Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[jonesy3001]

Are they doing the works overnight as well as weekends?

 

[Geeves]

After 2200 its currently bus replacements from Vic to Stalybridge

 

[jonesy3001]

Piling work still happening on the ashton line, post on LinkedIn.

Well another great shift from all the team last night on the TRU we don’t… | Matty Peel | 13 comments

Well another great shift from all the team last night on the TRU we don’t just do piling we have a very good versatile group of people within lundy projects if you require anything give Rob Hollins a call No matter how big or small your job is Team Lundys | 13 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[Revaulx]

Progress can best be described as slow but sure. Some of the work does seem to have been undertaken in a weird order, but it’s all coming together now

 

[CAF397]

Masts have appeared between Guide Bridge and Dukinfield viaducts. Mixture of stanchions and TTCs, complete with registration arms and danglies. Plated MS.

Also, many new AWS magnets and TPWS grids on both up and down lines between Ravensthorpe and Morley Tunnel, many in New locations compared to existing signals.

 

[Halish Railway]

Reposted on the Don Coffey Facebook group.

Councillor Oliver Newton:

"On Wednesday, MBI councillors had an exciting briefing with the project management of the multi billion pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). Morley Station has been one of the worst railway stations across the network for disabled access. Historically, you would have to travel on the road to Leeds or Dewsbury to board a train. MBI councillors have lobbied the authorities for a number of years to improve this accessibility problem. We are now pleased to announce that our Morley Station will be one of the first between York and Manchester to receive a well overdue upgrade as part of Phase 1 of the TRU. Minor works have already begun, but the foundations of the new station will begin this Autumn 2022 with an estimated
completion date of Autumn 2023. Importantly, the new Morley station will have lifts on either platform connected to by a footbridge to allow disabled access. The platforms will be longer, brighter, safer, and will be built a short distance away
from the existing station so that there is greater visibility coming out of Morley tunnel for longer trains; so that trains can travel faster along the Transpennine route cutting journey times. We will be also working with TRU to deliver volunteer hours for tree planting and assisting with allocation of local work experience students to the project. With all works on the railway, there will be disruption at quieter times, especially over the christmas period, but during the laying of new track there will be inevitable
disruption along the route. There are two blocks of full closures planned during several days in February 2023 and June 2023, where replacement bus services will run. Specific dates are TBC."

To the best of my knowledge the station will be shifted a few-hundred towards Leeds to be on a section of track with a shallower curve, with the section of track where the station currently sits being recanted to a degree that is unsuitable to stop and open their doors on in order to raise the line speed entering Morley tunnel from 45mph (Huddersfield-bound) / 55mph (Leeds-bound) to 70mph in both directions.

A couple of points:
- I'm surprised that the construction is starting now, perhaps its because some of the works can be done whilst there's a possession in place to build the White Rose station.
- How will access from Morley town centre on top of the hill down to the station be improved?
- Will any flood drainage work occur as runoff accumulates on the sight of the station?

 

[Codville]

Reposted on the Don Coffey Facebook group.

To the best of my knowledge the station will be shifted a few-hundred towards Leeds to be on a section of track with a shallower curve, with the section of track where the station currently sits being recanted to a degree that is unsuitable to stop and open their doors on in order to raise the line speed entering Morley tunnel from 45mph (Huddersfield-bound) / 55mph (Leeds-bound) to 70mph in both directions.

A couple of points:
- I'm surprised that the construction is starting now, perhaps its because some of the works can be done whilst there's a possession in place to build the White Rose station.
- How will access from Morley town centre on top of the hill down to the station be improved?
- Will any flood drainage work occur as runoff accumulates on the sight of the station?

View attachment 122608View attachment 122609

Found the planning application.

22/00355/DPD | Determination for alterations including extension to station platforms and provision of a new footbridge to replace the existing station footbridge |

publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk

 

[billio]

- How will access from Morley town centre on top of the hill down to the station be improved?

Level up with a new station in the tunnel under Town End and use lifts to provide access. A station similar to those on the Elizabeth Line will do. No chance.

Otherwise, a very frequent electric bus between the station and the town centre.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Network Rail are now consulting on the Leeds - Micklefield section of TRU.

It doesn't include four tracking but it certainly includes provision for it going by the many CGIs.

The viaduct between Kirkgate and Marsh Lane East of Leeds apparently needs reconstructing however

"While the wider Transpennine Route Upgrade project will be making changes to these bridges, only the construction compounds form part of this public
consultation and the Transport & Works Act Order it relates to."

