A) viable business cases
On that, Doncaster-Hull will probably have a better business case than Micklefield-Hull, which further reduces the costs and increases the benefits of Leeds-Hull as it would only be Micklefield/Sherburn-Selby + Hambleton chords. But we're edging into speculative territory here.
Decarbonisation needs majority of network wired the business case is somewhat immaterial. Whats important is the running order lines are done in to maximise the reduction of diesel working year by year and that needs to involve a rolling stock strategy as well so be interesting to see the govts plans on transport decarbonisation which is allegedly going to be released before parliament rises.
Completely agreed! I stopped before going down the next steps.
Till that happens you still have to get approval from Treasury via the usual means....
And afterwards, too, I think.
Which is fair enough imho. He who pays the piper calls the tune.
I'd perhaps surmise that the blue to the east is out of scope for this particular programme of works (i.e. everything west from Staly up to Ashton-u-Lyne - behind the M&S/Sainsbury's from the map), so by a process of elimination that may be in W2a rather than W1. Time, of course, will tell.
A very good way to kill weeds etc if you aren't in a hurry.
I don't suppose the Blue is just to represent the section of line as a whole, where work is taking place, with the Green, Red & Yellow indicating each stage of the work in progress at the time with-in the section.
Reading between the lines, I've deduced that the sections start and end at RRAPs (Road-Rail Access Points); the yellow section is between RRAPs at Clayton Bridge LC (on Berry Brow Rd) and one behind the supermarkets (Sains/M&S/IKEA). The red section stretches from that RRAP to wherever the main access point is in the Miles Platting area; I think the westernmost RRAP may even be the Collyhurst St compound (which would likely be out of bounds during the major works beginning in a few days' time).
Thanks for the clarification gents. Of interest, there are two further bridges in the Ashton area (Romney St & Queen St) which seem to have closed to vehicles for quite some time now. Is it planned to demolish them?The only bridge this can be is at Stamford Street East, Ashton-u-Lyne.
This is on the major bus route between Stalybridge and Ashton. So the bridge works will also delay the bustitution services.
Manchester to Stalybridge - Network Rail
We’re improving the railway between Manchester and Stalybridge We’re working to upgrade the railway between Manchester and Stalybridge. This will provide railway passengers in Greater Manchester with faster, more frequent, and more reliable trains in the future. More information To find out...www.networkrail.co.uk
Romney street is now used as pedestrian access from the houses on one side of the railway to the "Ashton Northern Bypass" as it's officially called. I believe at one point Romney street did continue across but as the bypass was built and being so close to a major junction, it was decided to block access to road traffic. The route across is now pedestrian/cycle only.
Thanks for the info there @sportzbar. I wonder if either of those bridges will survive electrification works? Not being from the area, I haven't got any perspective of whether there's sufficient clearance (loading or electrical) to keep it as-is. Certainly in Romney St's case, I wouldn't be surprised if a minor intervention to raise the parapets is required.
I think the only bridge I've heard of ( I live right by the railway so get the notifications directly from Network Rail) that requires substantial work is Stamford St East
That is indeed correct; all the others were done when NWEP was still happening, probably during the "Great Extension Lead" works. (@GRALISTAIR will probably remember better)
Well the two week blockade Victoria to Stalybridge starts Saturday. In the meantime piling etc has been taking place at both the west and east end of the route.
The wires won't be going up. There's several bridge reconstructions happening which involve crane work.
I went past on a tram this morning and it did look like various bits had been taken down.
It was most likely a movement clear to allow the bridge repairs; the equipment will probably be restored verbatim once the blockade is done.
That's interesting. I didn't know any work there was imminent.
When Covid first started a Class 319 was put in Platform 2 at Manchester Victoria as an additional messroom. This would've used the wires upto Bromley Street Jn to reverse.