Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[Joseph_Locke]

I've now read several of those. The one by John Fry is particularly interesting.

A pit it's not always easy to tell from the slides what was actually said. Also a pity each presentation doesn't come with a glossary of abbreviations!

There are some videos (linked near the bottom, I think). As to abbreviations, railway engineering encyclopaedias are available, try this one, for instance.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

The steelwork for the Skylink columns has gone up overnight at Bolton, a few more masts up and dressed between Lostock and Horwich.

 

[Mordac]

Press release about Bolton work:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...plans-to-improve-journeys-to-and-from-bolton#

Wednesday 22 Mar 2017
Station improvement work begins as part of plans to improve journeys to and from Bolton

Route:
London North Western

Passengers using Bolton station will see platform improvement work starting next week as part of plans to provide passengers with faster, electric train services from December 2017.

The work at Bolton forms part of Network Rail’s £1bn+ Great North Rail Project and will see improvements to train services between Manchester and Preston.

The next phase of the upgrade will begin on Sunday (26 March) but train services to and from Bolton will continue to run as normal.

Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail said: “We are investing heavily in Bolton as part of our national Railway Upgrade Plan to provide passengers with the railway that will meet their needs for decades to come as well as help boost the economy across the north of England.

“To deliver it, significant engineering is required to improve the track layout, rebuild platforms, cut back canopies and make space for new equipment to power electric trains through Bolton from December 2017.

“We are also reinstating platform 5, which has been out of use since the early 1990s, to allow more trains to run between Manchester and Preston. The work is vital to modernising the railway and will help to create better, faster and more frequent journeys for passengers in Bolton.”

Building work has already started to reinstate a fifth platform at Bolton and the next phase of the project involves reconstructing the station’s existing platforms and canopies.

From 26 March, sections of platforms 1 and 3 will be fenced off to allow work to begin and this will mean changes to walking routes to platforms 1, 2 and 3 with passengers advised to allow additional time and take extra care when using these platforms.

The platforms are being rebuilt in sections to allow the station to stay open and keep passengers on the move. In order to complete major track and signalling upgrades in Bolton there will be some changes to train services in the summer and we will communicate these to passengers later in the spring.

Liam Sumpter, regional director for Northern, said: “We made a commitment to improve rail services for all customers, and the proposed improvements at Bolton – which are already taking shape following the introduction of the gatelines – are just one way in which we are delivering on that commitment.

“Of course, there is more work to be done and we are improving the carriages on our network, introducing new carriages and developing stations as part of a modernisation scheme that will, when complete, deliver a railway fit for the 21st Century.”

This development will go hand-in-hand with ambitious multi-million pound plans to modernise Northern’s rail services in Greater Manchester. Northern is refurbishing all the trains and carriages on its network and, in a move that will see all Pacers removed by 2020, is introducing 281 new, purpose built carriages.

Northern also has plans to modernise Bolton railway station itself and has begun this programme with the introduction of automated gatelines which help to improve security and encourage all customers to hold a valid ticket before they board trains. In the coming months there will be further work at the station to improve lighting, refresh paintwork and make the general environment more welcoming.

 

[jwbuchanan]

Masts are now visible from the M61 just north of junction 6

 

[QueensCurve]

They are traction supply switching locations with Autotransformers.

Manchester to Preston will normally be fed from Stalybridge/Heyrod (temporarily via the mother of all extension leads).

There are only two full neutral sections, one at Lostock (I think it's still in) and one at Euxton Junction. These allow the various bits to be fed via other means (once its all finished).

It seems odd that the feeder station at parkside has been abandoned since it would seem to be a central point for supply of 2 different routes.

 

[Greybeard33]

It seems odd that the feeder station at parkside has been abandoned since it would seem to be a central point for supply of 2 different routes.

From the Ordsall Chord thread last November:

Parkside is no longer a Grid Feeder, the feeder is now Willow Park ATFS.

Willow Park Auto Transformer Feeder Station is close to the Parkside site, on the other side of the line.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

It seems odd that the feeder station at parkside has been abandoned since it would seem to be a central point for supply of 2 different routes.

? It's alive and well, called Willow Park and is feeding the Chat Moss (Phase 1) route from Liverpool to Manchester and the St. Helens line as well as the WCML - its the biggest ATFS site in the UK.

Heyrod is intended to supply Phase 4, 5 and the Transpennine route to Leeds, plus associated fiddly bits round Guide Bridge.

Nods to Greybeard33 ...

 

[QueensCurve]

? It's alive and well, called Willow Park and is feeding the Chat Moss (Phase 1) route from Liverpool to Manchester and the St. Helens line as well as the WCML - its the biggest ATFS site in the UK.

I was fazed by the change of name.

I do wish they wouldn't do that.

 

[Elecman]

The name changed because it a completely different site on the opposite side of the WCML. Parkside is still in use as a Signalling Supply Point so a different name was required.

 

[Greybeard33]

The name changed because it a completely different site on the opposite side of the WCML. Parkside is still in use as a Signalling Supply Point so a different name was required.

See https://goo.gl/maps/Dj78QYzAJBU2. I believe Parkside is on the south side of the Chat Moss line, immediately west of the bridge over the WCML. Whereas Willow Park is about 200m further west, just east of Newton-le-Willows station, on the site of the old Motorail terminal to the north of the Chat Moss line (if you turn off Earth 3D on the Google Maps menu upper left, you can view a satellite image taken since the construction of Willow Park).