Seems to be more about bridges than anything else.

https://leedsmicklefield.consultation.ai/

Austhorpe Lane bridge to be rebuilt and widened.

Crawshaw Woods bridge to be raised

Barrowby Lane bridleway crossing to be closed and a stepped and ramped footbridge to be built

Brady farm bridge to be removed

Ridge Road bridge to be rebuilt.
(Gas main to be laid in a trench under the railway.)

Peckfield level crossing to be closed
(New bridleway to be created adjacent to the line to Great North Road)

Cheers for all the replies, that would explain the new sidings that opened at Wakefield Cobra for stabling Northern stock recently, maybe the plan is many smaller sidings? I guess if a new depot is required Healey Mills is a good location despite the trees. Interesting times

Here is the official PR article on it: https://thetrupgrade.co.uk/tru-news/new-lease-of-life-for-disused-rail-facility-in-wakefield/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nothing at all about what is intended at Neville Hill.
Presumably that will all be on railway land with no public access, so no need for consultation.
Also the scheme ends at Micklefield - what about Micklefield-Church Fenton?

 

[59CosG95]

Nothing at all about what is intended at Neville Hill.
Presumably that will all be on railway land with no public access, so no need for consultation.
Also the scheme ends at Micklefield - what about Micklefield-Church Fenton?

As far as I can make out, this consultation mainly covers the work in TRU Section E3 (Cross Gates (exc.) to Micklefield). Section E4 (Micklefield - Church Fenton) should be covered in a little more detail further down the line; I know that TRU have already produced plans for the "Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction" which falls under E4's remit.

Section E2 ("Leeds Departures") will presumably cover Neville Hill, along with the whole route from Leeds to Cross Gates (inc.).

 

[snowball]

Section E4 (Micklefield - Church Fenton) should be covered in a little more detail further down the line; I know that TRU have already produced plans for the "Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction" which falls under E4's remit.

Indeed (as doubtless discussed upthread) the application for the TWAO for Church Fenton level crossing reductiion ws submitted in the summer.

Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction - Network Rail

We are proposing to replace three private railway crossings in the Church Fenton area with a safer alternative.

www.networkrail.co.uk

On 28 July 2022, Network Rail submitted its Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Secretary of State for Transport for the Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction scheme.

To view the TWAO application and all the plans and documents submitted with them please refer to our application documents below.

 

[59CosG95]

Indeed (as doubtless discussed upthread) the application for the TWAO for Church Fenton level crossing reductiion ws submitted in the summer.

Church Fenton Level Crossing Reduction - Network Rail

We are proposing to replace three private railway crossings in the Church Fenton area with a safer alternative.

www.networkrail.co.uk

That TWAO exclusively focuses on that element of work - there's nothing yet for construction compounds between Micklefield & CF for any track/electrification work. There's only one overbridge that needs work there, however.

 

[323 Class]

Masts have appeared between Guide Bridge and Dukinfield viaducts. Mixture of stanchions and TTCs, complete with registration arms and danglies. Plated MS.

Walked along the canal near Portland basin.it was difficult to get a good vantage point but I managed a shot of the masts near the sidings between Guidebridge and Stalybridge.

 

[Jamesrob637]

There's actually a TP train running or have you Photoshopped one in for special/Halloween effects?!

 

[YorkshireBear]

It'll be interesting to see how much these sections actually get used until the whole thing is done. Some rumours going round regarding 802s leaving TPE (not for this thread and definitely not confirmed).

Did I see up thread that piles have been installed around Stalybridge? I thought Stalybridge was down for a big rebuild so I was surprised to hear someone mention it the other day. Apologies if this has been covered upthread.

 

[323 Class]

There's actually a TP train running or have you Photoshopped one in for special/Halloween effects?!

No, I actually saw 2 tpe trains, couldn't believe my eyes.

 

[snowball]

Did I see up thread that piles have been installed around Stalybridge? I thought Stalybridge was down for a big rebuild so I was surprised to hear someone mention it the other day. Apologies if this has been covered upthread.

There's a bit of a mystery concerning an alleged major rebuild at Stalybridge. See #5826 and the ensuing discussion.

Masts have been getting nearer to Stalybridge. User Freel07 has posted several batches of pictures on skyscrapercity since I last mentioned him . His most recent post on 13 Oct shows TTCs on the Victoria-Stalybridge line looking west from Granville Street, and piled foundations on the Guide Bridge line looking both west and east from the separate bridge carrying the same street.

Electrification

So the much needed electrification of routes out of Manchester will after all take place, despite the Spending Review, though there is some anger that the time for the work has been extended so that it won't be finished until 2016 at the earliest. More details here...

www.skyscrapercity.com

Things move on apace around Ashton at present.

