Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[LDECRexile]

A really fab day, warmly remembered. I hope you'll make contact next time you're heading for Blighty. On Monday Paul and I retraced many of the steps you and I took on 29th Dec. Like you, he was open-mouthed in Manchester.

Kindest regards

Dave

 

[Magicake]

It was photographed running through Huyton and again at Lime St on 29th Dec. Please see the photos in Series 2446 in the Combined Volume.

Fantastic photos - thanks!

I've investigated further and it does seem that the measurement equipment is still damaged following the incident discussed at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=105124

Apparently replacement kit has been ordered and so hopefully it should be repaired on time for testing if that looks like it might not be happening for a few months!

This doesn't explain what it was doing on the day you saw it but I note that the pantograph was down then.

Many thanks for the continued updates - I know I don't post much but I do read them and they are very interesting!

 

[LDECRexile]

I've wanged some more photos onto the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Still amuses me that signs are in miles chains and yards. Railways are certainly not metric yet are they?

 

[Class 170101]

Still amuses me that signs are in miles chains and yards. Railways are certainly not metric yet are they?

Except HS1

 

[driver_m]

The stantions are metric though. I wish they'd just go for it and make it all metric.

I apologise in advance for a dead cert derailment!

 

[Joseph_Locke]

The stantions are metric though. I wish they'd just go for it and make it all metric.

I apologise in advance for a dead cert derailment!

South of Weaver on the WCML aren't, that's why there's a junp in numbers.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Still amuses me that signs are in miles chains and yards. Railways are certainly not metric yet are they?

What? Of course we are; we mark the line 402.336m intervals and sign speeds in 8.04kph increments; rails also come in 18.288m lengths, which is handy.

 

[driver_m]

South of Weaver on the WCML aren't, that's why there's a junp in numbers.

I just meant the chat moss ones. Its strange how they did the northern end of the wcml metric in the 70s but the kidsgrove ones are miles. No consistency at all in this country with metric and imperial. Good thing I was taught both at school.

 

[317 forever]

With electric trains likely to start between Liverpool, Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Victoria/ Airport in May, I hope that the rebuilding of Manchester Victoria will be complete in time.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I just meant the chat moss ones. Its strange how they did the northern end of the wcml metric in the 70s but the kidsgrove ones are miles. No consistency at all in this country with metric and imperial. Good thing I was taught both at school.

You're older than me then, I had to learn imperial "on ther job". The reason for bits of the WCML being in miles and bits on km is the official change from imperial to metric in 1972/3, the north end stuff was done after this date.

 

[LDECRexile]

I went for a shufty on Friday, mainly looking for things which a layman can see need doing. As the photos show, autotransformer wire and clobber seem the only significant things missing.

I was struck on the day by seeing only one small group of Orangemen. Trains were running without whistling all the time.

I went out this morning. I arrived at Roby Jct about 10:00 expecting to see a repeat of last Sunday, with Huyton Junction and Roby Junction awash with orange and maybe autotransformer wires being slung up rapido.

One roadrailer set off westwards from the Roby worksite with fencing materials on his flatwagons.

At the Roby worksite several cherrypickers had their engines idling, one chap was topping one up with fuel and a couple of chaps came out and started doing pre-work tests on another. The place was buzzless.

At Huyton Quarry three of the four sooperdooper roadrailers photographed on Friday weren't there, which made me wonder if they were out on track, but I never saw them. One chap was doing what looked like maintenance.

I visited Roby station, Huyton station, Huyton Jct, Leach Lane Footbridge, St Helens Jct, Sankey Viaduct and Earlestown, with passes past track in between and saw not a glimpse of Orange nor a smear of Yellow.

Nowt, zilch, zero, nuffink.

I seemed rum to me given the cash and reputational cost of closing the line. Maybe everywhere was clear because a cavalcade of Mentors, Dementors, Dirty 92s, 319s and Pendolinos were going to go wizzing past under power.

Maybe

Does anyone in the know know what's what?

Handful of photos later.

 

[Loop & Link]

deleted

 

[martynbristow]

I went for a shufty on Friday, mainly looking for things which a layman can see need doing. As the photos show, autotransformer wire and clobber seem the only significant things missing.

I was struck on the day by seeing only one small group of Orangemen. Trains were running without whistling all the time.

I went out this morning. I arrived at Roby Jct about 10:00 expecting to see a repeat of last Sunday, with Huyton Junction and Roby Junction awash with orange and maybe autotransformer wires being slung up rapido.

One roadrailer set off westwards from the Roby worksite with fencing materials on his flatwagons.

At the Roby worksite several cherrypickers had their engines idling, one chap was topping one up with fuel and a couple of chaps came out and started doing pre-work tests on another. The place was buzzless.

At Huyton Quarry three of the four sooperdooper roadrailers photographed on Friday weren't there, which made me wonder if they were out on track, but I never saw them. One chap was doing what looked like maintenance.

I visited Roby station, Huyton station, Huyton Jct, Leach Lane Footbridge, St Helens Jct, Sankey Viaduct and Earlestown, with passes past track in between and saw not a glimpse of Orange nor a smear of Yellow.

Nowt, zilch, zero, nuffink.

I seemed rum to me given the cash and reputational cost of closing the line. Maybe everywhere was clear because a cavalcade of Mentors, Dementors, Dirty 92s, 319s and Pendolinos were going to go wizzing past under power.

Maybe

Does anyone in the know know what's what?

Handful of photos later.

So basically they've got a possession and aren't doing anything.

Without seeing it myself maybe:
a) Weather is preventing things - I got drenched in town today
b) Demands elsewhere?
c) There are only a few things left to do - Lets hope!

 

[DJH1971]

There are supposedly some overnight test runs this week.

