Has Wigan Wallgate ever had diverted Intercity terminators?

[Gathursty]

I've never known Wigan North Western to be shut completely so I assume if this did happen it would have been several years ago but has any Intercity (Virgin and previous) service from the South had to use Wigan Wallgate to terminate?

I'm aware there have been steam services through to Southport but I'm just after anything that's had to stop at Wallgate only.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There’s no way to reach Wallgate from the WCML, is there?

 

[Eccles1983]

No they haven't as they would struggle for clearance.

And yes. You can access the station from WCML. Via the up and down loop.

 

[TheSel]

There’s no way to reach Wallgate from the WCML, is there?

From the South, Yes. The overnight Wilton - Knowsley 'Binliner' does it most days - for example:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H19913/2019/06/10/advanced

 

[Geeves]

Ive seen pictures posted by a long time Wigan Guard of a 50 hauled intercity in Wigan Wallgate apparently waiting to be dragged back onto the WCML after coming via Hindley so yes it has happened, exact date I cannot remember but the 50 would mean what 70s?

 

[Spartacus]

It's had everything from Lion to 50s on diverted Liverpool - Glasgow sleepers so I certainly wouldn't rule it out, even if it went all the way back to initial electrification.

 

[anthony kelly]

I've been on the old Glasgow/ Edinburgh sleeper years ago and we have been diverted that way and through Bolton and Manchester before

 

[Ianno87]

I've been on the old Glasgow/ Edinburgh sleeper years ago and we have been diverted that way and through Bolton and Manchester before

That would've gone through North Western, not Wallgate.

 

[Antman]

Only T800s. A T1000 would just shape shift into a set of points....

[shoot me now....]

 

[Starmill]

There’s no way to reach Wallgate from the WCML, is there?

There is. Northern have run services from Manchester to Southport via Parkside Jn and Wigan Wallgate on diversion several times.

 

[johnpeter3]

There's a 47 on sleepers here, looks to be heading south https://www.flickr.com/photos/kerryp28/6369927805/in/photostream

 

[Whistler40145]

There’s no way to reach Wallgate from the WCML, is there?

I think there’s access from the Bolton/Manchester line and the freight line from Springs Branch

 

[PHILIPE]

WCML access to and from Wigan Wallgate can only be from the south. Trains can run from the Manchester line into North Western but would then have to run wrong direction over the Up Line before they could not cross over before Euxton Jn.

 

[Bevan Price]

The nearest I have had was a diverted Liverpool Lime St. to Newcastle service, which crossed from the WCML, and passed to just beyond Wallgate whilst the loco (a Peak) ran round the train, and we then went via Atherton to Manchester.
Diverted WCML services used to reverse twice, at Wigan North Western and Lostock Jn., top/tailed over than section if running between Wigan & Preston. It would have been feasible for them to use Wallgate, but I never saw that happen myself.

The Atherton/Bolton line at Wigan can only be accessed from Platforms 1, 2 & 3 at Wigan North Western. Only Platform 1 is a through line; 2 and 3 are bays.

 

[clagmonster]

WCML access to and from Wigan Wallgate can only be from the south. Trains can run from the Manchester line into North Western but would then have to run wrong direction over the Up Line before they could not cross over before Euxton Jn.

There is a trailing crossover just north of North Western station which would allow a train from Hindley to pass through platform 1 then gain the down line. It would not need to run bang road to Euxton.

 

[Bibendum]

There's a 47 on sleepers here, looks to be heading south https://www.flickr.com/photos/kerryp28/6369927805/in/photostream

What a great pic. Would be mid to late 70s at a guess. I just cant work out how it got there from Scotland. Any thoughts anyone

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

What a great pic. Would be mid to late 70s at a guess. I just cant work out how it got there from Scotland. Any thoughts anyone

The caption suggests the move is actually empty stock, very possibly from Liverpool Exchange via Kirkby with the actual sleeper service having been diverted from Lime Street due to ongoing electrification work. If that was from London then quite possibly the service journey was also via Wallgate.

 

[Bibendum]

The caption suggests the move is actually empty stock, very possibly from Liverpool Exchange via Kirkby with the actual sleeper service having been diverted from Lime Street due to ongoing electrification work. If that was from London then quite possibly the service journey was also via Wallgate.

I hadnt spotted the notes there. Thanks for pointing them out. The Liverpool ECS idea could make sense as it is obviously a morning photograph and not an evening one.

If the 47 was carrying a headcode that would put it 1976 or earlier. I think the OLE at Wigan was around 1973.

As pointed out in the notes on the pic though, a 1 headcode is unusual for ecs.

 

[_toommm_]

There’s no way to reach Wallgate from the WCML, is there?

Note this daily working, although it does reverse and doesn't go straight from Wallgate to NW:

5W66

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I hadnt spotted the notes there. Thanks for pointing them out. The Liverpool ECS idea could make sense as it is obviously a morning photograph and not an evening one.

If the 47 was carrying a headcode that would put it 1976 or earlier. I think the OLE at Wigan was around 1973.

As pointed out in the notes on the pic though, a 1 headcode is unusual for ecs.

Loco crew couldn't be bothered perhaps?

 

[WatcherZero]

Im sure I read some years back in a sectional appendix that Class 390 had actually been cleared for dragging from Wallgate to Southport with some special conditions (had to lower the suspension height and do some other gubbin adjustments to get the ride height low enough that protrusions passed clear under platform edges). Was that ever physically tested or just paper cleared?

 

[Dr Hoo]

When the 'InterCity' concept was new (in the 1960s) the Manchester-Atherton-Wigan Wallgate-Southport route was regarded as InterCity and shown as such on the BR Network maps of the period. Most Atherton line services ran through to Southport but some did terminate at Wallgate.

 

[Llama]

Im sure I read some years back in a sectional appendix that Class 390 had actually been cleared for dragging from Wallgate to Southport with some special conditions (had to lower the suspension height and do some other gubbin adjustments to get the ride height low enough that protrusions passed clear under platform edges). Was that ever physically tested or just paper cleared?

I'd be very surprised if that was ever the case, I have worked the Southport line since before 390s appeared and have kept and updated an LNWN sectional appendix since that time too, and never seen any such reference to 390s/Southport.

 

[WatcherZero]

Ahh its my memory playing tricks, Sectional Appendix from 2006, HST permitted to Southport subject to 10mph speed restriction and Class 90 permitted dead hauled between Windsor Bridge and Wigan station junction and RA 9/10 vehicles permitted to Southport subject to approval with special dispensation from territory Track Engineer. There were specific instructions to adjusting suspension but not in the version im looking at.