 

[LDECRexile]

Good news

The first masts have gone up between Horwich and Blackrod.

ALX400 has sent shots of them, which I have added to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157651121057352

and to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

Thank you ALX

(These may have been alluded to in Post #4024)

 

[Elecman]

See https://goo.gl/maps/Dj78QYzAJBU2. I believe Parkside is on the south side of the Chat Moss line, immediately west of the bridge over the WCML. Whereas Willow Park is about 200m further west, just east of Newton-le-Willows station, on the site of the old Motorail terminal to the north of the Chat Moss line (if you turn off Earth 3D on the Google Maps menu upper left, you can view a satellite image taken since the construction of Willow Park).

My mistake meant to say the Chat Moss line not the WCML. Thanks for pointing out my typo error

 

[Darren R]

If, as LDECRexile reported a couple of days ago, the loops and Burnden Junction are being disconnected over the weekend, then this Network Rail test train will probably be their last use before they go: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H20121/2017/03/24/advanced

It is a Friday night Q path that has seen regular usage in recent months; is it merely coincidental or is it related? (Just curious! )

 

[childwallblues]

See https://goo.gl/maps/Dj78QYzAJBU2. I believe Parkside is on the south side of the Chat Moss line, immediately west of the bridge over the WCML. Whereas Willow Park is about 200m further west, just east of Newton-le-Willows station, on the site of the old Motorail terminal to the north of the Chat Moss line (if you turn off Earth 3D on the Google Maps menu upper left, you can view a satellite image taken since the construction of Willow Park).

I think that you are correct.

 

[Chrisyd]

The mast through the glass at Salford Central, is now up and in place.

As you can see they were testing its waterproof properties as I took this photo:
by Chris Davis, on Flickr

Happy to say I did not get wet!

And from above:
by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[Ploughman]

They could have trimmed the Buddleia couldn't they?

 

[Bullfield WEst]

A photo taken on Friday 24/3/17 of the 3 uprights that will support the Skywalk at Bolton Interchange. I didn't realize how high it would be. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenward/33482038882/in/album-72157676374958944/

 

[Chrisyd]

One thing I forgot to report is that it appears the old cafe on platforms 1/2/3 in Bolton is being converted into a WHSmiths according to the sign in the window.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

One thing I forgot to report is that it appears the old cafe on platforms 1/2/3 in Bolton is being converted into a WHSmiths according to the sign in the window.

Don't care what it is, just get something opened where I can get a brew! (on expenses so I don't care about the price!)

Hopefully the new skybridge will have gates at each end to keep the 'homeless' from squatting there, although I doubt it.

 

[Trackman]

Don't care what it is, just get something opened where I can get a brew! (on expenses so I don't care about the price!)

Hopefully the new skybridge will have gates at each end to keep the 'homeless' from squatting there, although I doubt it.

It's having a Coffee House in the WHSmiths last time I looked.
not seen the plans for the skybridge, but if it's directly connected to the booking hall it must have gates for when the station closes.

 

[deltic08]

I was fazed by the change of name.

I do wish they wouldn't do that.

If you are talking about feeder stations should you not be phased?

 

[deltic08]

A photo taken on Friday 24/3/17 of the 3 uprights that will support the Skywalk at Bolton Interchange. I didn't realize how high it would be. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenward/33482038882/in/album-72157676374958944/
[/QUOTE]

Since when has a footbridge not been a footbridge but a skywalk? Bring back plain English.

 

[LDECRexile]

Wrinhkley has kindly sent shots from Bolton which I have added to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157654034635234

I have also added them to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

Thank you Wrinkley

 

[LDECRexile]

I went out and about today.

I've added photos to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

I'll caption them tomorrow.

 

[CAF397]

Don't care what it is, just get something opened where I can get a brew! (on expenses so I don't care about the price!)
.

Have you tried the refreshment stall immediately to the left of the concourse as you walk into the station? Very friendly staff, reasonable prices and decent tea/coffee. And independent, I avoid WH Smith at all costs, worst high street/station retailer ever.

 

[PDG1949]

I went out and about today.

I've added photos to the Combined Volume here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157661069863633

I'll caption them tomorrow.

Ab fab, especially the meerkats.......

 

[WatcherZero]

Since when has a footbridge not been a footbridge but a skywalk? Bring back plain English.

Skybridge/Skywalk refer specifically to pedestrian bridges (usually covered) between two buildings without ground level entry.

 

[Sheepy1209]

Skybridge/Skywalk refer specifically to pedestrian bridges (usually covered) between two buildings without ground level entry.

There's a lift from Manchester Airport station to the 'Skybridge'. In the lift the button for the bridge is labelled 'S' and if I remember rightly the station level is labelled '1'. I was confused enough to get in the lift - with several others - press '1' to go up, then get out again when the doors opened - back into the station!

How I was supposed to know it was called a Skybridge I have no idea....

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Ab fab, especially the meerkats.......

Around Vienna, they put them on the sides of trains, so they are easier to photograph...

 

[LDECRexile]

Captions done.

Clocks forward, Happy New Year to all!