Ordsall Chord

[notlob.divad]

Am I right in thinking that even if they do re-build platforms 3&4, under the plans for the service pattern nothing suitable will pass on those tracks due to all of the services being fast /semi fast and adding extra stops in the central Manchester conurbation will just slow them down further?

It does feel with this whole Northern Hub project, that despite most of the work taking place in the City of Salford, the stations serving the population there get a bit of a raw deal.

 

[snowball]

In scheme development terms it is happening (the scheme development) but it is a TfGM project and they have their own priorities. That isn't to say that it won't happen (and, completely personally, I think it only a matter of time before NR get an improvement notice for the platforms anyway).

But didn't TfGM get DfT funding approval for it the year before last?

Edit: TfGM committee paper - see item 7.

http://www.transportforgreatermanch.../file/5164/item_07_rail_infrastructure_report

Edited again because I originally linked a meeting from last year.

 

[Iceflame30]

It does feel with this whole Northern Hub project, that despite most of the work taking place in the City of Salford, the stations serving the population there get a bit of a raw deal.

Hence the "local noise", of which I'm a small part of. I don't think (re)building (at least) two extra platforms and then _nothing_ more stops at the station is what's going to happen, although this is speculation on my part. Eventually there will be new services from Manchester Airport via Manchester Victoria continuing lines to the North/Northeast of Manchester CC, I'd expect those services to stop at Salford Central, for example.

 

[snowball]

Tony_H1 (known as Geeves on this forum) has posted on Skyscrapercity to say demolition of Princes Bridge is in progress.

 

[Greybeard33]

Hence the "local noise", of which I'm a small part of. I don't think (re)building (at least) two extra platforms and then _nothing_ more stops at the station is what's going to happen, although this is speculation on my part. Eventually there will be new services from Manchester Airport via Manchester Victoria continuing lines to the North/Northeast of Manchester CC, I'd expect those services to stop at Salford Central, for example.

More on Salford Central from the June TfGM Rail Infrastructure Report:

6.2 Network Rail, on behalf of TfGM, is progressing with GRIP 4 (single option
development) including Network Rail’s plans to ease the stepping
distances on platforms 1 and 2. We are working closely with Network Rail
at Project and North of England Programme level to ensure the scheme
is delivered as soon as possible, alongside the Ordsall Chord works.

6.3 Part of the GRIP 4 process requires a Network Change consultation to
take place with Train Operating Companies, the initial feedback shows
that further work is required to understand stopping patterns at the
station. Now that the franchise commitments are known further
timetabling studies are being commissioned and an industry engagement
session has been arranged for 30 June. Network Change agreement is
required to finish in line with Grip 4 completion in August 2016.

Reading between the lines, it appears TPE and Northern are not keen on stopping Airport or Chat Moss trains at the new Central platforms.

 

[Chrisyd]

Princes Bridge, apologies for the quality of the photo, but you can see a digger at the far end of the bridge, where once it would have been connected:

Demolition of bridge ramps by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[snowball]

The beams have arrived for the bridge over Trinity Way.

See video near the top of Network Rail's Northern Programme Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/networkrailnp

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It appears that the demolition of some more of Middlewood Viaduct, originally advertised for the bank holiday weekend, is now to happen this weekend.

Trinity Way is closed from Saturday evening to Monday morning.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...of-ongoing-ordsall-chord-railway-upgrade-work

Section of Manchester ring road to close this weekend as part of ongoing Ordsall Chord railway upgrade work

A number of railway arches which make up a disused section of railway will be removed this weekend as work continues to build the Ordsall Chord.

The work, part of Network Rail’s £1bn+ investment in the railway in the north of England, will mean a section of Trinity Way will be closed to traffic as a safety because of the closeness of the road to the demolition site.

The four arches are being removed to allow the Ordsall Chord to be tied into the railway.

From 8pm on Saturday, 25 June until 6am on Monday, 27 June 2016 the north east bound and south west bound carriageways will be closed to traffic between Hampson Street and Irwell Street junctions. Diversions will be in place and clearly signed while the vital work takes place.

And the MEN report based on the press release:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...ews/ordsall-chord-trinity-way-closed-11514419

Part of a busy Manchester ring road will be closed this weekend as part of the huge Ordsall Chord project to connect Piccadilly and Victoria Stations.

A number of railway arches that make up a disused section of railway will be knocked down this week as the £85m scheme gathers pace.

The work at Middlewood Viaduct will allow the Ordsall Chord to be tied into the railway.

The design, which resembles a ‘squashed tennis racket’, is the first of its kind.

Work is now underway to build the Trinity Way Bridge over Trinity Way and the network arch bridge to span the River Irwell.

The bridge, a key part of the project, will be 108 metres long with 1,200 tonnes of steelwork.

