Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[djpontrack]

If anyone has any specific questions about the new signalling and track layouts between Preston and Blackpool I can try to answer them as I have access to the Signalling Scheme Plans for the works.

Sorry if this has been asked before but are the fast lines at Kirkham and Wesham going to be relaid? I noticed yesterday that they had been lifted. I also noticed that the connection to the old Fleetwood line at Poulton le Fylde had been lifted too.

 

[Whistler40145]

Sorry if this has been asked before but are the fast lines at Kirkham and Wesham going to be relaid? I noticed yesterday that they had been lifted. I also noticed that the connection to the old Fleetwood line at Poulton le Fylde had been lifted too.

Simply, Kirkham and Wesham will have three platforms, a new single faced platform will be built on the site of the Fast lines for services to Preston, this will only be used by services from Blackpool North, the platform currently used by services from Blackpool North and Blackpool South will be used for services to Blackpool North only with the platform currently used for services to Blackpool North and Blackpool South becoming a bi-directional platform for services to/from Blackpool South, this will segregate the services for both lines.

 

[II]

Simply, Kirkham and Wesham will have three platforms, a new single faced platform will be built on the site of the Fast lines for services to Preston, this will only be used by services from Blackpool North, the platform currently used by services from Blackpool North and Blackpool South will be used for services to Blackpool North only with the platform currently used for services to Blackpool North and Blackpool South becoming a bi-directional platform for services to/from Blackpool South, this will segregate the services for both lines.

Whilst that platform layout is correct, the SSP's I have give a different signalling layout. The were signed off one year ago, so it's possible (but unlikely) significant changes have been made.

According to those, the new single faced Platform (3) will be used by both trains from Blackpool South and Blackpool North heading towards Preston. Trains can be signalled to arrive at Kirkham from South into all three platforms, but Platforms 1 and 2 have fixed red aspects at the Preston end, so can only be used in that respect for turnback movements.

Similarly, trains heading from Preston towards South could use either Platforms 1 or 2, whereas trains for North would need to use Platform 2.

 

[Whistler40145]

Thanks for clearing up my query, much appreciated

 

[djpontrack]

Thanks for the info on Kirkham and Wesham. I will have to stop there and take some photos.

 

[Sox]

You could argue 3 - not all electrified.
1) via Chat Moss
2) via Wigan and Lostock Jct
3) via Wigan and Atherton

Could you also not run:

4) Manchester-Blackburn (with a runaround)-Preston
5) Manchester-Todmorden-Preston

or is it a gauging issue?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Last two spans of the Bolton "skylink" went up last night, crane just packing up at 06:45 this morning.

 

[QueensCurve]

Often, but bi-di is not a universal panacea for disruption as "undoing" the wrong road operation can be nearly as disruptive (vide platforms 13 and 14 at Piccadilly).

One crossover and the related signalling equipment (installed) would be the thick end of £3m (as part of a wider scheme) and you need four - the wrong direction signals would be over £300k each (as part of a wider scheme) and it all has a life of about 30 years during which each part will be inspected and tested 30 times!

Certainly P13/14 at Piccadilly would be used by so many trains as to make paths for wrong line working precious.

The cost of a signal (SEU?) is quite shockingly high.

 

[edwin_m]

Certainly P13/14 at Piccadilly would be used by so many trains as to make paths for wrong line working precious.

I've been at Piccadilly once or twice when P13 and P14 are right hand running, presumably because of some infrastructure failure that only affects one direction. This is fairly chaotic. And if they get a platform blocked anywhere near peak time it's total mayhem.

 

[Whistler40145]

I was at Piccadilly on Monday evening and a ATW Class 175 heading to Chester via Warrington Bank Quay was delayed departing, blocking Platform 14, so the 22:16 Preston service I was waiting for used Platform 13 instead.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Francis]

I was at Piccadilly on Monday evening and a ATW Class 175 heading to Chester via Warrington Bank Quay was delayed departing, blocking Platform 14, so the 22:16 Preston service I was waiting for used Platform 13 instead.

1W74 1658 from Carmarthen is the ATW train involved. It's a good example of how the modern railway has mastered time travel. The passenger timetable shows it arriving at 22.15 to Piccadilly having taken 13 minutes for the last few miles from Stockport.
However its carriages form the 1D47 22.12 departure to Chester via Warrington Bank Quay. The WTT shows it arriving at Piccadilly 2210, so it has five minutes padding either to improve punctuality figures or reduce refunds payable.

 

[LDECRexile]

I went out and about today, covering Lostock Junction to Man Victoria.

One base installed between Farnworth Tunnel and Kearsley station.

Bases sprinkled here and there but still some worrying gaps between Squeeze Belly Entry and Salford Crescent.

Photos added to the Combined Volume here:

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

 

[Darren R]

Thanks for the updates - that's an exceptionally sunny day for Bolton!

With what looks like a mast base having been installed immediately in front of it, I'm guessing signal MP509 at Salford Crescent is scheduled for replacement? (https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/34312301102/in/album-72157661069863633/)

What is the rather large trench where the platform 5 line is going at Bolton? (https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/33629996624/in/album-72157661069863633/) Is it something historic that is being filled in, or is it something new that has gone in?

