The missing portal at the west end of the M6 viaduct has reappeared.
Welders were working on the one missing mast base (pile) south of Carr Mill.
Otherwise, disappointingly little new to report between Liverpool and Wigan.
correction: A full length of catenary wire has gone up over the Up line across the M6, making a continuous run from Garswood to Bryn.
Edit: I would put the missing mast count around Huyton-Roby at about 21 (on each side side).
This counts a few previously unseen bases on the main line just east of Huyton Jn.
Mountains of steelwork still to go up, and still much to do at Earlestown.
Looks like we did the same tour today (again!)
I agree all your factual observations, with a few more to sweeten the pill a little.
On the Wigan Branch a new one of the very short side-wired sections we have described before has appeared approx 1/3rd mile south of St Helens Central. Like the one you reported last week between St Helens Central and Gerards Bridge Junction it lasts for three masts on both sides of the tracks.
At Carr Mill Viaduct the Pier 1 shuttering has been removed, leaving the mega-base I photo-recorded last week curing in the open air. The shuttering has been moved to the top of Pier 4 and the reinfocing steelwork has been installed. To my lay eye passing at speed I would say it is ready for concrete.
Good news bad news at Earlestown:
the bad news is that the well-covered and concealed excavation for the middle base on Platform 1 is now revealed and shows -
nothing. No base has yet been installed. Some weeks ago I photo-recorded a team doing core sampling down to 10 metres deep. I hope this doesn't bode ill.
the good news is that at least two masts have gone up, both at the western end of Platform 2. One of them has an impressive display of danglies already. Danglies also festoon portals which were bare last week.
Sankey Viaduct still has only seven of the eight teeth missing, but that is not a surprise as the stonemasons couldn't get access last week.
The best news is that there seems to have been significant progress between Edge Hill and Wavertree Technology Park, with both side wires and overhead wires in place on significant stretches, most clearly near the Stevenson Way bridge. I use the term 'clearly' advisedly, as visibility was poor ( I didn't have my trusty step-stool) and the mix of old and new metalwork is confusing. That has always been true, and equally true is the existence of wires overhead at Waterloo Branch Junction and its neighbour Bootle Branch Junction.
I have described before the puzzling arrangement of wires over the eastbound goods line to the north of the running lines. My puzzlement has changed but not lessened. The overhead wires are in place only over the eastbound of these lines, and there isn't any obvious mastwork in place to serve the westbound line. So far this corroborates my theory that this line is being electrified as effectively an eastbound loop. The rum thing is that the wire ends up neither fish nor fowl, instead of swinging back south to rejoin the main line at Waterloo Branch Junction it sort of heads towards Picko No.1 tunnel but 'misses it'. There is a new mast by the Main Line more or less opposite the entrance to Picko No 1, my theory is that this is to be used to support a wire returning to the eastbound main, but I'd really appreciate someone who knows what's what clarifying things.
Last week I added a note that Lea Green station is being painted. Someone observed that this would doubtless be in LeaF Green. I studied it closely today in various lighting conditions. The colour is not quite what one would expect on vegetation, it is glossier and less textured, more to the point it has a lustre as if it were polished. I reckon it's Flea Green.
All traffic was stopped east of Newton-le-Willows following cable theft in Manchester. We haven't had that for a while.
Photos late tonight, spreadsheet tomorrow.
