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Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

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Joseph_Locke

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That is a lot higher over the OLE than the M61 bridge

As in Alan Baxter's excellent guide:

nr_a_guide_to_overhead_electrification_img_39.jpg

I'm not convinced the GWEP one is OK as the bottom 1.5m isn't imperforate?
 
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3973EXL

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I don't want to go off thread, having watched local events to me (GWML), it will be interesting to see M61 developments.

PS. railings in photo are 4' 6" high.
 

TBSchenker

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So are we assuming the Buckshaw - Salford Crescent section isn’t energised because of the M61 overbridge issue?

This would be truly stunning if a priority government project (Preston-Manchester electrification) is further delayed due to a government agency (Highways Agency) dragging their feet on remedial works on the M61!

But it wouldn’t surprise me.
 

Buck Shaw

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Noticed this on http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/roadworks/bulletin.aspx?district=Chorley

Without going back up thread I am not sure if this has been mentioned?

Roadname Railway Road, Adlington
Work Status In Progress
Restrictions Two-way signals
Description Increasing the height of the parapets of the railway bridge to comply with office of road and rail standards for electrified railways. 22:00 - 06:00 (friday nights excepted) and 07:30 - 17:30 each day. Traffic management to be in place continuously to allow day and night works. While operatives are working on site a bankman will be allocated to safely cross over pedestrians.
Dates 20/10/2018 - 25/11/2018
Operator Network Rail -Promoters National
Location At The Railway Bridge (Road Over Rail)
 

Buck Shaw

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So are we assuming the Buckshaw - Salford Crescent section isn’t energised because of the M61 overbridge issue?

This would be truly stunning if a priority government project (Preston-Manchester electrification) is further delayed due to a government agency (Highways Agency) dragging their feet on remedial works on the M61!

But it wouldn’t surprise me.

If that is the case we need to be making a public fuss about this to politicians etc and get them to kick up a stink about it. I imagine Sir Lindsay Hoyle for one is very keen to see this finally opened as soon as possible.
 

Jonny

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So are we assuming the Buckshaw - Salford Crescent section isn’t energised because of the M61 overbridge issue?

This would be truly stunning if a priority government project (Preston-Manchester electrification) is further delayed due to a government agency (Highways Agency) dragging their feet on remedial works on the M61!

But it wouldn’t surprise me.

Would Network Rail have the legal powers to do the work themselves (as long as the associated roadworks and signage are set up correctly, and argue about the money later)?
 

a_c_skinner

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IIRC I asked about the M61 bridge holding things up a long way up-thread. The answer was that it shouldn't hold things up. Cannot see the logic but there you are.
 

Bertie the bus

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probably more worried about someone doing a Gary Hart
OHLE doesn't increase the risk of a driver falling asleep and driving off the motorway. Both the railway and motorway have been there for decades and all such bridges were assessed following the Great Heck incident.
 
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wrinkley

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The M61 bridge isn't the only thing stopping energisation, I have sent a photo to Dave re. work to be carried out up to 28th November. These notices are on the access gates along the track.
 

LDECRexile

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Ken H

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Several of wrinkleys shots show the wires being supported by the bridge.
So what are the rules on this? Surely that can cut down on steelwork needed.
 

snowball

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Several of wrinkleys shots show the wires being supported by the bridge.
So what are the rules on this? Surely that can cut down on steelwork needed.

Surely the rules are that there are no rules against it provided the specified electrical clearance is maintained. Why should there be any rules against it?

After all, in a tunnel, the wires are supported from the roof all the way.
 

Jonny

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Several of wrinkleys shots show the wires being supported by the bridge.
So what are the rules on this? Surely that can cut down on steelwork needed.

Surely the rules are that there are no rules against it provided the specified electrical clearance is maintained. Why should there be any rules against it?

After all, in a tunnel, the wires are supported from the roof all the way.

It requires the use of non-conductive components, which may be awkward to come by.
 

swt_passenger

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It requires the use of non-conductive components, which may be awkward to come by.
Why? The fibreglass tube insulators shown (eg B502m) are part of the standard range, and have been used for years. The fixing brackets themselves are conductive.
 

