OHLE with no track underneath

[GLC]

I was passing through Stafford today, and noticed an old siding just north of the station, which looked as if the track had been lifted, but the OHLE above was all still in place.

I’ve seen old gantries before above abandoned bits of railway land, but to still have the wires there stuck out to me.

Are they likely to still be energised?

It would seem mad to keep them live, but then again, often it’s easier to just leave stuff like that in situ rather than mess with it

 

[The Planner]

I was passing through Stafford today, and noticed an old siding just north of the station, which looked as if the track had been lifted, but the OHLE above was all still in place. I’ve seen old gantries before above abandoned bits of railway land, but to still have the wires there stuck out to me. Are they likely to still be energised? It would seem mad to keep them live, but then again, often it’s easier to just leave stuff like that in situ rather than mess with it

Presumably the old Salop Branch sidings. I doubt they are energised and a switch is there.

 

[Magdalia]

The old down side bay at Gordon Hill also has overhead line but no track.

 

[thecrofter]

I was passing through Stafford today, and noticed an old siding just north of the station, which looked as if the track had been lifted, but the OHLE above was all still in place. I’ve seen old gantries before above abandoned bits of railway land, but to still have the wires there stuck out to me. Are they likely to still be energised? It would seem mad to keep them live, but then again, often it’s easier to just leave stuff like that in situ rather than mess with it

The two Arrival Sidings are still energised but the Up Sidings 1-4 are Permanently Earthed. There was an incident there many moons ago where a Tamper fitter was badly injured from coming into contact with live wires that led to the sidings being "PESsed" although there was no money (in the Stafford re-signalling project) to remove the redundant equipment. Similarly, Wolverhampton station still has the wires above the removed through road that was again left behind because the Wolves re-signalling project didn't have it in their scope (or budget) to do! At least I did manage to get them to put Bare Feeder Wire Triangles up there though!!

 

[AndrewP]

The old down side bay at Gordon Hill also has overhead line but no track.

Can't believe that's still like that - has been since at least the late 90s when I moved there (several house moves ago!)

 

[john prytherch]

I have not done any travelling since having a stroke last July, but I believe the Middle Siding at Wolverhampton High Level (between Platforms 1 and 2) is still wired and live although the track was lifted some years ago. I think it still has the nice big insulators, larger than those on the adjacent lines which have been replaced. When I think of it I am still able to imagine AM4 units, and sometimes locomotives, stabled there.

 

[mcmad]

Similarly the 'fish bay' at Berwick Upon Tweed Station has OLE but no track. From memory the OLE anchor mast has a plaque commemorating it being the X thousand mast planted in the ECML scheme.

 

[Wyrleybart]

How about the slow lines between Duddeston and the junction just before Aston ?
Not been along there for a while but I know the signals were still lit an the OLE presumably still sizzled away in wet or icy weather

May have been resolved more reecenty

 

[thecrofter]

How about the slow lines between Duddeston and the junction just before Aston ?
Not been along there for a while but I know the signals were still lit an the OLE presumably still sizzled away in wet or icy weather

May have been resolved more recently

There are indeed two overhead lines above disused roads that remain live and act as Bare Feeders (with Warning Triangles) for Sections WS7 & WS8 to the Up & Down Vauxhall lines from the New Street side of the Neutral Section to Aston MPTSL. When the old sidings were de-wired, it was easier (and less costly) to keep the existing OLE feeding arrangement by keeping a small section of wired but unused track rather than reconfigure the Neutral Section wiring. It was looked at when the proposed WMT depot was being considered at Duddeston but discarded again on value for money / safety risk grounds.

 

[starlight73]

I was passing through Stafford today, and noticed an old siding just north of the station

Were you maybe thinking of Burley Fields Siding which is on the left as you head north out of Stafford:

Link to openrailwaymap: https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=52.80716210175345&lon=-2.130269408226013&zoom=17

(At least, that’s the name on the map. Looks like it used to be a branch line between Stafford and Shrewsbury)

edit - think this was already mentioned up thread

 

[vic-rijrode]

Looks like it used to be a branch line between Stafford and Shrewsbury

edit - think this was already mentioned up thread

That "branch line" was the Shropshire Union Railway, indeed from Stafford to Shrewsbury. The SUR was unusual in that it was a railway authorised for and built by a canal company (the Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company), although by the time of opening it was effectively part of the LNWR (Stafford to Wellington) and GWR/LNWR joint (Wellington to Shrewsbury).

There is an excellent Oakwood Press book on the SUR by Bob Yate which mentions the electrification of the remaining stub at Stafford.

(There is, or was, a short remaining section of the SUR from Wellington to Donnington. I am unsure of the exact status of this section - OS maps are still showing the line in place.)

 

[The Planner]

(There is, or was, a short remaining section of the SUR from Wellington to Donnington. I am unsure of the exact status of this section - OS maps are still showing the line in place.)

Its in use, it has a freight terminal at the end of it.

 

[starlight73]

There is an excellent Oakwood Press book on the SUR by Bob Yate which mentions the electrification of the remaining stub at Stafford.

thanks - was the Stafford end stub presumably electrified for passenger trains to use as a siding?

 

[vic-rijrode]

thanks - was the Stafford end stub presumably electrified for passenger trains to use as a siding?

I'm sure Mr Yate won't mind me quoting verbatim from his book; bear in mind it was published in 2003:

"Today the SUR can boast 25kVA electrification! Or it can for one-third of a mile. Single line track remains in situ on the first third of a mile after leaving the Crewe main line at Stafford, complete with electrification masts and catenary. This was installed as soon as the line was closed to facilitate the stabling of civil engineering trains, but has also been used for stabling 'merry-go-round' coal trains from Littleton Colliery (now closed) to Rugeley power station."

 

[class442]

I'm fairly certain that the bay platform adjacent to platform 5 at Northampton has OHLE, and track, but this track is no longer connected as the junction has been plain lined