Todmorden Curve

[LNW-GW Joint]

Bit of an old picture as the actual curve has been complete for some time. They were working on the signaling last week so there is no reason to doubt it will not be ready for May.

The timetables are already done and the curve will be in use from said date, albeit just for turning stock around for the long slog back to Wigan via Atherton.

Theres no way (even if they magically found the trains to run the service) they could run it mainly because the drivers and guards needed to run it have not had chance to learn the route. Vic men do not sign up that way but I guess Leeds men could do it but even then its a long shot. Blackpool crews do not sign through Rochdale either only the East Lancs line and onwards to Leeds.

Travelled over the Copy Pit line today.
Speed limit through Holme Tunnel is still 20mph (shiny new PSR signs), despite the Northern Rail blurb that is had already been raised to 45mph.
Loads of re-sleepering has been done between Burnley and Hall Royd Jn, as well as complete renewal through the tunnel.
The Todmorden Curve looked finished but all the new signalling in the area is still shrouded in plastic bags.
Maybe it will just magically "work" on May 12 as promised.

 

[nrturner]

Speed limit through Holme Tunnel is still 20mph (shiny new PSR signs), despite the Northern Rail blurb that is had already been raised to 45mph.

Is that because Network Rail still have work to do, or is it to allow the new infrastructure to 'bed in'? Or is it timetable related?

 

[wasi]

I travelled over the line on Saturday from Burnley > York and what was surprising was a nice 3 carriage service, is this the norm?? Must be a year since I travelled the route.

As others have said, the curve at Todmorden looked almost finished, great to see.

Has anyone any idea of an estimated Burnley > Manc Victoria ticket cost via the curve when its operational?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The 158 centre cars were allocated to Northern primarily for the York-Blackpool service, but at least one 3-car 158 was on Leeds-Bradford-Huddersfield today, so I'm not sure if some of the Copy Pit services might have been something else.

 

[Darren R]

It's generally a (roughly) 50/50 split between 2- and 3-car units most days. (It's Northern - of course it's pot luck!)

I think it's a wee bit early to be thinking about what the fares will be! (They probably haven't even been decided yet.)

 

[spongsdad]

It's generally a (roughly) 50/50 split between 2- and 3-car units most days. (It's Northern - of course it's pot luck!)

I think it's a wee bit early to be thinking about what the fares will be! (They probably haven't even been decided yet.)

Currently, passengers from Burnley can travel to Manchester via Blackburn or Hebden Bridge. The day return fare is £15.20 for anytime or £13.90 for off peak. I presume that the travel via Blackburn option will disappear once direct services are introduced.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Currently, passengers from Burnley can travel to Manchester via Blackburn or Hebden Bridge. The day return fare is £15.20 for anytime or £13.90 for off peak. I presume that the travel via Blackburn option will disappear once direct services are introduced.

TransDev will still be basking in the sunshine of a further nine months without any rail competition that was the result of recent events.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Currently, passengers from Burnley can travel to Manchester via Blackburn or Hebden Bridge. The day return fare is £15.20 for anytime or £13.90 for off peak. I presume that the travel via Blackburn option will disappear once direct services are introduced.

I see no reason that it will, but then i see no reason for it to stay.

Many tickets have more than one route on them.

 

[wasi]

Well currently an off peak return from Todmorden > Manc Victoria is £8.20 , or £11.00 anytime.

Surely it cant be much more than that ??? Maybe £12 or £18 ??

Well worth it for me personally with the estimated journey time of under an hour..... eventually.

 

[Darren R]

How much is it on the bus from Burnley to Manchester?

 

[John S2]

How much is it on the bus from Burnley to Manchester?

A day return is covered by a one day Gold ticket which costs £9.

 

[Deerfold]

A day return is covered by a one day Gold ticket which costs £9.

Or £18 for a family.

Of course for many people this includes the bus into Burnley too.

Valid from Keighley or Skipton too...

 

[Darren R]

And speaking of buses; this from today's Lancashire Telegraph:

£½m spend on key X43 bus route

NEARLY £500,000 is set to be spent improving the main bus corridor between Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Responsive traffic lights are set to be installed or considered for a number of junctions along the A682 between the three boroughs, as used by the X43 service, this coming year.

And a major new controlled crossing has been pencilled in to provide better pedestrian links across Bacup Road and St Mary’s Way, in Rawtenstall.

An investment of £220,000 has been outlined to county councillors, including the replacement of the subway under St Mary’s Way with a toucan crossing.

County engineers will be promoting the use of ‘MOVA’ (microprocessor optimised vehicle actuation) lights, which are said to be more adaptable for congested routes.

Proposals have been drawn up to install MOVA lights, alongside a right-hand turn lane, at the Tup Bridge junction, of St Mary’s Way and Newchurch Road, for £100,000 The same system will also be employed around the Rawtenstall gyratory, with a £110,000 price tag, and a review will be undertaken of traffic light timings for the junction outside the town’s Asda store.

If the first four schemes come in under budget then consideration will also be given to creating a pedestrian crossing at Tup Bridge.

Edward Downer, transport planner for county council consultants Jacobs UK, said: “One of the key objectives of Lancashire County Council’s local transport plan is to improve economic performance and regeneration through the introduction of initiatives focused on reducing congestion, improving journey time reliability and increasing sustainable travel patterns.”

Checks will be carried out at key crossroads to ensure traffic lights are working effectively, costing around £50,000, according to engineers. This will include where the A682 meets Glen View Road, Casterton Avenue, Ringwood Avenue and Halifax Road, and the co-ordination of signals on Nelson’s Broadway.