In November, a 600-tonne crane will lift it into place before a 1,350-tonne crane arrives in January to lift in the Network Arch Bridge - the ‘squashed tennis racket’ section.

This weekend’s work to remove the four railway arches means section of Trinity Way will be closed as a safety measure because of how close the road is to the demolition site.

From 8pm on Saturday (June 25) until 6am on Monday (June 27) the north east-bound and south west-bound carriageways will be closed between Hampson Street and Irwell Street junctions.

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User "nq" on Skyscrapercity draws attention to this planning application for the proposed works at Salford Central:

http://publicaccess.salford.gov.uk/...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=O8URHCNPIIE00

http://dctmviewer.salford.gov.uk/Pl...ASS_CODE=PLAN&Application_number=16/68388/LBC

Works to redevelop Salford Central Station comprising the refurbishment of platforms 1 and 2, reinstatement of platforms 3, 4 and 5, provision of new lift, canopies, shelters and passenger facilities, and ancillary works. | Salford Central Station New Bailey Street Salford M3

Platforms 1 & 2 (Currently in use)

Re-gauge and resurface platforms to reduce stepping distances to compliant standards.
Remove existing platform canopies and install new platform canopies.
Replace existing ramp (current 1:8 gradient, non-compliant) with stairs. Level access is provided to Platform 1 via the existing lift.

Platforms 3, 4 & 5 (Currently dis-used/demolished)

Platforms 3 & 4 are currently disused and Platform 5 was previously demolished. These will serve the new Ordsall Chord line (ELR: OCD).
Reconstruct the existing Platforms 3 and 4.
Construct a new Platform 5 to serve the Down Chat Moss line.
Remove existing platform canopies and install new platform canopies.
Replace existing ramps to Platforms 2/3 and 4/5 with stairs.
New lift to provide level access to the island Platform 4 and 5. Level access is provided to platform 3 via the existing platform 2 lift.
Providing safe access to colonnades deck plate below platform 5.

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It appears that the demolition of some more of Middlewood Viaduct, originally advertised for the bank holiday weekend, is now to happen this weekend.

Has happened. A couple of night-time pictures on the Twitter feed, not giving a vey clear overall impression:

https://twitter.com/networkrailnp

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Arches 14 to 18 were demolished as (re) planned.

 

[Chrisyd]

You can see on this picture the extent of the arches demolished at the weekend:

Demolished arches by Chris Davis, on Flickr

Also if you want a reminder of how it used to look, here is my weekly time line of how the area has changed since February: https://flic.kr/s/aHskvAnDBv

 

[snowball]

Tony_H1 reports on Skyscrapercity that both approach ramps to Princes Bridge are gone and a large crane is being assembled, so perhaps the bridge will go this weekend.

The Northern Programme Twitter feed warns of 3 weekend closures to Trinity Way to realign the central reservation:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmIO0c0WQAAh_oz.jpg

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There are pictures of the aforesaid crane on the Northern Programme Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/networkrailnp

 

[Iceflame30]

Ordsall Chord & Salford Central mentioned in new TfGM 2040 strategy.

Pages 14 & 17

http://www.tfgm.com/2040/Pages/stra...n-1-2016_17 to 2021_22 Consultation Draft.pdf

Ordsall Chord | West of Victoria track layout changes, Castlefield and Ordsall Lane junction capacity and performance improvements (part of the Northern Hub rail scheme to increase capacity) | NR | Dec 2017

Salford Central Additional Platforms | Three additional platforms to accommodate increased passenger numbers and additional services post completion of the Ordsall Chord. (improve access to the rail network from the Central Salford/Spinningfields area) | TfGM/ NR | 2017

 

[terryc]

I noticed last week that all the vegetation covering the sidings to the West of Ordsall Junction on the Chat Moss line was being removed. Are these going to see traffic again?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I noticed last week that all the vegetation covering the sidings to the West of Ordsall Junction on the Chat Moss line was being removed. Are these going to see traffic again?

There is also a new mast or two in that area for new/altered OHLE.
I think the junction and its approaches are being remodelled in line with the Chord master plan.
Our Mr Locke says Eccles-Victoria will go back to being the "main line" (currently it's Deansgate-Bolton).
I doubt the sidings have a future as a source of freight.

 

[Senex]

Our Mr Locke says Eccles-Victoria will go back to being the "main line" (currently it's Deansgate-Bolton).

Why do that when there has to be a really low speed restriction on the Eccles-Victoria line in any case whilst the alignment of the Piccadilly-Bolton line permits about double the speed (IIRC)?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Why do that when there has to be a really low speed restriction on the Eccles-Victoria line in any case whilst the alignment of the Piccadilly-Bolton line permits about double the speed (IIRC)?

