No Power To The Tower

[sheff'd victoria]

I remember about 10-15 years ago " Rail " magazine did an artical about electrifying the line from Preston - Blackpool North

I guess this project has been put on the back burner ?

Would it be a good idea ?

What about the Blackpool South line ?

 

[craigy68]

... Blackpool South line is a 'tatty' long siding - wouldnt have thought the cost/benefits would ever warrant electrification ...

... Blackpool North is however a different matter ... surprised that wasn't done years ago ... along with a signal and station upgrade ... and removal of what are now mainly defunct carriage sidings.

 

[boing_uk]

what are now mainly defunct carriage sidings.

Mainly defunct? Given the number of units stabled/serviced there every night I find that an odd statement...

The only reason the Blackpool South is under utilised is the poor service it receives. Perhaps if it was given a decent service (and the facilities improved at Blackpool South... maybe even moving the station closer to the centre - which isnt an insurmountable task) it would get better patronage?

If you build it, they will come...

As for the knitting, wiring up BPN is pointless if other routes aren't done as well.

 

[craigy68]

... the line used to continue to Blackpool Central ... closed in 1964

... electrification would connect to the WCML

... if you build it they will come ?? ... nice idea but in practise ??

 

[driver9000]

... Blackpool South line is a 'tatty' long siding - wouldnt have thought the cost/benefits would ever warrant electrification ...

... Blackpool North is however a different matter ... surprised that wasn't done years ago ... along with a signal and station upgrade ... and removal of what are now mainly defunct carriage sidings.

The line to Blackpool South was singled in the early 1980s by BR and is now suffering from this by the inability to increase the service from the current hourly service. The line is actually quite busy especially to Squires Gate and the Pleasure Beach stations. Blackpool South as a station can also be very busy particularly so on B&B kicking out days around 11:00. Peak periods sees a lot of commuter traffic heading towards Preston and beyond St Annes always sees plenty of custom! Whether it all adds into a business case to include with any plan to electrify the Fylde coast I dont know, I think a passing loop or re-doubling part of the line and adding a station at Wrea Green would be a bigger priority


Blackpool North carriage sidings may look desolate during the day, but its a totally different story at night, its home to nearly 30 trains every evening both Northern and TPE. There are also fuelling and CET dropping facilities towards the back of the depot. Blackpool North carriage sidings is officially classified as an LMD (Light Maintenance Depot) they can carry out any small jobs that affect the fleet without them needing to be pulled to bits the only trains they dont touch (apart from fuelling and cleaning) are the 180s which are dealt with by a special team at Newton Heath.

 

[boing_uk]

Im fully aware Blackpool Central closed in the 60's... possibly the worst thing ever done.. even worse was the building of the M55 and Yeadon Way* over the former alignment.

... if you build it they will come ?? ... nice idea but in practise ??

Erm, lets look at just one example... the Ebbw Vale line... which is now, IIRC, carrying twice the number of passengers even the best estimates hoped for.

There is a considerable population along the route of the Blackpool South line, as well as Blackpool airport at Squires Gate. I personally think that as part of the larger plans for the regeneration of Blackpool, that the line should at least be extended to the football ground, with a couple of passing loops.

*named after Harry Yeadon, the pioneer of Lancashires highway network... I cant think of any worse insult to have an awful poorly planned 80's link road named after you.

 

[driver9000]

Strangely Beeching wanted to keep the route via Marton to Blackpool Central open and close the route via Poutlon to Blackpool North but BR insisted on the opposite happening and today Blackpool Central is now nothing but a memory even the toilet block was demolished recently.

 

[boing_uk]

Blackpool Central is now nothing but a memory even the toilet block was demolished recently.

I know... I walk past it every morning on the way to BPN

 

[tbtc]

Wiring Manchester - Bolton - Preston - Blackpool North (plus the curve from Liverpool - Wigan) would save a lot of DMUs based on current timetables, that could be cascaded elsewhere, as well as opening up a lot of potential new routes (Blackpool - Birmingham/ London).

