Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[ALX400]

I’ve just been out and had a look at Blackrod and Adlington, plenty going on at Anderton Hall for the footbridge, found a scrape marked up on the platform for a base and mast which is a first at Blackrod no others noted, de vegetation at Adlington in prep for bases and masts, few photos sent to Dave to add to the albums, if I’m honest with what’s left to do between Euxton and Salford I don’t think even May 18 is achievable, I’m hoping for a really big push but al be really suprised if it’s ready in time for services, I can see Blackpool Preston ready first, there’s still large gaps requiring an awful amount of work between Chorley and Salford not to mention Station works for masts.

 

[LDECRexile]

I was granted a Pass Out today, so I went hunting oranges between Salford and Heath Charnock.

I found very few.

I found some new masts just south of Agecroft Road bridge, so the first mast south of Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge now appears to be Agecroft Road, ie about 5 miles rather than the previous 5.5. I am doing a train trip tomorrow, so I will be delighted to eat my words tomorrow night when I see so much as a lone mast in that gap.

Concrete was being poured at Anderton Hall crossing's new footbridge foundations. I studied the site again and simply can't see why the footpath has been closed at all. The Kearsley crossing replacement serves as an exemplar of good practice.

The Heath Charnock footbridge looks to be a nice, standard structure similar to Kearsley. It has been left nearly finished. The undone bits are unwrapping cellophane off the handrails and erecting a few yards of fencing to prevent pedestrians getting onto the track. I estimate six or seven yards of palisade fencing is needed on each side of the tracks to make death-traps safe. The gates appear to have been closed to the public by padlocks on Harrison fence panels. Locals or other pedestrians have removed the locks and swing the panels through 90 degrees, giving pedestrians unfettered access to the site, even the notices have been removed or rendered invisible. We have the worst of all worlds at this location.

ALX400 went to Anderton a while after me, he photographed concrete being poured on the second side of the tracks, so that should be going off nicely by now.

I've added ALX's photos to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651121057352

and both of our efforts to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you ALX

 

[snowball]

The Twitter feed has two pictures of platform edge units for the new P1 at Blackpool N:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGNRP/status/924593366477737984

According to the comments, platforms 3-6 will also be rebuilt.

Incidentally (mentioned here as all strictly Windermere-related threads seem to have been closed), yet another interesting item in the new Modern Railways is an account on page 81 by Chris Stokes of how the Windermere branch very nearly got electrified 30 years ago for < £1M.

 

[swanhill41]

I have just been looking at a posting on Facebook...It is on the Preston Area Railway Group,and a posting by a person called Alan Roscoe.....He shows the the engineer trains going onto the Preston to Blackpool line between 11th Nov and the 20th Nov....Something in the region of 87 trains ....Certain something going at full blast....Interesting fact is that all signal boxes will be taken out in first 2/3 days,certainly the case with Carleton crossing box....No signals from Fylde Junc Preston ....Interesting how they will control train movements?.....Certainly masts in place well into Blackpool,certainly in place past Carleton Box....

 

[swanhill41]

Just seen tweet ref platform 1 at Blackpool North....Thought they were being set further to north side of location...Anyone got a link to what the platform layout/location will be at Blackpool North....Interesting happens slightly of site at BN,will be the new tram link coming up from the prom to a terminus on what is at present Wilkos....In effect a transport interchange....Interesting times!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Glad to see confirmed platforms at Blackpool North will not be quote "dead straight but much straighter than they are now" end quote

 

[driver9000]

I have just been looking at a posting on Facebook...It is on the Preston Area Railway Group,and a posting by a person called Alan Roscoe.....He shows the the engineer trains going onto the Preston to Blackpool line between 11th Nov and the 20th Nov....Something in the region of 87 trains ....Certain something going at full blast....Interesting fact is that all signal boxes will be taken out in first 2/3 days,certainly the case with Carleton crossing box....No signals from Fylde Junc Preston ....Interesting how they will control train movements?.....Certainly masts in place well into Blackpool,certainly in place past Carleton Box....

The whole line will be under T3 possession so the rules for moving trains inside engineers possession will be followed. Once a train has been admitted it comes under the control of the PICOP or Engineering supervisor inside a worksite but I don't work in T3 possessions so I'm not 100% up on the details of procedures.

