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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification
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Of course!
Judging by the noise the first train to Blackpool at half 6 was a double too. I assume that all trains will be doubled up whilst North is still closed.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Son of Progessometer update Manchester - Preston section only January 29th 2018
Manchester Victoria Station West End to Manchester Victoria West Jct - Fully wired 2013-5
Manchester Victoria West Jct to Deal Street Jn - Fully wired 2013-5
Deal Street Jn to Salford Central east end - Fully masted, wired half way as overlap
Salford Central - Fully masted, no wires
Salford Central west end to Windsor Bridge South Junction - All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Windsor Bridge South Junction to Windsor Bridge North Junction
(includes Salfrord Crescent) - Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires
Windsor Bridge North Junction to south end of Clifton station - Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires
Clifton Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Clifton Station north end to Kearsley station south end -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Kearsley Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Kearsley Station north end to Farnworth Station south end -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Farnworth Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Farnworth station north end to Moses Gate station south end -- Some bases, some masts
Moses Gate station -- Fully masted, no wires
Moses Gate station north end to Bolton Station -- Many bases, some masts
Bolton station -- Many bases, some masts
Bolton station N end to Lostock station S end -- Many bases, some masts
Lostock station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Lostock station north end to Horwich Parkway station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, some wires
Horwich Parkway station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Horwich Parkway station north end to Blackrod station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Blackrod station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Blackrod station north end to Adlington station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Adlington station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Adlington station north end to Chorley station south end -- Many bases, some masts
Chorley station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Chorley station north end to Buckshaw Parkway station south end -- Many bases, some masts, some wires
Buckshaw Parkway station -- Some bases in place, no masts, couple of wires.
Buckshaw Parkway station north end to Euxton Jn All bases in place, all with masts, mostly with wires
Manchester Victoria Station West End to Manchester Victoria West Jct - Fully wired 2013-5
Manchester Victoria West Jct to Deal Street Jn - Fully wired 2013-5
Deal Street Jn to Salford Central east end - Fully masted, wired half way as overlap
Salford Central - Fully masted, no wires
Salford Central west end to Windsor Bridge South Junction - All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Windsor Bridge South Junction to Windsor Bridge North Junction
(includes Salfrord Crescent) - Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires
Windsor Bridge North Junction to south end of Clifton station - Many bases in place, some with masts, no wires
Clifton Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Clifton Station north end to Kearsley station south end -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Kearsley Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Kearsley Station north end to Farnworth Station south end -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Farnworth Station -- All bases in place, no masts, no wires
Farnworth station north end to Moses Gate station south end -- Some bases, some masts
Moses Gate station -- Fully masted, no wires
Moses Gate station north end to Bolton Station -- Many bases, some masts
Bolton station -- Many bases, some masts
Bolton station N end to Lostock station S end -- Many bases, some masts
Lostock station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Lostock station north end to Horwich Parkway station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, some wires
Horwich Parkway station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Horwich Parkway station north end to Blackrod station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Blackrod station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Blackrod station north end to Adlington station south end -- All bases in place, mostly with masts, no wires
Adlington station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Adlington station north end to Chorley station south end -- Many bases, some masts
Chorley station -- Some bases in place, no masts, no wires.
Chorley station north end to Buckshaw Parkway station south end -- Many bases, some masts, some wires
Buckshaw Parkway station -- Some bases in place, no masts, couple of wires.
Buckshaw Parkway station north end to Euxton Jn All bases in place, all with masts, mostly with wires
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
May I request you be patient - at least two regular contributors are there today and I am sure later on this evening we will see a bunch of photos.
LDECRexile
Established Member
As planned and posted recently I travelled Preston to Kirkham and Wesham and back today, Paul couldn't make it, alas. Bumped into LNW-GW Joint as an added bonus.
Trains on time both directions.
Wires up, including catenary, from approximately 53.774345, -2.747771 (a short distance east of UCLAN worksite access point) to approx. 53.787392, -2.870846 (a short distance west of the 7MP.) There is a wireless gap from a short distance east of Blackpool Rd bridge to the above starting point.
Masts continue to the western end of Kirkham and Wesham station, with bases all along the back of the new eastbound platform 3 which look set to carry TTCs spanning the "main lines" like the one immediately east of platform 3's eastern end.
K&W station looks good, work to complete = lifts, fencing behind Platform 3, platform ends, footbridge lighting.
Only disappointment is that the toilet was unimproved, the tap didn't work, for example. I imagine this was not included in the spec.
Otherwise - good job: on time, good quality, no idea if within budget.
Thanks and congratulations to all concerned with doing the work.
