Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[61653 HTAFC]

That was not my reading of @takno’s post, but I’m happy to be corrected by them. The old footbridge included stepped access from the road bridge down to platform 1, as I’m sure you are aware, with no other way of accessing the platform other than by going over the footbridge

You're probably right, on a second reading. It's easy to end up at cross purposes!

 

[158801]

Noticed today piling work seems to have started between Micklefield and Garforth.

I’ve counted 18 “foundations” currently between Micklefield and Garforth

For “foundation” I mean metal circular tubes inserted into the ground to support the masts for the overhead wires

 

[Grumpy]

Looks nice, lets hope it stays that way.

Won’t be so nice when it’s raining/snowing/icy etc. This is a project that has wasted millions and it’s a great shame they couldn’t have found a few ££ to put a simple canopy above

 

[Geeves]

Won’t be so nice when it’s raining/snowing/icy etc. This is a project that has wasted millions and it’s a great shame they couldn’t have found a few ££ to put a simple canopy above

I am interested to see which bits you class as a waste, to me we are getting much more vs just stringing up wires. The works around West Yorkshire are pretty substantial!

Robert Stenhouse

Explore Robert Stenhouse’s 396 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I am interested to see which bits you class as a waste, to me we are getting much more vs just stringing up wires. The works around West Yorkshire are pretty substantial!

Robert Stenhouse

Explore Robert Stenhouse’s 396 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

There are some really great photos and action shots there. Thanks for posting.

I’ve counted 18 “foundations” currently between Micklefield and Garforth

For “foundation” I mean metal circular tubes inserted into the ground to support the masts for the overhead wires

Nice steady progress which is great to see.

 

[Grumpy]

I am interested to see which bits you class as a waste, to me we are getting much more vs just stringing up wires. The works around West Yorkshire are pretty substantial!

The National Audit office report published in July 2022 for example identified that the project had spent £190m on work no longer needed.

 

[John R]

The National Audit office report published in July 2022 for example identified that the project had spent £190m on work no longer needed.

Yes, because the government kept changing the scope. (See also, HS2...)

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Transpennine-Route-Upgrade-Programme-Summary.pdf

Between 2011-12 and 2021-22, Network Rail spent £1 billion on the Programme, of which an estimated £190 million has been spent on work no longer needed as a result of changes in the scope.

 

[Starmill]

Yes, because the government kept changing the scope. (See also, HS2...)

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Transpennine-Route-Upgrade-Programme-Summary.pdf

Between 2011-12 and 2021-22, Network Rail spent £1 billion on the Programme, of which an estimated £190 million has been spent on work no longer needed as a result of changes in the scope.

Can you give a quote that uses some examples of the work or cost in question please? Or anyone, I'm just having some trouble getting the file to download using my mobile device. Thank you.

 

[Geeves]

Starmill, they dont actually say directly what the costs were for exactly but says -

"The majority of the total spend was incurred from 2020-21 onwards as Network Rail started construction work that would have been necessary under any scope. The changes in Programme scope and outcomes have, however, meant that some design plans and project options were developed but not used. Network Rail estimates that it spent £190 million on such work (paragraphs 1.12 and 1.14)."

You can imagine the consultants have had a good run on that 190 million and we have nothing to show for it, but that's just the way of the world, lots of hoops, meetings and bureaucracy to deal with as with any large project especially when it comes to the environment

 

[themiller]

Starmill, they dont actually say directly what the costs were for exactly but says -

"The majority of the total spend was incurred from 2020-21 onwards as Network Rail started construction work that would have been necessary under any scope. The changes in Programme scope and outcomes have, however, meant that some design plans and project options were developed but not used. Network Rail estimates that it spent £190 million on such work (paragraphs 1.12 and 1.14)."

You can imagine the consultants have had a good run on that 190 million and we have nothing to show for it, but that's just the way of the world, lots of hoops, meetings and bureaucracy to deal with as with any large project especially when it comes to the environment

That’s exactly what happens when you lose in-house capability and have to depend on market forces when engaging specialist knowledge. In times when you have an ongoing requirement for such expertise, you can establish your own design teams and keep them fully utilised. This would be the situation if there was a regular pipeline of work such as if electrification was planned as a rolling plan.

 

[Starmill]

Starmill, they dont actually say directly what the costs were for exactly but says -

"The majority of the total spend was incurred from 2020-21 onwards as Network Rail started construction work that would have been necessary under any scope. The changes in Programme scope and outcomes have, however, meant that some design plans and project options were developed but not used. Network Rail estimates that it spent £190 million on such work (paragraphs 1.12 and 1.14)."

