Calder Valley line improvement works

[superkev]

At last the Sowerby Bridge platform extensions are finished. Tis a miricle.
Unfortunately platform 2 lights have not worked since the new ones were switched on.
Perhaps someone could come and paint the existing canopies which look faded and tatty and detract from the excellent work of the friends of the station.
K

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Compared to how long the (admittedly more substantial, being stone) extensions at Sowerby Bridge have taken, I'm quite impressed at how quickly the extensions at Deighton (to 3x23m) have been sorted.

 

[superkev]

Isnt there enough graffiti around without Network rail plastering the platform faces at Sowerby Bridge. Soul destroying to the Friends of Sowerby Bridge who get little material help for example tge platform canopies now pink where originally red when last painted around 1974.
Picture
K

 

[Ploughman]

I have to admit being guilty of such graffiti.
When marking up for tamping operations before a renewal.
Usually the sleepers are marked up with the values but local maintenance gangs tend to mark platform faces and cutting or tunnel walls as well, so the marks are clear of ballast or oily deposits.

 

[Halifaxlad]

It looks like a new station could be built in between Moston & Rochdale at 'Slattocks' as well as the line through the station being turned into a tram train line, for a new tram train service between Rochdale & Heywood.

Here is the Manchester Evening News article: 'A revolution in Greater Manchester travel; New tram stops, train stations and the birth of the tram-train' published 7th January 2019. https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...eater-manchester-transport-plan-2025-15641201

Here is the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Transport Strategy
https://www.gmcameetings.co.uk/download/meetings/id/4048/9_gm_2040_transport_delivery_plan

 

[superkev]

Calder valley line closed Sunday 27th and next weekend to renew rail through Sowerby Bridge station. Halifax direction 27th and presumably Manchester direction next weekend.
Process looks very labour intensive. Don't Network rail have any of those huge machines which unclip, lift out, replace and clip rail on one pass. Pic attached.
K

 

[BucksBones]

It looks like a new station could be built in between Moston & Rochdale at 'Slattocks' as well as the line through the station being turned into a tram train line, for a new tram train service between Rochdale & Heywood.

Here is the Manchester Evening News article: 'A revolution in Greater Manchester travel; New tram stops, train stations and the birth of the tram-train' published 7th January 2019. https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...eater-manchester-transport-plan-2025-15641201

Here is the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Transport Strategy
https://www.gmcameetings.co.uk/download/meetings/id/4048/9_gm_2040_transport_delivery_plan

Just seen this; it’s fascinating, thanks for posting. Great that Heywood could get a rail service again but it seems odd to have it going to Rochdale rather than use the other curve at Castleton to take it towards Manchester. A direct link to Manchester would be very popular but I can’t see much benefit to a link to Rochdale station (a substantial walk or change to Metrolink to get the the town centre) when there is already a very frequent bus service that takes you right into town.

Edit: Most people who live in Heywood tend to shop in Bury anyway - Rochdale’s not much cop these days.

 

[Ploughman]

Calder valley line closed Sunday 27th and next weekend to renew rail through Sowerby Bridge station. Halifax direction 27th and presumably Manchester direction next weekend.
Process looks very labour intensive. Don't Network rail have any of those huge machines which unclip, lift out, View attachment 58459 replace and clip rail on one pass. Pic attached.
K

The rail will be unclipped by hand.
Machine then thimbles rail out and new rail back in.
Rail partially reclipped and the remainder placed on rollers.
Stressing of the rail can then take place. Welders then weld up the rails.
Far rail has been welded 6ft rail still to weld.
Photo shows rail pullers laid out but not connected to do this.
Once pulled the rollers will need to be removed and fully clipped down.

 

[John Webb]

Calder valley line closed Sunday 27th and next weekend to renew rail through Sowerby Bridge station. Halifax direction 27th and presumably Manchester direction next weekend.
Process looks very labour intensive. Don't Network rail have any of those huge machines which unclip, lift out, View attachment 58459 replace and clip rail on one pass. Pic attached.
K

I note that the rails are not clipped down for a distance either side of the area they are working on. Looks to me as if the track the people are working on is the newly-laid track (note much lighter colour of rust) and may be they are preparing to either weld two lengths of rail together or possibly fit an insulated joint for track circuiting purposes? Or may be cutting a temporary join between the new track on the left and older track on the right ready to swap new rails for old using one of their 'huge machines' ?

 

[superkev]

I note that the rails are not clipped down for a distance either side of the area they are working on. Looks to me as if the track the people are working on is the newly-laid track (note much lighter colour of rust) and may be they are preparing to either weld two lengths of rail together or possibly fit an insulated joint for track circuiting purposes? Or may be cutting a temporary join between the new track on the left and older track on the right ready to swap new rails for old using one of their 'huge machines' ?

The picture shows them cutting the new rail ends prior to the jacks being connected to pull the rails together for welding which happened later. A gang then walked the track removed the temp rollers and clipped the rails.
All appeared to be done by hand until the track machine appeared later to check the levels.
Hope that helps.
Other upline next Sunday.
K

 

[Ploughman]

Manpower wise it should need about 8 - 10 men to unclip, place / remove rollers and reclip for about 400m in an overnight possession.
Minimum of 1 team of welders, 1 Tech to calculate the rail extension and a rep from S+T to check Track circuits.
Road railer and operator plus the ES and Picop.

