Blackpool - Manchester Electrification

[snowball]

I expect because electrification supply areas and switching/isolation boundaries don’t map onto ELRs 1:1 so it is much safer to have dedicated codes.

But the codes they do use seem to be entirely about routes, not switching/isolation boundaries.

 

[edwin_m]

Yes, the number part of the codes originally related to mileposts although more recent schemes use the metric equivalent. Since ELRs are closely tied to mileage it would make perfect sense. There is also a safety benefit, because the structure numbers are used to identify position when making an emergency call and having a uniform set of position references makes it more likely that everyone will correctly interpret that information.

You don't want to make the codes dependent on feeding arrangements, otherwise changing them would mean changing all the plates too.

 

[Chrisyd]

The Bolton News is reporting that weekend trains are returning throuhg Bolton after the 4th November, however there is a strike already booked for the first Saturday.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/new...-hit-bolton-as-soon-as-weekend-trains-return/

 

[Chrisyd]

@LDECRexile Managed to get these admittedly not award winning shots of the Blackburn over run wire mast labels:

by Chris Davis, on Flickr

by Chris Davis, on Flickr

 

[LDECRexile]

Smashing, thanks. You were beaten to it by Reg in the race for the bonus point. I'll add his and yours to the Combined Volume shortly.

The ELR for the Bolton to Blackburn line is BBB, as shown here:

http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/elrs/_mileages/b/bbb.shtm

Engineers are from Mars, wirers are from Venus.

Who can guess, estimate or work out what line has the ELR CLN?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Who can guess, estimate or work out what line has the ELR CLN?

Carlisle - Newcastle?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Engineers are from Mars, wirers are from Venus.

What happens when they meet those responsible for installing Earth wires?

 

[edwin_m]

Who can guess, estimate or work out what line has the ELR CLN?

I just checked, good one!

 

[LDECRexile]

I've added Chris's shots to a new album for him here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157696677201640

and added Reg's shot to his album here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863

All three can be found in the Combined Volume here:

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

Thanks to both of you.

Please note that many more of Chris's shots can be found by clicking on the very first image in the Combined Volume then looking down the Comments below. Chris is one of several people who have kindly linked their own albums for us all to share.

 

[LDECRexile]

What happens when they meet those responsible for installing Earth wires?

Perhaps they moon each other.

 

[59CosG95]

Perhaps they moon each other.

Oh man, that really is the butt of jokes.

 

[LDECRexile]

Good heavens, you're a star.

 

[PDG1949]

Oh man, that really is the butt of jokes.

I'm surprised Uranus hasn't got a look in......

 

[snowball]

From the caption to some of the pictures:

The Mast references from Deal Street Junction, Salford to Euxton Junction are of the form MG nn xx where "MG" mnemonically refers to the Manchester-to-Glasgow line (Manchester to the WCML). nn and xx are typically pairs of numbers, so "MG13 21" means mast 21 in section 13 of the line MG". The ELRs for Deal St to Euxton Jct are MVE1 as far as Bolton then MVE2 the rest of the way to Euxton.

I'm pretty sure the "sections" are kilometres.

On the original 1960s WCML electrification they are miles from Euston, and change at mileposts. On the 1970s extension (e.g. north of Weaver Junction on the route to Glasgow) they are kilometres from Euston. On the ECML they are kilometres from King's Cross throughout.

Since a kilometre is less than a mile, the numbers just north of Weaver are substantially bigger than those just south (both with prefix G), so there are no ambiguous numbers.

 

[edwin_m]

I'm pretty sure the "sections" are kilometres.

On the original 1960s WCML electrification they are miles from Euston, and change at mileposts. On the 1970s extension (e.g. north of Weaver Junction on the route to Glasgow) they are kilometres from Euston. On the ECML they are kilometres from King's Cross throughout.

Since a kilometre is less than a mile, the numbers just north of Weaver are substantially bigger than those just south (both with prefix G), so there are no ambiguous numbers.

Yes, the electrification engineers went metric sometime around 1970.

Another complication for the northern WCML and ECML is that the mileage re-starts from zero in various places reflecting the historic ownership by different companies. So just using the mileposts would have been ambiguous or needed yet another set of prefixes to distinguish.

