Wigan-Bolton electrification. Construction updates only please

[themiller]

A further complication is that the street level station building is Grade II listed. I guess the front canopy can be removed for safe keeping and then reininstated, but the building itself would need reconstruction.

But not necessarily on the same site.

 

[Geeves]

Of course the dream plan is to create "one station". I can't remember exactly but isn't the plan to move Wallgate platforms to the other side of the WCML and have all the access from North Western? You've no issues with Wallgate station then as it won't be there.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Of course the dream plan is to create "one station". I can't remember exactly but isn't the plan to move Wallgate platforms to the other side of the WCML and have all the access from North Western? You've no issues with Wallgate station then as it won't be there.

Only major issue is getting the services from Manchester across the station throat towards the Kirkby/Southport lines (which you'd need a new curve on the west side of NW to connect to). 600m underpass to a new island platform on the west side looks like the best option.

 

[Geeves]

I was googling the plans but I can't find anything. I think the last big push was 20 years ago. I think it's too high up to use the current NW platforms with a curve. I think the 2004 plans were platforms on both the Southport and Kirkby line with a walking connection back up to NW station, escalators and what not. Be quite a walk from the entrance of the NW station though! Anyways apologies mods.

Will return to subject at hand. Just to add it's highly likely that any 769s traveling to Southport in the future even after the wires are up would still change power at Bolton just due to the the continuing unreliable nature of the power change over, and the potential of blocking the mainline further on

 

[AlastairFraser]

Will return to subject at hand. Just to add it's highly likely that any 769s traveling to Southport in the future even after the wires are up would still change power at Bolton just due to the the continuing unreliable nature of the power change over, and the potential of blocking the mainline further on

Why not change the electrification at Hindley if they're stopping there?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Why not change the electrification at Hindley if they're stopping there?

I believe @Geeves has it right. At Bolton station there are two loop platforms on the Down side: in the event of a Wigan/Southport bound 769 struggling to fire up its diesels other trains can still get past it. Not possible at Hindley. Doesn't matter in the Up direction as a 769 could simply carry on under diesel power if it can't raise its pantograph. Little wonder that the plan apparently is for Westhoughton line services to be pure electrics terminating at North Western with all Southport services being diesels via Atherton. 769s could thus be released for other duties especially once Stalybridge wiring has been energised.

 

[AlastairFraser]

I believe @Geeves has it right. At Bolton station there are two loop platforms on the Down side: in the event of a Wigan/Southport bound 769 struggling to fire up its diesels other trains can still get past it. Not possible at Hindley. Doesn't matter in the Up direction as a 769 could simply carry on under diesel power if it can't raise its pantograph. Little wonder that the plan apparently is for Westhoughton line services to be pure electrics terminating at North Western with all Southport services being diesels via Atherton. 769s could thus be released for other duties especially once Stalybridge wiring has been energised.

Hmm, although there are more platforms at Bolton, you have a lot more services on that section to potentially block or distrupt.
The plan for Southports via Atherton is OK operationally, but won't it mean slower journeys and less connectivity? And what will use the spare capacity through Bolton then?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Hmm, although there are more platforms at Bolton, you have a lot more services on that section to potentially block or distrupt.
The plan for Southports via Atherton is OK operationally, but won't it mean slower journeys and less connectivity? And what will use the spare capacity through Bolton then?

Connectivity can be achieved by changing at Hindley for those who don't fancy the walk across the street in Wigan. Journey time for Southport is not really affected by routeing either way between Manchester and Wigan, it's the stopping pattern that makes the difference. The spare capacity makes serving Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley (and Clifton!) easier with fewer pathing issues.

 

[Greybeard33]

And what will use the spare capacity through Bolton then?

There will be no spare capacity through Bolton, if 2tph EMUs to Wigan NW via Westhoughton replace the current 2tph DMUs/769s to Southport.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Connectivity can be achieved by changing at Hindley for those who don't fancy the walk across the street in Wigan. Journey time for Southport is not really affected by routeing either way between Manchester and Wigan, it's the stopping pattern that makes the difference. The spare capacity makes serving Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley (and Clifton!) easier with fewer pathing issues.

