LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
I agree about Chat Moss, most of the way from Manchester to Newton-le-Willows is 75mph, with a 60 mph limit at the Glazebury level Crossing. The lack of line speed increases is probably due to the boggy nature of the Chat Moss route increasing the likelihood of subsidence, hence the use of Goalpost portals for the OHLE. In the height of austerity there likely wasn't enough funding to upgrade the line speed and signalling.
Its a shame as the line is as straight as the ECML north of York, so a 125 mph line speed limit could otherwise have been implemented which the 802s could take advantage of.
That's not quite right.
Before electrification the line speed on the Chat Moss route was 75mph throughout, except a tedious 2-mile section of 60mph from Astley eastwards to the M60 bridge.
90mph is now allowed west of Astley as far as Broad Green, and the 60mph at Astley has been reduced to a few hundred yards, so there is more 75mph running here.
Other problems are the junctions at Parkside and Earlestown, and catching up the various stoppers en route.
The 4-track Huyton-Roby section is very useful for overtaking at times, but it's a pity it was not extended further west (the M62 encroaches at Broad Green).
It is a little surprising that 100mph was not specified rather than 90mph, with all the trains now capable of that.