T3 enginerring possession at Chester

[ElectroSoldier]

I saw there is a T3 posession at Chester on the Merseyrail platform and the adjacent siding where Ariva normal stable their 175s

Can anybody tell me what they are doing there please?

 

[AntoniC]

It could be due to this
Platform works at Chester : https://www.merseyrail.org/platform-upgrade-works/chester-line.aspx
Source : Merseytravel

 

[ElectroSoldier]

Yes it is due to that.
I was wondering what they are actually doing there.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

On Monday they had started rebuilding the platform edge, having removed all the very large coping stones at the western end.
I couldn't tell if it involved raising the platform height as well (which is very low by national standards, as are all the other platforms).

 

[sw1ller]

ARRIVA!! how dare you!

as above, they’ve started work on raising the platform edge for the new step free access of 777 units.

some of you may recall they did this last year, but they ordered the wrong size stones so had to put all the old ones back in. Had the right stones been ordered in the first place, there’d be no possession on right now.

 

[ElectroSoldier]

I see...
I did wonder as I remember the work last year too but couldnt for the life of me remember what they did then either...

Yeah the platform always has been stupidly low at Chester. Its quite a struggle for some people.

So its only to rebuild the Merseryrail platforms then...
Nothing going on with the sidings opposite?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

I see...
I did wonder as I remember the work last year too but couldnt for the life of me remember what they did then either...

Yeah the platform always has been stupidly low at Chester. Its quite a struggle for some people.

So its only to rebuild the Merseryrail platforms then...
Nothing going on with the sidings opposite?

A couple of the closest sidings are probably under possession so they can work on the track or have equipment needed stabled there. Just a guess

 

[ElectroSoldier]

Yeah, both ends of the platform line and the adjacent siding is under a T3

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

P7a at Chester has reopened.
It looks no different to what it looked like before, but possibly with a better edge.
No change in the very low height at all.
The 777s will have to be very clever trains to give level boarding.

 

[ElectroSoldier]

Yeah I saw they have given up the possession this morning...
They seemed to have moved work onto Ellesmere port last night but its all packed up now too.

Its been a long time since i boarded a train at Chester but I seem to remember it was quite a step up to a 507/508. I cant imagine they are looking at raising half a platform... they would have to add a step or ramp to make it a different level to platforms 4, 5, 6, and 7A...
Do Merseyrail ever use 7A? I cant remember. I dont think they did.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Yeah I saw they have given up the possession this morning...
They seemed to have moved work onto Ellesmere port last night but its all packed up now too.

Its been a long time since i boarded a train at Chester but I seem to remember it was quite a step up to a 507/508. I cant imagine they are looking at raising half a platform... they would have to add a step or ramp to make it a different level to platforms 4, 5, 6, and 7A...
Do Merseyrail ever use 7A? I cant remember. I dont think they did.

Yes I've got my a and b mixed up - it's 7b which is the normal Merseyrail platform and which has been re-edged.
The 3rd rail actually continues virtually the full length of P7, and Merseyrail do bring 6-car sets in in the peaks.
The recent work seems only to have been to half the platform, presumably the standard 777 train length.

 

[ElectroSoldier]

So it looks like a half finished job again?