 

[LDECRexile]

I found some new masts just south of Agecroft Road bridge, so the first mast south of Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge now appears to be Agecroft Road, ie about 5 miles rather than the previous 5.5. I am doing a train trip tomorrow, so I will be delighted to eat my words tomorrow night when I see so much as a lone mast in that gap.

Good News!

Seven masts have been erected next to the northbound line about half way between Clifton station and the M60 bridge.

Yippee!

Now, as Martin Luther nearly said, its time for a diet of words.

Yummy, delicious.

Go Orange, Go!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Good News!

Seven masts have been erected next to the northbound line about half way between Clifton station and the M60 bridge.

Are you planning a progressometer run in the near future? I know you and I have our photography run Fylde Jct - Blackpool North on Friday November 24th - just wondering if you had anything planned before then.

 

[Whistler40145]

What's happening to Carleton Crossing during the works regarding road ehicles?

 

[Foggycorner]

Carleton crossing will be worked by local control from the manual control pedestal next to the crossing by some poor sole in wet weather gear
any barrier type crossing can be worked locally by this method

 

[Whistler40145]

Thanks for your reply

 

[LDECRexile]

Are you planning a progressometer run in the near future? I know you and I have our photography run Fylde Jct - Blackpool North on Friday November 24th - just wondering if you had anything planned before then.

No, but I aspire to making a "farewell" whole line trip to Blackpool North next week, with a stop-off at K&W.

Then I'll stick with Salford-Euxton until our day out on 24th Nov. Shall I come to you for 09:00?

I hope our Poulton and Kirkham contributors will have cameras ready for the demolition of the signalboxes. Please note that Huyton 'box was closed one night and down to waist height by next morning, the 'boxes at Salwick and points north may go with the same speed.

 

[BelleIsle]

Rail replacement buses have been spotted out and about on the Fylde from early this morning on route learning exercises in preparation for the blockade.

 

[swanhill41]

That is the plan with Carleton box as the road closure for 48 hours starts at 22.00hrs Fri 10th Nov

 

[CAF397]

Several masts up in the carriage sidings at Blackpool North, track laid in what will be Platform 1 (the New platform edging), New pointwork delivered and is now on the up side of the mainline in the sidings (in addition to the pointwork previously delivered to the downside), and several mounds of sand that looks like it’s been delivered by rail. Certainly looks like a building site now going into Blackpool.

The new Up main track at Kirkham now has half a point laid roughly opposite the biscuit factory, forming part of a crossover to the down main.

Apologies if these observations have previously been reported, I’ve had a look back through the last 4 phew and not seen anything mentioned.

 

[Whistler40145]

Several masts up in the carriage sidings at Blackpool North, track laid in what will be Platform 1 (the New platform edging), New pointwork delivered and is now on the up side of the mainline in the sidings (in addition to the pointwork previously delivered to the downside), and several mounds of sand that looks like it’s been delivered by rail. Certainly looks like a building site now going into Blackpool.

The new Up main track at Kirkham now has half a point laid roughly opposite the biscuit factory, forming part of a crossover to the down main.

Apologies if these observations have previously been reported, I’ve had a look back through the last 4 phew and not seen anything mentioned.

Thanks for the update, much appreciated, things are taking shape nicely.

 

[snowball]

Anyone know where Network Rail's Great North Rail Programme Twitter feed has gone?

 

[jonesy3001]

Anyone know where Network Rail's Great North Rail Programme Twitter feed has gone?

still on there, https://twitter.com/TheGNRP

 

[snowball]

still on there, https://twitter.com/TheGNRP

Thanks but mystified. That works for me too, but is a different address from the one I've been using for it, that stopped working a couple of days ago.

 

[coxxy]

Good News!

Seven masts have been erected next to the northbound line about half way between Clifton station and the M60 bridge.

Yippee!

Now, as Martin Luther nearly said, its time for a diet of words.

Yummy, delicious.

Go Orange, Go!

Even more have appeared through the week and looks like quite a bit more work going on up towards kearsley as well.. is there a blockade or anything in the bolton line around xmas does anybody know??

 

[snowball]

Latest Blackpool picture from the Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/TheGNRP/status/925662740521381888

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/one-week-until-blackpools-railway-revolution-begins/

With one week to go, passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys as 19 weeks of work gets underway to help transform the railway between Blackpool and Preston.