 

[reg]

Bolton-seems to be an all out effort to complete the ATF troughing to the nw of Bolton station (Bolton west/Bullfield area).2 teams working this morning to join up the gaps.Photo to follow

 

[LDECRexile]

Bolton-seems to be an all out effort to complete the ATF troughing to the nw of Bolton station (Bolton west/Bullfield area).2 teams working this morning to join up the gaps. Photo to follow

...and here it is in Reg's album:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/albums/72157671732263863

and in the Combined Volume:

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

Thank you Reg.

 

[John Boy]

I took the opportunity to speak to somebody in the know.

Ask if they were snagging. The response was its far from finish.

Big programme of works scheduled for this weekend
Engerisation due week 31 which is 2 weeks off
9 day blockade at Victoria over xmas
£75 million fine for Network rail if they don't meet they deadline

 

[59CosG95]

I took the opportunity to speak to somebody in the know.

Ask if they were snagging. The response was its far from finish.

Big programme of works scheduled for this weekend
Engerisation due week 31 which is 2 weeks off
9 day blockade at Victoria over xmas
£75 million fine for Network rail if they don't meet they deadline

Eeesh. Things looked so rosy for a couple of weeks. At least there's a firm date for energisation now. @Joseph_Locke - would the works at Man Vic over Christmas be owt to do with the "Great Extension Lead" from Heyrod?

 

[td97]

£75 million fine for Network rail if they don't meet they deadline

What date is this final deadline for all works to be completed etc.?

 

[jonesy3001]

4th november is'nt it?
Is it an april-april calendar they go off like the bus companies?

 

[geoffk]

£75 million fine for Network rail if they don't meet they deadline

If Network Rail is fined (for this or anything else) who actually pays? Presumably in the end it's the taxpayer.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It will be the ORR threatening a penalty.
But the money usually stays in the railway system - may go to pay for the disruption to Northern/TPE.
But the target date is unclear (to me, anyway), now that the timetable change has been put off till May 2019.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Eeesh. Things looked so rosy for a couple of weeks. At least there's a firm date for energisation now. @Joseph_Locke - would the works at Man Vic over Christmas be owt to do with the "Great Extension Lead" from Heyrod?

I'll get back to you

4th november is'nt it?
Is it an april-april calendar they go off like the bus companies?

NR has its own that (typically) starts with week one beginning the first Saturday in April, but it isn't always true and some years have to have 53 weeks ...

 

[driver_m]

If it's not already posted. Weekly notices have the line between Salford Crescent and Buckshaw from Sat 27th Oct. 0400hrs to be treated as live . Including offshoots at Bolton & Lostock.

Also quite a few speed changes too. Including some 100mph sections.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

If it's not already posted. Weekly notices have the line between Salford Crescent and Buckshaw from Sat 27th Oct. 0400hrs to be treated as live . Including offshoots at Bolton & Lostock.
Also quite a few speed changes too. Including some 100mph sections.

Now to me that is real progress. Obviously plenty of snagging still to be done and the Stretch east of Man Vic. Still great news IMHO.

 

[td97]

Also quite a few speed changes too. Including some 100mph sections.

Do any services currently get a 158 on the line? IIRC not all Barrow services have been 185 operated since May. The 185 Barrow service might benefit, depending on whether the non-MU limits have also been raised. Might not make too much difference for the 142/150/156 services.
Definitely encouraging progress though!

 

[thealexweb]

Do any services currently get a 158 on the line?

Yes. Blackpool and Barrow services are interworked. So 158s do appear on Blackpool runs.

 

[Magicake]

Engerisation due week 31 which is 2 weeks off

Week 31 is only one week off, it starts next Saturday 27th.

@Joseph_Locke - would the works at Man Vic over Christmas be owt to do with the "Great Extension Lead" from Heyrod?

I don't think so, I think it's the final works and energisation on the new OLE from Victoria towards Miles Platting (East)

What date is this final deadline for all works to be completed etc.?

The electrification needs to be ready for the 15th December timetable change. Needs to be completed before then of course for testing and so the ORR can check it.

 

[InOban]

I understood that the timetable change would not be until May.