One thing I can't quite get my head around is the speed drop into Bolton coming from Manchester. It was 40 into platform 4, now it's 20 (including into the new platform 5) which probably costs up to half a minute for every train. As it was we could hit the start of the platform at 40 and stop smoothly and accurately (depending where the stop marker boards had been positioned that week).
However from the same platforms departing in the up direction (towards Manchester) the speed is 40.
Going in to platform 3 in the down direction, which can now only be done by trains continuing to Darwen or reversing and going back to Manchester, the 20 doesn't apply and the permissible speed is 40, after proceeding over a crossover at Bolton East Jn at 35mph.
So if it is 40 one way and 20 the other I doubt that it can be down to pantograph uplift vs station canopy issues. Signal sighting would be my next guess but I can't see (pun intended) any issues with the signals protecting Bolton West Jn in the down direction.
Another surprise for me is that a ventilation shaft wasn't retained in Farnworth tunnel. It's been a little uncomfortable on the ears if two trains meet at 75mph since it was re-engineered, and more so at higher speeds. I've not been through it at 100mph, only possible on a 350 unit at the moment as neither 185s nor 390s are permitted to proceed at 'MU' differential speeds.
With regard to my opinion on the speed profiles, I'm not sure what exactly is meant. 319s aren't really able to take the best advantage of the new speeds but the 331s will be a big change, they are monstrously quick compared to a 319, especially the 3-car 331s which have the same traction equipment/performance as the 4-car sets do and obviously less dead weight.
As it is 319s need notching back as they easily reach the 50mph after Crescent and the 75mph which runs until after Agecroft, but with a 319 wide open 85-90mph is the maximum attainable between where the speed increases and where it drops from 100 to 50 after Green Lane overbridge. This drop to 50 is a reduction compared to the former layout which was 60 from Farnworth to Burnden Jn, although I suspect that the current lower permissible speed of 50 is necessary to squeeze the extra signal in since the remodelling of Bolton East.
Continuing towards Preston, if stopping at all shacks the maximum permissible speed might as well be 75mph if you are on a 319, only between Adlington and Chorley is anything slightly above 75 realistic.
Coming back, again 75 or less is about all you'll get on a stopping 319 between Euxton Jn and Bolton. Leaving Bolton, the 55 is easily reached, the 95 is scuppered early on by that 75mph slack at Stoneclough but once clear of it all 319s should creep up to the line speed of 95 before Clifton. The drop to 75 before Agecroft us understandable with the new signalling layout.
The removal of the approach control signalling at Windsor Bridge North was a huge plus, that can save a minute from each train as if it's all set for us now with a clear run we can be doing 75 all the way well past Agecroft South Jn where we needed to be down to 50 or less before the work.
Before any of the work, when trains used the old Down bore at Farnworth and its 50mph PSR it was just about possible to get from Crescent to Bolton in less than ten minutes (having a 158 helped). Now it is routinely possible in eight and a half.
In the up direction Bolton to Crescent was possible in ten minutes even with the approach control at Windsor Bridge, but now three minutes can easily be shaved off that.
