Port Salford.

[Toots]

Does anyone know how far the Port Salford proposal has got?.Peel Holdings are planning to run a line from a proposed container port on the Manchester Ship Canal to the line between Manchester and Liverpool.It doesn't appear to have been mentioned in the detailing for electrificaton of that route,or has it and I've missed it.
My own theory is that Peel simply want a port there and are touting a rail link until 'suddenly'hock: they realise its not feasible,but 'oh hum we've got this far so we might as well carry on but without the rail link':roll:.
I hope I'm wrong but I have a feeling I'm not....

 

[WatcherZero]

Rail link has always been the primary purpose of it, any decent inland port needs one. Its also really an expansion of the two rail facilities at Trafford Park. Recieved planning permission in July 2009 and commencement date for ground works is 'August 2011'. It is currently planned that the sidings at least (theres a big reversing siding) will be electrified, dont know if they will wire the dockside though, relying on shunters probably.

 

[CosherB]

Does that proposed link line go through what is now Barton Airfield? Peel do of course own that.

Is this port designed to relieve or even replace Trafford Park container depot? That causes a lot of congestion through Piccadilly, O Road, and Deansgate as massive container trains weave their way to the depot. It would be great for Manchester passenger traffic if those trains went to Port Salford via the Liverpool line instead of to Trafford Park.

 

[Toots]

The idea is to resume container traffic back to the upper reaches of the ship canal.It will run from the area in rear of Makro and pass the airfield on the west side.The big plus is that it has direct access to the WCML at Newton-le-willows and access east via Victoria and Stockport,there is alo a Goods loop at Eccles which would be handy if the roads became congested.
One would suppose that it would take container work from Trafford Park simply because the containers will stay on the boat until they reach Manchester instead of being disembarked elsewhere and then brought up or across by rail to be redistributed again.It would be nice to think that the trackbed at the side of the MSC could be reinstated for trip workings from Port Salford to the Park,but that's me being an anorak and sentimentalist.....

 

[Nym]

Or to have some passenger services on the new bit of line...?

Interchange with the Metrolink at Port Salford anyone

Or extend said metrolink line to a new P&R station off the M62..? Met and Heavy meeting there...

Suppose a single track link could be re-instated but it would need a new bridge over the canal...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....there is alo a Goods loop at Eccles which would be handy if the roads became congested....

It isn't strictly a goods loop, it provides access to a cement terminal at Weaste which is not otherwise accessible from the Chat Moss line, although that line is rarely used these days and the loop is more often used to water steam engines on charter trains than anything else.

 

[Toots]

Trust me it's a Goods Loop!,it's still used for regulating trains etc.The Weaste Branch has lost it's traffic,but strictly speaking it's a 'stand alone' line that uses the OTW method of signalling and leaves the Goods loop at the Stott lane end.You are correct in that the Branch is not directly accessible from the Chat Moss line but of course the Goods Loop is, ergo,its a loop!....Incidentally those lines were the ones that went through platforms 3 and 4 at Eccles and then onto Tyldesley and Leigh,now there was another short sighted decision, given that those areas (and Ellenbrook) have seen massive house expansion.

 

[snail]

Interchange with the Metrolink at Port Salford anyone

The plans include a new bridge over the Ship Canal with a reserved alignment for a Metrolink line from Pomona via the Trafford Centre. If funding for the line to the Trafford Centre ever gets sorted out it would almost certainly extend to the new port.

 

[WatcherZero]

Its low res, but this is the current Proposal for the Trafford Centre line. Does feature a Port Salford stop.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Its low res, but this is the current Proposal for the Trafford Centre line. Does feature a Port Salford stop.

Does this current proposal have an estimated time period for commencement? Is it true that the original Trafford Centre proposal had a proposed financial input from Peel Holdings who owned the Trafford Centre at that time, but they have since sold their interest in that to another party.

 

[WatcherZero]

Few questions there...

No estimated time period for commencement, it requires private sector contributions and the usual planning/TWA order.

Yes the original Trafford Centre approval required transport contributions, this was originally for a Metrolink line, then Peel stalled for several years suggesting a Monorail instead. I dont know if they ever coughed up the full amount, they may have contributed to some road schemes and they do/did sponsor a lot of buses from across the county.

Yes and no, they exchanged their ownership of the Trafford Centre for a sizeable equity stake (around a fifth) in Capital Shopping Centres (who also own the Arndale) and Peel Chairman John Whittaker became the Deputy Chairman of the company. But they still control Port Salford, half of Salford Reds new stadium, most of the Leisure facilities in Trafford Park and the new Conference centre.