Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[Joseph_Locke]

Well AFAIK all the bridges have been raised and a depot is in place at Salwick and contracts signed so barring the outbreak of WW3 it should go ahead. And if that happens nothing else at all really matters anyway.

AND

...the OLE contractor has moved into their new local office, so it's official.

 

[wrinkley]

They have started clearing all the vegetation at the old sidings just outside Bolton (Burnden?).

The abandoned trucks can be seen.

Not sure when they started as Friday was the first day in a long time I have been past in daylight.

Guess this is more about removing old track and tidying up then bringing back into use?

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

AND

...the OLE contractor has moved into their new local office, so it's official.

Dave (LDECRExile) and I assumed it was Salwick from our Xmas jaunt - but huge amounts of work and portacabins etc at Kirkham too. New layout at Kirkham and Blackpool North and simplification at Salwick and new signaling - by god I love electrification. Modernizes the railway while we are at it and brings jobs too.

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

More great news.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

Yes, saw those today. Might be for OLE, might be for new signalling.
Certainly more bases in on the Up line, 41 now west of Bolton towards Lostock.
27 on the Down.
More bases on the Up, between Agecroft and Salford Crescent, now 20.
No change on the Down as far as I could see (13).
Chorley P1 finally back in use, temp platform partially dismantled.

 

[mwmbwls]

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

Are those ballast trucks, the rolling stock formerly known as "seacows"? Are they destined for the same fate as the parcels vans at Oxford station and will therefore be cut up in situ. How did they come to be abandoned in Sleeping Beauty's sidings anyway? How long have they been there?

 

[Elecman]

They have been there for at least 30 years!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The OLE Contractors main local office is in Lytham and not on the railway

 

[QueensCurve]

Reminds me of the works trains for Blackpool electrification that were stabled in Ribble sidings (April 1976 rings a bell).

The job was due to start on a Monday but we got word the previous Friday that it was cancelled. There the wagons stayed, including things like drum mixers, for years until they were towed away for scrap.

I have constant fears that history will repeat itself.

There was an Electrification train stabled just outside Preston for many years. I too fear that the scheme may be "paused" indefinitely.

 

[Elecman]

Unlikely as works have already started

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The OLE Contractors main local office is in Lytham and not on the railway

Good to know -thanks for that.

There was and Electrification train stabled just outside Preston for many years.

Ladywell House IIRC. I think I still have a photo - but thought it got moved to Springs Branch in the 1980s.

I too fear that the scheme may be "paused" indefinitely.

Ain't going to happen.

Unlikely as works have already started

EXACTLY - as I said upthread, I think it would need the outbreak of WW3 for it to be cancelled now.

 

[Elecman]

There was certainly a wiring train at Springs branch even into the 90's if I remember correctly

 

[furnessvale]

Ladywell House IIRC. I think I still have a photo - but thought it got moved to Springs Branch in the 1980s.

Yes, I think that was for routine WCML maintenance.

The trains I referred to were in Ribble sidings and finished up with trees growing among them.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I too fear that the scheme may be "paused" indefinitely.

MML just got its first row of piles in north of Bedford before it was "paused" 18 months ago, and we don't know when the OLE team will be back.
However, there is every confidence that this one will be completed, it's been long enough in gestation.
I'd like NR to announce the wiring contract though, like it has done for the Shotts line in Scotland.
It's beginning to look like a "big bang" for Ordsall Chord and Manchester-Blackpool, also including Huyton and Lime St upgrade, is in progress.
I think the projects now approved for CP5 will get done.
Can't say the same for later ones though.

 

[DJH1971]

There was certainly a wiring train at Springs branch even into the 90's if I remember correctly

Remember that too. Was all in blue.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I think the projects now approved for CP5 will get done. Can't say the same for later ones though.

Are you talking Wigan - Lostock Jct and Oxenholme- Windermere and Stalybridge connections?

 

[Ianno87]

They have been there for at least 30 years!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The OLE Contractors main local office is in Lytham and not on the railway

I seem to recall they appeared after some track renewals around September 1998 - and have been there ever since!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Are you talking Wigan - Lostock Jct and Oxenholme- Windermere and Stalybridge connections?