However, the route I'm surprised doesn't happen is Blackpool - Glasgow! Do TPE have a spare unit at weekends to attach to an existing Preston - Glasgow service? Coul be very popular...

Based on current service patterns, Blackpool South isn't worth doing unless you wire to Colne - this hourly route is a lot harder to justify than the four an hour Blackool North - Preston/ four an hour Preston - Manchester...

 

[me123]

I strongly believe in full Transpennine electrification. On the Blackpool end alone, you've got the framework in place to start a huge Northern wiring project. Then there's routes from Leeds, York, Manchester and Newcastle. It would be a good start to mass electrification.

Blackpool to Glasgow would be very popular. It's been shown that a direct train induces demand, and a lot of Glaswegians like Blackpool for some reason. Glasgow Trains (who proposed running to Nottingham and Liverpool from Glasgow) also proposed that a portion of the Liverpool train run to Blackpool. However, that Open Access company hasn't been doing much for a while, and it's not looking good for them at the mo.

 

[merlodlliw]

Im fully aware Blackpool Central closed in the 60's... possibly the worst thing ever done.. even worse was the building of the M55 and Yeadon Way* over the former alignment.



Erm, lets look at just one example... the Ebbw Vale line... which is now, IIRC, carrying twice the number of passengers even the best estimates hoped for.

There is a considerable population along the route of the Blackpool South line, as well as Blackpool airport at Squires Gate. I personally think that as part of the larger plans for the regeneration of Blackpool, that the line should at least be extended to the football ground, with a couple of passing loops.

*named after Harry Yeadon, the pioneer of Lancashires highway network... I cant think of any worse insult to have an awful poorly planned 80's link road named after you.

As a North Wales person (GOG) to the South, The Ebbw Vale line was political and cost over £30M, Blackpool Central was fantastic, but politics killed it off, today this could not happen I have a book on Central Station, as for the toilet block, the book says the pennies paid the rates for the entire colossal station
which was the largest rail terminus in its time at any seaside resort in Europe.
Good for Ebbw Vale, can we have a slice in North Wales please,like a double track,Wrexham to Chester
which seems to be will it wont it.

 

[Pumbaa]

As a North Wales person (GOG) to the South

You are the first gog I've seen admit that in writing! Good on ya!

 

[37401]

Would be good if they did, then they could bring back the Blackpool-Euston Direct service

 

[boing_uk]

Im not entirely sure whether this is the correct thred to post this in or not; however this evening I notice that not only is the Mk1 goods van thats been there for over a decade, but also the two Mk2 wagons in the RES bay platform have been moved to the RES sidings on the south of Prestoin station - was on the 18:44 BBN to BPN service earlier and noticed the change.

The Mk2's had a tail lamp adoring them.

Anyone any ideas as to what is going on?

 

[merlodlliw]

Im not entirely sure whether this is the correct thred to post this in or not; however this evening I notice that not only is the Mk1 goods van thats been there for over a decade, but also the two Mk2 wagons in the RES bay platform have been moved to the RES sidings on the south of Prestoin station - was on the 18:44 BBN to BPN service earlier and noticed the change.

The Mk2's had a tail lamp adoring them.

Anyone any ideas as to what is going on?

I am sure you will get chapter & verse, welcome back, but I think traction & rolling stock is more
for your query.

 

[starrymarkb]

And it looks like the OP got their wish as wiring is now in the planning stage...

 

[driver9000]

Im not entirely sure whether this is the correct thred to post this in or not; however this evening I notice that not only is the Mk1 goods van thats been there for over a decade, but also the two Mk2 wagons in the RES bay platform have been moved to the RES sidings on the south of Prestoin station - was on the 18:44 BBN to BPN service earlier and noticed the change.

The Mk2's had a tail lamp adoring them.

Anyone any ideas as to what is going on?

They are to be removed by road for scrap, the South sidings area being better suited to road access.