Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[LDECRexile]

Paul Gaskell has kindly sent shots he took at Wigan NW and St Helens Central today. He took others on our jaunt to Manchester, which will appear on the Blackpool-Manchester electrification thread in due course.

I've added the St H and Wigan shots to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157649792560381

and to the Liverpool-Manchester Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648494725811

Thank you Paul

 

[LDECRexile]

Paul Gaskell has kindly sent a "walk through" sequence covering the works to widen the trackbed at Huyton, which appear to be complete bar tidying up.

He also too a video of the site from his returning train which is too big to email to me, so he'll hand it to me when we next meet.

I've added the walk through to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157649792560381

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648494725811

Thank you Paul

 

[LDECRexile]

Paul has kindly given me the video mentioned in Post #5552.

I've added it to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157649792560381

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648494725811

Thank you Paul

 

[Billyblue]

Dave; I agree. The work at Huyton appears to be complete bar the laying of the track from Platform 4 at Huyton Station to the junction and the installation of the overhead wires.
The Buckingham works compound in the Huyton Hey Road car park (next to the bus station and adjacent to the track) has been emptied bar one hut and the compound near to Roby Station has also, more or less, been emptied.
At the beginning of the project I suggested the Roby compound be landscaped, when it was no longer required, and used as a Park and Ride facility for Roby Station. I was told that there were no plans for this and the site would be returned to grassland. I think this really is a missed opportunity to address the lack of parking at both Huyton and Roby.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Dave; I agree. The work at Huyton appears to be complete bar the laying of the track from Platform 4 at Huyton Station to the junction and the installation of the overhead wires.

You can't lay that track without reconfiguring the existing route though.
Don't forget the new junction and signalling at Roby Jn either.
I suspect it will all be left until the main blockade.
Have they even put dates on that yet?
As it involves the ROC it will probably follow the Ordsall Chord commissioning.

 

[LDECRexile]

You can't lay that track without reconfiguring the existing route though.
Don't forget the new junction and signalling at Roby Jn either.
I suspect it will all be left until the main blockade.
Have they even put dates on that yet?

Please see Phil Wieland's site here:

http://www.nw-sparks.co.uk/p10.shtml

Look under "Schedule"

 

[snowball]

The PDF linked by Joseph in #5524 contains a proposed layout for Huyton which I think is more recent than the one shown on the nw-sparks site linked in #5556.

 

[PDG1949]

You can't lay that track without reconfiguring the existing route though.
Don't forget the new junction and signalling at Roby Jn either.
I suspect it will all be left until the main blockade.
Have they even put dates on that yet?
As it involves the ROC it will probably follow the Ordsall Chord commissioning.

Phil Wieland's site says September, but during my Huyton 'walk-through' the other week I was talking to two NR Orangemen who mentioned October...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Phil Wieland's site says September, but during my Huyton 'walk-through' the other week I was talking to two NR Orangemen who mentioned October...

There's also the Lime St closure to factor in.
At some point they need a route via Warrington to Crewe while the direct route is closed.

 

[LDECRexile]

8A Rail has kindly sent shots of progress at Huyton, including a short length of newly laid rail!

I've created an album for 8A Rail and attached the shots to it here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157683639340646

I've also added them to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648494725811

In case any readers don't know, 8A Rail is an experienced and highly skilled amateur photographer specialising in shots of freight trains. His work is regularly used in publications such as Railway Magazine and, for example, on the cover of QUAIL Book 4. Well worth looking out for.

Thank you 8A

 

[childwallblues]

When I passed earlier in the week Buckingham appeared to have vacated the work site. I assume that the car park will now be re-instated.

 

[LDECRexile]

8A_Rail has kindly sent more shots from Huyton.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157683639340646

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648494725811

Thank you 8A_Rail

 

[HowardGWR]

Good pics, thanks 8A. Do the masts and gubbins still have to be erected? It looks like it from the last photo.

 

[8A Rail]

Good pics, thanks 8A. Do the masts and gubbins still have to be erected? It looks like it from the last photo.

Yes along with laying the track. I suspect one/two of the existing masts may have to be repositioned but I am not sure - a couple seem to be in the wrong place for a fourth track but don't know the actual work to be carried out.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Yes along with laying the track. I suspect one/two of the existing masts may have to be repositioned but I am not sure - a couple seem to be in the wrong place for a fourth track but don't know the actual work to be carried out.

There are several new bases in the northern extension strip.
Looks like some of the current gantries will have to be re-configured to span 4 tracks.
There's also the new layout at Roby Jn to construct.

 

[adrock1976]

Could this have been done properly first time round when the line was electrified a few years ago, so as to save having to go back in and pull everything apart again?

Sometimes, I totally despair at the state the country is in nowadays.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Could this have been done properly first time round when the line was electrified a few years ago, so as to save having to go back in and pull everything apart again?

There has been a lot of passive provision for the 4th track, but I guess there were limitations on what they could do within the boundaries that existed then.
At least the stations are ready and waiting.
I did think they would finish off Roby Jn while they were at it.

