North Wales & North West England Infrastructure

snowball · 10 Dec 2017

BurgerVan said:
I'm quoting NR themselves. Blame them if it's duff info!

Maybe a mistransmission of info within NR. Maybe somebody saw something that began "Between Fylde Junction and Salwick" and assumed that was the full description of the site when in fact it went on to be more specific???

A picture of the official poster was posted in the B-M electrification thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/attachments/319e74e2-5735-474f-9b59-1098539836f9-jpeg.39923/

It says "Up and Down Fylde lines, Between Fylde Junction and the new terminating point of the overhead line equipment 714 metres towards Salwick Station" and goes on to give structure numbers.

RailUK Forums

LNW-GW Joint · 11 Dec 2017

BurgerVan said:
It should certainly knock a few minutes off if the 75 round holywell and mostyn are got rid of.

Maybe only 1 minute or so on that stretch.
Saltney-Connah's Quay is still 75 despite resignalling, and I don't think this stretch is part of the current upgrade.

driver_m · 11 Dec 2017

LNW-GW Joint said:
Maybe only 1 minute or so on that stretch.
Saltney-Connah's Quay is still 75 despite resignalling, and I don't think this stretch is part of the current upgrade.

No it isn't, but some the 90 sections on the route are pointless. Like the very short 90 between Holywell and the marooned ship. Its a standing joke that the track is 90 on bends and 75 on straights so hopefully the improvements will make some difference.

snowball · 13 Dec 2017

Press release:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/abergele-and-pensarn-station-enhancement-works-completed/

Enhancement works at Abergele and Pensarn station in North Wales have been completed by Network Rail.

A new waiting shelter and bike rack has been installed at the station, all part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. The enhancements also included drainage works, new energy efficient LED lighting installed on platform 1 and 2 and new signage.

In the spring the first phase of the station upgrade was completed with the extension and resurfacing of platform 2, using an innovative lightweight polystyrene-block solution to extend the platform and successfully overcome challenging ground conditions on site.

The station enhancements form part of the North Wales Railway Upgrade Project, which also includes the commissioning of new signalling equipment on the North Wales Coast from Shotton to Colwyn Bay in Spring 2018.

Kevin Roberts, senior project manager for Network Rail, Wales and Borders, said: “The completion of this upgrade work at Abergele and Pensarn station marks another significant milestone in the North Wales Railway Upgrade Project as we continue to deliver our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“This upgrade project will provide greater resilience and reliability on the north Wales railway as we continue to work to provide a bigger and better railway for the growing number of passengers.”

stockport1 · 14 Dec 2017

Orange army doing veg clearance at winsford today. Just saying!! Didn't really reserve a thread of its own and didn't know where else to post!

driver_m · 15 Dec 2017

Had some Lime St updates today. Platform 9 shuts after Xmas closedown until April. As does pl6.

New pl8 & 9 will be opened for use. 8 is brand new, 9 is the old 8. It will be long enough for a 11 car pendo apparently at 270m but I'm struggling to see how at the mo. 8 will be 156m long.

New pl7 built but kept out of use for now. Will be known as line X. Line y is current pl9 (to be future pl10)

Hope that makes sense!!!!

driver_m · 23 Dec 2017

28th March has been put in the WON's for commissioning of the 1st Stage of North Wales signalling.

snowball · 10 Jan 2018

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/track-upgrade-work-to-commence-in-flint/

Engineers will begin track modernisation work in Flint later this month as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

The £50m North Wales railway upgrade project includes the installation of new track along the railway line in Flint, increasing the resilience and reliability of the railway for passengers in North Wales.

Kevin Roberts, senior project manager for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “We are working with Arriva Trains Wales and our industry partners to deliver a safe, reliable, affordable and growing railway for passengers across Wales and Borders.

“I would like to thank residents for their patience and reassure them that we are doing all we can do keep noise and disruption to a minimum as we complete this essential work as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.”

Bethan Jelfs, Customer Services Director for Arriva Trains Wales said: “Upgrade work on the railway in North Wales is excellent news in terms of running reliable and efficient services for our customers now and in the future.

“We are working closely with our partners in Network Rail to ensure this valuable work impacts as few of our customers as possible. We would like to thank our customers for their patience during this investment work. Passengers should ensure they check their journeys at journeycheck.com/arrivatrainswales/.”