There will be no spare capacity through Bolton, if 2tph EMUs to Wigan NW via Westhoughton replace the current 2tph DMUs/769s to Southport.

Ah makes sense, so the Wigan NW stoppers will be all stoppers from Vic to Wigan NW

 

[absolutelymilk]

There will be no spare capacity through Bolton, if 2tph EMUs to Wigan NW via Westhoughton replace the current 2tph DMUs/769s to Southport.

Excellent! Roughly how many DMUs/769s are used on those services?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Excellent! Roughly how many DMUs/769s are used on those services?

Up to 6 769s, and 4 150/156s for Monday-Saturday.

10 units or 32 carriages total.

 

[GhostManDN91]

I wonder if the stopping pattern will remain the same to Wigan NW when it changes to EMU? So Manchester Oxford Road to Wigan NW fast from Salford Crescent to Bolton and Stalybridge to Wigan NW all stops to Bolton from Salford Crescent?

 

[jonesy3001]

Will there be overnight blockades like on the ashton line for the electrification works or will they still be shutting the westhoughton line at the weekends?

 

[Greybeard33]

Up to 6 769s, and 4 150/156s for Monday-Saturday.

10 units or 30 carriages total.

6x4 + 4x2 = 32 carriages not 30!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Will there be overnight blockades like on the ashton line for the electrification works or will they still be shutting the westhoughton line at the weekends?

There have been overnight works going on for a while, the last couple trains of the day have been busses on most days, and I've occasionally seen special trains headed into the closure.

6x4 + 4x2 = 32 carriages not 30!

Yep, I massively messed up that maths there (post edited now).

 

[Greybeard33]

I wonder if the stopping pattern will remain the same to Wigan NW when it changes to EMU? So Manchester Oxford Road to Wigan NW fast from Salford Crescent to Bolton and Stalybridge to Wigan NW all stops to Bolton from Salford Crescent?

The topic of this thread is infrastructure progress. There is another thread for speculation about stopping patterns:

How should Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley and Clifton be served once Wigan to Bolton electrification is complete?

Has there been any information on how 6-car 323 (138m) formations are expected to serve Moses Gate (85m), Farnworth (100m), Kearsley (109/126m) and Clifton (95m)? Only the hourly Southport diesel service calls at those stations. Presently. There's the possibility/expectation of a timetable...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[GhostManDN91]

The topic of this thread is infrastructure progress. There is another thread for speculation about stopping patterns:

How should Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley and Clifton be served once Wigan to Bolton electrification is complete?

Has there been any information on how 6-car 323 (138m) formations are expected to serve Moses Gate (85m), Farnworth (100m), Kearsley (109/126m) and Clifton (95m)? Only the hourly Southport diesel service calls at those stations. Presently. There's the possibility/expectation of a timetable...

www.railforums.co.uk

Ah ok apologies. Didn't realise that was there.

 

[Pinus contorta]

The issue to which you refer is the road overbridge carrying Wallgate itself upon which are built both the station building and some shops opposite and which has been relying for some years now on jacks to stop it collapsing as a result of cracks in the arches. The arches are in any case rather low for OHLE and their apparent fragility is going to make any form of OHLE difficult, perhaps even impossible, to install. I don't know what the standard length is for electrification over-runs but I wonder if it might exceed the length available.

They took out the second running line in the station around 1990 I think. I assume so they could prop up the arches.

If they're thinking of demolishing and rebuilding, the whole of the North end of Wallgate will become a building site and all the buses out of the town will need to come out of the other end of the bus station. Which in it self isn't a insurmountable problem. However not something that can do easily any time soon as the other side of the town centre is now flattened and soon to be undergoing redevelopment. With all its associated traffic issues.

 

[Class 170101]

but Southport services will eventually return to pure diesel operation and all go via Atherton.

