Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[Meerkat]

It's a very steep embankment there was a retaining wall at the base straight out onto the side of the road with no pavement, no room to put one in. I imagine they couldn't make that work, although the alley definitely does not look ideal.

Seeing as they seem to be removing a great big chunk of embankment couldnt they have made a gap in it where the bridge lands?

 

[Spartacus]

Seeing as they seem to be removing a great big chunk of embankment couldnt they have made a gap in it where the bridge lands?

I imagine most the the residents of Primrose Hill wouldn't want a path, and long ramp, coming down from above bedroom height, at close quarters, where there's previously been only trees for many a year.

 

[Grumpy]

A couple of photos taken today of the works at Morley showing the new platform faces

 

[YorksLad12]

For some reason I thought the platforms would be straighter.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

The platforms round the corner for White Rose Centre which replaces Cotttingly are on the straight section, about 200 yards south west of the current Cottingley platforms

 

[Batley Lad]

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne crossing. Looks like my theory of a possible closure in order to take down the bridge abutment is dead in the water! They appear to be working nightly and removing an equal mass from each side of the abutment.



I would think that by Monday morning this will be at its new design height.

Some earlier photos for comparison.

Rutland road - Piling complete and the work now centres around dismantling the cantilevered platform. Hard to see if they have poured the foundations for the bridge - will have a better nose around during the weekend.

I noticed a couple queries and questioned about the new footbridge pathway and route on Primrose Hill.

I would suggest it is the shortest route back to the original foot crossing. I know that appears a strange response, but unlike the Huddersfield to Westown section, which is niclely planned out, funded and designs in the public domain. This area from Dewsbury to Morley is a bit of a grey area and without much in the way of concrete plans in the public domain and anything set out as to works when and where.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Mar 2023 ==

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne crossing. Still chipping away at the abutment.



Rutland Road - No foundations laid just the pile caps visible.

Piling has begun on the opposite side on the former Adwalton alignment.

 

[Snow1964]

There is a reference in todays speech in Newcastle by the Minister regarding Trans Pennine upgrades

This government is committed £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan that we set out, which will deliver high speed rail to Manchester and transform journeys across the Pennines. And work is already underway. Like between Church Fenton and York, which includes some of the busiest stretches of railway in the North. A combination of electrification, track replacement and modern signalling will lead to faster and more efficient journeys for passengers. Which is part of the major upgrade to the 70-mile Trans-Pennine route. Which is a central government commitment that surpasses what we spent on Crossrail.

Transforming transport in the North

Our plans to increase transport connectivity and devolve more power to the North.

www.gov.uk

 

[John R]

"Like between Church Fenton and York, which includes some of the busiest stretches of railway in the North. A combination of electrification, track replacement and modern signalling will lead to faster and more efficient journeys for passengers"

"which includes some of the busiest stretches of railway in the North". Maybe "is one of the" would be more accurate?

Gosh, they really do hype up what is a relatively minor improvement (half of which is actually on the ECML), don't they.

I'd suggest passengers won't notice one jot of difference from that improvement alone, welcome as it is.

 

[YorkshireBear]

A couple of photos taken today of the works at Morley showing the new platform faces

Those photos don't make it look like there is much benefit... I thought there was a line speed improvement to come from it?

 

[Halish Railway]

Those photos don't make it look like there is much benefit... I thought there was a line speed improvement to come from it?

I think the first one having so be zoomed in quite a bit distorts how the curve that the new platforms are situated on is much shallower. Also, if I remember correctly, the linespeed will be raised to 70mph.

If you go to 55:30 on this video, you will be able to see how immediately after the current station the curve becomes much shallower. The space vacated by removing the current station will be used to ease the curve entering and exiting Morley Tunnel, facilitating the linespeed increase.

 

[a1904]

Anyone know at which point we'll have bimodal trains running on the overhead wires for part of the journey between Manchester and Leeds?

 

[zwk500]

Anyone know at which point we'll have bimodal trains running on the overhead wires for part of the journey between Manchester and Leeds?

As in geographic points or timescales?

 

[a1904]

As in geographic points or timescales?

More interested in time scales

 

[Halish Railway]

More interested in time scales

Hopefully from some point in 2024 between Stalybridge and both Manchester stations.

The Westtown to Huddersfield works should begin in 2024, although it will take a few years until the four-tracking is complete, at which point electrification will begin, most likely at the same time as Westtown to Leeds.

 

[td97]

Hopefully from some point in 2024 between Stalybridge and both Manchester stations.

The rather unambitious target is Dec 24.
Commissioning and testing of the OLE is scheduled to begin on 12 Nov 23.
Quite why that will take 13 months is a mystery. I seem to recall this taking 3 months on Manchester to Preston.

 

[WAO]

The rather unambitious target is Dec 24.
Commissioning and testing of the OLE is scheduled to begin on 12 Nov 23.
Quite why that will take 13 months is a mystery. I seem to recall this taking 3 months on Manchester to Preston.

There is a similar protracted delay for the Colton Jn - Church Fenton wiring.

No competent project manager would plan for a complete installation to ly idle for 12 months, eating interest on capital without any return.