The North Wales railway upgrade project, which includes the installation of new signalling equipment on the North Wales coast from Shotton to Colwyn Bay, is set to be completed by the summer 2018, with commissioning of the new signalling equipment in March.

Network Rail is working in partnership with Arriva Trains Wales and Virgin Trains to minimise disruption during this programme of upgrade work. Replacement bus services will be in operation between Llandudno Junction and Chester on Sunday 21 January, 28 January and 11 February. Passengers are advised to check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk/

This essential phase of the upgrade project is expected to be completed by April.

twpsaesneg · 10 Jan 2018

Ploughman said:
Now you are just being silly.
When did anyone in control of a rail project actually do something totally logical?

Sadly for Grid Feeder sites the railway is very much in the hands of National Grid...

LNW-GW Joint · 10 Jan 2018

snowball said:
Press release
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/track-upgrade-work-to-commence-in-flint/

Presumably this is to install the crossovers for bi-di working from Mostyn.

driver_m · 12 Jan 2018

Edge Hill and lime St boxes showing as going over to Manchester ROC from 30th July. This will be the 2nd part after Halton-Ditton changeover on 9th May.

LNW-GW Joint · 15 Jan 2018

The work site east of Flint looks ready for action, with new track panels at lineside for the bi-di crossover.
Signals already in place.
Sunday possessions over the next few weeks.

At Frodsham Jn, the new crossover on the main line is in.
It's a single lead junction, so presumably the Curve is staying single track.
A new colour light is up on the branch to control access towards Chester, but all the old semaphores are still there.
I thought we were getting a modernised box?
Time for things to change yet, of course.

LNW-GW Joint · 22 Jan 2018

I had a look at the Runcorn end of the Halton Curve today, and there is nothing to see yet of the new Chester-bound crossover at Halton Jn.
A new south facing crossover is needed, and maybe the existing north facing junction will be replaced.
In fact, the whole Edge Hill-Weaver Jn route looks to be at the early stages of its upgrade.
NR is digging a new cable route, and installing bases for signalling equipment, but there doesn't seem to be any new signal posts or signs of new trackwork taking shape.
The route is closed for the next 2 Sundays, with VT diverting via Warrington BQ and LNW bustituting from Crewe.

driver_m · 22 Jan 2018

There is. There's a post gone in for a turn back signal at Runcorn on the Down, in the up direction. There's also a new post in situ for the junction when it gets reinstated near Haltons current HN1 signal.

LNW-GW Joint · 22 Jan 2018

BurgerVan said:
There is. There's a post gone in for a turn back signal at Runcorn on the Down, in the up direction. There's also a new post in situ for the junction when it gets reinstated near Haltons current HN1 signal.

Excellent.

sw1ller · 24 Jan 2018

Work started at Shotton Station too. I’ve looked for details but not finding much. Is this going to help With connection times? Fed up of getting the Bidston train into shotton only to see the north wales coast train pulling away. Connection times are horrid.

frodshamfella · 24 Jan 2018

I noticed while waiting for a train at Runcorn, some forecasted Sunday engineering works coming up between Crewe and Liverpool. I wonder if this is something to do with Halton Curve.

driver_m · 14 Feb 2018

A rather large new signal gantry has sprung up near to Speke Jn box for traffic from Garston. Looks like the first obvious bit of Resignalling on this particular part of the section. OLE stanchions in place down the single line to Frodsham at Halton Jn, and a fair amount of Steelwork has gone in the cutting at Lime St for the replacement of the OLE down there The old Platform 6 (to be renumbered as 5) is looking a lot better than it previously did and a lot straighter too.

driver_m · 14 Feb 2018

frodshamfella said:
I noticed while waiting for a train at Runcorn, some forecasted Sunday engineering works coming up between Crewe and Liverpool. I wonder if this is something to do with Halton Curve.

You may have seen elsewhere already but Frodsham box is currently shut to replace the signalling in there. Some new signals where already in place ready to go, including the one from Halton.

LNW-GW Joint · 26 Feb 2018

I don't know if it has been mentioned before, but I noticed today that a new section of platform canopy is going up at Newton le Willows.
This was on the north side, and may link up with the existing one.
There's some scaffolding on the south side too, so maybe both platforms are getting longer canopies.

There are at least 10 new gantries up in Lime St cutting, as yet in a bare state.
It looks like during the upcoming long blockade the OHLE will be renewed and hung from these gantries, with the old ones removed.

