Greek Street bridge replacement Stockport

[Mcr Warrior]

Does anyone know the time period set for the replacement of the Greek Street roundabout bridge that affects all services coming into Stockport railway station and the time that the bridge replacement will take?

Believe preliminary work is expected to start quite soon and, overall, the project could take maybe a full year to complete. Demolition of the old Greek Street railway bridge in Stockport is scheduled for August 2025. Would imagine this will be majorly disruptive for railway operations which normally pass through the area.

More info here....

Greek Street bridge replacement - Network Rail

We’re replacing the bridge that takes the Greek Street roundabout, in Stockport, over the West Coast main line.

www.networkrail.co.uk

Extract...

In August 2025, we need to close the railway in Stockport for 21 days. During this time, we will remove the old bridge and install the new one.

P.S Possibly this is worthy of a separate new thread.

 

[Cowley]

P.S Possibly this is worthy of a separate new thread.

Which we now have.
This was split from the thread below.

Derby Telegraph "Plans to convert Monsal Trail back into railway takes 'significant step forward'"

Article about the possible destruction of a much loved cycle/walking trail in the Peak district in Derbyshire, turning it into a railway line. These trails/cycle routes are a popular feature in the Peak district with people driving, sometimes long distances, to ride them as they provide a...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[jfollows]

The precise planned closure dates would be good to know, maybe they’re not decided yet because I’ve been unable to find them. If I do I’ll post them here of course. Would be good to have in my diary.

My destination is usually Manchester rather than Stockport so it will be interesting to see the planned Styal line service during the period. Limited capacity for many extra trains for sure.

 

[The Planner]

The precise planned closure dates would be good to know, maybe they’re not decided yet because I’ve been unable to find them. If I do I’ll post them here of course. Would be good to have in my diary.

My destination is usually Manchester rather than Stockport so it will be interesting to see the planned Styal line service during the period. Limited capacity for many extra trains for sure.

They are decided. Block at Easter and 3 weeks from the start of August.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Presume all Manchester->Sheffield trains will have to be diverted via Marple, and Manchester->Chester (Northern) trains (via Northwich) will need to start/terminate at Altrincham.

But will South Wales->Manchester TfW services be required to terminate at Crewe in order to keep sufficient paths free for Avanti/Northern trains running via Wilmslow/Styal?

And what about Northern stoppers from Stoke-on-Trent via Macclesfield? Could these be turned around at Cheadle Hulme? Also will Buxton line trains still be able to operate, maybe as far as Hazel Grove?

At least with the bulk of the bridge replacement work taking place in August 2025, there's a good chance that sufficient rail replacement buses will be available for the inevitable bustituted services.

 

[jfollows]

They are decided. Block at Easter and 3 weeks from the start of August.

I'm assuming August 2 to 24 for my diary, then, thank you.

 

[The Planner]

Presume all Manchester->Sheffield trains will have to be diverted via Marple, and Manchester->Chester (Northern) trains (via Northwich) will need to start/terminate at Altrincham.

But will South Wales->Manchester TfW services be required to terminate at Crewe in order to keep sufficient paths free for Avanti/Northern trains running via Wilmslow/Styal?

And what about Northern stoppers from Stoke-on-Trent via Macclesfield? Could these be turned around at Cheadle Hulme? Also will Buxton line trains still be able to operate, maybe as far as Hazel Grove?

At least with the bulk of the bridge replacement work taking place in August 2025, there's a good chance that sufficient rail replacement buses will be available for the inevitable bustituted services.

Stoke services will get binned I suspect. Id also expect a way will be found for TfW.

 

[edwin_m]

I noticed a bridge at the north end of the cutting has been replaced sometime fairly recently.

 

[Thomas6187]

Presume all Manchester->Sheffield trains will have to be diverted via Marple.

Make sense as both EMR and TPE have paths in the new timetable for daytime route learning.

 

[Topological]

Stoke services will get binned I suspect. Id also expect a way will be found for TfW.

Historically TfW would go via Warrington, but I guess that is harder now.

It must be tempting for TfW to terminate at Wilmslow though, that or Crewe. This especially applies if the Avanti is just behind the TfW and can take passengers to Manchester.

Infrastructure wise, it is good that Stockport has diversions that can be used if needed.

 

[The Planner]

Historically TfW would go via Warrington, but I guess that is harder now.

It must be tempting for TfW to terminate at Wilmslow though, that or Crewe. This especially applies if the Avanti is just behind the TfW and can take passengers to Manchester.

Infrastructure wise, it is good that Stockport has diversions that can be used if needed.

I doubt they will want to, South Wales to Manchester is massive for them.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I noticed a bridge at the north end of the cutting has been replaced sometime fairly recently.

Presumably that's the Thomson Street footbridge (which is nearby the station). Or maybe it's the Booth Street road bridge, which I think last got patched up in 2007? Either way, it's now the Greek Street roundabout needing doing.

 

[507020]

Make sense as both EMR and TPE have paths in the new timetable for daytime route learning.

Interesting. Paths both Ardwick T.M.D. to Chinley East Jn and Nottingham Eastcroft to Manchester Piccadilly HS. It probably shouldn’t have lapsed, but neither of them will have passed over the route for a long time while it was unavailable. I’ve never actually seen EMR do it. Any chance of them still running through to Lime Street or is that too far?

 

[edwin_m]

Interesting. Paths both Ardwick T.M.D. to Chinley East Jn and Nottingham Eastcroft to Manchester Piccadilly HS. It probably shouldn’t have lapsed, but neither of them will have passed over the route for a long time while it was unavailable. I’ve never actually seen EMR do it. Any chance of them still running through to Lime Street or is that too far?

