Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

[DJH1971]

As we all know the three-monthly update of the CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan, due 30 Sep, has not yet appeared.

However I've found a document on the ORR site named "Enhancements delivery plan change control September 2014":

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/15072/cp5-enhancements-delivery-plan-sept-2014.pdf

The only part I've looked at so far is the beginning where the ORR rejects NR's request to extend the target date for phase 2c (i.e. wires to Victoria) to April 2015.

Still think the Liverpool to Manchester Airport services will be first.

 

[Class377/5]

Still think the Liverpool to Manchester Airport services will be first.

Victoria is more important as its required diversions of TPE electric services. The rest is not going to affect passenger services as much.

 

[LDECRexile]

As we all know the three-monthly update of the CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan, due 30 Sep, has not yet appeared.

However I've found a document on the ORR site named "Enhancements delivery plan change control September 2014":

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/15072/cp5-enhancements-delivery-plan-sept-2014.pdf

The only part I've looked at so far is the beginning where the ORR rejects NR's request to extend the target date for phase 2c (i.e. wires to Victoria) to April 2015.

An interesting read at different levels.

1. ORR can't magic working wires to Victoria any more than Canute could command the tide. What they appear to be saying is that Network Rail aren't going to be allowed to simply extend the deadline, which they might be allowed to do if something beyond their control such as a lightning strike or a strike by metalwork manufacturers or a late specification change had knocked things over. By insisting that a missed deadline be recorded, along with an additional new April deadline, they are 1.1 accepting that things ain't going to be done by Christmas and 1.2 insisting that a post-mortem be conducted with the possibility of repercussions. A translation could be "no you bl***y well can't just forget about it, get the job done then face the music."

2. We ain't going to get electrics into Victoria in 2014 or early 2015.

Thank you for unearthing and sharing this.

 

[Class377/5]

An interesting read at different levels.

1. ORR can't magic working wires to Victoria any more than Canute could command the tide. What they appear to be saying is that Network Rail aren't going to be allowed to simply extend the deadline, which they might be allowed to do if something beyond their control such as a lightning strike or a strike by metalwork manufacturers or a late specification change had knocked things over. By insisting that a missed deadline be recorded, along with an additional new April deadline, they are 1.1 accepting that things ain't going to be done by Christmas and 1.2 insisting that a post-mortem be conducted with the possibility of repercussions. A translation could be "no you bl***y well can't just forget about it, get the job done then face the music."

2. We ain't going to get electrics into Victoria in 2014 or early 2015.

Thank you for unearthing and sharing this.

The ORR refusal to change deadline means they fine NR for late delivery. What this achieves is questionable.

 

[WatcherZero]

Incentive to divert extra resources and pay overtime to accelerate work and lower the fine.

 

[LDECRexile]

I revisited Sankey Viaduct and Earlestown today, and visited (as opposed to passed through) St Helens Central for the first time for ages.

18 new photos here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/

At Earlestown: new danglies under Junction Lane bridge, similar to those under Rainhill Skew Bridge

At Sankey Viaduct: Scaffolding on Column 1, South Side was completed as promised yesterday. Column 1, North Side in progress

At St Helens Central: scrapes near the northern end of both platforms have been tidied up. One on the northbound platform has a bare mast, with no arm, the other (which had previously seemed set for a mast to carry a portal) has simply been restored to status quo ante. Maybe it was nowt to do with electrification. Another mast stands armless on the southbound platform nearer the station building. Metalwork northwards from the bridge north of the station looks wire-ready, except for a lone mastless base east of the tracks between signalbox and bridge, maybe a redesign has made it redundant? The Balfour Beatty worksite was almost empty of clobber, though people were going in and out of the portacabins.

 

[snowball]

The new (November) Modern Railways devotes page 16 to an item on NW electrification by Tony Miles. In addition to signal sighting problems on the line to Vic, to be addressed in 2015, the rest of phase 2 is behind schedule, with NR unable to confirm whether the delay is days or weeks. The TOCs are said to be angry in private. Some power supply aspects of phase 1 are not yet finished. One of BB's OHLE trains is out of service for safety reasons. Mine workings near Huyton are at a shallower depth than expected.

