear to be up, with cantilever assembles affixed (and folded out of place).
Thence, between 'the' Ladybridge and Beaumont Rd, all masts of all varieties are now up. Earth wires are already being strung!
All bases and masts are in place between Beaumont Rd & Lostock station.
Masts have started to appear immediately south of Lostock; at the extreme southern end of the station, a twin track portal with SPS has been erected, with the 4-track portal over Lostock Jct (13m 39ch) immediately south of that now being boomed too. 3 "failed" protruding, uncapped pile bases are on the Wigan Line; one assumes that gravity pad replacements will eventually be in the offing.
More masts around the switchgear box are sprouting dangly bits, switchgear kit etc.
A UTX has been installed in the "vee" in Lostock Jct, for buried service access.
Work currently going on with stacks of cable ducting on the Wigan Line - possibly from the substation?
Another TTC (with boom) has gone up on the Wigan Line.
East of Lostock, a possession was taken over the weekend of 23rd/24th of June - registration arms/dangly bits appeared to be on a road-railer trailer, so perhaps some masts gained their dangly bits. One of the booms was affixed for one of the portals over the junction.
17. Lostock Station; 13m 52ch
Switchgear box delivered 6th April '18.
All TTCs now in behind the Down platform; one of them is not like the others (additional bracing member).
18. Lostock (North End) - Horwich Pkwy (South End); 13m 52ch to 15m 50ch
Two more UTXs have been installed in the "vee" between the two lines, to the north of the station.
Immediately north of the station, the closest TTCs to the platforms have now sprouted part of their switchgear kit.
For a mile between the stations, all wires up from the "Golf Course" Footbridge (approx. 14m 04ch) to half a mile south of Horwich Pkwy (approx. 15m 10ch). Earth wires have gone up on the Down side immediately north of the station; these presumably extend to the existing wired section.
All masts appear to be in place with SPS for the remaining sections between the two, including the A6027/De Havilland Way overbridge, which now has dangly bits mounted on the walls.
19. Horwich Parkway Station; 15m 50ch
Two new TTCs up on the south end of the platforms; one portal and one TTC to go up. Bedanglied TTCs now up through the station, with more to erect.
20. Horwich Pkwy (North End) - Blackrod (South End); 15m 50ch to 17m 14ch
All masts appear to be up NW of Horwich Pkwy to the M61 bridge. Earth/AT wires linking 9 masts together between the 2 stations, heading north (on the Up side) from immediately north of the M61 bridge (approx. 16m 29ch).
More Earth/AT wires are now up immediately NW of the footbridge at the NW end of Horwich Parkway Car Park, on the Down side (N'bound); the footbridge in question has also been sandwiched by some very complex-looking steelwork (presumably for the reduced clearances).
SPS appearing on portals near Blackrod, and SPS assemblies have been folded out of the way on the station's southern approach.
Work has concluded on the footbridge that will replace Red Moss foot crossing; complex portal/masts are up there too.
21. Blackrod Station; 17m 14ch
No wires. Empty mast base at the southern end. Bonding complete on P1, and a (boomless) TTC has now been erected. Masts look complete to Lostock. P2 re-tarmacing ongoing.
22. Blackrod (North End) - Adlington (South End); 17m 14ch to 19m 15ch
Lots of masts up just north of Blackrod, with SPS all fitted. Some base replacement work occurred over 17th/18th Feb to replace failed bases. Successful bases have masts up with SPS on.
23. Adlington Station; 19m 15ch
2 single masts up (one on each side) and 2 TTCs (on one of the sides); all are bedanglied and earth bonded. The raod bridge at the southern end has also been stalactited. No wires.
24. Adlington (North End) - Chorley (South End); 19m 15ch to 22m 20ch
2 short stretches of wire on the s'bound track.
All bespoke mast fixings are now up on Yarrow Viaduct (21m 26ch at the southern end); work had stopped after the alleged discovery of a large void within the structure, but this appears to be resolved. All evidence of a worksite has now gone, which suggests a portal (south end) and a TTC (north end) are next!
25. Chorley Station; 22m 20ch
No wires. First mast now up over the Down/Northbound/Preston-bound platform; this is at the northern end of the station, and features dangly bits.A portal has now gone in (presumably at the southern end).
26. Chorley (North End) - Buckshaw Pkwy (South End); 22m 20ch to 24m 39ch
Many bases, some masts, 1 or 2 wires. Roof brackets affixed in Chorley Tunnel (23m 20ch to 23m 25ch), and at least 6 dangly bits/SPS are up in the Flying Arches cutting. All bases on top of the retaining wall at the northern end now have portal booms affixed.
One of the problem bases nr Chorley is now being sorted.
27. Buckshaw Parkway Station; 24m 39ch
Some bases in place, 2 TTCs up on the Down side, 1 TTC up on the Up side. The footbridge has now sprouted stovepipes. No wires.
28. Buckshaw Pkwy (North End) - Euxton Jct; 24m 39ch to 25m 31ch
Almost fully masted; about half the wires up until halfway to Euxton, then fully wired the rest of the way.
Do let me know if I've missed anything!
The Portal is North of the TTC that was installed previously
There still appears to my uneducated eye a gap between the mast south of the station and the TTC
Joseph_Locke
Established Member
Elecman
Established Member
All foundations now completed so just masts /SPS and wiring to do
DJH1971
Established Member
That's such good news to hear.
td97
Established Member
- Joined
- 26 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 1,556
Aah thanks - that does sound very plausible, and definitely more feasible than my initial thoughts (which was the effect of the bending moment caused by the arm when it is in position).
LDECRexile
Established Member
This is seriously good news, the greatest single source of unknowns dealt with.
Yippee!
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Previously, the foundation team in the NW has been able to move on to the next job in the pipeline.
I think there might be a few still to do east of Victoria (mostly on bridge parapets), but then...nothing that we know of.
superkev
Established Member
I suppose thanks to Mr bi-mode there is unlikely to be jobs to move onto and all that hard won skill and expensive plant will be redundant. Hope I'm wrong.
K
LDECRexile
Established Member
The Wigan line awaits.....
furnessvale
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Jul 2015
- Messages
- 4,897
......but not until all the men have been dispersed and the plant allowed to rust to scrap, meaning a complete new start.
Ribble sidings April 1976, Preston Blackpool electrification springs to mind.
SodTheDrummer
Member
Sure I saw earth wire into Farnworth tunnel this morning but the camera on my phone isn't working so couldn't get a picture sorry. Also noticed what I assume to be ATF wires at points between Farnworth and SFD.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Actually, there is still work on the GW scheme (quite a lot if Bristol and Oxford get going), and then on the Cardiff Valleys network as part of the Wales & Borders franchise.
Amey is now the main contractor for all these schemes, including NW Phase 4 (taken over from Carillion), so hopefully there will be some continuity there.
I never thought the Valleys scheme would be the only new electrification project on the stocks, partly because it will be discontinuous and therefore more affordable.
themiller
Established Member
At least Scotland has a rolling programme.
- Status