Normally no, but I guess with nothing to/from Stockport the usual congestion issues at Piccadilly east throat may not apply.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Normally no, but I guess with nothing to/from Stockport the usual congestion issues at Piccadilly east throat may not apply.

Could a rail shuttle service still be operated by Northern between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport calling at both Levenshulme and Heaton Chapel? (The extensive bridge replacement work at Greek Street being to the South of / beyond Stockport station?)

 

[plugwash]

Could a rail shuttle service still be operated by Northern between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport calling at both Levenshulme and Heaton Chapel?

Stockport has signalling to reverse trains from the north in both platform 1 and platform 3A. So it's certainly feasible technically.

Whether they will actually do it, I don't know.

 

[The Planner]

Could a rail shuttle service still be operated by Northern between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport calling at both Levenshulme and Heaton Chapel? (The extensive bridge replacement work at Greek Street being to the South of / beyond Stockport station?)

There is also work taking place north of the station as well from what I've seen. Its very rare to see a block like this so as much use will be made of it I expect.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Could a rail shuttle service still be operated by Northern between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport calling at both Levenshulme and Heaton Chapel? (The extensive bridge replacement work at Greek Street being to the South of / beyond Stockport station?)

There won't be a rail service between Piccadilly and Stockport unfortunately because work is also taking place at Heaton Norris. The blockade is from 2nd August to 05.00 on 23rd August. So it will affect some people going to Derby for the Rail 200 event on 2nd and 3rd.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There won't be a rail service between Piccadilly and Stockport unfortunately because work is also taking place at Heaton Norris. The blockade is from 2nd August to 05.00 on 23rd August. So it will affect some people going to Derby for the Rail 200 event on 2nd and 3rd.

Makes perfect sense to schedule this additional work (at Heaton Norris) at the same time that nothing can run through Stockport station. What's your source, BTW?

 

[The Planner]

Makes perfect sense to schedule this additional work (at Heaton Norris) at the same time that nothing can run through Stockport station. What's your source, BTW?

It should all be in the EAS. There are works all the way down to Stoke and Colwich as well seeing as everything has to go via Crewe.

 

[AndrewE]

It should all be in the EAS. There are works all the way down to Stoke and Colwich as well seeing as everything has to go via Crewe.

I thought they might have kept serving Stoke, maybe turning back at Macc.

 

[jfollows]

EAS? It’s probably not important but I don’t know what this stands for!

 

[The Planner]

EAS? It’s probably not important but I don’t know what this stands for!

Engineering Access Statement, or Rules of the Route in old money. All downloadable from the NR website.

I thought they might have kept serving Stoke, maybe turning back at Macc.

Work going on south of there too.

 

[Chester1]

How many services can Avanti run via Styal and EMR and TPE run via Bredbury?

 

[jfollows]

Engineering Access Statement, or Rules of the Route in old money. All downloadable from the NR website.

Thank you - yes, I remember “Rules of the Route” so I’m old ….

How many services can Avanti run via Styal and EMR and TPE run via Bredbury?

Who knows?
But without cancelling services the 3-aspect signalling on the Styal line probably limits the number of additional services significantly, I’d imagine it’s close to theoretical capacity already. I know less about the Bredbury route.

 

[Chester1]

Who knows?
But without cancelling services the 3-aspect signalling on the Styal line probably limits the number of additional services significantly, I’d imagine it’s close to theoretical capacity already. I know less about the Bredbury route.

I am struggling to remember service levels of previous diversions. The Avanti Manchester via Crewe service can be diverted every hour. I think it is either the EMR or TPE that can be diverted via Marple but not both. Hopefully a 3 week closure is sufficient to cancel other services to maintain an acceptable intercity service. London to Manchester being 1tph for 3 weeks would cause significant overcrowding.

 

[The Planner]

I am struggling to remember service levels of previous diversions. The Avanti Manchester via Crewe service can be diverted every hour. I think it is either the EMR or TPE that can be diverted via Marple but not both. Hopefully a 3 week closure is sufficient to cancel other services to maintain an acceptable intercity service. London to Manchester being 1tph for 3 weeks would cause significant overcrowding.

TPE and EMR will fit via Marple. You'll fit 2 Avantis on the Styals as well.

 

[Chester1]

TPE and EMR will fit via Marple. You'll fit 2 Avantis on the Styals as well.

That is excellent. The disruption looks like it should be managable.

I noticed a bridge at the north end of the cutting has been replaced sometime fairly recently.

Presumably that's the Thomson Street footbridge (which is nearby the station). Or maybe it's the Booth Street road bridge, which I think last got patched up in 2007? Either way, it's now the Greek Street roundabout needing doing.

Thompson Street foot bridge was replaced a couple of years ago for similar reasons. It may have been replaced before Greek Street to avoid excessive use of Stockport station underpass by pedestrians and cyclists during the replacement of Greek Street bridge.

 

[CHAPS2034]

Engineering Access Statement, or Rules of the Route in old money. All downloadable from the NR website.

Can't seem to find this on the NR website. Could you provide a link please?

Meanwhile with Greek Street roundabout shut for 12 months from Spring 2025 and road and bus diversions not yet finalised, I forsee all sorts of traffic jams around the town, which any RRBs will get stuck in, not to mention the service buses I can use to access Stockport ,which all use that roundabout!

 

[The Planner]

Can't seem to find this on the NR website. Could you provide a link please?

Meanwhile with Greek Street roundabout shut for 12 months from Spring 2025 and road and bus diversions not yet finalised, I forsee all sorts of traffic jams around the town, which any RRBs will get stuck in, not to mention the service buses I can use to access Stockport ,which all use that roundabout!

Operational Rules - Network Rail

The Engineering Access Statement (EAS) and the Timetable Planning Rules (TPR) are collectively referred to as the Operational Rules.

www.networkrail.co.uk