Currently, it's 25mph through the junction for Eccles-Victoria trains.
Deansgate-Salford Crescent is 30 south of Ordsall Lane, and 50 north (though I doubt any trains actually do the latter).
I don't know if the signalling gives specific priority to the Bolton route, but waiting west of Ordsall Lane on a Chat Moss train is very common.
We'll have to see what the remodelling throws up.
The declared priority is "Leeds-Liverpool journey time improvements".

 

[Senex]

The declared priority is "Leeds-Liverpool journey time improvements".

Isn't there also supposed to be an aspiration for a 30-minute M/c-Preston timing?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I think you are all confusing "main line" in Pway terms with "main line" in glory-days-of-expresses terms.

What I meant was that the straightest route will be Eccles - Deal Street, as this is the way the majority of traffic will go. Castlefield to Windsor Bridge will become the turnout route at both ends.

As to 30 minutes from "Manchester" to "Preston", such an aspiration was put forward as part of a DfT cunning plan to get to Blackpool in 45 minutes.

However, given that the first 2 miles are 30mph, Bolton is 20mph come what may, they weren't going to pay to speed up Euxton from 50, a crawl&call through Preston is traditional, let alone needing tilt, TASS and Pendolinos to achieve the required 110mph+ at all points inbetween, this idea was doomed to failure*. Phase 4 will take about 3 minutes off Salford - Chorley only, and Phase 3 hasn't got any major speed changes. The only savings on PBN will as result of taking pathing allowances out of the timetable.

* Though possible, and hideously expensive ...

 

[snowball]

Pictures posted by Freel07 on Skyscrapercity:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=134089662&postcount=1673

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More pictures from Skyscrapercity.

1) A number of pictures collected from Twitter by Tony_H1 (known on here as Geeves), including a couple of what seems to be a model of the Network Arch bridge:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=134143497&postcount=1675

2) A new one by loweskid, showing Princes Bridge half gone:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=134213569&postcount=1679

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Twitter feed saying Princes Bridge gone.

https://twitter.com/networkrailnp

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Recent press releases (or maybe it was items on the Twitter feed) referred to closures of Trinity Way "to enable the central reservation to be diverted".

I was puzzled by this as I didn't remember seeing such a diversion on the Chord plans.

I drove along TW today and saw what they may have meant. A stretch of the southbound carriageway has been temporarily widened on its Manchester side to four lanes, and all traffic in both directions has been diverted onto it, so that the northbound carriageway can be used by piling rigs etc for works to Middlewood Viaduct and the north abutment of the proposed bridge over TW.

User "philwho27" on SSC has drawn attention to this link, where Matthew Nichol has a lot of excellent pictures of the Chord works:

http://www.matthewnichol.com/ordsallchord

 

[Chrisyd]

Couple of pictures recently taken:

Princes Bridge Half Gone
Bridge half gone by Chris Davis, on Flickr

No Princes Bridge (taken this Tuesday)

Bridge gone by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[PR1Berske]

I want neither to go off topic or encourage others to do so, only I want to ask if anything has been heard from Mr Whitby in recent weeks about Ordsall?

 

[WatcherZero]

Not heard a peep from him since his appeal was dismissed in March.

 

[swt_passenger]

Not heard a peep from him since his appeal was dismissed in March.

Wonder if he'll reply when invited to the opening?

 

[Darren R]

Wonder if he'll reply when invited to the opening?

He has the chutzpah to actually accept!

 

[kevconnor]

I think we should reserve him a seat on the first scheduled train over the chord, I'm happy to pay, I'll even stretch to a first class ticket if it's a TPE.

 

[Whistler40145]

I think we should reserve him a seat on the first scheduled train over the chord, I'm happy to pay, I'll even stretch to a first class ticket if it's a TPE.

Very good

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[edwin_m]

What looks like various bits of the new bridge are sitting in a compound between the Deansgate-Ordsall line and the Potato Wharf block of flats.

 

[snowball]

What looks like various bits of the new bridge are sitting in a compound between the Deansgate-Ordsall line and the Potato Wharf block of flats.

That might possibly be the pieces of the bridge over Trinity Way, which were delivered about five weeks ago and have been being welded on site into longer lengths.

 

[Snapper]

Here's a selection of shots showing progress on the construction of the Ordsall chord, taken yesterday. http://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/p671909530

 

[childwallblues]

All very interesting.

 

[edwin_m]

That might possibly be the pieces of the bridge over Trinity Way, which were delivered about five weeks ago and have been being welded on site into longer lengths.

Could well be - it's certainly not the tennis racket bit over the river but looks like the lower steelwork that adjoins it. Thought it was worth mentioning because I don't recall seeing it on here (I could be wrong of course!).