Ordsall Chord

[snowball]

Thank you, that's very helpful and comprehensive. I think I've now worked out why I have been mildly confused about all of this; Prince's Bridge, which was a road bridge, was also designed by Stephenson and first erected in 1830

http://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/tours/tour1/princebridge.html

But can anyone tell us more about why, according to the plaque referred to there, it had to be "re-erected" in 1905?

If so, thanks!

An 1830 metal bridge (if that's what it was) would be quite likely to need replacing by 1905. At a guess, Stephenson's original Prince's Bridge needed replacing, either through being decrepit, narrow, or unsuited to 20th century traffic, and was rebuilt to a different design or of modern materials. Maybe "re-erected" is a euphemism.

The bridge that has now been demolished was not listed. This page credits it to James Gascoigne Lynde and does not mention the Stephenson bridge it replaced:

http://www.manchesterconfidential.c...w-of-the-week-irwell-street-bridge-and-beyond

 

[snowball]

December timetables usually change on the first Sunday of the Month I think, so you would imagine the 4th of December

I thought it was later, maybe the second Sunday? For example the first public trains through the rebuilt Farnworth tunnel were Mon 14/12/2014.
Edit: I mean 2015 of course!

 

[edwin_m]

An 1830 metal bridge (if that's what it was) would be quite likely to need replacing by 1905. At a guess, Stephenson's original Prince's Bridge needed replacing, either through being decrepit, narrow, or unsuited to 20th century traffic, and was rebuilt to a different design or of modern materials. Maybe "re-erected" is a euphemism.

The bridge that has now been demolished was not listed. This page credits it to James Gascoigne Lynde and does not mention the Stephenson bridge it replaced:

http://www.manchesterconfidential.c...w-of-the-week-irwell-street-bridge-and-beyond

Agreed. From the photos on those links it's not the sort of structure that would have been erected in Stephenson's era, and given the amount of hoo-haa about impact on historic structures here it's unlikely that one of that era would have been dismantled without so much as a murmur.

 

[lejog]

December timetables usually change on the first Sunday of the Month I think, so you would imagine the 4th of December? This is when the first timetabled trains are to run round from Vic to Oxford Road. Northerns first service will (Hopefully) be 05:51 or 05:41 now from Oxford to Leeds.

Or possibly not. The Northern consultation on the December timetable says the Northern Ordsall Chord service will be off-peak only.

Making use of the newly opened Ordsall Chord we will introduce an hourly, off-peak service between Leeds and Bradford to Manchester Oxford Road. This service represents a stepping stone to the May 2018 timetable change where that service will be extended through central Manchester and onto the Airport.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

http://images.manchester.gov.uk/Display.php?irn=55346&QueryPage=%2Findex.php%3Fsession%3Dpass&session=pass&QueryName=BasicQuery&QueryPage=%2Findex.php%3Fsession%3Dpass&Restriction=&StartAt=1&Anywhere=SummaryData%7CAdmWebMetadata&QueryTerms=princes+bridge&QueryOption=Anywhere

Manchester City Council's Local Image Collection has series of shots of the new Princes Bridge under construction in 1904-5, but not of the bridge it replaced. I hope the plaque with the Manchester and Salford Coats of Arms has been saved somewhere.

 

[snowball]

I've been looking at old OS maps on old-maps.co.uk to see whether the original Prince's Bridge was narrower than the 1905 one - and as a result I don't think it was built in 1830 or by George Stephenson. It isn't shown on the 1848 or 1851 maps. The next one that covers the area is from 1891 and that does show it.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern's first service will (Hopefully) be 05:51 or 05:41 now from Oxford to Leeds.

Is that long distance Northern service from Oxford one that has slipped under the radar of the vast majority of this website?

 

[Chris125]

My copy of the February 2017 issue of The Rail Engineer arrived in the Saturday post and there is a three page update on pp34-36 on the recent infrastructural works that have been taking place.

Sorry, I cannot give a link, but I know that other like-minded members have this ability.

The specific article is online here but you can also read the entire magazines below:

https://www.railengineer.uk/category/print-edition/

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The specific article is online here but you can also read the entire magazines below:

https://www.railengineer.uk/category/print-edition/

Thank you for being able to do what I was not able to do.

 

[Geeves]

Is that long distance Northern service from Oxford one that has slipped under the radar of the vast majority of this website?

Woops Sorry!

Yes Oxford Rd to Leeds. Its funny most when I work at Salford Crescent do Say Oxford but you just assume they mean Oxford Rd its only when you really do get some one going to Oxford its self, they have a happy look, 1.85?? Wow thats cheap!!

