Headbolt Lane progress updates

[Scouse77]

777144 on first runs through to Headbolt Lane

 

[Gricer99]

RTT now showing October for passenger running. ECS movements only until then Can that be right?

 

[MattRat]

RTT now showing October for passenger running. ECS movements only until then Can that be right?

If it is then there are going to be some very angry passengers. Northern will be back in operation on the line on the 24th July, and Merseyrail themselves have stated August for their own operation (likely taking longer due to also having to work on Kirkby). You can't just tell people something and do something else, they don't tend to like that, especially when someone else can keep to their word.

 

[mcnw35282]

The trains work, and the signalling works...the only thing I can see holding the project up now is making the whole station site safe enough for pedestrians.

From the wasteland adjacent to platform 2, still seems a bit of work to do. Signals ML314 (plat 2 starter) and ML310 (plat 1 starter) are both lit up. The platforms look more or less ready. The ticket office is is also nearing completion…bit of rendering and painting to do. The main snagging point seems to be the roads and pathways leading to the station building…and the car park.

 

[AMD]

Northern will be back in operation on the line on the 24th July

Not happening. There will be one daily ECS path in between Rainford and Headbolt Lane for route refresher purposes from the 24th, otherwise i've not been given an exact date yet for resumption of passenger services.

 

[Greybeard33]

The trains work, and the signalling works...the only thing I can see holding the project up now is making the whole station site safe enough for pedestrians.

The first of the seven battery-equipped Class 777s has only just started final testing. Then driver training to Headbolt Lane is necessary before passenger services can commence.

Electric dreams: the Liverpool City Region’s new publicly owned battery trains begin final testing

<p>The publicly owned trains will be the first of their kind to operate in passenger service.</p>

www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced that the first of the Liverpool City Region’s new publicly owned battery powered trains will begin final testing on the network this week.

The fleet is now ready to enter final tests and driver training between Kirkby and the town’s new £80m station at Headbolt Lane, due to open later this year, which will be the second new station opened by Mayor Rotheram since his election.

 

[Skie]

Scuttlebutt (or wibble!) is that it'll be just under 2 months until it's open, so late August. Should have a solid date announced soon though.

 

[mcnw35282]

Could they open the station without the car park? Passing the site on the top deck of a bus yesterday, it seemed as though the roads, bus stops and drop-off points all look close to being fully ready...and the main footpaths look to be more-or-less in place too. The site offices and cabins have been moved ready for the construction of the 300 space car park.

With trains due to resume on 14th August...I reckon 4 weeks is plenty of time to get the site safe enough for public use.

 

[ste238]

Has anyone any footage or stills of the trains on testing between Headbolt and Kirkby? I know the council did some stills at HL but I mean the track between.

 

[Gricer99]

Where do you have 14th August from? RTT still showing October 2nd.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

It looks like from the 7th of August Northern's Blackburn-Rainford's will turn around at Headbolt Lane instead of just outside Rainford as they do now. Not in passenger service, with RTT showing that as 2nd of October as mentioned above.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Headbolt Lane all day on 07/08/2023

Train information at Headbolt Lane all day on 07/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[mcnw35282]

In its press release, Merseyrail states that “a normal timetable will resume” on 14th August. Since only 777/1’s are now allowed to travel beyond Fazakerley, I assumed this meant Headbolt Lane would be in some limited way operational?

…unless the 777/1’s are temporarily terminating at Kirkby?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

…unless the 777/1’s are temporarily terminating at Kirkby?

That looks to be the case, even from Saturday the 12th I found a few Merseyrail trains timetabled in

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 12/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 12/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Then moving to Sunday there's a regular half-hourly service

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 13/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 13/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Then from Monday the 14th there's full service.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 14/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 14/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

Today's the day! (Or it should have been)

 

[jamesst]

That looks to be the case, even from Saturday the 12th I found a few Merseyrail trains timetabled in

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 12/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 12/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Then moving to Sunday there's a regular half-hourly service

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 13/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 13/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Then from Monday the 14th there's full service.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 14/08/2023

Train information at Kirkby between 0200 and 0159 on 14/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Good luck with that!