There's also an interview on pp. 63-7 with the MD of Northern.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

As we all know the three-monthly update of the CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan, due 30 Sep, has not yet appeared.
However I've found a document on the ORR site named "Enhancements delivery plan change control September 2014":

Network Rail fighting with ORR about presentation of milestones is not good news.
There's nothing there about a general delay to the NW programme, just the Victoria sighting issues (and some other problems towards Stalybridge in later phases).
It's all very well the TOCs objecting, but if the wires aren't ready there's not a lot they can do about it.
There's another article about this in Modern Railways (November) by Tony Miles but it doesn't add anything we don't already know from Mk1 eyeball observation.

In passing, the GW milestones appear to be held (Dec 2016) which I find difficult to believe.
There must be a lot of fingers crossed somewhere!

Edit: The TOC issues are about diversions to Victoria to enable work to start on the Ordsall Curve.
Unless I have missed something that hasn't got planning approval yet, so it's a bit academic...

 

[Class377/5]

Network Rail fighting with ORR about presentation of milestones is not good news.
There's nothing there about a general delay to the NW programme, just the Victoria sighting issues (and some other problems towards Stalybridge in later phases).
It's all very well the TOCs objecting, but if the wires aren't ready there's not a lot they can do about it.
There's another article about this in Modern Railways (November) by Tony Miles but it doesn't add anything we don't already know from Mk1 eyeball observation.

In passing, the GW milestones appear to be held (Dec 2016) which I find difficult to believe.
There must be a lot of fingers crossed somewhere!

Edit: The TOC issues are about diversions to Victoria to enable work to start on the Ordsall Curve.
Unless I have missed something that hasn't got planning approval yet, so it's a bit academic...

The engineering blocks for preparatory works are planned for May time I believe. Hence the worry.

 

[LDECRexile]

The new (November) Modern Railways devotes page 16 to an item on NW electrification by Tony Miles. In addition to signal sighting problems on the line to Vic, to be addressed in 2015, the rest of phase 2 is behind schedule, with NR unable to confirm whether the delay is days or weeks. The TOCs are said to be angry in private. Some power supply aspects of phase 1 are not yet finished. One of BB's OHLE trains is out of service for safety reasons. Mine workings near Huyton are at a shallower depth than expected.

There's also an interview on pp. 63-7 with the MD of Northern.

A long article (pp56-60) headed "All Change at London Bridge" turns out to be a review of timetable changes across the UK expected in December.

A section on p60, headed "In the Regions" starts with "Northern is awaiting completion of the electrification of the routes from Liverpool to Manchester and Wigan so it can begin to introduce the Class 319 EMUs it received from Thameslink. The exact date for their introduction is still to be confirmed but it is likely to be early 2015, with the units being deployed initially on services between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport."

 

[childwallblues]

Victoria is more important as its required diversions of TPE electric services. The rest is not going to affect passenger services as much.

Victoria may be more important from a TPE diversions point of view but once Edge Hill to Earlestown is finished its electrics all the way to the Airport. LIV-MIA is not dependant on what happens from Ordsall Lane to Victoria.

 

[Class377/5]

Victoria may be more important from a TPE diversions point of view but once Edge Hill to Earlestown is finished its electrics all the way to the Airport. LIV-MIA is not dependant on what happens from Ordsall Lane to Victoria.

But doing Liverpool to Earlstown doesn't stop trains running so NR is directing resources ensuring Victoria is done first. Northern's plan has always been to add capacity to Liverpool to Airport service first and ramp up from there.

 

[8A Rail]

A long article (pp56-60) headed "All Change at London Bridge" turns out to be a review of timetable changes across the UK expected in December.

A section on p60, headed "In the Regions" starts with "Northern is awaiting completion of the electrification of the routes from Liverpool to Manchester and Wigan so it can begin to introduce the Class 319 EMUs it received from Thameslink. The exact date for their introduction is still to be confirmed but it is likely to be early 2015, with the units being deployed initially on services between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport."

Well we can safely say this wont happen until mid February at earliest! Manchester Airport Station / platforms as from 19th January until 9th February will be closed while planning work for fourth platform and alterations to footbridge are carried out. Info from WNXX forum.

 

[LDECRexile]

addition

Well we can safely say this wont happen until mid February at earliest! Manchester Airport Station / platforms as from 19th January until 9th February will be closed while planning work for fourth platform and alterations to footbridge are carried out. Info from WNXX forum.