I will publish my photos this evening. If there is anyone intending to send me shots of Preston and points west could you please do so before 20:00 so I can publish the whole lot as one integrated set? (With due credit as always, of course.)
Trains on time both directions.
Wires up, including catenary, from approximately 53.774345, -2.747771 (a short distance east of UCLAN worksite access point) to approx. 53.787392, -2.870846 (a short distance west of the 7MP.) There is a wireless gap from a short distance east of Blackpool Rd bridge to the above starting point.
Masts continue to the western end of Kirkham and Wesham station, with bases all along the back of the new eastbound platform 3 which look set to carry TTCs spanning the "main lines" like the one immediately east of platform 3's eastern end.
K&W station looks good, work to complete = lifts, fencing behind Platform 3, platform ends, footbridge lighting.
Only disappointment is that the toilet was unimproved, the tap didn't work, for example. I imagine this was not included in the spec.
Otherwise - good job: on time, good quality, no idea if within budget.
Thanks and congratulations to all concerned with doing the work.
I will publish my photos this evening. If there is anyone intending to send me shots of Preston and points west could you please do so before 20:00 so I can publish the whole lot as one integrated set? (With due credit as always, of course.)
Last edited:
LDECRexile
Established Member
Please note I have corrected the starting grid ref I gave above. My error, apologies.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Some notes from a trip over the route today (between Preston and Kirkham in the very pleasant company of LDECRexile):
Up line Salford-Euxton:
- no obvious bases at Salford Crescent P2
- still several missing masts/bases through Pendleton and around Agecroft North
- big switchgear box still not installed at Lostock
- 5 separate stretches of earth/AT wires (sometimes both) north of Lostock
linking 35 masts Lostock-Horwich (ie most of it)
linking 9 masts starting immediately north of the M61 bridge (Horwich-Blackrod)
linking 6 masts immediately north of Adlington
linking 6 masts approaching the L&L canal
linking 12-ish masts from immediately north of Buckshaw up to the full wiring at Euxton
- 1 mast up at Adlington station platform, 2 at Buckshaw (all on the Down), none elsewhere
- all the plinths on the cutting walls either side of Chorley tunnel seem to be installed, but no masts/gantries yet
So some progress if not spectacular.
Preston-Blackpool South:
- seems fully wired from Fylde Jn to just east of the new Kirkham layout, bar about 1 mile between MP1 and MP2 which is unwired but looks ready for it
- plenty of steelwork up through Kirkham but still a lot to do
- Kirkham P1 and the new P3 are in full operation, P2 looks unused so far (rails rusty). Still much machinery working offline at Kirkham.
- the route towards Blackpool South after the main line junction has 9 masts on the Up line up to the single line junction, but none on the Down.
- new signalling on the branch, plated BL. To my untrained eye there were no other changes on the single line. Rail fully welded as far as I can tell.
- the sign for the driver to "press plunger and await white light" is still there at Moss Side crossing, but not sure of the new arrangement
- much of the new signalling kit has been sited on the unused track bed, so no passive provision for a loop anywhere
- if there have been track upgrades on the main line they were wasted on the Pacer we were on - some of the worst riding imaginable at speed
I'm sure Dave (LDECRexile) will be posting some of his many photos later - I hope I didn't distract him too much.
Really good news that Preston-BPS opened on time today, it must give NR quite a fillip.
The 4-car trains we were on (142+150) were fairly quiet - I'd have expected more usage after 11 weeks' closure, although it's early days.
Up line Salford-Euxton:
- no obvious bases at Salford Crescent P2
- still several missing masts/bases through Pendleton and around Agecroft North
- big switchgear box still not installed at Lostock
- 5 separate stretches of earth/AT wires (sometimes both) north of Lostock
linking 35 masts Lostock-Horwich (ie most of it)
linking 9 masts starting immediately north of the M61 bridge (Horwich-Blackrod)
linking 6 masts immediately north of Adlington
linking 6 masts approaching the L&L canal
linking 12-ish masts from immediately north of Buckshaw up to the full wiring at Euxton
- 1 mast up at Adlington station platform, 2 at Buckshaw (all on the Down), none elsewhere
- all the plinths on the cutting walls either side of Chorley tunnel seem to be installed, but no masts/gantries yet
So some progress if not spectacular.
Preston-Blackpool South:
- seems fully wired from Fylde Jn to just east of the new Kirkham layout, bar about 1 mile between MP1 and MP2 which is unwired but looks ready for it
- plenty of steelwork up through Kirkham but still a lot to do
- Kirkham P1 and the new P3 are in full operation, P2 looks unused so far (rails rusty). Still much machinery working offline at Kirkham.
- the route towards Blackpool South after the main line junction has 9 masts on the Up line up to the single line junction, but none on the Down.