Joseph_Locke

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Exactly this, and all the non live parts are bonded to earth
But if the mechanical clearance between live parts and bridge get lower than the distance a fault voltage can jump (so a voltage over 30kVAC) then there is a risk that the supporting bridge goes live too, albeit briefly. Without going to "devices" and funny paint this is about 100mm.

The copper strips fitted to some of the bridges round Bolton and to intercept this flashover if it happens, but can't be used everywhere.
 

swt_passenger

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But if the mechanical clearance between live parts and bridge get lower than the distance a fault voltage can jump (so a voltage over 30kVAC) then there is a risk that the supporting bridge goes live too, albeit briefly. Without going to "devices" and funny paint this is about 100mm.

The copper strips fitted to some of the bridges round Bolton and to intercept this flashover if it happens, but can't be used everywhere.
That’s all fairly obvious but doesn’t change the earlier point being made that the components themselves might be ‘awkward to come by’...
 

PN27

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Noticed this on http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/roadworks/bulletin.aspx?district=Chorley

Without going back up thread I am not sure if this has been mentioned?

Roadname Railway Road, Adlington
Work Status In Progress
Restrictions Two-way signals
Description Increasing the height of the parapets of the railway bridge to comply with office of road and rail standards for electrified railways. 22:00 - 06:00 (friday nights excepted) and 07:30 - 17:30 each day. Traffic management to be in place continuously to allow day and night works. While operatives are working on site a bankman will be allocated to safely cross over pedestrians.
Dates 20/10/2018 - 25/11/2018
Operator Network Rail -Promoters National
Location At The Railway Bridge (Road Over Rail)

I mentioned it a while back. They're replacing the sides on the pedestrian footbridge that's on the non-station side of the bridge; they've closed that side of the road to aid access and park vans. For some reason, it's taking them about a month to do this. For equally inexplicable reasons, the cones and temporary lights are in place 24/7; granted the pedestrian crossing element of them needs to be there for people to cross to the other side of the road (which has a pavement on the road bridge), but they could keep two-way traffic flow.
 

td97

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Potential testing paths showing for early am Friday 30th November, with a unit from Edge Hill Depot running these paths. Appears to be very similar to last week's cancelled runs.
It seems to be the same unit based on timings/platforms... showing as 319, then Sprinter, then 100mph DMU! So literally anything could run!
(And yes I'm aware timing load≠booked traction, but it does seem odd that someone has gone to the effort to book the traction as 3 different timing loads).
 

Ianno87

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Potential testing paths showing for early am Friday 30th November, with a unit from Edge Hill Depot running these paths. Appears to be very similar to last week's cancelled runs.
It seems to be the same unit based on timings/platforms... showing as 319, then Sprinter, then 100mph DMU! So literally anything could run!
(And yes I'm aware timing load≠booked traction, but it does seem odd that someone has gone to the effort to book the traction as 3 different timing loads).

319 SRTs don't exist for via Bolton (yet)

100mph DMU SRTs don't exist for stopping at Clifton etc (probably)

You need 100mph DMU for last path due to being via Bolton and needing a fast Chat Moss run (probably)?
 

Tricky1

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Highways England isn't a government agency it's a private company albeit that it's only (current) shareholder is HMG. They are regulated by ORR and I would be very suprised if they were deliberately stalling on this bridge, and no Network Rail wouldn't be allowed to undertake any work on the M61.
 

TBSchenker

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So Highways England and Network Rail are effectively identally owned and managed, ie Government owned.
 

Elecman

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M61 bridge Safety consists of 2 badly laminated paper warning sign saying Live Cables Below tiewrapped onto the bridge top rail on each side.
No signs of any work planned to rebuild parapet to compliance.
 

snowball

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Given how much difficulty NR are having in finishing this for the end of the year, it's amazing how recently they were refusing to admit that it wouldn't be finished for last May, or even last December.
 
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