Ordsall Chord

[snowball]

Concrete arches going in on the south side of the line between Deansgate and Ordsall Lane:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK8KhAcAQEz/

and near the bottom of this page:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=90

 

[Chrisyd]

Just a couple of updates:

They appear to be doubling the height of the remaining columns from the old bridge over the Irwell:

by Chris Davis, on Flickr

Also the work at Salford Central has continued with the lift to Platform 2 now out of use and Ballast being added to the track bed (these photos are taken from what will be Platform 3 and is now fenced off):

by Chris Davis, on Flickr

by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[swt_passenger]

Just a couple of updates:

They appear to be doubling the height of the remaining columns from the old bridge over the Irwell:

Is it likely these are only going to be used for construction purposes and will be removed one the completed span is pushed over the river?

 

[snowball]

Is it likely these are only going to be used for construction purposes and will be removed one the completed span is pushed over the river?

It is. Though it looks as though a simple post will remain as a reminder. See, for example, the picture at the top of the Twitter page:

https://twitter.com/networkrailnp

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A wonderful new collection of pictures posted on Skyscrapercity by Steve Hyde (Freel07) towards the bottom of this page:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=90

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some extensive new S&C is taking shape by the south side of the Eccles route at Ordsall Lane.
It's stacked up ready for installation, no doubt part of the new junction.

 

[snowball]

Deck girders are appearing for the main river bridge - the curved upper girders have been on site for a while.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cuk00G8XgAAgAZN.jpg

 

[PDG1949]

Latest photo update is from 'Purple Cat' on SSC

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=92

 

[childwallblues]

Latest photo update is from 'Purple Cat' on SSC

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=92

Excellent photos.

 

[Iskra]

When is the Ordsall Chord planned to be operational? I read the latest NR press release but it didn't say.

 

[YorkshireBear]

When is the Ordsall Chord planned to be operational? I read the latest NR press release but it didn't say.

December 2017.

 

[Iskra]

December 2017.

Thank you. Not that long then really!

 

[Iceflame30]

Thank you. Not that long then really!

Would have been December 2016 without Whitby's involvement. But that's old news.

 

[PDG1949]

Ordsall Chord wins award

http://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/manchester-steel-rail-project-scoops-trimble-bim-award/

 

[deltic08]

Ordsall Chord wins award

http://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/manchester-steel-rail-project-scoops-trimble-bim-award/

Not strictly true. It was the Manchester Hub that was formed, NOT the Northern Hub. It is of no benefit to anywhere else in the North except Manchester.

 

[Geeves]

Except for all the towns that will be now connected to Manchester Airport and Piccadilly directly via the chord.

Pretty sure that stations along the Calder Vallley along with potentially locations in East Lancashire do not class themselves as Manchester?

 

[edwin_m]

By providing an alternative route avoiding the flat crossing of the Piccadilly throat, Ordsall Chord facilitates re-routeing of TPE services running via Victoria. This in turn allows acceleration of journeys such as Liverpool-Leeds.

 

[childwallblues]

Ordsall Chord wins award

http://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/manchester-steel-rail-project-scoops-trimble-bim-award/

Which are the five Manchester stations? Piccadilly, Oxford Road, Deansgate, Victoria and?

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Salford Central

 

[DynamicSpirit]

By providing an alternative route avoiding the flat crossing of the Piccadilly throat, Ordsall Chord facilitates re-routeing of TPE services running via Victoria. This in turn allows acceleration of journeys such as Liverpool-Leeds.

Can you clarify? Which TPE services do you mean? I don't doubt that the chord is useful for connecting other services to Manchester Airport, and giving direct connections between Piccadilly destinations and Victoria destinations. But I'm struggling to see how it helps in the particular way you describe - especially as introduces two new flat crossings with all the associated potential conflicts.

 

[glbotu]

Can you clarify? Which TPE services do you mean? I don't doubt that the chord is useful for connecting other services to Manchester Airport, and giving direct connections between Piccadilly destinations and Victoria destinations. But I'm struggling to see how it helps in the particular way you describe - especially as introduces two new flat crossings with all the associated potential conflicts.

That was the Windsor Link wasn't it? Allowing Liverpool - Newcastle services to go via Victoria and not cross the entire Piccadilly throat. The Ordsall Chord means you can run 6tph rather than 4tph between Leeds and Manchester, because you don't foul the entirety of Piccadilly getting from the low-numbered platforms to the Airport line.

 

[snowball]

That was the Windsor Link wasn't it? Allowing Liverpool - Newcastle services to go via Victoria and not cross the entire Piccadilly throat.