- new signalling on the branch, plated BL. To my untrained eye there were no other changes on the single line. Rail fully welded as far as I can tell.
- the sign for the driver to "press plunger and await white light" is still there at Moss Side crossing, but not sure of the new arrangement
- much of the new signalling kit has been sited on the unused track bed, so no passive provision for a loop anywhere
- if there have been track upgrades on the main line they were wasted on the Pacer we were on - some of the worst riding imaginable at speed
I'm sure Dave (LDECRexile) will be posting some of his many photos later - I hope I didn't distract him too much.
Really good news that Preston-BPS opened on time today, it must give NR quite a fillip.
The 4-car trains we were on (142+150) were fairly quiet - I'd have expected more usage after 11 weeks' closure, although it's early days.
LeylandLen
Member
The Rail Replacement buses are still running Preston and stations to Blackpool north.
From what I have seen of them they look a lot newer and more comfortable than a basic Pacer for people going to either Blackpool Stations. I would think people would still use the RR buses unless they want south Blackpool .
From what I have seen of them they look a lot newer and more comfortable than a basic Pacer for people going to either Blackpool Stations. I would think people would still use the RR buses unless they want south Blackpool .
SansHache
Member
Today's on-schedule return of Preston - Blackpool South augurs well for a major upgrade in train provision to Blackpool.
The new Pendolino services that will be serving Blackpool from the May timetable change now appear in Realtime Trains. There are 3 return trips from/to Euston Monday-Friday stopping at Rugby, Warrington, Wigan and Preston. These are in addition to the existing daily Voyager service.
Dep. London Euston 06:46, Arr. Blackpool North 09:37 (1P91)
Dep. Blackpool North 10:53, Arr. London Euston 13:53 (1A91)
Dep. London Euston 08:53, Arr. Blackpool North 11:56 (1P92)
Dep. Blackpool North 13:02, Arr. London Euston 15:59 (1A92)
Dep. London Euston 10:36, Arr. Blackpool North 13:20 (1P93)
Dep. Blackpool North 15:00, Arr. London Euston 17:59 (1A93)
The first Saturday service starts from Birmingham rather than London. No services are shown running on Sundays.
I propose that the illuminations on Blackpool Tower are converted to a bar graph so we can see how much energy the trains are regenerating to the grid!
The new Pendolino services that will be serving Blackpool from the May timetable change now appear in Realtime Trains. There are 3 return trips from/to Euston Monday-Friday stopping at Rugby, Warrington, Wigan and Preston. These are in addition to the existing daily Voyager service.
Dep. London Euston 06:46, Arr. Blackpool North 09:37 (1P91)
Dep. Blackpool North 10:53, Arr. London Euston 13:53 (1A91)
Dep. London Euston 08:53, Arr. Blackpool North 11:56 (1P92)
Dep. Blackpool North 13:02, Arr. London Euston 15:59 (1A92)
Dep. London Euston 10:36, Arr. Blackpool North 13:20 (1P93)
Dep. Blackpool North 15:00, Arr. London Euston 17:59 (1A93)
The first Saturday service starts from Birmingham rather than London. No services are shown running on Sundays.
I propose that the illuminations on Blackpool Tower are converted to a bar graph so we can see how much energy the trains are regenerating to the grid!
Joseph_Locke
Established Member
This evening there appeared to be two new worksites close to and each side of the M60 overbridge at Clifton Country Park - the long-awaited footbridges?
Chrisyd
Member
- Joined
- 16 May 2015
- Messages
- 204
Couple of recent photos I have snapped around the Ordsall Curve, both showing how the area around the curve is developing:
Looking across St Johns (Old Granada Studios)
by Chris Davis, on Flickr
Looking down the Inner Ring Road
Ordsall Curve by Chris Davis, on Flickr
Finally a comparrison betweeen the track layout leaving Salford Central to Victoria with March last year:
2017
by Chris Davis, on Flickr
2018
by Chris Davis, on Flickr
Looking across St Johns (Old Granada Studios)
by Chris Davis, on FlickrLooking down the Inner Ring Road
Ordsall Curve by Chris Davis, on FlickrFinally a comparrison betweeen the track layout leaving Salford Central to Victoria with March last year:
2017
by Chris Davis, on Flickr2018
by Chris Davis, on Flickr...missing the opportunity to give northbound passengers joining the WCML at Crewe a second (!) service. Is there any other big junction station on a UK main line that has just the one service onwards down it? (not counting services down the branches to Liverpool and Manchester, obviously.)
Comments apply equally to the other direction too.