 

[Foggycorner]

Salford signal is a new base for signal
Bolton Platform 5 new concrete foundations going in for new platform edge walls they have had to dig out the old edge walls first and put new walls

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

With what looks like a mast base having been installed immediately in front of it, I'm guessing signal MP509 at Salford Crescent is scheduled for replacement?

The OHLE mast base (pile) is in your photo, up against the wall to the left of the Salford Crescent sign.
Nothing equivalent on the west side yet though.

 

[LDECRexile]

I'm rather puzzled by posts 4393, 4394 and 4395, perhaps my caption to photo 7272k was too compressed, it reads:

Another mast base in place on the southbound side (with a signal base in the foreground).

By that I meant that there is now a mast base on the far, southbound, side of the tracks and a signal base nearer the camera. I sought to align the shot so both were in view.

141Trackworker has added a superb set of shots he took while working on the newly laid and electrified lines through Salford Central. To see them, go into the Combined Volume, click on the very first image, look down the Comments to the bottom one then click on the link at the very end of the comment.

It is likely that other contributors have added to their linked albums which can also be accessed in the same way.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

I'm rather puzzled by posts 4393, 4394 and 4395, perhaps my caption to photo 7272k was too compressed, it reads:

Another mast base in place on the southbound side (with a signal base in the foreground).

By that I meant that there is now a mast base on the far, southbound, side of the tracks and a signal base nearer the camera. I sought to align the shot so both were in view.

141Trackworker has added a superb set of shots he took while working on the newly laid and electrified lines through Salford Central. To see them, go into the Combined Volume, click on the very first image, look down the Comments to the bottom one then click on the link at the very end of the comment.

It is likely that other contributors have added to their linked albums which can also be accessed in the same way.

Agree, Trackworker's shots are great, he obviously can get get closer to the action than most of us ever can! Please keep it up TW!

 

[Howardh]

Thanks for the updates - that's an exceptionally sunny day for Bolton!

Oi!! It's like that all the time here! It's just that our kindly council orders a lot of clouds to prevent us all being afflicted with skin cancer, and adds the rain to keep our gardens fresh.

 

[Inox]

Not been to Salford Central in a week. Weird seeing trains running through platforms 3/4.

Also spotted some uprights between Buckshaw and Chorley tunnel - 4 on each side?

 

[Whistler40145]

There's a few masts in at Euxton Junction towards Manchester.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

There's a few masts in at Euxton Junction towards Manchester.

Now that is good news - obviously will require a possession to connect the wires etc. Great news.

 

[Whistler40145]

Don't think there's many, they certainly haven't reached Chorley.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Don't think there's many, they certainly haven't reached Chorley.

There aren't any bases/supports around the tunnel/flying arches yet (although some of the cutting walls have been done).

 

[Geeves]

I worked at Farnworth Station today I couldn't see any OHLE progress as yet. Obviously we have the new station and big old tunnel as pre requisit. They don't half fly through and jesus the line is seriously busy!

 

[edwin_m]

There aren't any bases/supports around the tunnel/flying arches yet (although some of the cutting walls have been done).

Didn't we discover/decide about 18 months ago that the OLE will be bracketed off the flying arches themselves?

 

[snowball]

Didn't we discover/decide about 18 months ago that the OLE will be bracketed off the flying arches themselves?

I can't remember whether that was knowledge or speculation. It would certainly seem sensible.

 

[Elecman]

I can't remember whether that was knowledge or speculation. It would certainly seem sensible.

They are now held up by metal beams so some form of attachment for registration arms should be possible

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's a few masts in at Euxton Junction towards Manchester.

The masts seem complete through Euxton Jn and in the overlap with WCML wiring (Up side, anyway).
Visiting EGIP for a change today, so just a glimpse of the Euxton area from a passing 390.

 

[snowball]

They are now held up by metal beams so some form of attachment for registration arms should be possible

Yes, that was where the previous discussion started.

 

[snowball]

Bridge reconstructions not finished yet!

New substation as well.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/rumworth-road-to-close-for-bridge-work/

Rumworth Road in Lostock, Bolton, will close for six months later in May while Network Rail rebuilds a section of the railway bridge.

Work on the bridge, next to Lostock station, will mean Rumworth Road will be closed from 22 May 2017 until November 2017.

A clearly-signed diversion will be put in place for vehicles. During the closure a temporary footbridge will be in place for pedestrians providing access over the railway and to Lostock station.

In addition to the bridge work, a temporary work site will be set up in Lostock station car park from 8 May 2017 to allow for a new electricity substation to be built. This will mean a reduction in car parking spaces until 30 November 2017.

For further information contact Network Rail’s 24 hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

The photo shows the bridges over both the Chorley and Wigan routes. Will both be worked on, I wonder?

Or does only the Chorley line bridge need it, because of the platform electrical clearance rules?

Most likely, even if both need work, NR will only do the one it needs to do now.