GRALISTAIR · 27 Feb 2018

That horrendous corrosion at Lime St must have necessitated the large scale replacement. 60 years old “ ish” ?

Gareth · 27 Feb 2018

Presumably from the original electrification of the WCML.

driver_m · 27 Feb 2018

GRALISTAIR said:
That horrendous corrosion at Lime St must have necessitated the large scale replacement. 60 years old “ ish” ?

A lot of it has been put in ready for the installation of the new junction and realignments that have been done down there. Most haven't got any knitting at all on them . I think the damaged one was initially repaired. But may have since been changed, it's in a difficult to view location where the corrosion happened. The ones that have been knitted are mainly at the station throat.

driver_m · 27 Feb 2018

There should be some ability now to gain lost time on the North Wales line after looking at the speed increases on the line following resignalling. After increasing to 90 east of Rockcliffe Hall as now, it's that speed (NB these include MU speed differentials) to Prestatyn with a short 75 there, 90 again and then 40 into the platform at Rhyl on greens. (Only 50 through middle road to enable this) and then back up to 85 to Llysfaen nr Colwyn Bay as now.

absolutelymilk · 27 Feb 2018

driver_m said:
There should be some ability now to gain lost time on the North Wales line after looking at the speed increases on the line following resignalling. After increasing to 90 east of Rockcliffe Hall as now, it's that speed (NB these include MU speed differentials) to Prestatyn with a short 75 there, 90 again and then 40 into the platform at Rhyl on greens. (Only 50 through middle road to enable this) and then back up to 85 to Llysfaen nr Colwyn Bay as now.

What were these speed limits before so we can compare?

driver_m · 27 Feb 2018

A lot of 75 with 90 mixed in. 90 at rockcliffe Hall. 75 in flint then 90 to a 75 at Holywell to Talacre with a small pointless 90 near the ship. 85 from Talacre to Prestatyn, (75) back up again and then 75 through rhyl or 40 with a very slow track approach control into platform, 85 from rhyl and 75 through Abergele station and then 85 again to Llysfaen .

LNW-GW Joint · 27 Feb 2018

It's still a mystery why 75 is still the speed limit from Saltney Jn to Connah's Quay, despite resignalling.
Just at the point where trains could get going on the straight, they are shackled.

sw1ller · 28 Feb 2018

LNW-GW Joint said:
It's still a mystery why 75 is still the speed limit from Saltney Jn to Connah's Quay, despite resignalling.
Just at the point where trains could get going on the straight, they are shackled.

Sighting for Maude st foot crossing could be one reason but that doesn’t excuse the stretch up to shotton station. Possibly beeches farm too but they’re very good at calling the signaller when they need to use it. I was quite disappointed when I did the briefing and saw this was still 75. It would have made A lot of sense. I’m sure they have their reasons.

XDM · 28 Feb 2018

sw1ller said:
Sighting for Maude st foot crossing could be one reason but that doesn’t excuse the stretch up to shotton station. Possibly beeches farm too but they’re very good at calling the signaller when they need to use it. I was quite disappointed when I did the briefing and saw this was still 75. It would have made A lot of sense. I’m sure they have their reasons.

Reasons. Inertia, Inept, or to reduce track maintenance costs.
Nothing in it for network rail to increase track speed, & wear & tear to their track.
Tis the inherent disadvantage of splitting the trains from the track & making the track the master. It would be different & better if the train operators, who are closer to the passengers, dictated to the track.

LNW-GW Joint · 28 Feb 2018

But there have been at least 2 WG-funded projects to reduce journey times/raise line speeds.
The first was c2000, just as the 175s were coming in, which was supposed to upgrade the track between Chester and Llandudno Jn to 90mph.
This cost WG £20m, but left several sections at 75mph, including Saltney-Connah's Quay, supposedly because of signal sighting issues.
Then c2005 there was a resignalling project over that stretch (into Chester PSB), removing all the semaphores, but still no speed increase.
Now we have a third project, resignalling Connah's Quay to Colwyn Bay, which does seem to have completed the 90mph upgrade on that section.
But still nothing Saltney-Connah's Quay, a dead flat and almost straight section.
And then there's the weird case of bits of new 90mph mixed with old 60mph on the newly doubled Saltney-Rossett line.

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