You can imagine the consultants have had a good run on that 190 million and we have nothing to show for it, but that's just the way of the world, lots of hoops, meetings and bureaucracy to deal with as with any large project especially when it comes to the environment

Got it. Thank you.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jul 2024 ==

That’s exactly what happens when you lose in-house capability and have to depend on market forces when engaging specialist knowledge. In times when you have an ongoing requirement for such expertise, you can establish your own design teams and keep them fully utilised. This would be the situation if there was a regular pipeline of work such as if electrification was planned as a rolling plan.

£190 million buys you a rather large amount of detailed design work, whether you pay a consultant or you hire your own employees for the job. What I was wondering at was just how much was really done. Of course, it is taking a full ten year period so I can well appreciate that it is all just desk-based over that time if that's what the report is saying.

 

[matacaster]

Here we have pictures showing concrete pilings at ground level. Are these foundations for enhanced bridge abutments?

 

[snowball]

Press release

Changes to Transpennine journeys during August weekend rail upgrades

Rail passengers are being advised of changes to train services through Huddersfield over four weekends in August, as TRU completes major upgrades along the Transpennine route.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Rail passengers are being advised of changes to train services through Huddersfield over four weekends in August, as TRU completes major upgrades along the Transpennine route.

Customers will be kept on the move via diversionary routes and rail replacement buses, so those travelling are advised to check their journeys ahead of time at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Services over the August bank holiday weekend will remain unaffected to enable passengers to continue with their journeys as planned.

Throughout this upgrade period, engineers will work around the clock to rewire cables, install scaffolding that will facilitate the refurbishment of Huddersfield station roof canopy, renew tracks and complete work on several bridges between Deighton and Mirfield station.

These upgrades are part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), a multi-billion-pound scheme that will bring passengers faster, greener and more reliable trains between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.

Gareth Hope, Sponsor on the Transpennine Route Upgrade, said:

“The rail upgrades for TRU have been progressing well through Huddersfield, with mining mitigation work undertaken and reinforcements to Huddersfield viaduct underway, in advance of new track being installed.

“The next stage of upgrades will see repairs starting on Huddersfield’s historic roof canopy, which is one of the few remaining ‘Euston roof’ examples on the operational railway today, as well as wider work completed along the route. This will enable more trains to run on a more reliable railway in the future.”

The following services will be affected on Saturdays and Sundays during weekends in August (excluding the bank holiday), with passengers advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel:

3-4 August
10-11 August
17-18 August
31 August – 1 September

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Yes, because the government kept changing the scope. (See also, HS2...)

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Transpennine-Route-Upgrade-Programme-Summary.pdf

Between 2011-12 and 2021-22, Network Rail spent £1 billion on the Programme, of which an estimated £190 million has been spent on work no longer needed as a result of changes in the scope.

Lets hope the new lot have TRU ringfenced in the spending review they are now conducting

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

£190 million buys you a rather large amount of detailed design work, whether you pay a consultant or you hire your own employees for the job. What I was wondering at was just how much was really done. Of course, it is taking a full ten year period so I can well appreciate that it is all just desk-based over that time if that's what the report is saying.

It's difficult to now what the unusable work on TRU was.
I could understand that the 2012 project (wiring without remodelling) incurred spend that was overtaken by the full TRU design, but not from 2020.
Victoria-Stalybridge was redesigned at some point, increasing the scope (and reversing the earlier remodelling at Stalybridge).
But I can't think of anything else.

 

[59CosG95]

Lets hope the new lot have TRU ringfenced in the spending review they are now conducting

It'd be political suicide for them to cull TRU, especially as Reeves & Haigh both represent Yorkshire seats (although I am aware that the Cabinet has to remain impartial on these matters).

 

[SamJMathis]

Good to see steady progress being made.

I have to say I value this type of project far greater than bling bullet trains. In my opinion, upgrading existing lines to accommodate fast accelerating, frequent EMUs is much better value for money

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It'd be political suicide for them to cull TRU, especially as Reeves & Haigh both represent Yorkshire seats (although I am aware that the Cabinet has to remain impartial on these matters).

Agreed. Just keep a tight eye on costs and it will be good.