Liverpool - Newcastle services have been able to run via Victoria since Queen Victoria was on the throne. The Windsor Link enabled trains from Bolton to get to Oxford Road, Piccadilly and, a little later, the airport.

 

[Mollman]

That was the Windsor Link wasn't it? Allowing Liverpool - Newcastle services to go via Victoria and not cross the entire Piccadilly throat. The Ordsall Chord means you can run 6tph rather than 4tph between Leeds and Manchester, because you don't foul the entirety of Piccadilly getting from the low-numbered platforms to the Airport line.

Except a flyover at Picc would have allowed this without extending journey times for people travelling from the East to Picc.

 

[Ianno87]

Can you clarify? Which TPE services do you mean? I don't doubt that the chord is useful for connecting other services to Manchester Airport, and giving direct connections between Piccadilly destinations and Victoria destinations. But I'm struggling to see how it helps in the particular way you describe - especially as introduces two new flat crossings with all the associated potential conflicts.

Rather than all 4/5tph going from Leeds to Manchester Piccadilly; 2tph reversing towards the Airport, 1tph crossing the lot to get to Liverpool (via Platforms 13/14) and 1tph terminating you have...

...all 4/5tph going from Leeds to Manchester Victoria (which can be reached more quickly than Piccadilly from the east), thence 2tph continuing directly to Liverpool via Chat Moss, and 2tph looping back via the Ordsall Chord and Piccadilly to the Airport.

The chord effectively allows re-concentration of the (now faster) headline Manchester-Leeds journey time from Piccadilly to Victoria, but whilst keeping direct services to both Piccadilly and the Airport, and removing conflicting throat movements at Piccadilly.

 

[edwin_m]

The Ordsall Chord allows TPE Manchester Airport services to run via Victoria instead of crossing the throat at Piccadilly. Therefore Victoria becomes the primary station for Manchester passengers heading for Leeds/York/Newcastle and this allows Liverpool trains also to use the quicker route via Victoria (which I think would still be quicker than via a Piccadilly flyover).

An extra Liverpool-Leeds/beyond fast via Victoria could have been introduced earlier, as it has been now, but I don't think it was ever going to happen until Northern Hub was adopted as the long-term strategy.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Except a flyover at Picc would have allowed this without extending journey times for people travelling from the East to Picc.

Except 2tph will still go direct to piccadilly?

Oxford road which sees huge numbers on the one North TPE service that calls there will go up to 2tph.

Not sure you have a point.

 

[lejog]

Except a flyover at Picc would have allowed this without extending journey times for people travelling from the East to Picc.

A post from 18 months ago.

The original Manchester Hub study did have a Plan B, called Option 1. Instead of the Ordsall Chord it featured a flyover at Ardwick, to enable TPE North services to/from Guide Bridge to access the western platforms at Piccadilly without conflicting with Stockport line services. Also Ashburys to Guide Bridge would be re-quadded. This would increase capacity at Piccadilly, avoiding the need to divert services through Victoria. Piccadilly Platforms 15 & 16, and the Oxford Road improvements, were required, as for the Chord option.

Compared to the Chord, the Ardwick flyover was, at that time, assessed to be more expensive, worse value for money, riskier, more disruptive during construction and to deliver fewer economic benefits.

Also IIRC, there have been doubts expressed in this thread about the possibility of even building such a flyover.

Anyway its not all about TPE, the services connecting the Calder Valley and (potentially) East Lancs to Piccadilly would have to reverse there to go to the Airport.

 

[QueensCurve]

Can you clarify? Which TPE services do you mean? I don't doubt that the chord is useful for connecting other services to Manchester Airport, and giving direct connections between Piccadilly destinations and Victoria destinations. But I'm struggling to see how it helps in the particular way you describe - especially as introduces two new flat crossings with all the associated potential conflicts.

Trains from Leeds will present on the correct side of the formation at Piccadilly rather can cross the throat. They will not have to reverse.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Except a flyover at Picc would have allowed this without extending journey times for people travelling from the East to Picc.

Still presumably requiring refersal with consequent long platform dwell time. The Ordsal scheme presents them on the right side of the formation facing the right way,

 

[Altfish]

IIRC for this to work properly we are relying also on the extra platforms (15/16) at Piccadilly.

 

[edwin_m]

IIRC for this to work properly we are relying also on the extra platforms (15/16) at Piccadilly.

Yes, as well as the lengthening of the platforms at Oxford Road. All part of the Northern Hub scheme. However the Chord was given the go-ahead first and despite the Whitby delays is still ahead of the other bits, for which nothing seems to have happened on the ground yet.

 

[snowball]

The Picc P15/16 and Oxford Road works still await ministerial approval for their Transport & Works order.