I went out and about today, taking a very circuitous route to the grandchildren.
As has been the case again and again throughout the year I was pleasantly surprised by how much 'advancement in the electrification process' was readily apparent in just the few days since I last took a look-see. This BLOG and associated images and links and sites such as nw-sparks show clear evidence of widespread, sustained and readily apparent progress and achievement.
Specifically, today:
1. Carr Mill Viaduct: scaffolding completed last week, no action since. Apparently the work has "gone back to the designers."
2. Sankey Viaduct: Stonework at the tops of both North and South sides of Columns 4 and 7 has been removed. Stonework at the top of Column 1 is next in line. The best news is that groundwork in preparation for erecting scaffolding on Column 10 (western end of the viaduct) appears to have started. I could see Orangemen doing such work but they are on private land on the other side of the Sankey Brook with the view obscured by foliage and a berm. Balfour Beattie Orangemen elsewhere, later in the morning, said they thought the green light had been given to get cracking on this. Hopefully someone else will report metalwork climbing during the week.
3. Rainhill Station: five of the eight masts in the station area (seven on the platforms and one just off the western end of the westbound platform) now have characteristic tall, bare, thick masts standing proud. These are typical of areas where wires are to be strung longitudinally and laterally. (I've forgotten the term for them, will someone please help?) A sixth base is curing. It was impossible to tell if the excavations for the other two contain curing bases as their temporary covers were too good as covers.
4. Huyton Quarry: scaffolding has gone up around the gubbins at either end of the electrical unit which looks like a green corrugated container. The lone bare base opposite remains stubbornly mastless.
5. Huyton Junction: More metalwork has sprouted. There seems to be almost a full house of verticals on the north side. After the 'Vee' between tracks 2 and 3 East of Huyton Station has closed the general pattern appears to be TTCs leaning over Tracks 1 and 2 from the South side and single masts from the North side serving Track 3. This should mean that when Track 4 is electrified OHLE over Tracks 1 and 2 need not be disturbed.
6. HG nn nn mast numbering on the Wigan Branch: by last week a portal had been erected over the Wigan Branch near the Vee of Huyton Junction itself. This was my 'candidate' for HG 00 01. Now a pair of masts has been squeezed in between that portal and the Vee. This could well be HG 00 01, but I couldn't see any marker, even with binocs.
7. Roby-Huyton Overtaking: The significant re-quadrupling scheme was conceived and justified to enable service enhancements such as adding the Newcastle flyers. We have seen ample evidence over the months of this taking place westbound. Today I was standing on my trusty step-stool on the footpath next to Track 1 when two trains hove into view from the East - a flyer from Newcastle and a stopper from Wigan. They arrived at the junction as if synchronised, with the stopper at line speed of 45 mph and the flyer at 90. I make no apology for saying I had a real tingle of excitement as the flyer roared past a few feet from me. Pre-works, one of these trains would have had to stand before the junction. Signalling changes already made and to follow next Spring North of St Helens Central will further reduce the risk of extra future trains such as Liverpool-Scotland causing chaos.
8. Roby Junction-Roby Bases: a couple of weeks ago LNW-GW Joint reported some non-standard 'Slab' bases in the unstable ground in this area. Others have given more detail of the three since, with long-range images. One of them was reported as still there yesterday. The two to the North of the tracks have had all shuttering removed and are completing the curing process. They appear to have sets of six bolts rather than the more usual four. From the Public Open Space to the North of the tracks they can be seen as substantial structures.
I will add more photos, including some from night work in progress on Sankey Viaduct, later tonight or tomorrow.