AngelicUpstart
Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2014
- Messages
- 70
Indeed Preston to Blackpool North by the non-stop bus seems to be taking under 40 mins in either a coach or a brand new double deck bus, both are warm and comfortable. You could travel to Blackpool South from Preston using a somewhat worse for wear bus body on 4 square wheels in 40 minutes and still be left with a 10-15 minute journey to central Blackpool. No choice really!
As far as I can see and posted elsewhere the three new trains appear to run direct from Preston to Blackpool (out and return) This is very disappointing as the stops at Poulton and Kirkham which occur on the Voyagers, would generate much more income in terms of patronage originating on the Fylde Coast. I know there is the selective door opening issue on the Pendolino's but locally assurances were made before the upgrade. It seems a wasted opportunity.
Also note the 15:00 from Blackpool North appears to leave at 15:54 on Saturdays with the Preston, Wigan NW, Warrington BQ and Rugby stops, arrives Euston at 18:53. Do we know why this timing differs from weekdays?
Foggycorner
Member
The working of Moss side crossing has not changed train aproaching from Kirkham starts sequence off barriers lower train goes into station and stops barriers raise train carries on to blackpool
train approaches from blackpool and stops in platform at red light button pressed starts barrier sequence barriers lower light turns to white train sets off to kirkham and when clear of crossing barriers raise end of sequence
train approaches from blackpool and stops in platform at red light button pressed starts barrier sequence barriers lower light turns to white train sets off to kirkham and when clear of crossing barriers raise end of sequence
Returning to Lytham from Preston this evening train used the new down line from kirkham junction to the start of the single line. Presumably this new section is to allow south line trains to cross without blocking the main line?
Separately I assume the new signalling system is to allow trains to turn back at Lytham with a further train at the Blackpool south end. Is this correct? Are there any plans to increase service frequency from 1tph using the new system?
Separately I assume the new signalling system is to allow trains to turn back at Lytham with a further train at the Blackpool south end. Is this correct? Are there any plans to increase service frequency from 1tph using the new system?
LDECRexile
Established Member
amywok kindly sent two images of 2018's first passenger-carrying train out of Lytham early this morning.
I have created an album for them here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157663154728917
I've added them and shots from my trip to K&W to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you amywok and welcome aboard, I hope we hear more from you.
I have created an album for them here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157663154728917
I've added them and shots from my trip to K&W to the Combined Volume here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633
Thank you amywok and welcome aboard, I hope we hear more from you.
LDECRexile
Established Member
Aha! Good spot, thank you.
LDECRexile
Established Member
Couple of recent photos I have snapped around the Ordsall Curve, both showing how the area around the curve is developing:
Looking across St Johns (Old Granada Studios)
Looking down the Inner Ring Road
Finally a comparrison betweeen the track layout leaving Salford Central to Victoria with March last year:
2017
2018
Thank you very much for these. The last time I took shots from Old Bailey car park I was politely but promptly kicked off. Have you found a way to get official blessing?
Guess: On a weekday the set needs to get back to Euston to work a peak extra - effectively the 1833 Euston-Liverpool (or to step up something else to work this). A c. 1800 Euston arrival on a weekday would fit neatly with this.
On a Saturday, there are no evening peak extras (AFAIK), so can return later; probably at a more optimum time to meet the market (i.e. better spread over the day with the other services). But on a weekday, the Euston evening peak has to be resourced with the fleet.
Chrisyd
Member
- Joined
- 16 May 2015
- Messages
- 204
As I was arriving late for work I came by car and by this time the only parking spaces left where on the top level at the Chord end so I got a couple of snaps on my phone as I departed! So probably did not even show up as being "suspicious" on the CCTV.
I get discounted parking there through work as opposed to paying their quoted prices!
I asked and was told no spare trains. The main reason for the new signals is that if a train is really late on the branch you can still send the next one down, chuck everyone off half way down and turn back towards Preston. This would stop one delayed train throwing the whole day's service into disarray.
But haven't there previously been planned short workings on the branch, such as the fabled St-Annes-on-the-Sea to Greenbank service? They didn't require turnback signals, so why are they necessary now, or is it just a modern standards thing with the new signalling (has the branch been Track Circuited, which would explain why a signal is now required?)?
When trains have turned back short of the terminus in the past, they have been the only train on the line. I think the idea is that one train can enter the line and turnback short whilst another ahead of it runs to Blackpool South in a separate section. This method of work certainly hasn't been approve yet and there are no plans to normally timetable any such workings in the near future.
I wouldn't expect anything other than Axle Counters, however yes the same principle applies.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
I could just be unobservant, but I didn't notice a single axle counter between Preston and Blackpool South.
Not the usual yellow mushrooms anyway.
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