Irlam Manchester ship canal railway viaduct

[warwickshire]

Its with interesting news that from December 2022 class 68s are most likely to return to the Manchester Piccadilly to liverpool Lime Street route via irlam.
Up until around late 1999 locomotives was used on the route mainly for the haverton Hill to glazebrook tanks and before that the early 90s on the provincial services.
However since late 1999 when the tanks ended. Hence one off the reasons for so doing so ie restrictions off locomotives over the bridge.
Out off interest what works has been carried out to the irlam viaduct for class 68s to use it. Also has the permanent speed restriction over the Bridge been lifted.

 

[jfollows]

85mph over the Ship Canal bridge: (https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional Appendix full PDFs/London North Western (North) Sectional Appendix December 2021.pdf)

 

[8A Rail]

Over the years, there have been occasional diverts on the route including engineering trains, and not forgetting the Network Rail loco hauled 'test' trains too. Certainly Class 37's, 47's, 57's, 66's and 67's have used the route, so I don't think there would be an issue with Class 68's in the circumstances.

 

[jfollows]

The same Sectional Appendix I referred to earlier (https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional Appendix full PDFs/London North Western (North) Sectional Appendix December 2021.pdf) shows that Class 68 locos are cleared for the route (by the way, Bridge 130 is at Warrington Central although the restriction over it is for Class 60 locos and not for Class 68 locos):
Note that Class 67 locos are not cleared for the route, by the way. That doesn't mean that they previously weren't, or that they haven’t travelled over the route, but that ordinarily they shouldn't.

 

[Ploughman]

Was the bridge in question a trial site for rebuilding the embankment wth polystyrene blocks?
Recall seeing an article somewhere in the 90's I think.

 

[furnessvale]

Was the bridge in question a trial site for rebuilding the embankment wth polystyrene blocks?
Recall seeing an article somewhere in the 90's I think.

Looking to the day when a petrol train derails on the embankment and the whole thing dissolves!

 

[warwickshire]

Was the bridge in question a trial site for rebuilding the embankment wth polystyrene blocks?
Recall seeing an article somewhere in the 90's I think.

Yes I remember it being also. Also I remember recently it has had some work done to it. Also early 90s it had a lot done to it to keep it open due to damage from the ship canal because between irlam and flixton would possibly had no trains. Also they had to some Saturdays send the class 31 and 47s great yarmouth to liverpool Lime Street via the chat moss lines.
Due to the state off the irlam bridge the Sunday wcml class 47 and dvt mk3 coaches diversions in the 90s was also changed to go via the chat moss line as well ie the London euston to liverpool Lime Street service. Which also had a class 90 with it. However when did irlam viaduct go up to 80 miles per hour?.
Because I remember mid quite a few times when riding the Pacers over there they was more structural works taking place with a permanent speed restriction over the Bridge.

 

[warwickshire]

Yes I remember it being also. Also I remember recently it has had some work done to it. Also early 90s it had a lot done to it to keep it open due to damage from the ship canal because between irlam and flixton would possibly had no trains. Also they had to some Saturdays send the class 31 and 47s great yarmouth to liverpool Lime Street via the chat moss lines.
Due to the state off the irlam bridge the Sunday wcml class 47 and dvt mk3 coaches diversions in the 90s was also changed to go via the chat moss line as well ie the London euston to liverpool Lime Street service. Which also had a class 90 with it. However when did irlam viaduct go up to 80 miles per hour?.
Because I remember mid quite a few times when riding the Pacers over there they was more structural works taking place with a permanent speed restriction over the Bridge.

Ie permanent speed restriction over the Bridge with the works taking place around 2004 to 2008.

 

[warwickshire]

The same Sectional Appendix I referred to earlier (https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional Appendix full PDFs/London North Western (North) Sectional Appendix December 2021.pdf) shows that Class 68 locos are cleared for the route (by the way, Bridge 130 is at Warrington Central although the restriction over it is for Class 60 locos and not for Class 68 locos):
Note that Class 67 locos are not cleared for the route, by the way. That doesn't mean that they previously weren't, or that they haven’t travelled over the route, but that ordinarily they shouldn't.
View attachment 110823

Thanks for the update looking like a lot off works has been done to the Bridge over the past few years.