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Ordsall Chord

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50032

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Chester1 said:
There are three junctions within a short distance and one of them (Castlefield) has a speed limit of 25mph.
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The straight route at Castlefield is 30mph (a 25mph TSR has existed for years for the diverging Cheshire Lines route).
LNW-GW Joint said:
Wasn't the aim to get the whole Castlefield corridor and junctions up to a consistent 30mph?
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The speed over the Chord is 30mph. In fact the entire route from Oxford Road West to Deal Street is 30mph, barring one 25mph crossover between the Down and Up Chat Moss lines at Irwell St Junction (Salford Central). So I'd say that ambition has been fulfilled.
 
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Howardh

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0938 - 1038 - 1138 etc; trains from Oxford Road to Victoria. Just done a pocket timetable, and in that timetable I'm also routed Oxford Road to Piccadilly and change there (metro) to Victoria. Not looked up the prices, but would they both be the same and the Picc route be valid?

But 6 minutes is a darned sight better than the 20+ walking/bussing/tramming/running/taxiing!!
 
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PrinceBishop

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I know we've had the 'official' opening but have any trains actually been across the Chord yet? That's when it'll really seem completed. Are there likely to be any test trains? Any route clearance/driver training before the first passenger service? Or is this such a short section of track that it can all be done on a simulator?
 
Altfish

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PrinceBishop said:
I know we've had the 'official' opening but have any trains actually been across the Chord yet? That's when it'll really seem completed. Are there likely to be any test trains? Any route clearance/driver training before the first passenger service? Or is this such a short section of track that it can all be done on a simulator?
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I don't think any trains have been over the chord, yet.
I would be surprised, nay shocked, if there aren't test trains in the days before 10th December.
 
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lejog

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Howardh said:
0938 - 1038 - 1138 etc; trains from Oxford Road to Victoria. Just done a pocket timetable, and in that timetable I'm also routed Oxford Road to Piccadilly and change there (metro) to Victoria. Not looked up the prices, but would they both be the same and the Picc route be valid?

But 6 minutes is a darned sight better than the 20+ walking/bussing/tramming/running/taxiing!!
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uww11x said:
I take it if you just buy Oxford Road to Victoria, that takes you over the cord?
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There are still no fares showing between Victoria and Manchester Oxford Rd direct, I suspect you'll find the route via Piccadilly costs £1.80 which is the Oxford Rd to Piccadilly fare, then a "TRANSFER" which means the free bus or walk not Metrolink (unless you pay the tram fare yourself).

I assume this will be sorted out before December 10th, I remember Todmorden Curve fares only appearing a few days before the service started. If not a Moston day return to Manchester (£3.90: issued as Central Zone) according to NRE is valid from Victoria to Oxford Road to Piccadilly by rail, and is valid then back to Victoria on the tram.

Edit: If you want to be creative, an Ardwick to Manchester CTLZ day return (£2.20) should be valid to start short at Piccadilly and travel to Victoria and back by either rail or tram. I don't fancy your chances of getting an itinerary for this on a journey planner though!
 
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hwl

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Altfish said:
I don't think any trains have been over the chord, yet.
I would be surprised, nay shocked, if there aren't test trains in the days before 10th December.
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The comments about shiny rail several pages back suggest otherwise...
 
Altfish

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hwl said:
The comments about shiny rail several pages back suggest otherwise...
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Those were probably the track vehicles used to erect the overheads.
I can't categorically say there has been no trains over the Chord but I would have expected a photo or two to have emerged if we had had a loco traversing it.
 
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mwmbwls

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At the PWI/I Mech E lecture, last night, Network Rail confirmed that although the bridge had been officially opened by the minister that the bridge itself was not yet operational - the term "next few days" was used. Therefore, watch that space. l
 
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Howardh

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As for the opening, they should do a trainspotter's/enthusiasts/nerds (delete as inappropriate) special to be the first, start at Victoria, over the Chord, down to Stockport, then up the Parliamentary line (calling...) and then back to Victoria from Stalybridge; and charge them £15 each! But they could all be given a stamped postcard as a memento, or a life.

