Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[CdBrux]

However, doing nothing isn't necessarily the same as spending nothing. The 'do nothing' option may still involve replacing life expired assets to maintain the status quo, or manage an acceptable level of risk.

Quite right, do nothing means for example having higher maintenance costs or just replacing when required on a like for like basis in terms of outcomes like capacity, speed etc... It rarely involves not spending anything

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added today's heartening photos to the Combined Volume here:

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

 

[Codville]

Interesting how there's a couple of F+F fittings on those cantilevers.

 

[LDECRexile]

Are they the sort you get when you hit two fingers with a hammer?

 

[Railrover700]

I've added today's heartening photos to the Combined Volume here:

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

Great photos and pleasing progress. It also looks like both lines are fully wired along Tom Benson Way now.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Mainly Blackpool platforms and Poulton area and jobs done then

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Seems like they've forgotten Bolton - or it's going to be the last piece in the puzzle

 

[59CosG95]

Great photos and pleasing progress. It also looks like both lines are fully wired along Tom Benson Way now.

Splendid news - does it look like the gap at Water Lane's "Hole in the Wall" is plugged now too? If so, we just need to extend wires through K&W along with Poulton and we're nearly there!

 

[cl19]

Can confirm that the wires are now continuous from Preston to Kirkham.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I'm delighted to embark on millinery mastication.

Did you write scripts for the City Varieties in Leeds?

 

[edwin_m]

Quite right, do nothing means for example having higher maintenance costs or just replacing when required on a like for like basis in terms of outcomes like capacity, speed etc... It rarely involves not spending anything

It's usually known as the "do-minimum" option for that reason.

Seems like they've forgotten Bolton - or it's going to be the last piece in the puzzle

Bolton is bolted on later?

 

[rebmcr]

Interesting how there's a couple of F+F fittings on those cantilevers.

Are they the sort you get when you hit two fingers with a hammer?

Furrer+Frey — the manufacturer of the GWML's "Series 1" OHLE.

 

[LDECRexile]

Seems like they've forgotten Bolton - or it's going to be the last piece in the puzzle

Please see posts #6616 and #6617.

 

[LDECRexile]

Furrer+Frey — the manufacturer of the GWML's "Series 1" OHLE.

Thank you

 

[superkev]

Nice to see platform 1 catenary up and platform lighting lit on Adams latest YouTube.

I don't know what time the various contributors do there filming but am I alone in thinking there's an apparent lack of urgency.
John Lewis used to fine his shop staff 3d if he found them standing still or talking
K

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I don't know what time the various contributors do there filming but am I alone in thinking there's an apparent lack of urgency.
John Lewis used to fine his shop staff 3d if he found them standing still or talking

I think that is a little unfair- I expect my staff to talk - it builds the team, allows potential problems to be aired etc, it stimulates creativity. Sometimes, the nature of the work means there will be intense burst of activity followed by a quieter period.

I have heard multiple reports of very rapid progress Preston - Blackpool over the last 10 days.

 

[Foggycorner]

trip out today Bolton Man Vic and return
Salford cresent bolts for mounting posts like those attached to underside of road bridge have been fixed to the old footbridge above platform on down side
Footbridge MVE1/27B has now got steps and cross track walkway fitted and fencing being re erected on footpath approaches

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Please see posts #6616 and #6617.

Ah, thanks - I'm away in Brum at the moment so hadn't seen that. I'm back tomorrow so will have a butchers.

 

[edwin_m]

"All those trackworkers are idle. Whenever I see them from a train window they're always standing by the side of the track doing nothing."

 

[Geeves]

Funny that is what all the drivers say too. Lazy gits haha.

 

[LDECRexile]

ALX400 has kindly sent a shot of a new mast at Blackrod.

I've added it to his album here:

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

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you ALX.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I find most drivers wave.... Very rare for one not to.

 

[LDECRexile]

I went to Blackpool South today and visited North (of course!) where there are now contact wires over Platforms 1 and 2, with visible progress over the others. The platforms themselves looked good, lights, tarmac, the lot.

The Preston-Blackpool project has been conspicuously without any of the TGBUs which are to be found on Liverpool-Manchester; this has been trumped by the last mast at Blackpool North, which is a TGBU crossing all tracks and platforms, making it TGBU++.

Clear progress also at Kirkham Junction.

South of Bolton wooden formwork has appeared in the difficult ground south of Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge.

Photos later.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added today's shots to the Combined Volume here:

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

Please note they include one extra to recent sets from the Salford area, 9812j and 9808g.

I had the pleasure of bumping onto BlackpoolBeach today, his album is linked to the Combined Volume and contains cracking stuff. You can access it by clicking on the very first image in the Combined Volume then looking down the "Comments", clicking on the link(s) as appropriate.

I am unlikely to be able to get out and about for a while, but I will be able and keen to handle material from other contributors in the usual way.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I remember Richard Bowker saying that no one person knew the reasons why WCRM (unfinished and reduced scope) cost in excess of £8 billion instead of the £2 billion estimate.

Being a veteran of that campaign too I can offer a few guesses! Originally promised to Mr. Branson as a 140mph upgrade (PUG2) it got repeatedly de-scoped as the various subprojects discovered some really really good reasons why 140 (and then 125, PUG1) wasn't achievable (without lots of money and a hybrid bill, anyway).

During this recidivism no-one kept track of what the result was going to be, so at the 11th hour scope had to be put back in, in compressed design timescales and poor possession access / late notice blockades, which drove the costs up.

On top of this the American programme management consultant was driving (think whips) everything and everybody so they would get their completion bonus (which they did), riding roughshod over things like working hours, common sense and actually delivering a proper result. In terms of "PUG" I think we ended up with PUG0.7-ish. There are still things not done ...

In summary, the initial scoping and costing was skimped (if it was done at all) which meant that when it came time to spend there was always going to be a gulf; same with the electrification projects. The best time to spend money is right at the beginning, as an extra £500 spent thinking about things back in the "hey kids, lets electrify the railway" stages of development can save up to £8m later - and that's a real example.

 

[El Blanco]

That’s the problem with most programmes and projects in my line of work. Outcomes, timeframes and costs have already been decided by those above - before anyone with experience of actually doing the job gets involved.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Railtrack management must have been real muppets though, to agree those contracts with Opraf/Virgin.
Did they really think moving block signalling would work by 2005?
Sorry this is for another thread, but it haunts the railway still.
Another memorable quote was from the GW electrification programme manager - "This will not be like WCRM" (of which he had first-hand experience).

 

[InOban]

And of course if you tell them the likely real cost at the start, you will never get the project authorised.

 

[LDECRexile]

Has any electrification project in recent times come in on time and on or under budget?

If yes, can we learn from it/them?

 

[ianhr]

Has any electrification project in recent times come in on time and on or under budget?

If yes, can we learn from it/them?

Some of the smaller schemes in Scotland?