Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[ALX400]

There was Piling occuring around the Blackrod area last night, woke me up around 0300 , dink dink dink dink

 

[GRALISTAIR]

There was Piling occuring around the Blackrod area last night, woke me up around 0300 , dink dink dink dink

Although good news - Mid October still piling - so say mid November all masts (? ) wires December (?) - this will not be ready this year - this is looking more and more likely as infrastructure and timetable May 2018.

 

[ALX400]

Although good news - Mid October still piling - so say mid November all masts (? ) wires December (?) - this will not be ready this year - this is looking more and more likely as infrastructure and timetable May 2018.

I think its the bespoke things that Joseph was talking about a few posts up, there's still the station work to complete for the masts and various gaps like a mast here and there

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I think its the bespoke things that Joseph was talking about a few posts up, there's still the station work to complete for the masts and various gaps like a mast here and there

I agree - so do you agree with my assessment of full electric timetable running May 2018?

 

[42626]

The temporary closure of footpath BLA 008 (near Horwich Parkway) has been extended to 2nd Feb 2018.

Meanwhile the temporary closure of BLA083 (Anderton Hall Crossing) expired on 17th September 2017 and has no similiar renewal/extension, but the bridge to accomodate the diverted route shown is not there.

 

[ALX400]

I agree - so do you agree with my assessment of full electric timetable running May 2018?

Yeh think so, Dec this year is way off for completion there’s still a lot of infrastructure to do by the looks of it, hopefully Joseph will be along to give a heads up on current things, there’s ace progress along certain sections which look almost ready for wires with long stretches complete and masts fully dressed but in others it’s desolate

 

[Kendalian]

Have Network Rail given an updated completion date? It's obvious there won't be electric trains running in service Preston-Manchester in December.
Testing and staff training will take 2-3 months min once the infrastructure is complete.
TPE were saying Feb 18 switch for Scotland services a while ago.
Realistic and sensible date is May 18 straight through Manchester-Blackpool. Probably unofficial workings before May.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

--Realistic and sensible date is May 18 straight through Manchester-Blackpool. Probably unofficial workings before May.

Exactly my thought too.

 

[snowball]

Have Network Rail given an updated completion date? It's obvious there won't be electric trains running in service Preston-Manchester in December.
Testing and staff training will take 2-3 months min once the infrastructure is complete.
TPE were saying Feb 18 switch for Scotland services a while ago.
Realistic and sensible date is May 18 straight through Manchester-Blackpool. Probably unofficial workings before May.

All we know in addition to what you say is what's in #5279.

 

[Elecman]

At present progress Preston Fylde Jct-Blackpool will certainly be ready. its far more advanced other than the major station areas than Manchester-Euxton Jct.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've not been for over a fortnight, but I'm doing a full run Manchester to Blackpool and back tomorrow.

Will I cry or cheer I wonder?

 

[Railrover700]

I've not been for over a fortnight, but I'm doing a full run Manchester to Blackpool and back tomorrow.

Will I cry or cheer I wonder?

Quite a few masts have gone up over the last week alongside Tulketh Brow and Tom Benson Way, possibly worth a cheer.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I've not been for over a fortnight, but I'm doing a full run Manchester to Blackpool and back tomorrow.

Will I cry or cheer I wonder?

Cry Manchester -Euxton then smile and cheer Preston - Blackpool

 

[LDECRexile]

I last visited "our" route on Monday 18th September. I travelled by train from Salford Crescent to Blackpool North and back today, Wednesday 11th October, 23 days later, with good window seats in both directions.

I am a lay observer with goodwill. I can only see visible things and I fully realise there may have been huge invisible progress whilst the visible things still to do are quick and easy to perform. I can imagine many things which could imperil this project, such as uncharted mine workings, burst water mains and delays caused by third parties. I am in no position to throw stones and I certainly cast no judgment on anyone's skill or integrity.

On what I saw today I am surprised that the official line is that Salford-Euxton is 'on track for the end of December'. I hope to be shown to be unduly pessimistic.

Visible progress Salford Crescent-Euxton Junction:

1. The power line oversail between Lostock and Horwich looks to be signed off, nice job.
2. The Bradshaw Fields footbridge north of Adlington station appears to be open for pedestrians.
3. The Heath Charnock footbridge between Adlington and Chorley appears to be fully erected, with finishing work in progress.
4. The footbridge at the southern end of Bolton Platforms 4 and 5 appears to be finished.
5. There is intermittent partial and full "danglification" of some masts.
6. More bases have been put in place, notably between Agecroft and Kearsley.
7. More new signal wire troughing has been put in place, also north of Agecroft, but in other places too.
8. Groundwork has started on the Anderton Hall footbridge-to-be north of Blackrod.
9. Roof at north end of Bolton Platform 5 coming along.
10. Edges of Bolton Platforms 4 and 3 coming along.

