Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[59CosG95]

Research expertise used to optimise Transpennine Route Upgrade designs

UK: The University of Huddersfield's Institute of Railway Research is providing specialised pantograph-catenary interaction and vehicle dynamics expertise to optimise designs for the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme. The IRR has worked with Network Rail, J Murphy & Sons, Siemens, Systra and...

www.railwaygazette.com

A good article on Colton Jn...

 

[GardenRail]

Seemed to be a lot of works around Diggle today so I'm guessing the box is not long for this earth? No Staly trains today but not sure what was going on there today

Apparently Diggle Box closes next year with it's little bit of control transfering to Huddersfield Workstation at York ROC. Maybe the loop might get used then, to avoid a Class 1 following a late Class 2 all stops to Huddersfield, signal to signal.

 

[CAF397]

The loop is rumoured to go, to ease the curve in/out of Standedge Tunnel, possibly slightly increasing the linespeed (currently 60mph in/out I believe)

 

[59CosG95]

The TRUpgrade website now has more dates in for October/November.
September 30th/October 1st, October 7th/8th, October 14th/15th, and October 21st/22nd are all affecting routes via Huddersfield.

On October 28th/29th, Micklefield - York (well, Micklefield - Church Fenton) is shut. TPE are running 1tp2h each way, diverted via Castleford, as follows:

• Manchester Airport - Leeds - York - Newcastle
• Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Saltburn

Northern services are affected as follows on Saturday:

• Leeds - York local services terminate at Selby vice York
• Blackpool North - York services terminate at Leeds vice York

Northern services are affected as follows on Sunday:

• Leeds - York local services will not run
• Blackpool North - York services split in two; only Blackpool North - Rose Grove & Halifax - Leeds will run.

On November 4th/5th, Neville Hill appears to be shut. TPE are running 1tph each way, diverted via Castleford, as follows:

• Manchester Airport - Leeds - York - Newcastle (Saturday)
• Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Saltburn (Saturday)
• Liverpool - Man Vic - Leeds - York - Newcastle (Sunday)
• Man Vic - Leeds - York - Saltburn (Sunday)
• Leeds - Hull (Sunday, 1tp2h)
• York - Scarboro'

Northern services between Leeds & York/Selby have bus replacements.

 

[D6130]

Blackpool North - York services split in two; only Blackpool North - Rose Grove & Halifax - Leeds will run.

What's happening on the Calder Valley that weekend?

 

[jonesy3001]

Signs are up at Victoria as well.
Passed through as I was getting the train back to leeds.

 

[josh-j]

The TRUpgrade website now has more dates in for October/November.
September 30th/October 1st, October 7th/8th, October 14th/15th, and October 21st/22nd are all affecting routes via Huddersfield.

On October 28th/29th, Micklefield - York (well, Micklefield - Church Fenton) is shut. TPE are running 1tp2h each way, diverted via Castleford, as follows:

• Manchester Airport - Leeds - York - Newcastle
• Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Saltburn

Northern services are affected as follows on Saturday:

• Leeds - York local services terminate at Selby vice York
• Blackpool North - York services terminate at Leeds vice York

Northern services are affected as follows on Sunday:

• Leeds - York local services will not run
• Blackpool North - York services split in two; only Blackpool North - Rose Grove & Halifax - Leeds will run.

On November 4th/5th, Neville Hill appears to be shut. TPE are running 1tph each way, diverted via Castleford, as follows:

• Manchester Airport - Leeds - York - Newcastle (Saturday)
• Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Saltburn (Saturday)
• Liverpool - Man Vic - Leeds - York - Newcastle (Sunday)
• Man Vic - Leeds - York - Saltburn (Sunday)
• Leeds - Hull (Sunday, 1tp2h)
• York - Scarboro'

Northern services between Leeds & York/Selby have bus replacements.

Worth noting that once again the TRU website states the Huddersfield - Manchester stopping service will "run as normal" this weekend (for which we could I suppose add "strikes notwithstanding"), however the TPExpress website says that on both days the stopper will NOT run due to TRU engineering works.

This has been wrong on the TRU site for a number of weeks now. It is quite impressive! And for what it's worth, last week when the TRU site said the service would be running, it was not. Again the TPE website said it would not run due to TRU.

 

[SuperNova]

Worth noting that once again the TRU website states the Huddersfield - Manchester stopping service will "run as normal" this weekend (for which we could I suppose add "strikes notwithstanding"), however the TPExpress website says that on both days the stopper will NOT run due to TRU engineering works.

