Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[LDECRexile]

Wrinkley has been out and about again.

He's sent more photographs, which I've added to this 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

His accompanying text read:

"I walked from Lostock to Blackshaw Lane this morning, the only thing worth photographing was the heron, he was still there when I walked back, so I got him again. No change from yesterday, I spoke to two locals near the flats who said that the wiring was done at night, which seems odd seeing that there is a nine day blockade.

However, this afternoon I drove past the station and noticed roadrailers in the distance on the Wigan line. I got along distance shot from the farm bridge near Chulsey Gate Lane. I went to the golf course footbridge to see if I could get closer and found Orangemen on the Preston line between the footbridge and the station.

Both sets of roadrailers were moving and I got them again from the station bridge on both lines.

The Preston line roadrailers probably came from the Lostock Lane work site in Horwich. They won’t get past the station as all the timber for the new platforms is stacked up on the tracks."

Thank you Wrinkley.

 

[CAF397]

APC magnets have been installed on the Down Bolton for the neutral section at Windsor Bridge South Jn.

 

[deltic08]

APC magnets have been installed on the Down Bolton for the neutral section at Windsor Bridge South Jn.

APC means?

 

[The_Engineer]

APC = Automatic Power Control for neutral sections. The APC magnet on the track activates a receiver on the train. This trips the VCB (Vacuum Circuit Breaker) on the train to avoid drawing power on the neutral section.

 

[deltic08]

APC = Automatic Power Control for neutral sections. The APC magnet on the track activates a receiver on the train. This trips the VCB (Vacuum Circuit Breaker) on the train to avoid drawing power on the neutral section.

Thank you. I nearly got it right, Automatic Pantograph Control.

 

[wrinkley]

Down line C&C now extended from Blackshaw Lane to tensioners between Dean Clough and Ladybridge.

 

[deltic08]

Down line C&C now extended from Blackshaw Lane to tensioners between Dean Clough and Ladybridge.

Are there tensioners at both ends of a length of contact wire or is it anchored to a mast without at one end with tensioners at the other therefore reducing costs?

 

[CAF397]

Tensioned both ends of the wire run, with the mid-point anchor obviously being datum for the Catenary run, that is any tension changes happen from that point either side.

 

[PN27]

Just to add that short sections of C+C (for example, those covering crossovers), are only tensioned at one end, and directly fixed to a mast at the other.

Tensioned both ends of the wire run, with the mid-point anchor obviously being datum for the Catenary run, that is any tension changes happen from that point either side.

I don't suppose you know why the masts with Tensioners don't generally have stay rods attached?

 

[reg]

Bolton- platform 3 now wired, some temporary fixings being used.

 

[LDECRexile]

Wrinkley has been out and about again.

I've added his latest shots 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.

 

[59CosG95]

Bolton- platform 3 now wired, some temporary fixings being used.

Hooray! Did you manage to find out the extent of the wiring in each direction away from the station?

 

[deltic08]

n

Just to add that short sections of C+C (for example, those covering crossovers), are only tensioned at one end, and directly fixed to a mast at the other.

I don't suppose you know why the masts with Tensioners don't generally have stay rods attached?

Thank you to TBSchenker and yourself for explaining. A case of horses for courses then, both occur.

 

[snowball]

I don't suppose you know why the masts with Tensioners don't generally have stay rods attached?

I hadn't previously noticed that they didn't. I think I've seen some that do.

However, in the case of the two masts with tensioners in picture B508C, I notice that they have huge gravity bases, which I'm sure will help to stop them being pulled over.

 

[reg]

Hooray! Did you manage to find out the extent of the wiring in each direction away from the station?

Not yet, hope to do full Bolton tour tomorrow.

 

[wrinkley]

Hooray! Did you manage to find out the extent of the wiring in each direction away from the station?

Going south, the up line is wired to a point between Weston St and Green Lane, it's not easy to get a view of where it ends. The down line is continuously wired to a point between Kearsley station and Clifton station.

