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Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

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8A Rail

8A Rail

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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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Geeves said:
Two more spans went up today on lines 3 and 4 at the west end. That leaves just one more portal until Vic proper!
Click to expand...

Sorry to disappoint, but today there were still at least 4 missing gantries between Victoria and Exchange, and another west of Salford Central.
A full set of OHLE is now up from Wavertree station to well beyond Broad Green, with return/autotransformer wires continuing almost to Roby Jn.
Track 4 between Huyton and Roby is still not installed. Trackbed preparation is in progress, with sleepers at the Huyton end.
Masts are going up on the previously bare stretches on the first bit of the Wigan branch from Huyton Jn, and east of Collins Green towards Sankey Viaduct.
A large new gantry has gone up over all 4 lines in the V where the Runcorn/Huyton lines diverge at Edge Hill, and there are other mast foundations nearby.
So it looks like there will be OHLE changes to the old wiring in that area.

Slightly off-topic, a new footbridge access to the Arena at Victoria has opened, and from the steps you can now get a birds-eye view of the construction of the new concourse and tram stop.
There are 9 of the massive steel ribs in place, with (I think) 6 still to erect.
 
OxtedL

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The Planner said:
I think the turnback moves to 4 and you wont be able to turn back from 3.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I continue to be impressed with the efficiency of the whole layout.
 
8A Rail

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A further update on the Huyton and Roby section. Track panels for the fourth track are laid in Huyton Station and are present so far at least 150yds westwards towards Roby Station.

Have also established that all "official" platform lengths on both stations are about the same although Platform Two at Roby and Platform Three at Huyton Station are longer than the others. On both these platforms, part of the platform is lower and consequently trains will not be stopping on those sections to allow passengers board or disembark. There wil be gates / fence preventing access anyway.

All the building work on both stations should be completed during September and contractors will leave both sites accordingly. Apparently, Roby Station canopy should be reinstated in the next two / three weeks too. Finally, the mast base's on the station's are all in place and in some cases covered over by tarmac but they have been spray paint box marked to confirm location of them.

Later on, I will upload images taken in the last two days of Huyton & Roby on my Picasa site a little later this evening but this is the link to the section - http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014 in the meantime.
 
DJH1971

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8A Rail said:
A further update on the Huyton and Roby section. Track panels for the fourth track are laid in Huyton Station and are present so far at least 150yds westwards towards Roby Station.

Have also established that all "official" platform lengths on both stations are about the same although Platform Two at Roby and Platform Three at Huyton Station are longer than the others. On both these platforms, part of the platform is lower and consequently trains will not be stopping on those sections to allow passengers board or disembark. There wil be gates / fence preventing access anyway.

All the building work on both stations should be completed during September and contractors will leave both sites accordingly. Apparently, Roby Station canopy should be reinstated in the next two / three weeks too. Finally, the mast base's on the station's are all in place and in some cases covered over by tarmac but they have been spray paint box marked to confirm location of them.

Later on, I will upload images taken in the last two days of Huyton & Roby on my Picasa site a little later this evening but this is the link to the section - http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014 in the meantime.
Click to expand...

They need to start putting actual masts up now.
 
LNW-GW Joint

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8A Rail said:
Track panels for the fourth track are laid in Huyton Station and are present so far at least 150yds westwards towards Roby Station.
Click to expand...

On Monday this consisted of sleepers and fastenings only (ie no rails, which were lying in the Up Fast).
Have rail lengths actually gone down on the sleepers now?
 
8A Rail

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LNW-GW Joint said:
On Monday this consisted of sleepers and fastenings only (ie no rails, which were lying in the Up Fast).
Have rail lengths actually gone down on the sleepers now?
Click to expand...
No. Further sleepers, (some only done last night) have been laid with the rails for the fourth track are actually located in the Up Line (line three). I have now uploaded the latest images to the photo site (No's 94 to 107) which will confirm the present situation:- http://picasaweb.google.com/104517932653927762904/LMElectrificationWorkMerseyside2014
 
LDECRexile

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PDG1949

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8A Rail said:
Finally, the mast base's on the station's are all in place and in some cases covered over by tarmac but they have been spray paint box marked to confirm location of them.
Click to expand...

