Wigan-Bolton electrification. Construction updates only please

[td97]

That would be correct, also confirmed by SPL

On the Wigan to Bolton #Electrification Project SPL POWERLINES UK have hit a huge milestone on Saturday night 7th December whereby we installed the final Contact/Catenary Wire.

The fantastic Wiring Team braved Storm Darragh to safely install SW06 on Up Hindley in CU09. During the shift we also successfully installed the final Surge Arrestors and RSC Cable on the route along continuation of the Registration and In Span. The POS Reps continually measured the wind speeds throughout the night to ensure we stayed below the threshold.

Mark Cowgill - I'm extremely proud of the team who have continued to demonstrate resilience with the challenges which have been thrown upon us. All eyes are on Wk40 #Energisation now.

SPL Powerlines Wigan to Bolton Project | SPL POWERLINES UK | 23 comments

On the Wigan to Bolton #Electrification Project SPL POWERLINES UK have hit a huge milestone on Saturday night 7th December whereby we installed the final Contact/Catenary Wire. The fantastic Wiring Team braved Storm Darragh to safely install SW06 on Up Hindley in CU09. During the shift we also...

www.linkedin.com

 

[DJH1971]

That would be correct, also confirmed by SPL

SPL Powerlines Wigan to Bolton Project | SPL POWERLINES UK | 23 comments

On the Wigan to Bolton #Electrification Project SPL POWERLINES UK have hit a huge milestone on Saturday night 7th December whereby we installed the final Contact/Catenary Wire. The fantastic Wiring Team braved Storm Darragh to safely install SW06 on Up Hindley in CU09. During the shift we also...

www.linkedin.com

So when is the first test train likely?

 

[themiller]

So when is the first test train likely?

Presumably after dead checks, energisation and live checks.

 

[GhostManDN91]

Will be interesting to see Class 769s/323s using the wires when it's ready for use.

 

[507020]

Will be interesting to see Class 769s/323s using the wires when it's ready for use.

It should be possible to see test trains before that and then Pendolinos on diversion

For example will MENTOR be passing over the route?

 

[Gricer99]

Northern released its Winter Timetable for the line this week. The timetable goes from December 15th to 17th May. 95% of the trains still run to Wallgate and of those that don't, some are on the Leeds route via Atherton.

From this, I think we can conclude that we will get the electrified passenger service with 323s from May 17th.

On another note, the Deep Pit Bridge has now been lowered onto its new concrete blocks. They still have to build the ramps on both sides and remove the cradles. I'll be surprised if its re-opened in February.

 

[Some guy]

It would be interesting to see if TPE will run 397s and 802s down that section as an emergency diversion

 

[zwk500]

It should be possible to see test trains before that and then Pendolinos on diversion

Pendos are already cleared on the Chat Moss and via Chorley, how often do they divert via Bolton? You'd need the WCML south of Warrington blocked simultaneously with the other 2 routes, which is rather a small option.
I can see clearance being asked for but then being used for an average of less than 1 service a year.

For example will MENTOR be passing over the route?

It will at some point, although it's probable other route proving trains will run first.

It would be interesting to see if TPE will run 397s and 802s down that section as an emergency diversion

They might get clearance for it just in case but see point above.

 

[td97]

Pendos are already cleared on the Chat Moss and via Chorley, how often do they divert via Bolton? You'd need the WCML south of Warrington blocked simultaneously with the other 2 routes, which is rather a small option.
I can see clearance being asked for but then being used for an average of less than 1 service a year.

This project does include Class 390 route clearance.

 

[507020]

This project does include Class 390 route clearance.

Which is why I mentioned it. They might as well since they’re doing the work anyway.

Pendos are already cleared on the Chat Moss and via Chorley, how often do they divert via Bolton? You'd need the WCML south of Warrington blocked simultaneously with the other 2 routes, which is rather a small option.
I can see clearance being asked for but then being used for an average of less than 1 service a year.

The WCML blocked anywhere between Golborne Junction and Crewe means using Chat Moss, which is preferred so they can use EPS 125mph to Golborne Junction and serve Wigan North Western, vs 75mph the whole way via Bolton, but you only need Wigan - Golborne Junction to be blocked for that to be impossible, so Bolton it is.

In reality it’s more likely that if the route north of Golborne Junction is blocked, it will be blocked all the way to Euxton Junction and Pendolinos wouldn’t be able to call at Wigan because there’s only access to platform 1, which isn’t long enough.

But this electrification does make it possible to schedule engineering works between Euxton Junction and Lostock Junction as well as Wigan and Golborne Junction simultaneously.

In reality it would be more useful for TPE 397s and 802s which are MU and calling at Bolton anyway, but I don’t know if they’re getting clearance.

 

[Paul Cobbe]

I noticed where the uverhead neutral section is between Wigan and Lostock today. The OHNS is at Ince by the Hitchins food factory.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

There are now overhead live wire warning signs at both ends of Hindley's platforms, and at the exit side of Ince station (the platform extension is very much in progress there).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

This project does include Class 390 route clearance.