Going North the up line is wired to about 100 metres past Blackshaw Lane. The down line is wired to the autotensioners between Dean Clough and the Ladybridge. This could change overnight if wiring continues.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I hadn't previously noticed that they didn't. I think I've seen some that do.

However, in the case of the two masts with tensioners in picture B508C, I notice that they have huge gravity bases, which I'm sure will help to stop them being pulled over.

It's a big-endian / little-endian (brush up your Gulliver's Travels). The NR maintainer crowd like self supporting anchors (SSA, no backtie), because there is only one base so no inspection of a backtie. The construction crowd like backtie anchors because the bases / foundations are small. Phase 4 was designed as all-SSA (and signed off by the maintainer) and the shenanigans with Carillion installation has seen a few backties creep back in ...

 

[PN27]

It's a big-endian / little-endian (brush up your Gulliver's travels). The NR maintainer crowd like self supporting anchors (SSA, no backtie), because there is only one base no inspection of a backtie. The construction crowd like backtie anchors because the bases / foundations are small. Phase 4 was designed as all SSA (and signed off by the maintainer) and the shenanigans with Carillion installation has seen a few backties creep back in ...

Ta. On the section where I live, it looks like the masts where feeder and earth wire starts/terminates have backties, as do the mid-point anchors, but the tensioners don't.

 

[Fougasse]

Probably being done by RRV. The new ones are just as quick as the wiring

That depends on the wiring train being used.

 

[twpsaesneg]

It's a big-endian / little-endian (brush up your Gulliver's Travels). The NR maintainer crowd like self supporting anchors (SSA, no backtie), because there is only one base so no inspection of a backtie. The construction crowd like backtie anchors because the bases / foundations are small. Phase 4 was designed as all-SSA (and signed off by the maintainer) and the shenanigans with Carillion installation has seen a few backties creep back in ...

Actually in this case the installation contractor's early preference was to have SSA's rather than masts and ties to save on foundations.

Where mass gravity foundations are installed it is easier to install a tie as the mass required for the overturning moment of an SSA is huge compared to that required for a mast and tie. Where an anchor is required on a TTC or Portal structure, a tie is unavoidable.

 

[Baz123]

Much action between Dean Clough Bridge and Lostock this afternoon - Lostock platform refurbishment continues. As noted by Wrinkley earlier this week C&C had been installed on the down line to between Dean Clough Bridge and the Ladybridge - this has now been extended to the main electrical OLE feed at Lostock. C&C was being installed on the up line too, I expect this will also be completed to the feed array at Lostock later today.

 

[Baz123]

More photo's...

 

[Baz123]

And more...

 

[DJH1971]

Great stuff and shows things are hotting up a notch

 

[L+Y]

To clarify from a "layman's perspective"- are there now full wiring runs from the WCML all the way through to Bolton?

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added Baz123's very encouraging photos to his flickr album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157697878194035

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you Baz.

 

[snowball]

Latest pictures from the Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/TheGNRP/status/1035155790238285826

https://twitter.com/TheGNRP/status/1035075899857797120

 

[LDECRexile]

Reg has kindly sent encouraging photos of wiring work in Bolton.

He added: "Wires are now through Platform 3. I only had limited time but I can give visual confirmation of wires from Moor Lane tunnel to Orlando St bridge. Wiring crew were working on Platform 1."

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

These three shots take Reg's contribution past the 200 shots mark.

Thank you Reg.

 

[LDECRexile]

I did another train trip to the two Salfords today.

I couldn't see any changes, but I had more time to look around than on Tuesday.

Salford Central looks wire-ready. I can't fathom what the mastless base is for, I'm hoping it's a dud.

Salford Crescent looks in need of some danglification, but not much.

I've added a handful of shots to the Combined Volume here:

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

On the bigger picture, am I alone in wondering where we are with 25kV cabling (ie that which runs in ducts at ground or waist level)?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Did you take the Salford Central set Dave?