 

[PeterStoba]

Spotted the first Northern train running in to Headbolt Lane this morning around 10am, sat at Platform 3 for a few minutes and then headed back towards Rainford.

27/07 - Also spotted a Class 777 running in to platform 2 so must be ramping up the testing.

 

[mcnw35282]

Drove past the new station today. Admittedly, its difficult to see everything from the road...but from what you can see, I don't think there's that much left to do to get the station operational. I know, the trains are a totally different story, and the 300 space car park needs finishing...but I'd say earlier mentions of a mid to late August opening aren't that wide of the mark...

The electronic PIS are lit up and the station building looks to be ready, except for a bit of rendering.

Bus routes 14A and 217 have been re-routed in Tower Hill to run via Bank Lane, Shevington's Lane, Saxon Way, Hall Lane, Shevington's Lane, Pingwood Lane and Headbolt Lane to pick up the new station. Route 20 will still operate to its existing route

 

[darylyates17]

Headbolt Lane is now on the signs of Stations on the walls at Liverpool Central but covered up cant be far off now.

 

[mcnw35282]

They’ve been there since June.

Drove past the site yesterday…the rendering of the ticket office building looks to be complete and all the lights were on inside. The bus stops and disabled/staff car parking area look complete. Bar landscaping and the 300 space car park…I think it’s almost ready!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They’ve been there since June.

Drove past the site yesterday…the rendering of the ticket office building looks to be complete and all the lights were on inside. The bus stops and disabled/staff car parking area look complete. Bar landscaping and the 300 space car park…I think it’s almost ready!

Am I mistaken but is there still an area of rough hardcore still on view?

 

[PeterStoba]

Am I mistaken but is there still an area of rough hardcore still on view?

In the foreground, yes, probably just awaiting a bit of soft landscaping. In the background that's the bank of the stream that the new bridge crosses, it'll probably get seeded.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It is noticeable that the raised concrete facility with its manhole cover is certainly a good few inches above the level of the hardcore,

 

[mcnw35282]

There's nothing to stop that whole area being fenced off and opening the rest the station tho, is there? The main access roads and footpaths seem to be done.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There's nothing to stop that whole area being fenced off and opening the rest the station tho, is there? The main access roads and footpaths seem to be done.

Is it not the case that stations do not get official opening blessing until all works have been fully completed and approved?

Incidentally, can you name the last station that was officially opened for passenger travel before meeting the specification I mentioned above.

 

[mcnw35282]

What a difference a day makes…taken from the site entrance yesterday (got bloody soaked taking these!)

 

[samrammstein]

Passenger services are running to Kirkby again from today. Still only 777/0 units so far. Some images from the Kirkby end, all ready to go by the looks of it.

 

[karlbbb]

Are the 777/0s being particularly cautious with the stopping position or is there still enough third rail into the platform for it to be OK as long as they're stopped by ML311 signal?

Further, is anyone working on OTT and know when we're likely to see Headbolt Lane station and associated signalling/berths appear on the OTT maps? (Or even Railcam for that matter, if anyone is with them).

 

[samrammstein]

They are stopping with their nose just off the end of the 3rd rail. The shoes are still well on it. Seems very close to the old stopping position when the buffers were there - it may be the original stop board that they're still using.

 

[Liverpool 507]

Just had a look on Traksy and the new station is listed there with the new track diagram and the Northern platform - https://traksy.uk/live/M+40+KKBY

 

[karlbbb]

Just had a look on Traksy and the new station is listed there with the new track diagram and the Northern platform - https://traksy.uk/live/M+40+KKBY

Ah nice, thanks so much. Are there any other sites that have live maps in the same vein? I know about OTT, Railcam, and now Traksy.