I suspect that both schemes will somehow be commissioned early so as to demonstrate that NR is now on top of progress in capital schemes.

WAO

 

[snowball]

There is a similar protracted delay for the Colton Jn - Church Fenton wiring.

At least there's a vaguely plausible reason for that one - that may be out of the hands of the project manager.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I suspect that both schemes will somehow be commissioned early so as to demonstrate that NR is now on top of progress in capital schemes.

Better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way round!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

At least there's a vaguely plausible reason for that one - that may be out of the hands of the project manager.

Not energized? Theft potential ?

 

[snowball]

Not energized? Theft potential ?

According to reports discussed upthread, the tie-in to the existing wiring at Colton will be completed over Christmas. I imagine the project manager might prefer an earlier possession for the purpose, but given the importance of ECML services and the relatively small benefits of early energisation of the short stretch to Church Fenton, he may not have the authority to insist.

 

[johntea]

Talking of the Morley tunnel (and perhaps other tunnels in general) whatever happened to the plans of sticking in some mobile signal coverage (I think it was 'trialled' on at least one Transpenine route around 2017?)

I don't know what the costs would be and how much involvement is required from the various mobile network operators mind!

 

[jonesy3001]

Will NR be putting the wires and gantries up on both lines and lowering the track in katherine street tunnel during the stalybridge blockade?

 

[td97]

There is a similar protracted delay for the Colton Jn - Church Fenton wiring.

No competent project manager would plan for a complete installation to ly idle for 12 months, eating interest on capital without any return.

I suspect that both schemes will somehow be commissioned early so as to demonstrate that NR is now on top of progress in capital schemes.

WAO

I assume bi-mode services will use OLE to Stalybridge as soon as testing/commissioning is complete (Northern 769, and TPE 802 with APCO*), whilst Dec 24 relates to the timetable change bringing about EMU services.
*Automatic power changeover

 

[WAO]

My thoughts also.

If a completion date of 12/24 is determined then that is part of the critical path and the rest of the work should be phased for that date.

That was the real justification for some of Grayling's "pauses/cancellations", there being other work to do first.

WAO

 

[edwin_m]

My thoughts also.

If a completion date of 12/24 is determined then that is part of the critical path and the rest of the work should be phased for that date.

That was the real justification for some of Grayling's "pauses/cancellations", there being other work to do first.

WAO

You can do this to some extent but don't want to schedule everything as late as possible, as that makes everything else critical too, and a delay to any of these activities pushes back the completion date. There are also other constraints such as availability of resources shared between projects, and pre-booked dates for possessions. Bear in mind also that if anything isn't ready for the possession booked for commissioning, then the next opportunity could be much later, so there's probably a contingency period between the scheduled end of construction and the commissioning date.

Do you have examples of this type of justification for Grayling pauses? If so it's probably a separate thread.

 

[3RDGEN]

According to reports discussed upthread, the tie-in to the existing wiring at Colton will be completed over Christmas. I imagine the project manager might prefer an earlier possession for the purpose, but given the importance of ECML services and the relatively small benefits of early energisation of the short stretch to Church Fenton, he may not have the authority to insist.

The TRU article in the February Modern Railways quotes Christmas 2024, wasn't there comment about it taking two blocks so Christmas 23 and 24 perhaps?

 

[snowball]

The TRU article in the February Modern Railways quotes Christmas 2024, wasn't there comment about it taking two blocks so Christmas 23 and 24 perhaps?

I thought the two blocks were Christmas 22 and 23. The first time we heard about them was in summer 22 if I remember correctly. I'll have a look for my copy of the February MR.

 

[The exile]

Do you have examples of this type of justification for Grayling pauses? If so it's probably a separate thread.

As you say, should probably be in a separate thread but Oxford station remodelling , Bristol East remodelling and the Temple Meads refurbishment are all probably easier /cheaper / better done before wiring than immediately afterwards.

 

[John R]

My personal view is that like TPE between the early 2000s and 2019 there is significant suppressed demand due to undercapacity.



Flights aren't door to door. Business travel doesn't require flexibility most of the time, it's going to one place for a predictable amount of time, and air travel doesn't offer flexibility either.

I'm not talking about sales reps, they won't even consider rail and never did.



Driving from Newcastle to Cornwall, say, would be grim. Driving from MK is bad enough and it's less than half the distance.

As you say, should probably be in a separate thread but Oxford station remodelling , Bristol East remodelling and the Temple Meads refurbishment are all probably easier /cheaper / better done before wiring than immediately afterwards.

Can probably add four tracking of Filton Bank to that list too (not that it will now be used by the additional two services from London that were originally planned.

If that rationale held though you would have expected Chippenham to Bristol to be starting up now, given that Bristol East was finished 18 months ago and the refurbishment will be coming to an end by the time the electrification work got as far as Bristol. (It's a moot point whether the platforms in the main train shed need wiring any more either when it is eventually done, given most London trains use 13/15.)

 

[WAO]

The other issue at the moment is resources; with major wiring at numerous UK sites, Trans-pennine rightly has high priority (IMHO).

The track improvements are however noticeable, with XC timed for 22? minutes, Leeds - York - an enjoyable trip!

WAO