I think the article has a bit wrong. A train leaving Picadilly will be controlled by Piccadilly SCC, the Oxford Rd ROC work station, then the Central Workstation, not North. North ROC work station is east of Victoria and includes Newton Heath Depot, Miles Platting and Philips park. Central work station covers Orsdall Lane, Salford Central, Deal St, and Victoria west and east inlcuding the station its self. Manchester central workstation will control all the movements at all ends of the chord/triangle including Castlefield junction.

The Central work station signaller is going to be one very busy man. I am thinking there must be some kind of automatic route setting as it seems too much for one man to control by himself. If it he isn't that would explain why he sounds like he has the weight of the world his shoulders when ever you ring up!

 

[snowball]

Does it seem that the works are on track? Do you know when the estimated completion date of the Chord is? (I assume a few months will be needed for testing before December)

The article linked in #1958 says

Finally, the chord itself will be brought into use at the end of September, ready for new services to commence with the new timetable in December.

 

[nw-sparks]

I thought it was later, maybe the second Sunday? For example the first public trains through the rebuilt Farnworth tunnel were Mon 14/12/2014.
Edit: I mean 2015 of course!

New timetable starts Sunday 10 December 2017.

Expect it to be loaded in the databases in July, when hopefully we will see all the details.

 

[absolutelymilk]

The article linked in #1958 says

Brilliant, so there are a few months of slack in the system. What will it be used for between September and December? Emergency diversions?

 

[rebmcr]

Brilliant, so there are a few months of slack in the system. What will it be used for between September and December? Emergency diversions?

Testing & training.

 

[snowball]

Considering that the Chord and Manchester-Euxton electrification have the same official entry-into-service date, the contrast between the rates of visible progress on the two schemes is spectacular.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Considering that the Chord and Manchester-Euxton electrification have the same official entry-into-service date, the contrast between the rates of visible progress on the two schemes is spectacular.

Ahem; Chorley Tunnel, Chorely station, Farnworth Tunnel, Kearsley footbridge, Friday St / Buckshaw xover, Chorley track lowering, Lostock track slue, Blackrod crossover renewal Bullfield track lowering, Frederick Road track lowering, a few miles of track relying and about 1600 OLE bases?

 

[furnessvale]

Considering that the Chord and Manchester-Euxton electrification have the same official entry-into-service date, the contrast between the rates of visible progress on the two schemes is spectacular.

I think the Ordsall Chord may be playing catch up following certain court action!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There are some major blockades still to come for the chord, and the winter has been relatively benign (so far...).

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Ahem; Chorley Tunnel, Chorely station, Farnworth Tunnel, Kearsley footbridge, Friday St / Buckshaw xover, Chorley track lowering, Lostock track slue, Blackrod crossover renewal Bullfield track lowering, Frederick Road track lowering, a few miles of track relying and about 1600 OLE bases?

Don't forget clearing all the veg around the Burnden wagons!

 

[snowball]

According to this tweet the 1350 tonne crane has started assembly:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailNP/status/828990931865001985

According to SSC the big lift is due on the 21st.

 

[Sox]

Don't forget clearing all the veg around the Burnden wagons!

Due to their "historical interest", maybe the MOSI should have asked for their inclusion in the compensation package for severing the historical link?

 

[rebmcr]

Due to their "historical interest", maybe the MOSI should have asked for their inclusion in the compensation package for severing the historical link?

They were.

 

[edwin_m]

They were.

I think Sox was referring to the wagons, not MOSI!

 

[Sox]

I think Sox was referring to the wagons, not MOSI!

Yes, I find the wagons very curious and they have been mentioned several times on these boards under different topics.

 

[snowball]

Wonderful new pictures posted on Skyscrapercity in two posts by Freel07 and one by Johnny de Rivative on this page. I think "job" is a typo for "jib" in one of Freel's captions.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=106

 

[PDG1949]

Interesting post on SSC that there was actually more than one design for the bridge

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=138279869&postcount=2129

 

[snowball]

Trinity Way is closed tonight and it appears the structure edge beams are being placed where the north end of the Chord will tie in to Middlewood Viaduct. Wub and Kermit72 have posted pictures of the preparations on SSC:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=107

 

[Chrisyd]

Some quick updates from this lunchtime:

The two cranes:
by Chris Davis, on Flickr


by Chris Davis, on Flickr

Also the bridge from Middlewood Viaduct, which was being worked on last weekend:
by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[snowball]

Trinity Way is closed tonight and it appears the structure edge beams are being placed where the north end of the Chord will tie in to Middlewood Viaduct. Wub and Kermit72 have posted pictures of the preparations on SSC:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=107

The lift I was expecting doesn't seem to have happened - possibly too windy.

 

[snowball]

Latest pictures from Kermit72 at the bottom of this page on SSC, including a glimpse of widening on the far side of Middlewood Viaduct (furthest from Trinity Way) where the diversion of the Chat Moss lines will start, to enable them to go through the platforms at Salford Central:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1345619&page=108