Given the need to now get masts and wires in place, I'm a bit surprised that they're putting in mast bases and then tarmaccing over them. I'd have thought that either the hole has been temporarily 'plated' or one (or more) of the standard thick yellow bevelled plastic square covers could have been put over it, as in this photo at St. Helens (OK I admit it's not the best of photos as the cover doesn't reach everything - but you get the idea). Or is H & S/Risk Assessment so pernicketty (or is it just down to vandalism, given the Broad Green wires??) ?
 

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LDECRexile

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Having taken my 4 and 2 year old grandchildren to see "In the Night Garden" at Trafford Park this morning (I enjoyed it almost as much as they did!) I went to a few spots mentioned in despatches by several people recently, notably:

1. Masts marching eastwards through Collins Green
2. More metalwork atop masts
3. Sankey Viaduct graffiti removal
4. Thatto Heath canyon's nifty suspended masts
5. Return wires west of Lea Green
6. Earlestown slow progress

I have added 34 photos of the above here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110155...rification20134?authkey=Gv1sRgCNmM9tLBtNTlgAE
 
londonmidland

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fTN13BnlMM&list=UUaODuGhEfHifqBeoCGTbr1g

I'm not too familiar with this route but just after Wavertree Technology Park, heading in the Liverpool direction, (skip to 26:56), it appears that there are some old pre-existing masks but they aren't actually wired until a bit further down the line where the original electrification starts/ends. Were the wires cut short at some point? Why is this?
Thanks.
 
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W

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londonmidland said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fTN13BnlMM&list=UUaODuGhEfHifqBeoCGTbr1g

I'm not too familiar with this route but just after Wavertree Technology Park, heading in the Liverpool direction, (skip to 26:56), it appears that there are some old pre-existing masks but they aren't actually wired until a bit further down the line where the original electrification starts/ends. Were the wires cut short at some point? Why is this?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

When the WCML was first electrified in the 1960's most of the freight lines in the Edge Hill area were wired but saw little use with electric traction. The wires used to extend along the Chat Moss route to the south side of the Edge Hill Circular Line bridge which crossed the Chat Moss route on what is now the site of Wavertree Technology Station. This route used to allow freight trains from the London/Runcorn route to reach the sidings at the bottom of the now lifted Edge Hill Gridiron without crossing the Chat Moss lines on the level and skirting Edge Hill shed which was on the site of the present Technology Park. The Circular route was lifted and the bridge demolished in the mid 1980's when the Technology Part was constructed following the Toxteth riots. The bridge is shown on this image showing the electrification masts and the "new" portal section of the tunnel under the Gridiron with the Chat Moss lines in the foreground.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52457887@N02/9619700809/

whilst this earlier picture shows the route prior to electrification with all six lines in place, the back two leading to the flyover over the Chat Moss lines which was just a little further to the west of the present green road access to the Wavertree Technology Park.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossxpres/9955637844/

When the M62 was originally planned there were plans to use the trackbed of the Edge Hill Gridiron which closed in the early 1970's and ran parallel to the Chat Moss Lines from Olive Mount to Edge Hill. This probably would have allowed the four tracking from Huyton to Edge Hill to remain in place, but a financial crisis lead the plans to be altered so the M62 could "face" Edge Lane Drive at the Rocket Junction with Queens Drive and a route to Liverpool city centre. As a result two tracks were lifted from Huyton, as the route became blocked at Broadgreen where the M62 approach road was constructed and the station rebuilt blocking the trackbed of the two former fast lines. However, at Olive Mount the two lines were retained and formed into two sidings to serve a coal concentration depot which was on the present site of Wavertree Technology Park and Station. The sidings ended just short of where the London lines turn away to the south where a junction with the fast Chat Moss lines used to be. At this time the wires on the Chat Moss route were cut back from the bridge west of Circular Line to the junction were the Bootle Branch emerges, although the masts on the through lines were retained, but removed on the sidings, as the image from 1985 below shows.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/feversham/5517159226/
 
londonmidland

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Wavertreelad said:
When the WCML was first electrified in the 1960's most of the freight lines in the Edge Hill area were wired but saw little use with electric traction. The wires used to extend along the Chat Moss route to the south side of the Edge Hill Circular Line bridge which crossed the Chat Moss route on what is now the site of Wavertree Technology Station. This route used to allow freight trains from the London/Runcorn route to reach the sidings at the bottom of the now lifted Edge Hill Gridiron without crossing the Chat Moss lines on the level and skirting Edge Hill shed which was on the site of the present Technology Park. The Circular route was lifted and the bridge demolished in the mid 1980's when the Technology Part was constructed following the Toxteth riots. The bridge is shown on this image showing the electrification masts and the "new" portal section of the tunnel under the Gridiron with the Chat Moss lines in the foreground.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52457887@N02/9619700809/

whilst this earlier picture shows the route prior to electrification with all six lines in place, the back two leading to the flyover over the Chat Moss lines which was just a little further to the west of the present green road access to the Wavertree Technology Park.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossxpres/9955637844/

