Anecdotal evdience from reading around the internet suggests that you are very much in the minority!
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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification
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Anecdotal evdience from reading around the internet suggests that you are very much in the minority!
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LDECRexile
Established Member
Working through my photos I realise that there are now ten masts up between Kearsley and the south end of Farnworth tunnel, seven on the southbound side and three on the northbound. These shots are good enough to use for info, but not to publish.
I have no personal experience but there's a six-page thread about it on here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ost-unfriendly-station-in-the-country.114768/
That thread is also referenced by Geoff Marshall who also noted the unfriendliness of Blackpool North on twitter during his "All the stations" project.
We are getting off topic though.
Hi everyone. I just joined the forums earlier today. i live in Blackpool and have recorded the entire electrification process. I've made a video every week for the last 22 weeks.
this is the link to my first video. It's a bit short, but the others are longer and they get better as I get better at filming. I've really enjoyed recording the stations transformation.
If anyone wants to watch all the videos they are on a playlist on my channel.
If anyone wants to watch all the videos they are on a playlist on my channel.
59CosG95
Established Member
GSoP Post 2.1.2 (updated from post #6896); thanks to LDECRexile for the additional notes regarding Pendleton Old & Bolton.
Manchester Victoria - Preston; State of Play, 16th April 2018.
About 87 mast foundations left to install between Euxton Jct & Ordsall Lane Jct (at this point in time).
All mileages from Manchester Victoria. Bridge mileages are approximated where noted.
1. Man Vic Station (West End) - Man Vic West Jct - Deal Street Jct; 0m 0ch to 0m 32ch
Fully wired 2013-15.
2. Deal Street Jct - Salford Central (East End); 0m 32ch to 0m 59ch
Fully masted, wired half way as overlap.
3. Salford Central; 0m 59ch
Fully masted, most SPS (Small Part Steelwork e.g. dangly bits) up. No wires.
4. Salford Central (West End) - Windsor Bridge South Jct; 0m 59ch to 1m 46ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires.
5. Windsor Bridge South Jct - Windsor Bridge North Jct (inc. Salford Crescent); 1m 46ch to 1m 70ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires. No bases in Salford Crescent P2. S Jct looks ready for wiring, but mast gaps still present at N Jct. Lots of SPS up immediately north of Salford Cres.; all stalactites up beneath the bridge at the south end on all lines.
6. Windsor Bridge North Jct - Clifton (South End); 1m 70ch to 4m 57ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires.
Dangly bits up near Agecroft.
At Pendleton (the Old Station site), just north of Broughton Rd Bridge (2m 26ch), the Pendleton retaining wall has been cut back in several places to make room for bases (which are all now in).
Between Frederick Rd & Broughton Rd (2m 26ch) bridges, most masts are up, except on the "problem bases" around Broughton Rd. The 3 bases, between Broughton Rd Bridge & Cockrobin Bridge (approx. 2m 51ch) have all now been driven home.
The "problem base" north of Cockrobin Bridge may be a TTC (Twin Track Cantilever) on the s'bound side (see photo A020m).
Structure going up between Agecroft Rd bridge and Clifton, nr Lumns Lane.
No work on missing bases in the walled stretch north of Agecroft Rd.
Lot of masts with SPS up on the southern approach to Clifton.
7. Clifton Station; 4m 57ch
All bases in place, 1 boomed TTC, no wires. SPS up on the TTC.
8. Clifton (North End) - Kearsley (South End); 4m 57ch to 7m 57ch
Most/all bases in place, large no. of masts, no wires.
Concrete slab base curing north of the former Dixon Fold station site (around the new footbridge, approx. 6m 00ch); most/all masts up there, with lots of stovepipes up.
9. Kearsley Station; 7m 57ch
All bases in place, no masts, no wires.
10. Kearsley (North End) - Farnworth (South End); 7m 57ch to 8m 31ch
Some bases in place, some masts (with booms), no wires. Farnworth tunnel (8m 25ch) has all its registration arms in place.
10 masts (7 on the southbound side, 3 on the northbound side) between Kearsley & Farnworth Tunnel; thanks to LDECRexile for the update!
11. Farnworth Station; 8m 31ch
All bases in place, 1 or 2 masts, no wires.
12. Farnworth (North End) - Moses Gate (South End); 8m 31ch to 9m 06ch
CHANGE: a pair of bases & squat masts went up between Farnworth Station footbridge and Rawson St Bridge (approx. 8m 44ch) over the weekend of 14/15 April; thanks to "Trackman" for the gen.