This has been wrong on the TRU site for a number of weeks now. It is quite impressive! And for what it's worth, last week when the TRU site said the service would be running, it was not. Again the TPE website said it would not run due to TRU.

Network Rail should stop trying to do passenger information. Always go via the TOCs

 

[josh-j]

Disruption and service changes known to the TOCs should still be on NRE though! Anyway I know where best to check now

 

[jonesy3001]

Latest pictures from freel07 on the skyscrapercity electrification forum.
Looks like they've started fitting the niggly bits to the overhead wires and there's only a couple of gaps left for the wires on the guide bridge line, hopefully they'll get done next month.

Electrification

www.skyscrapercity.com

 

[Snow1964]

Not infrastructure, but Transpennine has put out to tender a 6 year maintenance contract for 397s £65m estimated

Big question for electrification is where has a 6 year to March 2031 end date come from for their rolling stock (is OLR running it to 2031 or is it something else ?)

Class 397 Train Services Agreement [Notice]

Maintenance services to maintain the fleet of Class 397s operated by TPT... A Tender Notice by Transpennine Trains. Value £65M.

bidstats.uk

 

[CAF397]

Just got the train into Manchester, and looking out of the window between Stalybridge and Guide Bridge - onto the Down Huddersfield line - there is continuous OLE from Stalybridge East Jn all the way to about 6 stanchions short of Guide Bridge West Jn (the main/main crossover is wired and then the wires terminate)

The missing bit over most of Dukinfield/Ashton viaducts has been filled, which now has two contact wires per line around the tight curves of Dukinfield viaducts.

If the Up Huddersfield line replicates it, there is only the missing bit from the existing OLE at Guide Bridge to tie in.

 

[jonesy3001]

Just got the train into Manchester, and looking out of the window between Stalybridge and Guide Bridge - onto the Down Huddersfield line - there is continuous OLE from Stalybridge East Jn all the way to about 6 stanchions short of Guide Bridge West Jn (the main/main crossover is wired and then the wires terminate)

The missing bit over most of Dukinfield/Ashton viaducts has been filled, which now has two contact wires per line around the tight curves of Dukinfield viaducts.

If the Up Huddersfield line replicates it, there is only the missing bit from the existing OLE at Guide Bridge to tie in.

The hadfield line is shut all day sunday 22nd and overnight from the 23rd to the 26th wonder if that's when they'll do the wires at guide bridge.

Apart from the gap between guide bridge station and the freightliner, what's left to do, noticed the lines are closed overnight during the week on realtimes and using replacement buses and for the next 2 weekends 14th/15th and 20th/21st in October before they move to the York to Leeds line.

Comment from freel07 replying to CAF397 on skyscrapercity has he doesn't have a railukforums account about the wires on the guide bridge line.

Electrification

So the much needed electrification of routes out of Manchester will after all take place, despite the Spending Review, though there is some anger that the time for the work has been extended so that it won't be finished until 2016 at the earliest. More details here...

www.skyscrapercity.com

 

[Seehof]

Is it the definite intention to electrify Leeds - Church Fenton. If so, when?
I find the piece meal way things are happening at the York end make timescales etc very difficult to understand.

 

[quantinghome]

Is it the definite intention to electrify Leeds - Church Fenton. If so, when?
I find the piece meal way things are happening at the York end make timescales etc very difficult to understand.

Yes it is: https://thetrupgrade.co.uk/leeds-york/

Leeds - Church Fenton will need structures replacing and significant track upgrades and realignments. This all has to happen before electrification.

 

[3RDGEN]

I find the piece meal way things are happening at the York end make timescales etc very difficult to understand.

Your not the only one, it's not you it's the fact that the TRU website doesn't include a single date or even approximate timescale for completing anything.

Following the last blockade at Morley when the new station "opened" NR said they looked forward to officially opening the station later in the year, what is that meant to mean? The travelling public do deserve at least general timescales, so York to Leeds electrification by "Spring 202x" for example.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Your not the only one, it's not you it's the fact that the TRU website doesn't include a single date or even approximate timescale for completing anything.

Following the last blockade at Morley when the new station "opened" NR said they looked forward to officially opening the station later in the year, what is that meant to mean? The travelling public do deserve at least general timescales, so York to Leeds electrification by "Spring 202x" for example.