There's a 390 ECS each way every night between Longsight and Preston/Lancaster.
It presently runs via Chat Moss, but in the past has used the Chorley route.
I can't think Avanti wants another option.

 

[Geeves]

There's a 390 ECS each way every night between Longsight and Preston/Lancaster.
It presently runs via Chat Moss, but in the past has used the Chorley route.
I can't think Avanti wants another option.

There's a whole raft of works planned on the Warrington BQ to Preston section in the future so who knows, it might well get used in the end with some weird and wonderful diversions / ECS work.

 

[david l]

Drove past Ince yesterday with entrance still blocked off. Didn't clock the notice fully but seemed to say re-opening was now Dec 22. This is a Sunday so would suggest Monday 23 might be the case.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Ince's platform (not the extension, that's still just dirt) is looking pretty much ready for reopening, they've resurfaced the whole platform.


-- below Monday 23/12/2024 - 8:11 --

Every Leeds-Wigan train is part cancelled today (not stopping at Ince) due to "engineering works not being finished on time."
Looks like Ince's work has overrun.

 

[Gricer99]

There was plenty of work on tfe Deep Pit Bridge West of Hindley Station in the evenings last week.
I clocked the daily freight going through this afternoon.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Drove past Ince yesterday with entrance still blocked off. Didn't clock the notice fully but seemed to say re-opening was now Dec 22. This is a Sunday so would suggest Monday 23 might be the case.

Just stopped there. 15.49 Wigan to Leeds.

 

[GhostManDN91]

Yep station open as normal now. There's a notice for train crew to check when stopping there aswell before doing door release on a 4 car 158/156 sets I noticed at Wallgate.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

There's a notice for train crew to check when stopping there aswell before doing door release on a 4 car 158/156 sets I noticed at Wallgate.

There's been something similar at Hindley for a few months now, I'd not heard of Ince being skipped but it's certainly not impossible.

 

[td97]

£100k of cabling has been nicked by low life scum.

Significant cable theft means Sunday disruption for passengers between Preston and Bolton

Emergency work is needed to re-install and test high-voltage power cable that was stolen by thieves ahead of a major project milestone.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Unfortunately an obvious target given NR widely publicise that these cables are not energised until a specific date. I recall a similar occurrence on NWEP Manchester- Preston.

There's an emergency possession to fix it tomorrow 29 December, aiming to retain the energisation date of 1 January (and hopefully that should put a stop to any further cable theft attempts!)

 

[tumbledown]

Ah, OLE. NationalRail is still saying signalling cable. Which I thought was odd as services are running normally.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

£100k of cabling has been nicked by low life scum.

Significant cable theft means Sunday disruption for passengers between Preston and Bolton

Emergency work is needed to re-install and test high-voltage power cable that was stolen by thieves ahead of a major project milestone.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Unfortunately an obvious target given NR widely publicise that these cables are not energised until a specific date. I recall a similar occurrence on NWEP Manchester- Preston.

There's an emergency possession to fix it tomorrow 29 December, aiming to retain the energisation date of 1 January (and hopefully that should put a stop to any further cable theft attempts!)

Shame there couldn't've been a low power (but still a nasty suprise) running through the wires.
Lets hope they can repair it all tomorrow (do they have insurance for theft like this?)

 

[John R]

Shame there couldn't've been a low power (but still a nasty suprise) running through the wires.
Lets hope they can repair it all tomorrow (do they have insurance for theft like this?)

Almost certainly not.

 

[Winthorpe]

Unfortunately an obvious target given NR widely publicise that these cables are not energised until a specific date. I recall a similar occurrence on NWEP Manchester- Preston.

It beggars belief that the energisation date is advertised so publicly.

Say nothing, or say it is energised from day one.

 

[Elecman]

Sadly the construction earth leads at the earthing points tend to give the game away that the OLE is deenergised

 

[wrinkley]

I am confused, the immplication on the forum is that 25kv cable has been stoien between Lostock and Wigan. However, Network Rail are saying that it is signaling cable between Bolton and Chorley. If this is the case, trains on the Preston line seemed to be running normally at Lostock yesterday.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

I am confused, the immplication on the forum is that 25kv cable has been stoien between Lostock and Wigan. However, Network Rail are saying that it is signaling cable between Bolton and Chorley. If this is the case, trains on the Preston line seemed to be running normally at Lostock yesterday.

Yeh i think it was just a mistake by communications people.

I've also heard it was feeding cables rather than OLE. Is there a feeder station on this line or would this refer to a track sectioning cabin?

 

[Elecman]

Yeh i think it was just a mistake by communications people.

I've also heard it was feeding cables rather than OLE. Is there a feeder station on this line or would this refer to a track sectioning cabin?

Lostock Auto Transformer Sectioning cabin located at the bottom of Lostock station car park

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Lostock Auto Transformer Sectioning cabin located at the bottom of Lostock station car park

Oh so is Lostock-Wigan using an autotransformer system? If not how do AT systems deal with feeding a branch that is not using ATF. Is it that the branch to Wigan will only be fed by the Autotransformer at Lostock SATS and therefore not carry a -25kv wire because there are no more autotransformers (sectioning, midpoint or standalone) on the way to Wigan?