Fully boomed and partially bedanglied TTCs up between Rawson St & the Balustraded Bridge (approx. 8m 56ch).
"Base of the century", of the gravity variety, going in just south of the Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge (approx. 8m 67ch).
13. Moses Gate Station; 9m 06ch
Fully masted, no wires
14. Moses Gate (North End) - Bolton (South End); 9m 06ch to 10m 50ch
Many bases, many masts, no wires. SPS and Tensorex drums appearing on some masts/cantilevers around Burnden Jct (10m 09ch). Weston St to Moses Gate looks almost ready for wiring.
15. Bolton Station; 10m 50ch
Many bases, some masts; P1 & the north end of P5 among them. New bases have gone in at the NW end of P3. The 3 missing bases around P5 have now been piled in. The fencing at the SE end of the station (opposite the S end of the P1/2/3 island) made permanent; perhaps non-rail plant work done. Platforms 98% open to public. Work going on with P2 buffers. Canopies look complete. Settlement Monitoring equipment between P3 & P4.
16. Bolton (North End) - Lostock (South End); 10m 50ch to 13m 52ch
More masts (approx. 6) up between Bolton Stn and Newport St bridge; Newport St bridge has now had studs/brackets of some kind drilled in.
Bullfield Tunnel bedanglied throughout, with 2 concrete gravity pad foundations at the southern end (one of which is masted) Just north of those, a 3rd base is currently curing.
Also, masts (including 2 TTCs) and bases in place on the line to Blackburn as far as Bradshawgate Tunnel.
Most masts up around Dean Clough Bridge (12m 26ch), with cantilever assembles affixed (and folded out of place). UPDATES: 2 "failed" driven pile bases on the southbound side now have formwork for concrete gravity pad replacements in position, awaiting the concrete pour.
Just south of Lostock, outstanding short, fat bases are being driven, augered out, rebarred and then concreted; this process is also being used on the overrun for the Wigan lines, via Lostock Jct (13m 39ch). 3 "failed" protruding, uncapped pile bases are on the Wigan Line; one assumes that gravity pad replacements will eventually be in the offing. A UTX (aka. "Dalek") has been installed in the "vee" in Lostock Jct, for buried service access.
17. Lostock Station; 13m 52ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires. Switchgear box delivered 6th April '18.
18. Lostock (North End) - Horwich Pkwy (South End); 13m 52ch to 15m 50ch
For a mile between the stations, all wires up from the "Golf Course" Footbridge (approx. 14m 04ch) to half a mile south of Horwich Pkwy. All masts appear to be in place with SPS for the remaining sections between the two.
19. Horwich Parkway Station; 15m 50ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
20. Horwich Pkwy (North End) - Blackrod (South End); 15m 50ch to 17m 14ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts. Earth/AT wires linking 9 masts together between the 2 stations, heading north (on the Up side) from immediately north of the M61 bridge (approx. 16m 29ch). 5 short lengths of earth & AT wiring (3 on the Up, 2 on the Down; none linking more than 10 masts) between Horwich and Buckshaw. SPS appearing on portals near Blackrod. UPDATE: Work has stopped on the footbridge that will replace Red Moss foot crossing.
21. Blackrod Station; 17m 14ch
Some more bases in place, no masts, no wires. Empty mast base at the southern end (not the northern end, as was writ in error).
22. Blackrod (North End) - Adlington (South End); 17m 14ch to 19m 15ch
Lots of masts up just north of Blackrod. Some base replacement work occurred over 17th/18th Feb to replace failed bases. Successful bases have masts up with SPS on.
23. Adlington Station; 19m 15ch
Some bases in place, 1 mast up (Down side), no wires.
24. Adlington (North End) - Chorley (South End); 19m 15ch to 22m 20ch
2 short stretches of wire on the s'bound track.
Bespoke mast fixings going up on Yarrow Viaduct (21m 26ch at the southern end); 3 of the 4 are in place.
25. Chorley Station; 22m 20ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
26. Chorley (North End) - Buckshaw Pkwy (South End); 22m 20ch to 24m 39ch
Many bases, some masts, 1 or 2 wires. No fittings up yet in Chorley Tunnel (23m 20ch to 23m 25ch), but at least 6 dangly bits/SPS are up in the Flying Arches cutting. All bases on top of the retaining wall at the northern are mastless.
27. Buckshaw Parkway Station; 24m 39ch
Some bases in place, 2 masts up (both on Down side), no wires.
