Altrincham Tracks

[mikemcniven]

I notice at Altrincham they aren't using one of the tracks.

Leaving Altrincham towards Navigation Road you have

Metrolink MAN | Metrolink ALT | Network Rail MAN | Network Rail CTR


I have noticed that the Manchester bound NR track hasn't been used in a while and they are using a set of points to cross over to the Chester bound track (it been bi-di signalled) and starting the single line section from there rarther then Navigation Road level crossing.

Do anyone know why this is.

It's the track second from the right, you can see the points (bottom right) been used to access the Chester bound line

Altrincham Tracks by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[Red18]

I believe a set of points was damaged by a train because they had not gone over fully.

 

[mikemcniven]

I believe a set of points was damaged by a train because they had not gone over fully.

Ah okay but just not repaired then as they tracks have rusted up fully with no sign of any recent wear

 

[najaB]

Ah okay but just not repaired then as they tracks have rusted up fully with no sign of any recent wear

If they can deliver the timetable without the points in operation then it can wait until other renewals are scheduled.

 

[mikemcniven]

If they can deliver the timetable without the points in operation then it can wait until other renewals are scheduled.

Ah right okay, make sense I suppose means no sudden shut down of the line

 

[Greybeard33]

If they can deliver the timetable without the points in operation then it can wait until other renewals are scheduled.

It has been like that for months now. Although it does not affect timings normally, it pretty much doubles the length of the Navigation Road single line section and so degrades timetable resilience to delays. Judging from the rusty rails lying around, there are other long-postponed renewals outstanding in the area, on the Metrolink tracks maintained by Network Rail as well as the heavy rail ones.

Punctuality on the Mid-Cheshire is also affected by a 20mph TSR on the Down just west of Sharston junction, which increases transit time over the Cheadle single line section. That has been in place for well over a year. It appears to be on account of an unstable embankment, which is difficult to rectify due to proximity to the railway boundary.

 

[QueensCurve]

Thank you for posting this.

I noticed on Google Map recently that there was this 4 track section (2xNR, 2x Metrolink) but that is not my recollection of the layout at the time Metrolink was introduced 25y ago. Admittedly I have not travelled on it since then.

My recollection was that each of the 2 routes went into the single line at Altrincham all the way to Navigation road. Have the tracks been quadrupled since or is my recollection wrong?

 

[snowball]

Thank you for posting this.

I noticed on Google Map recently that there was this 4 track section (2xNR, 2x Metrolink) but that is not my recollection of the layout at the time Metrolink was introduced 25y ago. Admittedly I have not travelled on it since then.

My recollection was that each of the 2 routes went into the single line at Altrincham all the way to Navigation road. Have the tracks been quadrupled since or is my recollection wrong?

I think your recollection is wrong. I have a Quail map from 1990, just before the Metrolink works began. It shows up and down goods loops north of Altrincham (the southbound one marked Out Of Use). They were converted to the second Metrolink track and the second BR (later NR) track.

I'm sure this was done as part of the initial construction of Metrolink. The designers would have wanted to keep the 1+1 section as short as possible.

Edit: old-maps.co.uk shows that the south end of the loops was more or less immediately north of the former level crossing between Stamford Street and Stockport Road.

 

[Greybeard33]

I think your recollection is wrong. I have a Quail map from 1990, just before the Metrolink works began. It shows up and down goods loops north of Altrincham (the southbound one marked Out Of Use). They were converted to the second Metrolink track and the second BR (later NR) track.

I'm sure this was done as part of the initial construction of Metrolink. The designers would have wanted to keep the 1+1 section as short as possible.

Edit: old-maps.co.uk shows that the south end of the loops was more or less immediately north of the former level crossing between Stamford Street and Stockport Road.

Correct. I have used the line since Metrolink first opened in 1991 and the layout is unchanged.

The 6 minute Metrolink headways would be infeasible if the single line section were any longer.

 

[QueensCurve]

Edit: old-maps.co.uk shows that the south end of the loops was more or less immediately north of the former level crossing between Stamford Street and Stockport Road.

The memory certainly plays tricks on you as you get older.

I have only traveled thro' Altrincham once by rail since the inception of metrolink but did so many times before. I seem to recall that the convergeance of the Altrincham bays into 2 tracks took place immediately on the Manchester end of the station before metrolink. Again, I could be wrong, but that might explain my error.

A link to the particular old-maps.co.uk map would be appreciated.

 

[edwin_m]

Old Maps shows the level crossing still present in 1982-1988 on a short section of double track between the loops to the north and the four platform tracks to the south:

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/376500/387500/13/100765

If those dates are correct it's unlikely that there was any layout change between the abolition of the crossing and the changes made for Metrolink. Indeed was that even the reason the level crossing was abolished?

What are now the Metrolink bay tracks used to continue to Bowdon station, which was later carriage sidings. Various interesting relics in between including a bridge half-buried in a car park.

 

[Signal Head]

I think your recollection is wrong. I have a Quail map from 1990, just before the Metrolink works began. It shows up and down goods loops north of Altrincham (the southbound one marked Out Of Use). They were converted to the second Metrolink track and the second BR (later NR) track.