Stalybridge looks OK for CP5 as a starter for TP, though redesign seems to be in progress ("phased" as NR says).
Windermere is supposed to reach GRIP 3 in CP5 (ie no work on the ground).
I'm not really sure NR has ever programmed Wigan, and its GRIP status is unknown (not mentioned in Hendy).
I suspect that when the time comes to restart for CP6, Rail North will be controlling the sequence of upgrades and they might choose something different.
How Manchester-Blackpool goes is probably very important, we need it to be within timescale and budget after all the delays.

PS I was just looking at your post #1 in June 2012, asking if there was anything to see on the ground yet.
It's taken 4.5 years to get this far...

 

[QueensCurve]

Ladywell House IIRC. I think I still have a photo - but thought it got moved to Springs Branch in the 1980s.

Would love to see that if you could.

Ain't going to happen.

EXACTLY - as I said upthread, I think it would need the outbreak of WW3 for it to be cancelled now.

Glad to hear it is going ahead. But the War allusion may prove prescient.:cry:
:cry::cry:

 

[GRALISTAIR]

PS I was just looking at your post #1 in June 2012, asking if there was anything to see on the ground yet.
It's taken 4.5 years to get this far...

I know!. I was getting excited because quite a few bridges were done/getting done then - so the delay has shall we say - been frustrating at the least. To coin a phrase "I know it is not over until the fat lady sings" but I feel it is going ahead at long last. The only really troubling bit to me that could still stop wires is that there is still Kirkham substantial remodeling, Blackpool North substantial remodeling and of course complete resignalling.

I am the eternal optimist. To quote one of my favorite people of all time “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Winston Churchill

 

[PR1Berske]

This story, time-stamped at 851pm tonight, has been published on "Blog Preston"

You won’t be able to get from Preston to Blackpool by train at a weekend for ten weeks.

Network Rail is carrying out work to electrify the line between the mainline stations.

From Saturday 21 January there will be no trains between Preston and Blackpool North or Blackpool South.

Replacement buses are being put on instead.

A full breakdown of the weekends affected:

Saturday 21 January and Sunday 22 January
Saturday 28 January and Sunday 29 January
Saturday 4 February and Sunday 5 Februry
Saturday 11 February and Sunday 12 February
Trains resume on the weekend of Saturday 18 February and Sunday 19 February
Saturday 25 February and Sunday 26 February
Saturday 4 March and Sunday 5 March
Saturday 11 March and Sunday 12 March
Saturday 18 March and Sunday 19 March
Saturday 25 March and Sunday 26 March
Saturday 1 April and Sunday 2 April

Services return to normal on the weekend of Saturday 8 April.

Read more: Bike hub opens at Preston Station

Regional Director of Northern Sharon Keith said: “This essential upgrade of the route between Preston and Blackpool is key to help us develop better journeys for our customers. Our advice is to remind customers to check before they travel and we’d like to thank customers in advance for their patience while we work together to improve services.”

Source: http://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2017/01/no-trains-between-preston-and-blackpool-for-ten-weekends/

 

[Jamesrob637]

All we need short-term is Manchester to Preston to be wired by Dec (seems like progress is steadily ramping up this year), 319s and/or other electrics to replace some Sprinters, some more Sprinters to arrive from wherever, and that should be able to mean at least 4-car diesel or electric trains for almost all peak and many off-peak services

 

[CdBrux]

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

I noticed these a few months ago as I passed. As a non railway person it left an impression of poor management. If we have redundant equipment in the factories I work in then we remove it and either re-use or scrap. It's simply basic 'housekeeping'.

 

[LDECRexile]

As mentioned upthread, Wronkley has kindly sent two films he took earlier today whilse passing the Burnden area south of Bolton.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157654034635234

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

He added this:

"I went to Manchester and back this morning, no progress around Ladybridge, but could see six bases on the up line side, not five.

However, spotted five gangs of orangemen digging big holes between Green Lane bridge and Moses Gate – video attached.