Ho hum.

On a happier note, I did a simple out and back to Manchester Victoria today, stopping off at Roby and Huyton.

Best news is that some wires have gone up from just east of Whiston to just west of the skew bridge at Rainhill. There are two wires on the south side for most of the way, one wire for the rest and one wire throughout on the north side.

Scaffolding on Columns 1, 4 and 7 of the Sankey Viaduct look complete; a chunk has been removed from the parapet on the north side of Column 7, matching that on the south side.

Both tracks from Ordsall Lane Jct to Deal St Junction in Salford appear to be fully wired. I imagine the ominous part of what's gone wrong in that area is either on the North to East approaches to Man Vic or between Deal St Jct and the station itself (or both.)

As proposed from telephoto evidence there definitely are three major, non-standard bases between Roby Jct and Roby station, two to the north side appear to have been cast in concrete in bespoke wooden formers, which have now been removed. The end result resembles those around Salford Central. On the south side of the tracks is a lone base of similar appearance, except that it appeared to be still at the woodwork stage.

There are similar structures between Roby and Huyton, one to the north and one to the south.

There seemed to be evidence of further activity on bases on the south side around Huyton Junction. I reckon there is a full set, in various stages of completion.

The wretched lone mastless base at Huyton Quarry is still there!

A portal has been erected across the very beginning of the Wigan branch, that may be HG 00 01, but it was impossible to tell.

I'll post photos and spreadsheet later on.

Have added 17 photos here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/

Spreadsheet below

 

[8A Rail]

And back to not such a happier note! LOL. Something that appeared on a local gen list earlier in the day - if its the signal I think it is then not good news to say the least - Quote "The signal on the slow at Roby requires some adjustment I hear. The 8 tonne structure has developed a 'list'....... " If its true, then I find it quite amusing too as you just cannot make it up!

...... Best news is that some wires have gone up from just east of Whiston to just west of the skew bridge at Rainhill. There are two wires on the south side for most of the way, one wire for the rest and one wire throughout on the north side......

There has been "notices" put at the stations along that section advising residents / passengers that there will be further working carried out over the next couple of weeks which requires noisey machinary to be used - so may be in connection with your observations.

 

[LDECRexile]

Well we can safely say this wont happen until mid February at earliest! Manchester Airport Station / platforms as from 19th January until 9th February will be closed while planning work for fourth platform and alterations to footbridge are carried out. Info from WNXX forum.

Also here:

http://www.modern-railways.com/view_article.asp?ID=8439&pubID=37&t=0&s=0&sO=both&p=1&i=10

 

[snowball]

Well we can safely say this wont happen until mid February at earliest! Manchester Airport Station / platforms as from 19th January until 9th February will be closed while planning work for fourth platform and alterations to footbridge are carried out. Info from WNXX forum.

"Planning work" seems a strange phrase to use. The work that still needs to be done appears to be:

1) laying a track alongside platform 4

2) trackworks at the throat, comprising

2a) installation of a turnout to allow trains to get into and out of platform 4

2b) install a new facing crossover further out from the station, either in addition to or more probably instead of the existing one, to allow trains approaching the station to get to platform 4

3) consequential signalling and OHLE alterations

4) fitting out platform 4 with lighting, public address and information displays.

Here's the NR press release:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-Manchester-Airport-station-closure-21a5.aspx

Pity it doesn't make it more explicit that Metrolink will be operating through the closure period except the first couple of days.

 

[childwallblues]

Well we can safely say this wont happen until mid February at earliest! Manchester Airport Station / platforms as from 19th January until 9th February will be closed while planning work for fourth platform and alterations to footbridge are carried out. Info from WNXX forum.

Does that mean that there are no services to MIA during that period?

 

[swt_passenger]

Does that mean that there are no services to MIA during that period?

That's how NR explain it as linked above. Fully closed 18 Jan - 9 Feb. The info you quoted appears to be a poor summary:

To complete the work – which also includes finishing platform improvements with new CCTV and information screens – only two platforms will be in use between Sunday 11 and Saturday 17 January and the station will then be closed to all trains until Monday 9 February.