"Official opening" usually means some sort of ceremonial ribbon-cutting or similar with local dignitaries and MPs wanting a photo opportunity for the local paper.

 

[Killingworth]

Your not the only one, it's not you it's the fact that the TRU website doesn't include a single date or even approximate timescale for completing anything.

Following the last blockade at Morley when the new station "opened" NR said they looked forward to officially opening the station later in the year, what is that meant to mean? The travelling public do deserve at least general timescales, so York to Leeds electrification by "Spring 202x" for example.

It isn't ready for that yet, still working on the footbridge and lifts with temporary stairs in use and lots of associated work still to be tidied away. December may be ambitious, although last Saturday morning they were hard at work.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Any news or progress this week?

 

[jonesy3001]

Any news or progress this week?

This is the last weekend of the line closure between piccadilly and huddersfield via stalybridge, wonder if that's when they'll finish putting up the last bit of the overhead wires between guide bridge station and the freightliner depot and the hadfield line is also closed on Sunday.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

This is the last weekend of the line closure between piccadilly and huddersfield via stalybridge, wonder if that's when they'll finish putting up the last bit of the overhead wires between guide bridge station and the freightliner depot and the hadfield line is also closed on Sunday.

Think they're also doing some preparatory works at Huddersfield station itself, as all lines into HUD are closed including the Sheffield line (services are turning back at Lockwood).

 

[Geeves]

There's been a lot of work going on (on the track)every weekend for a good while around Diggle but I've not traveled that way for a while so couldn't say exactly what. I did hear the loop is to go if it hasn't already.

 

[jonesy3001]

How come there wasn't any trains on the ashton line today are they still working on the overheads also did they fill the gap in at Guide Bridge while the hadfield line was shut?

Also noticed on the northern website that there's more overnight engineering works on the stalybridge line the week of the 7th November.

 

[childwallblues]

Are Northern proposing to run electric services to Stalybridge when the wires go live?

 

[jonesy3001]

Are Northern proposing to run electric services to Stalybridge when the wires go live?

Stalybridge to wigan north western when the wires are up on the bolton to wigan line, but only will be the 769s depending when they turn on the wires

 

[matacaster]

Three pictures from Huddersfield today. First one showing longitudinal timber baulks between platforms 1 &4.

Second shows yellow spray painted line from end of platform 6 to beginning of platform 1. Line actually extends beyond platform 8 to boundary road ght across all tracks. It looks like where the existing platforms etc will eventually be cut off to remodel Leeds end throat.

Third shows strange vehicle in proposed car park beyond platform 8. Anyone know what it is?

NR Man seen with tripod and fancy theodolite (or camera). Seemed to be taking detailed data or pictures of the listed refreshment block on platform 8.

 

[Manutd1999]

Your not the only one, it's not you it's the fact that the TRU website doesn't include a single date or even approximate timescale for completing anything.

Likely a deliberate strategy so that it's less obvious if things are delayed

This is public money (i.e. our taxes) - it is not unreasonable to expect Network Rail to be held to basic levels of transparency......

 

[Ploughman]

Three pictures from Huddersfield today. First one showing longitudinal timber baulks between platforms 1 &4.

Second shows yellow spray painted line from end of platform 6 to beginning of platform 1. Line actually extends beyond platform 8 to boundary road ght across all tracks. It looks like where the existing platforms etc will eventually be cut off to remodel Leeds end throat.

Third shows strange vehicle in proposed car park beyond platform 8. Anyone know what it is?

NR Man seen with tripod and fancy theodolite (or camera). Seemed to be taking detailed data or pictures of the listed refreshment block on platform 8.

Vehicle - Is it a cement tanker, possibly for mixing grout?
Timbers - Are they to provide a vehicle access for transporting the grout direct to site?

 

[snowball]

Are the bulk of the Hudds-Dewsbury works still in need of some sort of final financial sign-off? Or are they now only delayed by logistical considerations?

 

[swt_passenger]

Vehicle - Is it a cement tanker, possibly for mixing grout?

Sign on the side says “low level transportable silo with electronic weight batching”. Looks like it’s a horizontal version of those vertical silos for powdered products you sometimes see on building sites.

I found a manufacturers’s description here:

Mobile Low Level Cement Silo — Danfords

Danfords supply a range of Low Level horizontal silos suitable for storing bulk powder material...

www.danfordsltd.co.uk