Also took video at Burnden Junction, much clearing going on, but the ballast wagons are still in the forest. I think the site access is either from the trading units near the footbridge, or back to Orlando bridge.

Quite a lot of piles on the up line side in between Salford Crescent and the Tarmac stone depot. I was on the wrong side of the train to see the down line side."

Thank you Wrinkley.

Thanks too to LNW-GW Joint for numbers of bases. I'll issue 2017's first Progressometer update tomorrow night. It will be subject to correction.

I get the distinct feeling that summat's happening.

Yippee!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
PS. Please look at the fascinating comments which have been added to Photos 5430k and 5434i

Great stuff

 

[snowball]

Stalybridge looks OK for CP5 as a starter for TP, though redesign seems to be in progress ("phased" as NR says).
Windermere is supposed to reach GRIP 3 in CP5 (ie no work on the ground).
I'm not really sure NR has ever programmed Wigan, and its GRIP status is unknown (not mentioned in Hendy).

I think all Enhancement Delivery Plan updates since Hendy have used similar wording for Lostock-Wigan as for Oxenholme-Windermere. Both are supposed to complete GRIP 3 by the end of CP5 (indicative), and at some stage it was said that a schedule for constructing them will be announced then. See pages 167 and 189 in the December update.

The Lostock-Wigan page also mentions something I hadn't noticed before today: "Feasibility study to support extension of electrification limits to include the route to Wigan Wallgate." That would presumably have to include wiring under the difficult bridge under (the road) Wallgate.

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

PS. Please look at the fascinating comments which have been added to Photos 5430k and 5434i

Great stuff

I'm having difficulty navigating to those two pictures.

 

[deltic08]

An enthusiastic amateur at best, who will never amount to anything with that kind of sloppy thinking.

A truck is only ever found (on the railway) under one end or the other of a steam locomotive.

or a level crossing

 

[LDECRexile]

I'm having difficulty navigating to those two pictures.

Puzzling, please try these:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/23012796190/in/photolist-pwcwAm-JaxCQV-B4yAy7

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12764...QYiR-sqmWo-camBdS-8RQdQ4-AyhCAn-Awmc78-o4Uuot

 

[deltic08]

Well AFAIK all the bridges have been raised and a depot is in place at Salwick and contracts signed so barring the outbreak of WW3 it should go ahead. And if that happens nothing else at all really matters anyway.

Living in the USA you should know better than most on this forum but lets say that it should be completed as soon after the 20th January as possible to get some use out of it.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Living in the USA you should know better than most on this forum but lets say that it should be completed as soon after the 20th January as possible to get some use out of it.

I don't want to get political but in 1980 there were pictures and cartoons of mushroom clouds with Ronald Reagan coming into office and Margaret Thatcher already in office. "Do you want to meet your maker - vote for Ronald Reagan". What I saw instead was incredible prosperity, the Cold War won and huge mileage on British Railways electrified and a Channel Tunnel built. Not bad - not bad at all.

 

[deltic08]

As mentioned upthread, Wronkley has kindly sent two films he took earlier today whilse *issing the Burnden area south of Bolton.

Allo Allo, it's Officer Crabtree.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The ballast wagons were still in the forest this morning, although a large area has now been cleared - video sent to LDECRexile. Also saw and videoed five gangs of Orangemen hand digging large holes between Moses Gate and Green Lane. Video taken from the train, not the best quality unfortunately.

Longer than I care to remember on this website, I opened a thread that discussed goods waggons that had been abandoned on the British rail network for a long period of time, which ran to about 100 postings.

I am sure that the two ballast waggons in question were the ones that were mentioned in the very first posting on that thread. My current on-going ill-health precludes me tracing that thread and I would be delighted if anyone can do so as they will find it of interest. I think the oldest item was an arcane oil tank unit going back to the 1920s.

 

[mwmbwls]

The Lostock-Wigan page also mentions something I hadn't noticed before today: "Feasibility study to support extension of electrification limits to include the route to Wigan Wallgate." That would presumably have to include wiring under the difficult bridge under (the road) Wallgate.

It may well be that the covered way under Wallgate needs attention anyway and that fixing this once and for all is most effective option.