Wigan-Bolton electrification. Construction updates only please

[WesternBiker]

Really good progress. Great to see. Thanks for posting.

I love it when these projects come together and you can see the rush of progress - while conscious that it is built on the foundations of hard slog of planning and preparation beforehand.

 

[Gricer99]

The Deep Pit Iron Bridge, just West of Hindley Station has had its southern ramp detached and removed ready for jacking later this month.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The Deep Pit Iron Bridge, just West of Hindley Station has had its southern ramp detached and removed ready for jacking later this month.

Later on I would love to see the earthing/equipotential bonding for that metal structure. Not that difficult of course but still looking forward to see someone post about it. I know - I am nerdy!

 

[Elecman]

Later on I would love to see the earthing/equipotential bonding for that metal structure. Not that difficult of course but still looking forward to see someone post about it. I know - I am nerdy!

Presumably bonded at both ends directly onto the earth return rail/ nearest structure

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Presumably bonded at both ends directly onto the earth return rail/ nearest structure

With 25mm^2 copper conductor sheathed in yellow/green PVC?

 

[59CosG95]

With 25mm^2 copper conductor sheathed in yellow/green PVC?

From my own earthing/bonding experience, bonds to the rail/OLE structures tend to be 19/3.25, which clocks in at 158mm^2! The PVC also tends to be black.
25mm^2 is very much for lower voltages - you get those diameters (and the traditional green & yellow PVC) in on signal bonds, LOC cabinet bonds etc.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

which clocks in at 158mm^2! The PVC also tends to be black.

Wow. I am out of touch with UK. When I rewired my UK home, I remember doing 10mm^2 to bond the radiators. That of course is only 230V nominal. 25000V nominal for the Wigan Bolton scheme is of course much higher.

 

[WAO]

An earth conductor has to limit the "touch voltage" of the metal object in the event of a fault to 50V in your home or 60V on the railway for some reason, both relative to ground and to anything else within touching distance and to cause disconnection within a certain time. Hence the large cross section.

Interesting to see how much work is being done above mere electrification.

WAO

 

[Elecman]

Earth bonding in OLE areas has also to guarantee the very short fault disconnection time and voltage rise on the earth conductors Ron very stringent values

 

[scrapy]

Is that also the reason for the Bolton - Preston closures on Sundays recently and the odd late-night Manchester - Blackpool service replaced by a bus? I don't understand why they couldn't run services between Windermere/Barrow or Blackpool, Preston and Blackrod (as there's a crossover north of the station I believe) or even run them to Buckshaw and then using the crossover to the south of the station shunt to go back northbound but it seems like Northern don't try hard enough to run trains where they can anymore and would rather bus replace throughout and divert others. Similarly, Atherton line services could've ran Manchester to Walkden as there is a crossover there and previously there were a couple weekends in 2022 where they ran Kirkby to Walkden because of (I believe) track replacement works at Salford Crescent

Crossover at Blackrod was removed about 6 years ago. Crossover at Buckshaw only signalled to allow trains to return to Manchester and one at Walkden only let's trains return towards Wigan. Even if Northern had the staff they can only run trains where the infrastructure allows.

 

[stan claire]

Crossover at Blackrod was removed about 6 years ago. Crossover at Buckshaw only signalled to allow trains to return to Manchester and one at Walkden only let's trains return towards Wigan. Even if Northern had the staff they can only run trains where the infrastructure allows.

Never realised the one at Blackrod was removed, especially with there being a signal on the wrong side of the track where the crossover once was, the Buckshaw one has been used for trains to shunt down and return to Preston (it’s happened to me once) but not sure about signalling as these situations have only happened during disruption, Walkden one makes no sense only letting trains go to Wigan as the crossover is literally on the Manchester end of the station
Would it even be a major upgrade to upgrade the signalling just for these to be compatible with each directions or would it just be a case of adding a few more signals and upgrading the systems? (obviously, I don’t really know how this works)

 

[175001]

Crossover

Crossover at Blackrod was removed about 6 years ago.

No it's still there. Wired and resignalled with ground position lights

 

[Gricer99]

Pics 13.30 Saturday September 14th

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Another great update - This time a very short one regarding Deep Pit footbridge.

The following is a longer -15 minutes - showing general progress along the whole line in September 2024.

 

[Gricer99]

The bridge has been lifted as you can see from todays photos.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Absolutely superb action shots. Thank you very much for sharing.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

October YouTube update on the scheme from Simon Rhodes. Excellent progress being shown.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

October YouTube update on the scheme from Simon Rhodes. Excellent progress being shown.

Excellent close up detail of all aspects of the works. The temporary footpaths and staircases and the bridge rebuilt must be a few quids worth of scaffolding. Still taking too long a 3mth blockade would have broken the back of it.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Still taking too long a 3mth blockade would have broken the back of it.

And time is money - all adds to cost. Maybe slowing down is what government have ordered.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Good video! Is the plan still to finish in December or will that not now be met?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Good video! Is the plan still to finish in December or will that not now be met?

Last I heard it was on schedule but I will try and find a link for you.

 

[david l]

Which December??

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Which December??

This link says 2025 so it cant be this December.

Wigan to Bolton electrification - Network Rail

The Wigan to Bolton electrification project means electrifying the route and improving signalling, for greener, more reliable journeys.

www.networkrail.co.uk

Project timeline​

The project started in 2022 and will be finished in 2025.

What work is taking place?​

We are investing £100m to deliver greener and more reliable rail journeys in the North West. The work involves electrifying the route between Wigan and Bolton and carrying out signalling improvements between Lostock Junction and Wigan North Western station.

The upgrade will provide 450 new overhead line equipment stanchions, modifications to 17 bridges and two level crossings. Platforms will also be extended at Hindley, Westhoughton and Ince stations to reduce overcrowding at peak times and cater for six-carriage trains in the future.

 

[zwk500]

Still taking too long a 3mth blockade would have broken the back of it.

And time is money - all adds to cost. Maybe slowing down is what government have ordered.

3 months is a long time for a community to have a seriously disrupted public transport service. There's always a balance to strike.

 

[GhostManDN91]

Is there any news on if there will be more full day engineering works on after October?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is there any news on if there will be more full day engineering works on after October?

I can't find any. Only have dates until the end of October sorry.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

3 months is a long time for a community to have a seriously disrupted public transport service. There's always a balance to strike.

Plenty of other routes with far higher volumes of traffic are being disrupted for weeks one end for renewal and enhancement work. This is the way to get it done quickly and more cost effectively and then leave them with a trouble free railway for at least 5yrs so they can grow the passenger base.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Looks like while Ince is shut they're doing the platform extension, the overgrown section has been un-surfaced (the top layer of dirt is just gone) and there's a trench through the middle of the existing platform.


-- Wednesday 6th November --
Hindley's platform extensions look pretty much complete.
They're still blocked off by a barrier and one of the pointy tiles, and there's no need to use them yet, but from a passenger perspective they look complete.

 

[GhostManDN91]

Any updates on Westhoughton station extensions?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Any updates on Westhoughton station extensions?

Can't comment on those unfortunately, I very rarely go past there.