Areas of concern Salford Crescent-Euxton Junction:

a. No masts:
a1. from Agecroft Road to Squeeze Belly Entry, approx. five and a half miles.
a2. Beaumont Rd bridge to north of Lostock station
a3. either side of Horwich station.
a4. at any station.
b. No or few bases:
b1. in patches between Farnworth and Squeeze Belly
b2. between Orlando Street and Bullfield West
b3. north of Agecroft Road where the canal and railway run beside each other
b4. at several stations (some have tell-tale yellow covers over what I hope are bases)
b5. between Kearsley and Farnworth Tunnel
b6. Salford Crescent Platform 2
b7. between north end of site of Pendleton Old and Cock Robin bridge
b8. viaduct south of Chorley
c. No mega-electrical thingy at Lostock.
d. Chorley Tunnel and cuttings at both ends, no fixings for wires visible
e. Three foot crossings in limbo:
e1. one north of and one south of the M60 crossing
e2. Red Moss north of Horwich

I did not attempt a mechanical Progressometer count.
I did not see swarms of Orangemen, just a few clusters and a few individuals. Hopefully this means they have gone nocturnal.

North of Preston the visible position is much rosier. I realise that stretch has a later deadline and in general runs through easier terrain, with few old mine workings or similar to contend with.

Visible progress Preston-Blackpool North:

11. A sprinkling of new masts intermingled with 1970s masts at Fylde Junction, Preston
12. A sprinkling of masts west of Tom Benson Way
13. First bases near Poulton-le-Fylde station
14. Lots of masts between Poulton and Blackpool, extending right up to the edge of the Blackpool worksite on the southern side
15. Several bases within the Blackpool worksite
16. Blackpool Platforms 1 and 2 demolished, theodolite-type work afoot.
17. Plenty going on at Blackpool
18. Substantial groundwork afoot at Kirkham & Wesham, including a surprisingly deep hole (fracking?)

The closest things to "areas of concern" north of Preston were:

f. No bases on Tulketh Viaduct, Preston
g. No sign of action on the foot crossing near the engineers' tip north of K&W
h. Salwick station platform work seems becalmed, with Harrison fencing still surrounding a filled in trench.

All errors, misinterpretations and omissions are mine alone.

 

[Elecman]

There will be 3 Mega Electrical 'thingies' 1 each at Clifton, Lostock and Blackrod, however these will be Kate on in program delivery as they need to be constantly heated once on site to protect the HV gear so will be programmed to be Just In Time items.

'thingies' are HV Switching stations.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

There will be 3 Mega Electrical 'thingies' 1 each at Clifton, Lostock and Blackrod, ---'thingies' are HV Switching stations.

So I assume that allows for sections to be electrically isolated - not having to switch everything off between the Euxton Jct Neutral Section and Ordsall ?

 

[LDECRexile]

There will be 3 Mega Electrical 'thingies' 1 each at Clifton, Lostock and Blackrod, however these will be Kate on in program delivery as they need to be constantly heated once on site to protect the HV gear so will be programmed to be Just In Time items.

'thingies' are HV Switching stations.

HV Switching stations it is. Thanks for the interesting and helpful info.

I've put today's photos in the Combined Volume here:

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

 

[Joseph_Locke]

HV Switching stations it is. Thanks for the interesting and helpful info.

I've put today's photos in the Combined Volume here:

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

They also all have autotransformers, though only Lostock is (was? not sure) a neutral section as well, to deal with the proposed electrification to Wigan and the possibility of feeding Bolton from the Euxton end.

By the looks of things the Lostock ATS CAIS unit (autotransformer sectioning, containerised air-insulated switchgear) will probably land in the next 3-4 weeks. There is domestic power, telecoms and SCADA work to do.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

By the looks of things the Lostock ATS CAIS unit will probably land in the next 3-4 weeks.

Selfishly that is excellent timing. I will travel by train Manchester Airport -Preston on the morning of Thanksgiving - Thursday November 23rd. I should be able to view it.

 

[LDECRexile]

Will the Lostock ATS CAIS unit (autotransformer sectioning, containerised air-insulated switchgear) HV Switching station look like this what they installed at Huyton Quarry?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157687234940560

Also, why have they built a ziggurat for it to stand on?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Areas of concern Salford Crescent-Euxton Junction:

c. No mega-electrical thingy at Lostock.

Are you thinking of an edit good sir?

 

[LDECRexile]

Are you thinking of an edit good sir?

Sorry, don't get you. Please explain.

D

 

[snowball]

Also, why have they built a ziggurat for it to stand on?

Too keep it out of the water in the event of a flood?

 

[Elecman]

Most of the newer ATS sites seem to be installed on structures presumably as a precaution against flooding

 

[Ploughman]

Is that due to local conditions or is it now policy to place on a structure?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Sorry, don't get you. Please explain. D

Areas of concern Salford Crescent-Euxton Junction:
c. No mega-electrical thingy at Lostock.

Lostock ATS CAIS unit (autotransformer sectioning, containerised air-insulated switchgear).

Full confession - I do prefer mega-electrical thingy as I did prefer TGBU et al

 

[LDECRexile]

Bill Morton has kindly sent three photos of progress at Adlington.

I've added them to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157650900509369

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Bill has now clocked up 200 photos for us to study and enjoy.

Thank you Bill.

 

[wrinkley]

Is that due to local conditions or is it now policy to place on a structure?

Lostock station is in the flood zone of the Middlebrook.

 

[LDECRexile]

Wrinkley has kindly sent a photo of what I reckon is the first station mast north of Salford Central!

Yippee!

I've added it to his album here:

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

and to the Combined Volume here:

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

Thank you Wrinkley.

 

[42626]

Clifton Station road bridge has some new stonework
IMG_9995 by Ian Fitter, on Flickr

and Clifton HV Switching Station coming along nicely

IMG_0008 by Ian Fitter, on Flickr

More on both in the Clifton album