Bi-modes most likely, it would be folly to buy more pure DMUs I would have thought

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Bi-modes most likely, it would be folly to buy more pure DMUs I would have thought

Not buying more DMUs, reallocating them.
Although Northern do plan to buy some new bi-modes so we'll see.

 

[td97]

• Ince Station to close for footbridge replacement and platform extensions from June - November 2024.
• Price now quoted as "more than £100 million". Previously this was £78m.
• Emphasis on introducing "longer, electric trains" rules out continued bimode operation.
• Further closure planned for September 2024 (presumably whole-route).

Network Rail is advising passengers of the upcoming temporary closure of Ince station, Wigan, as engineers electrify the line.

More than £100m is being invested to install overhead line equipment carrying 25,000 volts of electricity over the railway, and improve signalling between Wigan North Western station and Lostock Junction in Bolton.

This project will ensure the track is ready for Northern’s longer, electric trains when they are introduced along the route.

At Ince station, the pedestrian footbridge into the station will be replaced and the platforms extended so they are long enough for Northern’s trains to open all their doors. Ince Green Lane road bridge will also be replaced, creating enough room for the overhead wires to safely sit beneath.

The work requires Ince station to be temporarily closed from 2 June until November 2024. From 22 April 2024, Ince Green Lane road bridge will be closed as Network Rail prepares for the bridge’s reconstruction.

During the closure, trains will continue to run on both the Atherton and Westhoughton routes between Wigan and Manchester but they will not stop at Ince.

A diversionary route will be in place for motorists throughout the bridge closure.

Network Rail and Northern are working with Transport for Greater Manchester to promote the frequent local bus services for passengers travelling to and from Ince. For information on buses, passengers are advised to visit www.beenetwork.com.

From July 2024, a temporary walkway over the road bridge will be in place for pedestrians. Prior to this, pedestrians will be able to use Ince Green Lane bridge. The temporary walkway will be kept open as much as possible, however, during some of the work it will be closed to keep the community safe.

To make way for the electrified overhead lines, Network Rail is overhauling 17 structures along the route.

While work like this is carefully planned to cause the least possible disruption to rail passengers, a railway closure will also be needed in September.

During that time, replacement buses along the route will keep people on the move between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Hindley and Lostock.

Passengers advised of temporary closure of Ince station to allow for electrification upgrade

Network Rail is advising passengers of the upcoming temporary closure of Ince station, Wigan, as engineers electrify the line.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[Greybeard33]

Emphasis on introducing "longer, electric trains" rules out continued bimode operation.

More precisely, the project specification requires the platforms to be long enough for 6-car EMUs. That does not rule out continued operation of (at least some) shorter bimode and diesel trains.

The Network Rail media centre is not necessarily privy to Northern's actual rolling stock and timetable plans.

 

[david l]

The platform (island) at Ince is already well long enough, although the end towards Wigan has been superbly developing as an 'urban jungle' for 20+ years. Hindley (Wigan bound platform) was also in the same category but has been subject to clearance and re-building, whilst alterations (lengthening -but not massively) have been and are still being undertaken, whilst slowly moving towards completion at Westhoughton, and the Manchester bound platform at Hindley.

 

[chiltern trev]

More precisely, the project specification requires the platforms to be long enough for 6-car EMUs.

6*23m or 6*20m?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

6*23m or 6*20m?

Presumably 23m because 323s (22.8m), which is the main reason they need to be extended in the first place (323s have no SDO).

 

[childwallblues]

Travelled on a Blackburn-Headbolt Lane service boarding at Rochdale yesterday. The progress from Crows Nest Junction to Wigan North Western is fantastic with many stanchions up. What a pity that the Atherton line was not included in the scheme.

 

[Foggycorner]

The DFT and Treasury don't like spending that much money in the North, better to have one line done than none

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The DFT and Treasury don't like spending that much money in the North, better to have one line done than none

Cynical but sadly quite a bit of truth to it sadly. (imho)

Crows Nest Junction

Its Crow Nest - I used to say Crows nest all the time!

 

[GhostManDN91]

Can we rename it to Crow Feet lol?