I'm sure this was done as part of the initial construction of Metrolink.

The layout change was done as part of the resignalling onto the new Deansgate Junction SSI (the panel is in the original signal box).
This was done some time before the conversion to Metrolink (I can't remember how much in advance though).

For a time there were two operationally separate railways between Deansgate Junction and Altrincham, the future Metrolink lines remained worked by BR, electrified at 25kv. There were temporary alterations to the new signalling on the Metrolink side to keep it broadly compliant with BR principles whilst their trains continued to run, and allowing for a simple changeover to Metrolink principles once BR traffic ceased.

 

[snowball]

I have only traveled thro' Altrincham once by rail since the inception of metrolink but did so many times before. I seem to recall that the convergeance of the Altrincham bays into 2 tracks took place immediately on the Manchester end of the station before metrolink.

Indeed they did, but then after crossing the level crossing as double track, the line immediately opened out again to four tracks with the start of the two goods loops, as I said in the edit at the end of my post above.

The level crossing originally carried the A560 trunk road, but it was bypassed by the construction of the nearby bridge carrying the extension of Woodlands Road, maybe about 1970-71? Indeed you could say it was triply bypassed in quick succession: by that bridge, by the opening of the relevant section of the M56 in early 1972, and by the improvement of part of the route via Hale and Bowdon that is now A5144/B5162/B5161.

I don't know what date the level crossing finally completely closed. It still exists on the Quail map which claims to be up to date to October 1990. It could well be that Metrolink was the final nail in its coffin.

 

[Greybeard33]

Indeed they did, but then after crossing the level crossing as double track, the line immediately opened out again to four tracks with the start of the two goods loops, as I said in the edit at the end of my post above.

The level crossing originally carried the A560 trunk road, but it was bypassed by the construction of the nearby bridge carrying the extension of Woodlands Road, maybe about 1970-71? Indeed you could say it was triply bypassed in quick succession: by that bridge, by the opening of the relevant section of the M56 in early 1972, and by the improvement of part of the route via Hale and Bowdon that is now A5144/B5162/B5161.

I don't know what date the level crossing finally completely closed. It still exists on the Quail map which claims to be up to date to October 1990. It could well be that Metrolink was the final nail in its coffin.

From a 2012 post on this forum (I cannot vouch for its accuracy):

A useful guide to the railways around Altrincham is the book "The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway" By Frank Dixon published by Oakwood Press. (A search on Amazon indicated copies are available.)
Originally just north of Altrincham station was a two track level crossing where the current footbridge is located. It also had a footbridge for pedestrians and caused great chaos as both the railway and road were very busy. The two bay lines joined the Chester lines just before this level crossing. North of the level crossing there were two loops which extended to just before Navigation Road. There was also an engine shed where Ambassador place is now, but this closed when the line was electrified in 1931. In 1971 the woodlands parkway flyover was built and level crossing was closed although a level pedestrian crossing remained open until about 1991 as the foot bridge was very high with steep steps to clear the overhead wires which were at maximum hight because of the level crossing.
In 1991 in preparation for Metrolink the current arrangement was done with a four track footbridge at a much lower hight. There is a very rusty connection between between the two rail system just north of this footbridge.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1011988#post1011988

 

[Altfish]

If I remember correctly, when the crossings were to be closed to road traffic, BR wanted to close the footpath too.
But famous Altrincham resident Benny Rothman (Kinder Scout Right to Roam, etc.) got involved and a footbridge was the outcome.
I have a vague memory of the road being closed but the pedestrian gates remaining open...but not sure about that.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

:-? Does the track adjacent to Platform 2 at Altrincham ever get used by the Metrolink trams?

 

[mikemcniven]

:-? Does the track adjacent to Platform 2 at Altrincham ever get used by the Metrolink trams?

Every so often yeah, also gets used to store trams before running football specials, was in use a couple weeks back with a "Not in service" tram parked up

 

[Rail Ranger]

The points at Navigation Road were repaired in the early hours of Sunday 30th April (some of the rail was replaced and the section which was taken out was placed on the other side of the lines used by Metrolink). However single line working between Altrincham and Navigation Road continues for some reason. All four tracks between Altrincham and Navigation Road are owned and maintained by Network Rail.

 

[Greybeard33]

The points at Navigation Road were repaired in the early hours of Sunday 30th April (some of the rail was replaced and the section which was taken out was placed on the other side of the lines used by Metrolink). However single line working between Altrincham and Navigation Road continues for some reason. All four tracks between Altrincham and Navigation Road are owned and maintained by Network Rail.

I noticed this morning that the Up line showed some signs of recent use (less rusty), even though most Up trains are still using the bi-di line.

 

[Greybeard33]

More work in the area this week. This morning there were 5mph TSRs Stockport-bound at either end of the single line section. One over the Navigation Road points and the other at Deansgate Junction. There was also a new point frog awaiting installation at the crossover north of Altrincham.