 

[snowball]

I think the interim layout was designed to be as compatible as possible with the then-proposed final layout, within the land then available, but the proposed final layout has since changed, according to a presentation linked by JL a couple of months ago.

 

[8A Rail]

There are several new bases in the northern extension strip.
Looks like some of the current gantries will have to be re-configured to span 4 tracks.
There's also the new layout at Roby Jn to construct.

I dont think it is a new layout at Roby Junction as most of the 4th track is already laid. Because of this means just to realign the up line were the points / crossover needs to be inserted to the fourth line unless that is what you meant?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I dont think it is a new layout at Roby Junction as most of the 4th track is already laid. Because of this means just to realign the up line were the points / crossover needs to be inserted to the fourth line unless that is what you meant?

Yes indeed, but there was nothing stopping them putting in the turnout and associated signalling/OLE last time round, in the same way the station platforms and 4th track through them were done.
I'm intrigued that there might have been a redesign, and whether this is an upgrade or downgrade!

 

[nw-sparks]

I think the interim layout was designed to be as compatible as possible with the then-proposed final layout, within the land then available, but the proposed final layout has since changed, according to a presentation linked by JL a couple of months ago.

The final layout has changed? In what way? I must have missed that.

The interim layout always had some track at Huyton Jn which would be removed for the final layout. This is the access from platform 3 to the Up St Helens which will not be possible after completion.

 

[snowball]

For the latest layout see the link and comments in post #5524 on page 369 of this thread.

I imagine safety rules would have prevented them putting in facing points too far ahead of the date they would come into use.

 

[nw-sparks]

For the latest layout see the link and comments in post #5524 on page 369 of this thread.

Ah, OK, that's exactly the same layout as I reported in January 2013.
http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

 

[snowball]

Sorry, you're right, they are equivalent (except for which route is the "normal" setting of the points where the Up Chat Moss Fast and Down St Helens cross). They just look different. My memory of the layout I'd seen on your site and on here was at fault when I read the document linked by JL in March.

 

[8A Rail]

Ah, OK, that's exactly the same layout as I reported in January 2013.
http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html

A direct link to the layout is here --- http://moderngov.merseytravel.uk.ne...Roby and Huyton stations expansion enc. 1.pdf

 

[urbophile]

How will the four tracks be used in future? I'd assumed that rather than fast/slow, the northernmost pair would be for the St Helens/Wigan line and the southern pair for Manchester. But currently the eastbound Manchester Airport service at least (which doesn't stop at Roby or Huyton) appears to be using what on that scheme would be the westbound track from Wigan. Do stopping trains use that platform at the two stations?

 

[nw-sparks]

How will the four tracks be used in future? I'd assumed that rather than fast/slow, the northernmost pair would be for the St Helens/Wigan line and the southern pair for Manchester. But currently the eastbound Manchester Airport service at least (which doesn't stop at Roby or Huyton) appears to be using what on that scheme would be the westbound track from Wigan. Do stopping trains use that platform at the two stations?

The layout is as shown on this diagram
http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/huyton-roby-extra-tracks.html
so from south to north you have platform 1 down fast, platform 2 down slow, platform 3 up fast and platform 4 when completed will be the up slow. Trains to/from the St Helens lines will only have access to the slow lines, trains to/from the Chat Moss route can use slow or fast.

 

[childwallblues]

When I passed on Tuesday the alignment for the up slow was still blocked by the telephone exchange wall.

 

[8A Rail]

When I passed on Tuesday the alignment for the up slow was still blocked by the telephone exchange wall.

But it is not though as work is fully completed. I think what will happen the up slow line to Manchester will be slightly realigned to the south. There are already extra track panels in for the fourth line at Huyton, see: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/34231869810/in/album-72157683639340646/

How will the four tracks be used in future? I'd assumed that rather than fast/slow, the northernmost pair would be for the St Helens/Wigan line and the southern pair for Manchester. But currently the eastbound Manchester Airport service at least (which doesn't stop at Roby or Huyton) appears to be using what on that scheme would be the westbound track from Wigan. Do stopping trains use that platform at the two stations?

Also to clarify what NW Sparks as stated.

From north to south at Huyton Station.
Platform 4
Up Slow line to Prescot / St Helens AND also access to the Up Fast line to Rainhill / Manchester
Platform 3
Up Fast to Rainhill / Manchester only
Platform 2
Down Slow from Prescot / St Helens AND also Rainhill / Manchester
Platform 1
Down Fast from Rainhill / Manchester only.

You will note that the revised layout allows the opportunity for non stop trains (e.g. TransPennine) to pass slower traffic (e.g. Freight) at Huyton who are heading into both Liverpool and Manchester.

EG. Biomass Train put into Up Slow (Platform 4) to allow TPEx to pass on Up Fast (Platform 3), then Biomass departs to gain access at Huyton Junction to proceed on Up Fast to Rainhill.

 

[adrock1976]

Other than the Metropolitan Railway (London Underground) between (I think) West Hampstead and Wembley Park where the slow lines (Stanmore Branch - present day Jubilee Line) are the centre pair of tracks, with the fast tracks being on the outside, is this the first time an arrangement of tracks been done like this on the heavy rail network?