28. Buckshaw Pkwy (North End) - Euxton Jct; 24m 39ch to 25m 31ch
Almost fully masted; about half the wires up until halfway to Euxton, then fully wired the rest of the way.
Do let me know if I've missed anything!
Manchester Victoria - Preston; State of Play, 16th April 2018.
About 87 mast foundations left to install between Euxton Jct & Ordsall Lane Jct (at this point in time).
All mileages from Manchester Victoria. Bridge mileages are approximated where noted.
1. Man Vic Station (West End) - Man Vic West Jct - Deal Street Jct; 0m 0ch to 0m 32ch
Fully wired 2013-15.
2. Deal Street Jct - Salford Central (East End); 0m 32ch to 0m 59ch
Fully masted, wired half way as overlap.
3. Salford Central; 0m 59ch
Fully masted, most SPS (Small Part Steelwork e.g. dangly bits) up. No wires.
4. Salford Central (West End) - Windsor Bridge South Jct; 0m 59ch to 1m 46ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires.
5. Windsor Bridge South Jct - Windsor Bridge North Jct (inc. Salford Crescent); 1m 46ch to 1m 70ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires. No bases in Salford Crescent P2. S Jct looks ready for wiring, but mast gaps still present at N Jct. Lots of SPS up immediately north of Salford Cres.; all stalactites up beneath the bridge at the south end on all lines.
6. Windsor Bridge North Jct - Clifton (South End); 1m 70ch to 4m 57ch
Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires.
Dangly bits up near Agecroft.
At Pendleton (the Old Station site), just north of Broughton Rd Bridge (2m 26ch), the Pendleton retaining wall has been cut back in several places to make room for bases (which are all now in).
Between Frederick Rd & Broughton Rd (2m 26ch) bridges, most masts are up, except on the "problem bases" around Broughton Rd. The 3 bases, between Broughton Rd Bridge & Cockrobin Bridge (approx. 2m 51ch) have all now been driven home.
The "problem base" north of Cockrobin Bridge may be a TTC (Twin Track Cantilever) on the s'bound side (see photo A020m).
Structure going up between Agecroft Rd bridge and Clifton, nr Lumns Lane.
No work on missing bases in the walled stretch north of Agecroft Rd.
Lot of masts with SPS up on the southern approach to Clifton.
7. Clifton Station; 4m 57ch
All bases in place, 1 boomed TTC, no wires. SPS up on the TTC.
8. Clifton (North End) - Kearsley (South End); 4m 57ch to 7m 57ch
Most/all bases in place, large no. of masts, no wires.
Concrete slab base curing north of the former Dixon Fold station site (around the new footbridge, approx. 6m 00ch); most/all masts up there, with lots of stovepipes up.
9. Kearsley Station; 7m 57ch
All bases in place, no masts, no wires.
10. Kearsley (North End) - Farnworth (South End); 7m 57ch to 8m 31ch
Some bases in place, some masts (with booms), no wires. Farnworth tunnel (8m 25ch) has all its registration arms in place.
10 masts (7 on the southbound side, 3 on the northbound side) between Kearsley & Farnworth Tunnel; thanks to LDECRexile for the update!
11. Farnworth Station; 8m 31ch
All bases in place, 1 or 2 masts, no wires.
12. Farnworth (North End) - Moses Gate (South End); 8m 31ch to 9m 06ch
CHANGE: a pair of bases & squat masts went up between Farnworth Station footbridge and Rawson St Bridge (approx. 8m 44ch) over the weekend of 14/15 April; thanks to "Trackman" for the gen.
Fully boomed and partially bedanglied TTCs up between Rawson St & the Balustraded Bridge (approx. 8m 56ch).
"Base of the century", of the gravity variety, going in just south of the Squeeze Belly Entry footbridge (approx. 8m 67ch).
13. Moses Gate Station; 9m 06ch
Fully masted, no wires
14. Moses Gate (North End) - Bolton (South End); 9m 06ch to 10m 50ch
Many bases, many masts, no wires. SPS and Tensorex drums appearing on some masts/cantilevers around Burnden Jct (10m 09ch). Weston St to Moses Gate looks almost ready for wiring.
15. Bolton Station; 10m 50ch
Many bases, some masts; P1 & the north end of P5 among them. New bases have gone in at the NW end of P3. The 3 missing bases around P5 have now been piled in. The fencing at the SE end of the station (opposite the S end of the P1/2/3 island) made permanent; perhaps non-rail plant work done. Platforms 98% open to public. Work going on with P2 buffers. Canopies look complete. Settlement Monitoring equipment between P3 & P4.