Link: http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/11157275.____m_spend_on_key_X43_bus_route/

That should go someway towards improving journey times...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And speaking of buses; this from today's Lancashire Telegraph:



Link: http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/11157275.____m_spend_on_key_X43_bus_route/

That should go someway towards improving journey times...

Dovetails nicely with the X43 fleet that received new vehicles not so many months ago.

 

[Darren R]

It's shaping-up for a re-run of The Titfield Thunderbolt!

Are there any Level Crossings were the X43 route and the rail route will converge once trains start running?

 

[34D]

It's generally a (roughly) 50/50 split between 2- and 3-car units most days. (It's Northern - of course it's pot luck!)

I think it's a wee bit early to be thinking about what the fares will be! (They probably haven't even been decided yet.)

I live very near the Blackpool-York route, and I would say that at least 80% of services are a 3 car 158. No science, just a perception.

 

[Darren R]

I live very near the Blackpool-York route, and I would say that at least 80% of services are a 3 car 158. No science, just a perception.

You seem to have been luckier than I then!

To be honest I've never kept any record on my travels of the line; it's only my perception too, and quite possibly inaccurate. I think it is dependent on the times: I try to avoid the busiest trains whenever possible.

 

[pemma]

You seem to have been luckier than I then!

To be honest I've never kept any record on my travels of the line; it's only my perception too, and quite possibly inaccurate. I think it is dependent on the times: I try to avoid the busiest trains whenever possible.

Logically avoiding the busiest services should mean usually getting the shorter trains (unless you travel on quiet services which are part of the same diagram as busy services.) Although, logic and Northern Rail don't always go together.

 

[Techniquest]

I rarely use the Blackpool North to York services, unsurprisingly given my location, but on average I'd say I've either seen or had a 3-car 158 on those services *about* 88% of the time. Not an exact figure mind, as I've probably forgotten about a few times, but of course it'll depend on availability on the day a lot.

 

[CalderRail]

I use them a lot to get from Hebden Bridge to both Bradford and York. My regular train home is the 17:12 from BDI to HBD as well.

Mostly, they are the 3 car trains, but not always. There is a chance of getting pretty much any Northern Unit for the service. 158 plus 153 is not uncommon. Once it was formed of three 153s!

They do seem to avoid using Pacers on the service though, which is a good thing.

 

[1D53]

At the moment 6 of the 7 daily diagrams are allocated 3 car.

 

[spongsdad]

Right! We've now got a refurbished tunnel but still, apparently, a speed restriction through it, a reinstalled but not reinstated chord at Todmorden, a new station at Burnley Manchester Road, most of which, including the car park remains fenced off no trains to run the promised Manchester service until December and finally, splendid new buses to run the X43 Nelson to Manchester service. So come on, DfT, Network Rail, Northern Rail and Uncle Tom Cobbleigh; get your b****y fingers out.

 

[Manchester77]

Right! We've now got a refurbished tunnel but still, apparently, a speed restriction through it, a reinstalled but not reinstated chord at Todmorden, a new station at Burnley Manchester Road, most of which, including the car park remains fenced off no trains to run the promised Manchester service until December and finally, splendid new buses to run the X43 Nelson to Manchester service. So come on, DfT, Network Rail, Northern Rail and Uncle Tom Cobbleigh; get your b****y fingers out.

They have leases have been signed for 14 319/3s which enter service in December which will release sufficent DMUs for all the planned services to run.

 

[CalderRail]

I don't believe the signalling works for the Chord have yet been completed. They were out on the track all last weekend laying cables for it, and the new reversing signal to allow trains to access the curve (or reverse) from the Up Platform at Todmorden is now installed but covered over.

 

[STANDISH]

Supposedly the first rail tour around the curve is on the 24th May this month. See Pathfinder Rail tours web site for full details

 

[ianhr]

I don't believe the signalling works for the Chord have yet been completed. They were out on the track all last weekend laying cables for it, and the new reversing signal to allow trains to access the curve (or reverse) from the Up Platform at Todmorden is now installed but covered over.

That was the impression I had on 2/5/14 as viewed from a passing train. They do need to have it commissioned by the start of the new timetable as trains terminating at Tod will be reversing on the curve.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They have leases have been signed for 14 319/3s which enter service in December which will release sufficent DMUs for all the planned services to run.

I wonder what type of DMU will be scheduled to run the new service in the far-off month of December 2014 in competition against the new TransDev bus fleet on the X43 service to tempt prospective new passengers away from these modern double-deck buses.....or will it be the usual Northern Rail premise of "whatever is spare at the current time".....:roll:

 

[175001]

They do need to have it commissioned by the start of the new timetable as trains terminating at Tod will be reversing on the curve.

Not necessarily, as we will still be able to do a 1/2 mile wrong direction shunt into Millwood tunnel.

 

[Darren R]

Next Sunday sees bustitutions on both Copy Pit and Victoria services - I assumed this was to allow the signalling to be commissioned.

 

[Manchester77]

I wonder what type of DMU will be scheduled to run the new service in the far-off month of December 2014 in competition against the new TransDev bus fleet on the X43 service to tempt prospective new passengers away from these modern double-deck buses.....or will it be the usual Northern Rail premise of "whatever is spare at the current time".....:roll:

I'd say they'll keep it semi-classy with a FNW refurbished 150
Or maybe they'll put on a special 142 for you Paul?