 

[Starmill]

It's difficult to now what the unusable work on TRU was.
I could understand that the 2012 project (wiring without remodelling) incurred spend that was overtaken by the full TRU design, but not from 2020.
Victoria-Stalybridge was redesigned at some point, increasing the scope (and reversing the earlier remodelling at Stalybridge).
But I can't think of anything else.

Yes. It's a shame there's not just a little bit more detail provided - I shall try to dig through it for a look again when I can open the docs on desktop.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Jul 2024 ==

It'd be political suicide for them to cull TRU, especially as Reeves & Haigh both represent Yorkshire seats (although I am aware that the Cabinet has to remain impartial on these matters).

I think it works in their favour here that so much of the budget has already passed the point of commitment to contract - cancelling wouldn't save a lot now. Obviously there would potentially be a proportion that's not yet subject to contract.

 

[edwin_m]

I think it works in their favour here that so much of the budget has already passed the point of commitment to contract - cancelling wouldn't save a lot now. Obviously there would potentially be a proportion that's not yet subject to contract.

Also, if the benefits of work already committed can't be realised without committing a relatively small amount more spending, then there ought to be a good business case for spending that money. The sunk cost fallacy doesn't apply in this case.

 

[sjm77]

It'd be political suicide for them to cull TRU, especially as Reeves & Haigh both represent Yorkshire seats (although I am aware that the Cabinet has to remain impartial on these matters).

Morley, Dewsbury, Mirfield (Spen Valley) and Slaithwaite and Marsden (Colne Valley) are all marginal constituencies that change hands fairly regulalry!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Morley, Dewsbury, Mirfield (Spen Valley) and Slaithwaite and Marsden (Colne Valley) are all marginal constituencies that change hands fairly regularly!

Correct. It won't get cancelled or curtailed.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Morley, Dewsbury, Mirfield (Spen Valley) and Slaithwaite and Marsden (Colne Valley) are all marginal constituencies that change hands fairly regulalry!

Sort of. The boundary changes from the recent general election have rather muddied the waters. Dewsbury is now part of Batley & Dewsbury, the old Dewsbury constituency included the rural hinterland to the south of Huddersfield- a key reason for it going Tory in 2015 and 2019. Those areas are now part of a new Ossett & Denby Dale seat. Spen Valley is a new constituency which includes parts of the former Dewsbury seat and a large part of the old Batley & Spen seat.
In 2024, all the seats concerned went to Labour apart from Batley & Dewsbury which went to an independent.

 

[snowball]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but, according to a post on another forum, bi-modes will start using the wires between Victoria and Stalybridge on Monday.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but, according to a post on another forum, bi-modes will start using the wires between Victoria and Stalybridge on Monday.

Definitely a major step forward if it turns out to be true.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Definitely a major step forward if it turns out to be true.

Welcome progress that its im not sure you can classify 9 miles as a major step forward - in the same time as this has taken BR had wired several hundred miles of the ECML. Anyhow is the first section of 25kV to go into commercial service in 2024?

 

[childwallblues]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but, according to a post on another forum, bi-modes will start using the wires between Victoria and Stalybridge on Monday.

That will be good news. Hopefully the December timetable will bring more electric units to the line.

 

[snowball]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but, according to a post on another forum, bi-modes will start using the wires between Victoria and Stalybridge on Monday.

Not clear whether this yet applies to 802s as I first assumed, but a video has been posted on Linkedin of a 769.

Ross Ashton ChPP on LinkedIn: To supplement my earlier post, a video for the enthusiasts... "After the…

To supplement my earlier post, a video for the enthusiasts... "After the recent years of project development, design and delivery, it is very exciting to see…

www.linkedin.com

 

[td97]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but, according to a post on another forum, bi-modes will start using the wires between Victoria and Stalybridge on Monday.

Are there any eyes at Manchester Victoria this morning? Perhaps @Geeves

Manchester Victoria should have had a spruce-up & rationalisation of stop car markers over the weekend. Additionally, the class 769 power changeover signs should have been updated to read "Class 769 power changeover diesel Newton Heath. Electric Stalybridge".

 

[Geeves]

Are there any eyes at Manchester Victoria this morning? Perhaps @Geeves

Manchester Victoria should have had a spruce-up & rationalisation of stop car markers over the weekend. Additionally, the class 769 power changeover signs should have been updated to read "Class 769 power changeover diesel Newton Heath. Electric Stalybridge".

Typically I am in France on the day the excitement is happening. I am looking forward to the updates myself haha.