16. Bolton (North End) - Lostock (South End); 10m 50ch to 13m 52ch
More masts (approx. 6) up between Bolton Stn and Newport St bridge; Newport St bridge has now had studs/brackets of some kind drilled in.
Bullfield Tunnel bedanglied throughout, with 2 concrete gravity pad foundations at the southern end (one of which is masted) Just north of those, a 3rd base is currently curing.
Also, masts (including 2 TTCs) and bases in place on the line to Blackburn as far as Bradshawgate Tunnel.
Most masts up around Dean Clough Bridge (12m 26ch), with cantilever assembles affixed (and folded out of place). UPDATES: 2 "failed" driven pile bases on the southbound side now have formwork for concrete gravity pad replacements in position, awaiting the concrete pour.
Just south of Lostock, outstanding short, fat bases are being driven, augered out, rebarred and then concreted; this process is also being used on the overrun for the Wigan lines, via Lostock Jct (13m 39ch). 3 "failed" protruding, uncapped pile bases are on the Wigan Line; one assumes that gravity pad replacements will eventually be in the offing. A UTX (aka. "Dalek") has been installed in the "vee" in Lostock Jct, for buried service access.
17. Lostock Station; 13m 52ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires. Switchgear box delivered 6th April '18.
18. Lostock (North End) - Horwich Pkwy (South End); 13m 52ch to 15m 50ch
For a mile between the stations, all wires up from the "Golf Course" Footbridge (approx. 14m 04ch) to half a mile south of Horwich Pkwy. All masts appear to be in place with SPS for the remaining sections between the two.
19. Horwich Parkway Station; 15m 50ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
20. Horwich Pkwy (North End) - Blackrod (South End); 15m 50ch to 17m 14ch
All bases in place, mostly with masts. Earth/AT wires linking 9 masts together between the 2 stations, heading north (on the Up side) from immediately north of the M61 bridge (approx. 16m 29ch). 5 short lengths of earth & AT wiring (3 on the Up, 2 on the Down; none linking more than 10 masts) between Horwich and Buckshaw. SPS appearing on portals near Blackrod. UPDATE: Work has stopped on the footbridge that will replace Red Moss foot crossing.
21. Blackrod Station; 17m 14ch
Some more bases in place, no masts, no wires. Empty mast base at the southern end (not the northern end, as was writ in error).
22. Blackrod (North End) - Adlington (South End); 17m 14ch to 19m 15ch
Lots of masts up just north of Blackrod. Some base replacement work occurred over 17th/18th Feb to replace failed bases. Successful bases have masts up with SPS on.
23. Adlington Station; 19m 15ch
Some bases in place, 1 mast up (Down side), no wires.
24. Adlington (North End) - Chorley (South End); 19m 15ch to 22m 20ch
2 short stretches of wire on the s'bound track.
Bespoke mast fixings going up on Yarrow Viaduct (21m 26ch at the southern end); 3 of the 4 are in place.
25. Chorley Station; 22m 20ch
Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
26. Chorley (North End) - Buckshaw Pkwy (South End); 22m 20ch to 24m 39ch
Many bases, some masts, 1 or 2 wires. No fittings up yet in Chorley Tunnel (23m 20ch to 23m 25ch), but at least 6 dangly bits/SPS are up in the Flying Arches cutting. All bases on top of the retaining wall at the northern are mastless.
27. Buckshaw Parkway Station; 24m 39ch
Some bases in place, 2 masts up (both on Down side), no wires.
28. Buckshaw Pkwy (North End) - Euxton Jct; 24m 39ch to 25m 31ch
Almost fully masted; about half the wires up until halfway to Euxton, then fully wired the rest of the way.
Do let me know if I've missed anything!
Last edited:
Elecman
Established Member
Great set of videos
LDECRexile
Established Member
Reg has kindly sent his customarily fine shots of progress near Bolton.
I've added them to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863
I've added them and my own from my trip to the seaside to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you Reg.
I've added them to his album here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863
I've added them and my own from my trip to the seaside to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you Reg.
PDG1949
Member
Maybe he read post # 6884 ??
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
I am not sure exactly what that signifies but assumed it must mean there are greater than 10000 photos in the NW Electrification album
LDECRexile
Established Member
After set 9996 I went to A000 rather than 10000. If you really, really want the detail it'll cost you two pints and probably a headache.