*Ducks yet again....*

EDIT - ah, yes, I remember someone said they wanted to be on the first electric train from Bolton - if still alive *blushes*

Any spare lives going around?
 
Altfish

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Howardh said:
As for the opening, they should do a trainspotter's/enthusiasts/nerds (delete as inappropriate) special to be the first, start at Victoria, over the Chord, down to Stockport, then up the Parliamentary line (calling...) and then back to Victoria from Stalybridge; and charge them £15 each! But they could all be given a stamped postcard as a memento, or a life.
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You'd have a 5 day wait at Stockport
 
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50032

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I've noticed they've laid a membrane and fresh ballast on Stephenson's bridge (Liverpool side of the Chord) which makes it look nice and tidy, and now stacks of old wooden sleepers have appeared... Anyone know of plans to lay some old track there just for display purposes?
 
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Dunc108

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Howardh said:
As for the opening, they should do a trainspotter's/enthusiasts/nerds (delete as inappropriate) special to be the first, start at Victoria, over the Chord, down to Stockport, then up the Parliamentary line (calling...) and then back to Victoria from Stalybridge; and charge them £15 each! But they could all be given a stamped postcard as a memento, or a life.

*Ducks yet again....*

EDIT - ah, yes, I remember someone said they wanted to be on the first electric train from Bolton - if still alive *blushes*

Any spare lives going around?
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Shame they can't do a special with the ELRs newly restored Heritage DMUs that would be awesome! :)
 
nw-sparks

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Just to maintain the accuracy of the historical record, I should point out that my update yesterday did not reflect a change on the real railway on that day. It was merely a convenient moment to alter the map ready for the opening in December. Have any test trains run yet?
 
D6975

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Howardh said:
As for the opening, they should do a trainspotter's/enthusiasts/nerds (delete as inappropriate) special to be the first, start at Victoria, over the Chord, down to Stockport, then up the Parliamentary line (calling...) and then back to Victoria from Stalybridge; and charge them £15 each! But they could all be given a stamped postcard as a memento, or a life.
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Brilliant idea, except it should reverse at Guide Bridge and do the Ashburys-Philip's Park line too.
 
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The signalling diagram seems to shows there's some trackwork to be completed between Victoria and Salford Central - it shows four through tracks and a siding where I believe there will be five through tracks.
 
LNW-GW Joint

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snowball said:
The signalling diagram seems to shows there's some trackwork to be completed between Victoria and Salford Central - it shows four through tracks and a siding where I believe there will be five through tracks.
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The siding shown will be the current Exchange siding used for reversing trains back to Victoria.
There are 5 tracks though Salford Central (the 3 missing platforms have dotted lines).
 
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Bovverboy

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Altfish said:
The first train is now showing on RTT...

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/trai...12/10/advanced

...timetabled for 6-minutes.

and the return journey...

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/trai...12/10/advanced

..again 6-minutes
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An earlier ECS move is showing - 5O72 0724 Newton Heath to Oxford Road, which then forms the 0808 Oxford Road to Liverpool stopper.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y58228/2017/12/10/advanced
5O72 is currently (i.e. up to 03/12/17) scheduled to reverse at Salford Crescent.

There is a slightly later ECS move showing as well, 5H83 0737 Newton Heath to Stockport Carriage Maintenance Depot, but history says that this working rarely operates, and when it does it can go at pretty well any time.
 
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Bovverboy

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superkev said:
Presumably the late night Transpennines routed along the Calder Valley and currently reversing at Salford will be able to use the new chord.
K
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I've mentioned on another thread that the TPEs which currently reverse at Salford Crescent are showing on tracking as continuing to do so until at least May 2018! It seems unlikely that they won't use the chord instead, although there'll be the problem of what to do with the eight minutes or so of saved running time.
 
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