Wigan-Bolton electrification. Construction updates only please

[td97]

I hope the £78m includes contingency for overrunning engineering works...

Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria all lines are closed.
How does it affect your service:
Train services running through these stations will be cancelled or diverted. Hindley, Ince, Daisy Hill, Hag Fold, Atherton, Walkden, Moorside, Swinton and Westhoughton will not be served. Disruption is expected until 08:30 07/02.
Our advice to our customers:
Network Rail have advised that planned overnight improvement works taking place between Daisy Hill and Hindley have overrun and will impact train services from the start of service on Tuesday 7th February.
As a result the following routes will be closed the line is not expected to reopen until 08:30
Effect on service:
Wigan Wallgate/North Western to Manchester Victoria via Bolton
Wigan Wallgate/North Western to Manchester Victoria via Atherton.
Some services will divert between Wigan North Western and Manchester Victoria, running direct and not calling at any stations.
Train services between Wigan Wallgate and Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate and Southport may also be affected as these would normally use the affected portion of the line earlier in their journeys.
Rail Replacement:
To assist customers to complete their journey, road transport has been requested to run between Wigan Wallgate and Salford Crescent
A further message will be sent once the operators are confirmed and we have an estimated time for presentation of the replacement vehicles.
Other places to get more information:
For customers on station platforms,please listen for announcements or consult Customer Information Screens for up-to-date train running information.
For live real time journey updates on board your train please visit journeycheck.com/northern or tweet our team @northernassist.@northernassist.

 

[59CosG95]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but here's a Wigan Borough Council link to the proposed footbridge works at WBS2/24 (Deep Pit Footbridge, the footbridge west of Hindley station): https://planning.wigan.gov.uk/onlin...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ROQ94BRR00100

The footbridge itself will remain, but will be jacked up by approx 1075mm. Stairs either side will be reconstructed.

 

[Geeves]

Things are just about getting back to normal now, pheew

 

[zwk500]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but here's a Wigan Borough Council link to the proposed footbridge works at WBS2/24 (Deep Pit Footbridge, the footbridge west of Hindley station): https://planning.wigan.gov.uk/onlin...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ROQ94BRR00100

The footbridge itself will remain, but will be jacked up by approx 1075mm. Stairs either side will be reconstructed.

This is rather a large uplift! Shows that even relatively small electrification jobs in this country are up against it.

 

[59CosG95]

This is rather a large uplift! Shows that even relatively small electrification jobs in this country are up against it.

Indeed they are!

Further planning applications, this time from Bolton Council's site, are shown below:

• LCN/06 - Chulsey Gate O/B - 14973/22: https://paplanning.bolton.gov.uk/on...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RL2Y0NDE01200
• LCN/07 - Chew Moor Lane O/B - 10976/21 (completed IIRC): https://paplanning.bolton.gov.uk/on...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=ZZZPCXDEPM147
• LCN/08 - Manchester Rd (A6) O/B - 15138/22: https://paplanning.bolton.gov.uk/on...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RMMMK5DE04000
• LCN/13 - Masons O/B (access to Golf club) - 14658/22: https://paplanning.bolton.gov.uk/on...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RIKPIZDE04000
• LCN/17 - Jack's Lane O/B - 14598/22 (currently being rebuilt): https://paplanning.bolton.gov.uk/on...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RI58V1DE04000

 

[snowball]

And yet #156 says

The great news was made public in "Modern Railways" April 2022 pp26-27 which stated that following vigorous review "...only one bridge will require reconstruction for electrical clearance. Two more will need to be reconstructed because of condition. At a stroke this has reduced the cost to under £15 million."

Maybe this was not counting ones which only require raising of parapets?

 

[Bald Rick]

And yet #156 says



Maybe this was not counting ones which only require raising of parapets?

Parapet raising is minor works, and certainly doesn’t fall under the definition of reconstruction.

 

[Meerkat]

I assume parapet raising still needs some kind of block???

 

[59CosG95]

I assume parapet raising still needs some kind of block???

Of the line? Perhaps not - depends on how the parapets are raised. If the copers can be affixed in such a way that doesn't require a crane, then no.

Whether or not any of these works require a line block, they do still need planning permission if on non-NR land.

 

[Bald Rick]

I assume parapet raising still needs some kind of block???

Generally it does, but they can be done in short blocks overnight, or under cover of any other block.

 

[Meerkat]

Generally it does, but they can be done in short blocks overnight, or under cover of any other block.

I did assume that drivers wouldnt be too keen on whizzing underneath brickies throwing bricks about!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Generally it does, but they can be done in short blocks overnight, or under cover of any other block.