When the M62 was originally planned there were plans to use the trackbed of the Edge Hill Gridiron which closed in the early 1970's and ran parallel to the Chat Moss Lines from Olive Mount to Edge Hill. This probably would have allowed the four tracking from Huyton to Edge Hill to remain in place, but a financial crisis lead the plans to be altered so the M62 could "face" Edge Lane Drive at the Rocket Junction with Queens Drive and a route to Liverpool city centre. As a result two tracks were lifted from Huyton, as the route became blocked at Broadgreen where the M62 approach road was constructed and the station rebuilt blocking the trackbed of the two former fast lines. However, at Olive Mount the two lines were retained and formed into two sidings to serve a coal concentration depot which was on the present site of Wavertree Technology Park and Station. The sidings ended just short of where the London lines turn away to the south where a junction with the fast Chat Moss lines used to be. At this time the wires on the Chat Moss route were cut back from the bridge west of Circular Line to the junction were the Bootle Branch emerges, although the masts on the through lines were retained, but removed on the sidings, as the image from 1985 below shows.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/feversham/5517159226/
Click to expand...

Wow, very detailed reply. Thanks!
 
LDECRexile

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As my other half is at her daughter's today I went exploring and had great fun between the showers.

I visited:

1. Carr Mill Viaduct, north of St Helens
2. Footbridge c100yds West of Wigan Branch bridge over the M6
3. Bryn Station
4. Taylors Lane, Wigan to explore the Bamfurlong Branch

These locations are shown here:

http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NTMuN...mZW89MCZxPXdpZ2FuJTJDJTIwdGF5bG9ycyUyMGxhbmU=

(Edit: alas, I pushpinned the locations but apparently they don't save unless I'm a member, they can, however, be found by clicking on OS Map and navigating along the railway liine!)

The footbridge near the M6 involves wading through longish vegetation and needs good footwear if it has rained. The footbridge has very high parapets, so take steps if you intend to take photos.

Exploring the "Ince Moss Curve" and the "Bamfurlong Branch" involves clambering through brambles, nettles, fallen trees and over steep banks. Explorers would need portable steps or similar as both lines are well defended by pallisade fencing. The lines nevertheless reward the effort and can be viewed without trespass or harm to the environment. The bridge at the end of Taylors Lane is a spotter's dream with seven WCML tracks running below and the Wigan Branch in view.

The area also rewards the historian and reminds me very much of my North Derbyshire roots with the remains of an amazing criss-cross of lines in all directions, as shown here:

http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?txtXCoord=360500&txtYCoord=402500

http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#359,403,1

I have added 42 photos at the end of the following:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110155...rification20134?authkey=Gv1sRgCNmM9tLBtNTlgAE

I have used the name "Ince Moss Curve" as per one of the linked maps to describe the section of the Wigan Branch between Ince Moss Junction and Springs Branch Junction.

As far as I could see the Bamfurlong Branch has a full set of masts, all bar one with arms and it just awaits wires. At the southeastern end there is a mixture of old masts, standing bare and seemingly not to be used, overlapping with new masts. The track looks to have been at least reballasted if not renewed. Three substantial piles of old materials await removal: wooden sleepers, metal sleepers and sections of rail.

On the Wigan Branch the current northernmost limit of Return Wires is two masts North of Ince Moss Junction on the western side of the Ince Moss Curve. Beyond that there appears to be a full set of "TTC" mast uprights, some with crossmembers fixed, some with them lying by the trackside ready to be attached.

Bryn Station has been almost completely resurfaced. All buildings have been razed. (see the Wikipedia entry for the buildings in teh 1960s and 1980s). I do not know if the paths to the platforms will be made fully DDA compliant. Work is still in progress.

Having seen the M6 bridge from the footbridge I am certain that masts will be needed, likewise for Carr Mill Viaduct.

Does anyone know the purpose of the yellow fixings on the sleepers about half way along the Bamfurlong Branch as photographed?
 
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LDECRexile

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