 

[chrissawer]

For anyone interested, they are finally fixing the Leeds-bound platform at Moston station which was damaged by a freight train in 2015. A digger on site today working on the embankment. I presume this comes under the platform extension work, restoring it to its original length.

Apart from Littleborough I think all other Calder Valley platform extensions are now complete.

Hopefully we will get longer trains soon to make use of them. I'm not holding my breath!

 

[geoffk]

For anyone interested, they are finally fixing the Leeds-bound platform at Moston station which was damaged by a freight train in 2015. A digger on site today working on the embankment. I presume this comes under the platform extension work, restoring it to its original length.

Apart from Littleborough I think all other Calder Valley platform extensions are now complete.

Hopefully we will get longer trains soon to make use of them. I'm not holding my breath!

I live near Littleborough station and work is still going on at night. The contractors told me that completion would be in "couple of weeks". The down platform extension has to be built across the now disused stairwell so a bigger job than other stations. Work is also progressing on steps to avoid the need for everyone to use the ramp.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Hopefully we will get longer trains soon to make use of them. I'm not holding my breath!

I doubt it until these new trains start operating services.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Just a quick update on Hebden Bridge, the lifts are now complete and have been in operation although when these photos were taken one was certainly out of service. New in keeping signage has appeared, one of these new signs had a very short life and even disappeared before I could get a photo. The strange one sided hanging 'Way Out' sign has now been replaced with a new one, with lettering upon both sides with the original having been relocated to the subway. New iron railing has appeared at the top of the Subway steps, on the whole it looks rather good.

 

[thejuggler]

Small victory, but the car park lights at Bramley are now working. First reported when the dark mornings came in October, again in December and finally in February. They were fixed just as the light mornings returned in March.

The badly damaged steps from the car park to Bradford platform are being resurfaced with non slip finish.

Lots of cars getting tickets for not marking in bays. I am not aware of any proposals to expand the car park.

 

[Glenn1969]

Hebden Bridge ticket office is closed until 15th April presumably so they can finish the work that was halted in February

 

[Cuboid]

Small victory, but the car park lights at Bramley are now working. First reported when the dark mornings came in October, again in December and finally in February. They were fixed just as the light mornings returned in March.

The badly damaged steps from the car park to Bradford platform are being resurfaced with non slip finish.

Lots of cars getting tickets for not marking in bays. I am not aware of any proposals to expand the car park.

I've given up getting the train from Bramley to Leeds for my commute and started using New Pudsey even though I live closer to Bramley.

Too small car park & poor timings on early morning services make it a waste of time. Plus there are a few cars parking in Bramley train station car park that belong to the mechanics garage on Stanningley Road (some were untaxed/uninsured last time I saw them - tried reporting to Northern, Network Rail & even the police to get them removed but alas no one did anything).

Personally I wish they've move Platform 2 from it's current location to use the brownfield land opposite Platform 1 - much bigger car park to have, plus easier to place lift/bridge in instead og going back down to Swinnow Road & under the bridge to the other side.

 

[superkev]

The May Northern timetables are available on line.
Strange to see on route 36 Low moor shown but no Calder Valley trains stopping there. Blackpool and Huddersfield separate tables.
https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables.
K

 

[backontrack]

Just seen this; it’s fascinating, thanks for posting. Great that Heywood could get a rail service again but it seems odd to have it going to Rochdale rather than use the other curve at Castleton to take it towards Manchester. A direct link to Manchester would be very popular but I can’t see much benefit to a link to Rochdale station (a substantial walk or change to Metrolink to get the the town centre) when there is already a very frequent bus service that takes you right into town.

Edit: Most people who live in Heywood tend to shop in Bury anyway - Rochdale’s not much cop these days.

I think it's because their ambition is to create a line from Rochdale to Bury via Heywood.

 

[Glenn1969]

Which is a very long term ambition if it ever happens

 

[backontrack]

Which is a very long term ambition if it ever happens

True.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Nice to see the last remaining Halifax box lit up tonight even if no-one is in it!

 

[Greetlander]

Nice to see the last remaining Halifax box lit up tonight even if no-one is in it!

It would look even better with a nice bit of track in front of it though.

 

[Halifaxlad]

It would look even better with a nice bit of track in front of it though.

I don't think it I'll be that long before it gets put back in, considering the Calder Valley is supposed to be the diversionary route throughout the TP route upgrade. Time will tell!

 

[Greetlander]

I don't think it I'll be that long before it gets put back in, considering the Calder Valley is supposed to be the diversionary route throughout the TP route upgrade. Time will tell!

Seems to have been discussed for years - in my ideal universe there would still be double tracks heading off over the viaduct to Queensbury, but failing that I’ll settle for a third platform with some great facilities. We should also remember that two platforms or not., the service levels are transformed even from the 1990s.

 

[Glenn1969]

I live in Ovenden and definitely wish we still had a station

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It looks like a new station could be built in between Moston & Rochdale at 'Slattocks' as well as the line through the station being turned into a tram train line, for a new tram train service between Rochdale & Heywood.

Would this "Slattocks" station offer travel-to-work opportunities for the very large industrial estate in that area?

 

[Glenn1969]

Maybe but it is in a strategy document that runs for 25 year timeframe and is largely unfunded so we will see if any of it beyond CP6 actually happens