 

[Halish Railway]

I've made a thread to discuss the timeline in which service patterns along the TRU will change over the course of the project's implementation. Fell free to add any comments!

Timeline for recasting Transpennine services (TRU)

This thread has been made to discuss how and when the service pattern on the York to Manchester via Huddersfield line will change over the course of the TransPennine Route Upgrade's implementation. This thread is also likely going to involve discussing how TransPennine Express will reintroduce...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[jonesy3001]

Looks like overnight engineering work is cancelled this week between Stalybridge and Victoria.
How much is there left to do?

 

[59CosG95]

Looks like overnight engineering work is cancelled this week between Stalybridge and Victoria.
How much is there left to do?

Well, the TRUpgrade website is showing nothing beyond the 30th of October. Doubtless the strikes this week have played a part in the cancellations & uncertainty...

 

[snowball]

The November Modern Railways has a long letter on pp. 84-5 from Rob McIntosh, NR's Regional Managing Director, Eastern, in reply to previous comments by Roger Ford about TRU costs. One point mentioned is

We are creating a six-mile third line from Marsden to Huddersfield which maximises the use of the old four-track formation and deals with the challenge of electrification, while bringing into use redundant bridge spans.

This is in accordance with what many posters have assumed but I think it may be the first time it has been stated as fact by an authoritative source.

 

[Nottingham59]

the first time it has been stated as fact by an authoritative source.

That's good to hear. Though 6 miles implies that the whole line from the Penistone junction to the tunnel portal (~7 miles) will be three tracks and not four.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

That's good to hear. Though 6 miles implies that the whole line from the Penistone junction to the tunnel portal (~7 miles) will be three tracks and not four.

Presumably restoring four tracks would have too much of a negative impact on linespeeds, so three tracks is a reasonable compromise. Back when it was four tracks, pretty much all carriages were c.20m long at the most, so you'd get away with tighter curves and reduced clearances. Making a four track formation suitable for modern 23-26m vehicles would probably need a fair bit of work besides simply laying down two extra tracks.

For future reference, the junction for the Penistone line is Springwood Junction.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Presumably "deals with the challenge of electrification" means the third track can be electrified before use, allowing the existing tracks to be progressively reconfigured and wired.
The existing tracks, while mostly on the north side of the old 4-track layout, do swing across to the south side and back though, so it won't simply be a case of laying a 3rd track alongside.
Some of the underbridges consist of two separate spans too.

 

[Sonik]

That's good to hear. Though 6 miles implies that the whole line from the Penistone junction to the tunnel portal (~7 miles) will be three tracks and not four.

Indeed.

I had wondered if Slathwaite might end up with a reduced service, given that it's the only station between the NPR connection at Marsden and the proposed four tracking going east from Huddersfeild.

Three tracks could work as a bi-di passing/stopping loop as the center track, quite common arrangement in Italy IIRC.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Indeed.

I had wondered if Slathwaite might end up with a reduced service, given that it's the only station between the NPR connection at Marsden and the proposed four tracking going east from Huddersfeild.

I'd be surprised if that would be acceptable to stakeholders such as WYPTE or Mayor Brabin... though Colne Valley does lean Tory. With just two intermediate stations it should probably at least maintain the hourly service it's supposed to get at the moment. Might well put paid to the desired Golcar & Milnsbridge station though.

That said, even a "reduced service" might be more palatable than the current lottery!

 

[zwk500]

Indeed.

I had wondered if Slathwaite might end up with a reduced service, given that it's the only station between the NPR connection at Marsden and the proposed four tracking going east from Huddersfeild.

Three tracks could work as a bi-di passing/stopping loop as the center track, quite common arrangement in Italy IIRC.

The steep upwards grade means it's got more value as a primarily uphill loop for freights to trundle up and keep out of the passengers way. I suspect all 3 lines are good candidates to get Bi-Di signalling though, for delay recovery as well as operational flexibility.

 

[Sonik]

The steep upwards grade means it's got more value as a primarily uphill loop for freights to trundle up and keep out of the passengers way. I suspect all 3 lines are good candidates to get Bi-Di signalling though, for delay recovery as well as operational flexibility.

Good point. I guess it depends what fits best but it looks like there is plenty of room. Seems to me like there is a lot of thought going into optimization (cost vs performance) on TPRU.

 

[jonesy3001]

Looks like there's no upgrades planned for a while, they have updated the page.

Upcoming Closures

thetrupgrade.co.uk