It'll be a case of weeks rather than months before the 319's are up and running LIV-MIA.

Interesting to know.

Wavertree to Earlestown looks pretty much next to finished, and with the signs at stations advertising electric services, surely not much longer now?

 

[Loop & Link]

deleted

 

[DJH1971]

They wouldn't be planning overnight test runs and putting all signage up in stations if the 319's were starting in May rather than a few weeks.

There was some OHL proving last week which resulted in a possession overrun on the Chat Moss.

My thoughts exactly

 

[Geeves]

Yes last tuesday (I think) Yellow class 31 with OHLE pantograph test car came through Vic at silly AM, unsure if it was in use on the Chat Moss though.

Last night at Vic platforms 3 and 4 were receiving attention from an army of orange. One group working on adjusting the platform edges and the other group running RR lorries and cherry pickers putting up more metal to the roof. More danglies/bits on the top on the two large gantries at the east end and on the OHLE supports at the far west end of 3 and 4 these now have the droppers to hold the wire. The wire on 6 now comes in and runs all the way to the bridge in the middle of the station but still no actual copper cable in the station itself just yet.

 

[martynbristow]

Interesting working booked for Monday evening
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U98860/2015/02/23/advanced
Leaving Liverpool towards Manchester at 2014

 

[DJH1971]

Interesting working booked for Monday evening
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U98860/2015/02/23/advanced
Leaving Liverpool towards Manchester at 2014

Sounds suspiciously like a test train to me.

 

[LDECRexile]

There are supposedly some overnight test runs this week.

It'll be a case of weeks rather than months before the 319's are up and running LIV-MIA.

Interesting, any idea when the test runs are due, or whether they might show in realtimetrains?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

They wouldn't be planning overnight test runs and putting all signage up in stations if the 319's were starting in May rather than a few weeks.

There was some OHL proving last week which resulted in a possession overrun on the Chat Moss.

More interesting stuff, thank you; can you please say what 'OHL proving' is?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So basically they've got a possession and aren't doing anything.

Without seeing it myself maybe:
a) Weather is preventing things - I got drenched in town today
b) Demands elsewhere?
c) There are only a few things left to do - Lets hope!

I wondered the same things and share your hopes of c). I would be surprised at a) they seem like all weather creatures to me.


On my way back from family responsibilities this afternoon I snuck in a detour via Roby and Huyton Quarry. I arrived at Bridge Road bridge, Roby c16:30. Another roadrailer pushing and pulling flatbed trailers was being loaded with fencing materials, a couple of cherrypickers from the morning were not in the Buckingham compound.

One sooper-dooper roadrailer lorry was back at Huyton Quarry, but no sign of any humans.

The good news was that as I drove along the M57 three road-railers and crews were doing their stuff overhead near the Wigan Branch bridge. As Friday's photos show, there was then a Return Wire missing, quite a lot of temp fixings and temp fixings on the bridge itself. Maybe that lot will be fettled by tomorrow?

 

[deltic08]

Interesting working booked for Monday evening
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U98860/2015/02/23/advanced
Leaving Liverpool towards Manchester at 2014

With all parts of the L&M covered plus new loop at Huyton/Roby and west to south curve at Earlestown, this looks suspiciously like a registration test train before overheads are energised.
Pendolino or Class 92 later in the week followed by 319s from the 2nd March as forecast?

 

[DJH1971]

Pendolino or Class 92 later in the week followed by 319s from the 2nd March as forecast?

Here's hoping

 

[LDECRexile]

With all parts of the L&M covered plus new loop at Huyton/Roby and west to south curve at Earlestown, this looks suspiciously like a registration test train before overheads are energised.
Pendolino or Class 92 later in the week followed by 319s from the 2nd March as forecast?

Fingers crossed.

I have an immovable commitment until well into the evening, I wonder if I can make it to Earlestown Platform 3 for 23:55. Will my camera work if I do??

I've put seven photos and a film on from today. Six are in the usual place - first up. The other two are inserted as Photos 3250n and 1824a.

 

[Loop & Link]

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[deltic08]

Not sure of the technical in's and out's of the OHL proving but it was testing of the OHL.

My understanding the overnight runs will be 319's.

That is positive. I am not bothered what test train it is as long as it electrically propelled with a pantograph.

With this progress could we have Vic and Wigan routes operational by Easter?

 

[martynbristow]

Sounds suspiciously like a test train to me.

It does. I've seen a few of these of RTT before and it normally does a very odd route.
I'll see if I can detour out and watch it, I have dinner plans maybe we can picnic along the line

 

[Loop & Link]

deleted

 

[martynbristow]

One step at a time! Man Vic (guards), Wigan and Blackpool traincrew all work the Wigan line and their training hasn't started yet, so could be a while off. So there's hundreds of traincrew to get through.

I think it's a bit mad to train everyone on the new units. It creates an extra logistic nightmare. It would be sensible to trsin people who will use them at the moment

 

[Loop & Link]

deleted

 

[LDECRexile]

Yes last tuesday (I think) Yellow class 31 with OHLE pantograph test car came through Vic at silly AM, unsure if it was in use on the Chat Moss though.

Last night at Vic platforms 3 and 4 were receiving attention from an army of orange. One group working on adjusting the platform edges and the other group running RR lorries and cherry pickers putting up more metal to the roof. More danglies/bits on the top on the two large gantries at the east end and on the OHLE supports at the far west end of 3 and 4 these now have the droppers to hold the wire. The wire on 6 now comes in and runs all the way to the bridge in the middle of the station but still no actual copper cable in the station itself just yet.

My camera and I aim to have a look tomorrow. Thank you very much for such timely, clear and interesting info.