• Nineteen weeks of work to upgrade Blackpool’s railway from 11 November
  • Buses replacing trains during railway closures
  • Network Rail and Northern working together to deliver the Great North Rail Project

The investment will make the railway bigger and better to carry the ever-increasing number of people who are travelling by train across the north of England.

From 11 November the Great North Rail Project, part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan, will see 19 weeks of work which will affect travel to and from the seaside town.

During this time Network Rail will carry out vital upgrades to track and platforms at Blackpool North and Kirkham & Wesham stations. The signalling on both lines into Blackpool will be upgraded, which includes installing 84 new signals which will make journeys more reliable.

To carry out the work, Network Rail will be closing the railway and Northern will be providing bus replacement services in and out of Blackpool, affecting North and South stations in different ways.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman, said: “This vital upgrade is part of the government’s biggest investment in the network since Victorian times and will mean more seats, better connections, and more reliable journeys for rail passengers.

“We recognise there will be temporary disruption, but the benefits for passengers will be significant when complete. We are investing billions of pounds in transport across the region and I am delighted that this project is on track to deliver what passengers have told us they want to see.”

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s London North Western route managing director, said: “The upgrade of the line between Preston and Blackpool is the largest rail investment in the area since the 19th century and will provide a railway between Blackpool and Preston to be proud of.

“As Blackpool’s economy grows, the railway is growing too and we are working with the wider industry and our Blackpool region partners to keep people on the move throughout. There is never a good time to carry out this type of work but we have planned it to take place outside of the main holiday season so it causes the least impact.

“I am confident the short-term pain will be worth the long-term gain of transformed train travel in future.”

Sharon Keith, regional director at Northern, said: “The upgrade of the line between Preston and Blackpool is a key phase of the modernisation of the railway in the north of England.

“The work will pave the way for further improvements for our customers who, in the future, will benefit from brand new or fully refurbished electric trains – resulting in better journeys and, thanks to further investment, better stations.

“I’d like to thank our customers in advance for their understanding and patience whilst this essential work takes place.”

Between Saturday 11 November and Sunday 28 January 2018 the railway will be completely closed between Preston and Blackpool North and Blackpool South stations.

Between Monday 29 January 2018 and Sunday 25 March 2018 the railway between Preston and Blackpool South will reopen but the railway between Kirkham & Wesham and Blackpool North will remain closed.

The upgrade forms part of the Great North Rail Project to improve journeys between Blackpool and Preston and across the north of England.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

So last night of the illuminations is Sunday -but blockade does not start until 6 days later. I am assuming this is to ease in the holidaymakers etc. who may have taken extra holiday to tag on to the illuminations -or similar reasoning?

 

[wrinkley]

The bridge at Lostock station is open this morning one week early. At least they got one thing right.

 

[PR1Berske]

I'm at platform 2 at Preston typing this.

There's one plastic tagged board explaining the closure/buses etc underneath the adverts at the top of the P1/2 stairs.

There are A5 advice leaflets with maps sellotaped to the Customer Services hut on P1/2

Looking around, I can't see any further advice or advanced warning.

 

[Ploughman]

So last night of the illuminations is Sunday -but blockade does not start until 6 days later. I am assuming this is to ease in the holidaymakers etc. who may have taken extra holiday to tag on to the illuminations -or similar reasoning?

I do not think there is any thought about extending holidays past the sunday.
It would be more likely that normal working would be that blockades usually start over a weekend and finish after a weekend which means that stock should be in the normal position ready to go as if the intervening week had not existed.

 

[superkev]

I hear that the Blackpool Preston Rail replacement buses will be Blackpool transport new ADL deckers temp fitted with extra luggage racks.
Prob better appointed than Northerns trains.
K

 

[Whistler40145]

That's good news as I was wondering how these vehicles would be able to cope with a large volume of luggage.

 

[swanhill41]

The length of time of this block ,5 months and the warning has meant that like the actual construction work etc ,the bus replacement has been planned down to the last nut and bolt...As a rail replacement co-ordinator for FE & FRS 2004 to 2010 we never had the level of planning that is evident with this one...I have never seen one bus company only involved as is Blackpool Transport...All buses used are new buses and presume any stand-by buses are from same source...Just wonder if they will need co-ordinators ,certainly there will be spare Northern staff at Blackpool North as excepting ticket office no work for them as station is demolished and rebuilt around them.