LDECRexile
Established Member
Looking at Realtimetrains for this coming Saturday, 21st April, the current plan is for some trains to go from Blackpool North to:
Buxton, Colne (!), Hazel Grove, Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria and York.
Fingers crossed....
Buxton, Colne (!), Hazel Grove, Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria and York.
Fingers crossed....
superkev
Established Member
Is that the end of those rather luxurious buses?
K
YorkshireBear
Established Member
- Joined
- 23 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 8,686
Should we include the Windsor Link in this tracker? Considering it is part of same project, can't see it.
dk1
Veteran Member
Continuing overnight engineering blocks.
Not really, because on the one hand only numbers divisible by 4 are used, while on the other hand, one number often has lots of different letters appended. However the leftmost digit has now gone from 9 to A.
The original Progressometer, of fond memory, included it.
jonesy3001
Established Member
so, is salford central having a refurb (including the new/old platforms) after the wires are up or is that another cancelled project?
Garry Waters
Member
- Joined
- 24 Mar 2018
- Messages
- 12
Virgin Super Voyager leaving BPN and passing Layton Station
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Good to pass through Kirkham at something much faster than the former 30mph which applied at some part of the transit before the upgrade.
What a pity they deleted the idea of increasing the general line speed.
You'd think something like 85mph would have been possible on the open stretches without spending a lot of money (considering what the resignalling cost).
There's still a lone semaphore signal visible at Poulton, on the severed Fleetwood branch just outside the remodelled area.
Plenty of orange jackets in the sidings at Blackpool today, but no trains.
At this time yesterday, RTT showed pretty much a full passenger service for today, but it must have been pulled overnight.
I sampled the "fast" RRB back to Preston, and can imagine how keen Blackpudlians are to get their trains back.
But good to see it all "finished" and in good shape.
And no signals propped up by scaffolding.
Now we just need the electrics...
What a pity they deleted the idea of increasing the general line speed.
You'd think something like 85mph would have been possible on the open stretches without spending a lot of money (considering what the resignalling cost).
There's still a lone semaphore signal visible at Poulton, on the severed Fleetwood branch just outside the remodelled area.
Plenty of orange jackets in the sidings at Blackpool today, but no trains.
At this time yesterday, RTT showed pretty much a full passenger service for today, but it must have been pulled overnight.
I sampled the "fast" RRB back to Preston, and can imagine how keen Blackpudlians are to get their trains back.
But good to see it all "finished" and in good shape.
And no signals propped up by scaffolding.
Now we just need the electrics...
Halish Railway
Established Member
When is electric testing set to begin?
59CosG95
Established Member
Once the supply goes live, and once MENTOR pays a visit. (not too sure on the second point, but MENTOR is certainly due to appear before the TT change)
LDECRexile
Established Member
Dear Lyca, welcome to the forum and to this thread. You may have seen that we have built up a collection of photos and films of work on the line which we refer to as the "Combined Volume" (CV). I've put links to it at the end of this post.
If you click on the second link, then click on the very first image and look down its "Comments" you will see that several people have kindly agreed to have their work linked to the CV. This gives them extended exposure and puts their growing works in one place for this forum's users. It also addresses the problem that all threads such as this one are "rolling", so people might not see material such as yours because it was posted a few days before they looked in.
Would you be happy for me to link your films to the CV? I'm afraid I don't know what your "Channel" is, but I can easily link to the film above which seems to show your other work. If you have a link to your Channnel could you please copy it into your reply?
Please note that no money ever changes hands in this regard, in either direction; we do it for fun.
Here's the CV, in two parts: firstly 1945 to 2015:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157648767927083
then the current one which started on 1st Jan 2016:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
I look forward to hearing from you
Dave
LDECRexile
Established Member
Dear Garry
Please see my post #6928 addressed to Lyca, immediately above this one.
Could I please ask you the same question?
I look forward to hearing from you
Dave
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Looks like RTT gives an overoptimistic view of service plans.
Each day so far, it has shown full services for "tomorrow", but when tomorrow comes they are back to the hourly Airport only.
Same again today.
But the buses keep on being shown, whatever the rail service.
They are rather nice, with USB chargers and wifi.
The Planner
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 15 Apr 2008
- Messages
- 15,929
Energisation notice being sent out with Sunday 6th May at 2100 for turning on the juice.
DJH1971
Established Member
And hopefully Mentor will be making an appearance.
Thought it is needed to be be operational by May 20th?
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