 

[childwallblues]

No wonder that they were in a hurry to get the new Metrolink line open.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Being the cynical pessimist that I am known to be, one can only be grateful that these Network Rail Manchester Airport station works are not being part of a master package that includes the now-infamous Todmorden Chord project..

 

[snowball]

No wonder that they were in a hurry to get the new Metrolink line open.

I think it's more like the other way round. The schedule for building platform 4 was accelerated so that the heavier parts of the job (that have now been completed) didn't have to be done after Metrolink was in service, as they would have disrupted it. Namely the bridge extension under Outwood Lane, done in spring 2014, the platform construction itself, done in 2013-14, and the platform canopy done in summer 2014.

 

[Topgun333]

Manchester Evening News reporting tonight that first electric trains delayed from December to February 2015 due to NR delays rather than issues with Northern Rail and 319s.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.../rail-bosses-deeply-disappointed-over-8036952

 

[snowball]

I've just been looking at LDECRexile's last several dozen photographs from 29, 30 and 31 October.

Many thanks for a large and fascinating collection, especially the ones showing the works to Sankey Viaduct, including the marvellous ones taken by Richard.

It looks as though the design of Carr Mill Viaduct would have made it a difficult structure to electrify, if it hadn't been for the fact that the deck was previously twice the width, leaving supports which stick out beyond the remaining deck on one side, and will presumably be used as a base for twin-track cantilevers.

I think Winter Hill is only 10 miles (or a fraction under) from Collins Green.

 

[LDECRexile]

I've just been looking at LDECRexile's last several dozen photographs from 29, 30 and 31 October.

Many thanks for a large and fascinating collection, especially the ones showing the works to Sankey Viaduct, including the marvellous ones taken by Richard.

It looks as though the design of Carr Mill Viaduct would have made it a difficult structure to electrify, if it hadn't been for the fact that the deck was previously twice the width, leaving supports which stick out beyond the remaining deck on one side, and will presumably be used as a base for twin-track cantilevers.

I think Winter Hill is only 10 miles (or a fraction under) from Collins Green.

1. Thank you for your kind and heartening remarks.
2. re Carr Mill Viaduct and bases for TTCs please see #2871 on p192
3. According to

http://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm

Winter Hill is 13 and a bit miles from Earlestown by crow; add a bit more to get to Collins Green and I reckon we're about equally right (or wrong!)

Kind regards

Dave

 

[Olaf]

Now that elections are on a fixed 5 year timetable you didn't actually need an HS3 announcement...

Wasn't the HS2 announcement done for exactly the same reason though? To give the Conservatives a last minute fast ball?

Neither HS2 nor HS3 are beneficial to the Conservatives, they are both internally divisive. The timing of the announcements was intended to undermine the Labour party announcements they believed were in the pipeline.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That the rough date I've heard recently. Well for wires being finished at least.

Would that be the completion of work by the contractors? If so there would be a further period while NR goes the acceptance process.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As we all know the three-monthly update of the CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan, due 30 Sep, has not yet appeared.

However I've found a document on the ORR site named "Enhancements delivery plan change control September 2014":

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/15072/cp5-enhancements-delivery-plan-sept-2014.pdf

The only part I've looked at so far is the beginning where the ORR rejects NR's request to extend the target date for phase 2c (i.e. wires to Victoria) to April 2015.

Thanks, very useful.
So from the statement at the end of the document, the ORR has given NR until the 11th November at the latest to deliver the updated delivery plan (for end of September).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The ORR refusal to change deadline means they fine NR for late delivery. What this achieves is questionable.

Bonuses will be affected, and people will be invited to leave the business.

 

[DJH1971]

Going into Liverpool this morning (something I'll be doing everyday now), I noticed a coffin type mast base between Roby and Broad Green, similar to those near Manchester Victoria.

 

[LDECRexile]

I have added a temporary album to flickr here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648700693060/

Its purpose will be clear if you open it.

 

[Class377/5]

Would that be the completion of work by the contractors? If so there would be a further period while NR goes the acceptance process.

Way it was put to me was wires up. So can't be sure but believe its the completion of works. However both could happen in a month.

Bonuses will be affected, and people will be invited to leave the business.

But lessons aren't learnt that way and money goes away leaving less to invest in the rest of the network.

 

[The Planner]

Judging by the bonus predictions in general, the wires being late is going to make next to no difference anyway, you can't take anything away from whats not there!