Ordsall Chord

[WatcherZero]

Special ceremony announced for Sunday 10 December at Manchester Victoria when Mr Maynard will join rail industry colleagues to travel across the Ordsall Chord to Manchester Oxford Road on a Northern service. Limited availability commemorative tickets will be available to passengers riding the service.

 

[Wiganlad]

Weather Permitted

 

[kevconnor]

Has Mr Whitby RSVP'd for the inaugural service yet?

 

[xotGD]

Has anything actually run over the chord yet? Getting a bit close to the launch day not to have sent a few empty unit over the route.

 

[50032]

Has anything actually run over the chord yet? Getting a bit close to the launch day not to have sent a few empty unit over the route.

Nope.
However there was a road/rail vehicle on it the other day.

 

[TimboM]

Nope.
However there was a road/rail vehicle on it the other day.

Aye - I saw two on Monday - cherry-pickers side-by-side with workers adjusting the OHLE.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Has Mr Whitby RSVP'd for the inaugural service yet?

wicked

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Has anything actually run over the chord yet? Getting a bit close to the launch day not to have sent a few empty unit over the route.

First couple of trains seem to have navigated the new chord today, according to RTT.
These were a Newton Heath-Oxford Road ECS, and a Victoria-Oxford Road service (goes back to Leeds via the Calder Valley).
Well and truly open.

 

[iknowyeah]

Just saw the first passenger service pass through Deansgate. Refurbished 150 and a 158

 

[Bantamzen]

According to Northern the 150 was 142 (Facebook link):

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1605381812818192&id=277476145608772

 

[Bovverboy]

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.

5O72 appears to have consisted of 156426+142054, and it ran approximately 15 minutes ahead of schedule.

Further to what I had said in the linked post, 5O72 actually provides the stock for both the 0808 CLC stopper (today 142054) and the 0845 (156426).

5H83 also seems to have operated today (rather contrary to my own prediction!) but I don't know which unit(s) formed it.

 

[Altfish]

First public train was the 0840 MCV to MCO, 150142 led with 158909 trailing.
150142 had a fancy wrap round vinyl to cab but apart from Golden Tickets didn't seem to be any special 'opening' at Victoria.
Manchester Evening News was there, I got interviewed on return journey.

 

[Bovverboy]

1042 Vic-Ox Rd (0908 ex-Leeds) was 150141+150224. Opposite way round on the 1055 Ox Rd-Leeds, of course.

 

[snowball]

Several pictures and videos on the Twitter feed including a rear cab video.

https://twitter.com/TheGNRP

 

[xotGD]

A few yellow pens being put to good use today.

 

[takno]

Trains passing over the chord are now visible on maps https://traksy.uk/live/M+22+SLFDORD

 

[snowball]

Video and stills posted by mikemcniven on SSC:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=143934869&postcount=3008

 

[mikemcniven]

Video and stills posted by mikemcniven on SSC:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=143934869&postcount=3008

Was just preparing to add them here lol

Northern 158909 *First Ordsall Chord Train* by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Northern 150142 *First Ordsall Chord Train* by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Crossing the Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Northern 158909 *First Ordsall Chord Train* by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Northern 150142 *First Ordsall Chord Train* by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Ordsall Chord opening day by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Ordsall Chord opening day 150/1 crossing by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Ordsall Chord opening day 150/2 crossing by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[Bletchleyite]

Out of interest in what way is the bridge "asymmetric" as seems to be something mentioned of interest? It looks symmetrical to me.

 

[furnessvale]

Out of interest in what way is the bridge "asymmetric" as seems to be something mentioned of interest? It looks symmetrical to me.

The curly bit is at one end only.

 

[swt_passenger]

Out of interest in what way is the bridge "asymmetric" as seems to be something mentioned of interest? It looks symmetrical to me.

I asked this a while back, Snowball thought it's because the main girders have a reducing cross section, but they're also not parallel with one another.

 

[snowball]

Out of interest in what way is the bridge "asymmetric" as seems to be something mentioned of interest? It looks symmetrical to me.

The main arched steel members get thinner as you look from one end to the other.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The main arched steel members get thinner as you look from one end to the other.

Ah, cheers both.

 

[snowball]

I asked this a while back, Bald Rick said the main girders are not parallel with one another, and they also have a reducing cross section.

The second half of that is right, the first half is wrong. Seen in plan the sides of the bridge **are** parallel. (The bridge is straight but has extra width to accommodate the curved track.)

 

[swt_passenger]

The second half of that is right, the first half is wrong. Seen in plan the sides of the bridge **are** parallel. (The bridge is straight but has extra width to accommodate the curved track.)

But that didn't make it unique did it? People referred to other bridges with similar cross sections. The earlier discussion is about here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ordsall-chord.51840/page-80#post-3193623

 

[snowball]

But that didn't make it unique did it? People referred to other bridges with similar cross sections. The earlier discussion is about here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ordsall-chord.51840/page-80#post-3193623

I think the other bridges mentioned were road-over-road bridges (and of reinforced concrete). The claim in the press release was merely that this is the first asymmetrical railway bridge.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The OHLE portals on the approach tracks (and Castlefield viaduct) also add to the asymmetric appearance.
They lean inwards at the top in a way I've not seen before.
I'm not sure if that is clever engineering, or for cosmetic purposes to minimise the visual impact.

 

[mikemcniven]

A few more from me this morning, taken as 2E09 1138 MCO to LDS crosses

Looks quite nice all frosty

Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


Northern 158 crossing the Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


Northern 158 crossing the Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


Northern 158 crossing the Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[dggar]

A few more from me this morning, taken as 2E09 1138 MCO to LDS crosses






Northern 158 crossing the Ordsall Chord by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

I was on that train, sat on the Salford side

 

[shredder1]

Exciting stuff