Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[LDECRexile]

Please find attached the updated "Where we're up to" spreadsheet.

I don't know if it would be better displayed in any other way.

 

[LDECRexile]

I noticed yesterday that for the next three Sundays Lime St-Wigan NW services will be diverted through Rainhill then via Newton-le-Willows Jct and Lowton Jct to get onto the WCML at Golborne Jct.

For anyone interested in travelling on lines rarely used by passenger services this will give you the chance to travel West-to-North between the above. There is a sparse Mon-Fri southbound service, but no normal northbound service, as I found to my regret when I lived in Newton.

Details can be seen here:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/NLW/2014/09/28/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Please find attached the updated "Where we're up to" spreadsheet.

I don't know if it would be better displayed in any other way.

I will say it again " What a brilliant reference work" Thanks for your hardwork and posting.

 

[LDECRexile]

I really appreciate your kind remarks. Thank you.

 

[Class377/5]

New date for Liverpool - Victoria electric trains is now 'early 2015'. Effort is being put into making sure this section opens up first.

 

[LDECRexile]

I earned enough Brownie Points for a Day Pass Out today, so I toured several vantage points which I have visited before, plus one new one. I have added 28 photos here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110155...rification20134?authkey=Gv1sRgCNmM9tLBtNTlgAE

There seems to be rapid progress East of St Helens Junction. On Wednesday I reported that Return Wires ended at at Broad Lane, Collins Green. Now, just two days later, the Return Wire to the North of the tracks goes at least as far as the site of Collins Green Station, ie East of Penkford Lane Bridge, Collins Green. Buildings, fences and vegetation made it impossible to see exactly where it ends, but Sankey Viaduct isn't all that far away.

There are seven "scrapes" on Rainhill Station, six were securely covered, so I couldn't see how deep they were or whether they contained Bases. The seventh was exposed and showed a hole approx a foot deep, please see photo.

For ages there has been a pair of bases at the eastern end of St Helens Junction station, with no masts attached. I have been expecting masts to be erected and a cross-member to be plonked on top. I was therefore surprised to see that a TTC (Twin track cantilever, aka "Double Gallows") has been erected on the southern base, rendering the northern base redundant. This means wiring can progress through the station.

I have updated the "Where we are up to" speadsheet as below.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Great update with photos -thanks. Nice progression.

 

[DJH1971]

New date for Liverpool - Victoria electric trains is now 'early 2015'. Effort is being put into making sure this section opens up first.

Sources?

 

[LDECRexile]

New date for Liverpool - Victoria electric trains is now 'early 2015'. Effort is being put into making sure this section opens up first.

As a supportive layman this seems rum to me.

If, as reported in "Modern Railways", the approaches to Manchester Victoria will need extensive extra work why not kick off with Liverpool-Manchester Airport? (Or Liverpool-Wigan NW for that matter.)

Looking at Sankey Viaduct this week I couldn't see any evidence of activity, is it simple in engineering terms?

 

[DJH1971]

As a supportive layman this seems rum to me.

If, as reported in "Modern Railways", the approaches to Manchester Victoria will need extensive extra work why not kick off with Liverpool-Manchester Airport? (Or Liverpool-Wigan NW for that matter.)

Looking at Sankey Viaduct this week I couldn't see any evidence of activity, is it simple in engineering terms?

Liverpool to Manchester Airport going first would make sense as to start operational experience with the 319's in the North West.

Yet, looking on Network Rail's website tonight, they are still showing no changes to the dates for phase 2.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

As a supportive layman this seems rum to me.

If, as reported in "Modern Railways", the approaches to Manchester Victoria will need extensive extra work why not kick off with Liverpool-Manchester Airport? (Or Liverpool-Wigan NW for that matter.)

Agreed - that makes total sense

Liverpool to Manchester Airport going first would make sense as to start operational experience with the 319's in the North West.

Yet, looking on Network Rail's website tonight, they are still showing no changes to the dates for phase 2.

Agreed - see above

 

[DJH1971]

Meanwhile, at St Helens Junction station this morning Inoticed that another OHLE structure is now in place at the very east of the platform.

 

[The Planner]

You have all pretty much worked out what is planned to happen....

 

[Viscount702]

I am still unclear on the number of 319s that will be at Allerton and available for passenger services at the May timetable change.

Subject thereto I would have thought the entry into service of routes between January and May could be

1. Lime St.- Airport.

2. Live St. - WBQ.

3. Lime Street- Wigan and

4. Lime St. - Victoria

 

[DJH1971]

I am still unclear on the number of 319s that will be at Allerton and available for passenger services at the May timetable change.

Subject thereto I would have thought the entry into service of routes between January and May could be

1. Lime St.- Airport.

2. Live St. - WBQ.

3. Lime Street- Wigan and

4. Lime St. - Victoria

My guess is that the Liverpool to Manchester Airport route is the most do-able first.

 

[Whistler40145]

I expect it'll be Lime Street-Manchester Airport first, especially if Manchester Victoria wiring isn't complete.

 

[DJH1971]

I expect it'll be Lime Street-Manchester Airport first, especially if Manchester Victoria wiring isn't complete.

That's what my money is on.

And it appears work between Roby to Huyton and Rainhill to east of St Helens Junction is now seemingly stepping up a gear.

Saw plenty more 'orange army' men on abundance this morning.

 

[The Planner]

I would suspect that St Helens Wigan will be put on the back burner for a bit too.

 

[Whistler40145]

IMHO there's no rush for the Huyton to Wigan line, whereas Lime Street to Manchester Airport is more realistic.

 

[Wavertreelad]

The orange army is out west of Wavertree Tech Park this morning looking like they were putting the finishing touches to the bases which now have the anchor bolts in place. One can only assume the heritage steelwork will be removed when the new steel work is erected which now cannot be far away and connecting the new wires to the old will be possible.

 

[Class377/5]

Sources?

Posts by Tony Miles elsewhere. He's been updating on disscussions with NR.

As a supportive layman this seems rum to me.

If, as reported in "Modern Railways", the approaches to Manchester Victoria will need extensive extra work why not kick off with Liverpool-Manchester Airport? (Or Liverpool-Wigan NW for that matter.)

Looking at Sankey Viaduct this week I couldn't see any evidence of activity, is it simple in engineering terms?

Because the Victoria work is higher priority as the Electric TPE services start being diverted regularly as the route to Piccadilly will be closed for prep work on the new curve. Delaying work on the western side will not affect services so resources are being diverted to fixing Victoria first.

 

[Class 170101]

And its not as if they will have an abundance of Electric units to run the service with, at least to start with.

 

[The Planner]

Glad someone has spotted that. Yes it is a bit crap that its falling over and is likely to be late, but what does this actually prevent? Northern will only have two 319s? There certainly arent any timetable changes that are dependant on this, it is just a bit of a PR mess for everyone.

 

[Class 170101]

Unless the diagram worked something like Manchester to Liverpool then to Wigan NW, back to Liverpool and then to Manchester.

Could have impact on unit diagrams and possibly cost more units than planned and thus not release the DMU for Todmorden Curve.

 

[edwin_m]

Glad someone has spotted that. Yes it is a bit crap that its falling over and is likely to be late, but what does this actually prevent? Northern will only have two 319s? There certainly arent any timetable changes that are dependant on this, it is just a bit of a PR mess for everyone.

Isn't the Todmorden Curve service dependent on displacing a DMU somewhere?

 

[The Planner]

You are assuming we fix the curve itself first....

 

[Wavertreelad]

In view of the small numbers of 319 available in December, was is not the plan to assign the two sets to the Liverpool - Manchester Airport service anyway? If four sets are required to maintain the service it would be January or possibly even February before the number sets available for service would exceed those required which should give NR chance to complete the Wigan route.

In order perhaps to reduce the adverse PR and to reduce the overcrowding on the Liverpool services perhaps Northern could introduce an additional temporary call at Huyton on the Airport service?

 

[LDECRexile]

Because the Victoria work is higher priority as the Electric TPE services start being diverted regularly as the route to Piccadilly will be closed for prep work on the new curve. Delaying work on the western side will not affect services so resources are being diverted to fixing Victoria first.

Thank you for this informative and interesting reply, which shows the bigger picture.

I assume by "the western side" you mean West of the WCML.

Will diverting the resources kybosh all hopes of an early start to any Phase 2 services, or might it still be possible to get one or more of Lime St-Wigan NW or Lime St -St Helens Central or Lime St-Warrington BQ up and running soonish?

 

[The Planner]

Id put money on Wigan being well into next year.

 

[DJH1971]

Id put money on Wigan being well into next year.

I'd still think before Ordsall Lane to Victoria though.