Line past Hindley is closed every Sunday for the rest of the month (Atherton line also closed Saturdays but that's not part of electrification)

 

[Foggycorner]

Went past on train to Wigan yesterday and noted golf club bridge now has new concrete abutment tops with bridge side walls and deck beams all in place
Jack lane bridge has all but deck beams in place, which were unloaded from the train and at the side of the track

 

[wrinkley]

Looking at work already done and work with planning approvals in place, at least five bridges are to be or have been totally rebuilt, Chulsey Gate, bridge 7 near the M61, the golf course, Jacks Lane, and Hindley station. Were these taken into account when NR announced the cost savings which included only three rebuilds, if not, how will this affect the costs?

 

[snowball]

Press release.

(Is this the first one to admit that the frequently-quoted figure of 13 miles is the track mileage, so the route mileage is just half that?)

Hindley station next up for Wigan to Bolton electrification project

Rail passengers and road users at Hindley in Greater Manchester are being advised of the next phase of major work to electrify the railway between Wigan and Bolton.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Rail passengers and road users at Hindley in Greater Manchester are being advised of the next phase of major work to electrify the railway between Wigan and Bolton.

Network Rail is progressing with a £78m investment to upgrade the 6.5-mile stretch of railway* to enable electric trains to serve the key North West towns in the future.

In preparation for the installation of high-voltage overhead electricity cables, alterations need to be made to 17 railway structures.

Next up is Ladies Lane bridge which will be replaced between Monday 13 March and Friday 14 July 2023 when the road will need to close**.

During those dates Hindley station will also be shut so its platforms can be extended to increase capacity for passengers.

While work like this is carefully planned to cause the least possible disruption to rail passengers, a six-day railway closure will also be needed between Saturday 6 and Friday 12 May.

During that time replacement buses will keep people on the move between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock.

People planning rail travel between Wigan and Bolton between those dates are being advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk in advance and to allow extra time for their journeys.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I know Roger Ford wrote an article that said the cost has come down considerably, but that is an eye watering cost per route mile for this project.

 

[CdBrux]

It seems to me that the project might better be described as a route upgrade than electrification, although it would be interesting to know how much is purely electrification costs, including necessary bridge rebuilds, how much that could be reduced by a long blockade (as Blackpool) and what the alternative of batteries would have cost in terms capex & operational

 

[zwk500]

I know Roger Ford wrote an article that said the cost has come down considerably, but that is an eye watering cost per route mile for this project.

tbf A structure nearly every half mile isn't an easy situation to keep the costs down.

 

[snowball]

I know Roger Ford wrote an article that said the cost has come down considerably, but that is an eye watering cost per route mile for this project.

The claim he made there about reduction in bridgeworks seems somewhat contradicted by subsequent events. See #275, #276, #284.

 

[WAO]

I imagine that the £78M quoted is the original estimate, that would still be current in the PR Department's files. It is c£3.9M/stkm, not out of line with other UK schemes (though 2xEuropean comparisons). Equally Ford's quoted reduction will be from "inside sources" so may be equally true.

Let's not fret yet.

WAO

 

[snowball]

Equally Ford's quoted reduction will be from "inside sources" so may be equally true.

Let's not fret yet.

WAO

His statement "...only one bridge will require reconstruction for electrical clearance. Two more will need to be reconstructed because of condition" appears to have been contradicted already - see #284.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

tbf A structure nearly every half mile isn't an easy situation to keep the costs down.

Trust me , I do understand. Also, it is in an old mining area so one would assume a fair wack of contingency has been factored into that cost.

 

[Elecman]

Trust me , do understand. Also, it is in an old mining area so one would assume a fair wack of contingency has been factored into that cost.

Yes if they learnt the lessons from Manchester - Euxton electrification

 

[Gricer99]

Just over a week to go until the disruption starts. Five or seven mile detours and gridlock on those roads awaits the locals.

 

[WatcherZero]

Ive just been watching the regular GMCA transport meeting 3rd March, NR given an update and answering questions.

Weekend closure handback overran by 3 hours.
NR has agreed to Wigan Councils request to widen the pavements on the Hindley bridge rebuild to 1.25m.
NR has admitted poor communication over bus replacement service, TfGM did look at running the replacement bus to Wigan rather than the circular but said it could take upto 30 minutes through Ince in heavy traffic, councillors pointing out a lot of people just get the train into Wigan and so would have to travel on bus to then catch train rather than having a direct bus (the regular Wigan-Hindley bus routes dont go near the rail station and some commuters will be stranded on the opposite side of the closed bridge).
Extra station calls by trains will be added for Daisy Hill during the works and theyve agreed to look again at the balance of rail services between the lines calling at the bus replacement stations.
NR representative says looking at the schedule of works they dont know how the engineers ended up requiring the lengthy station closure period.

More general note, overtime ban affecting NR enhancement works, they are having engineering teams alternate a week on maintenance and a week on enhancements to try and minimise delays to projects.

 

[Gricer99]

Thanks for thos info. Shared it on local Facebook sites.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Extra station calls by trains will be added for Daisy Hill during the works

How do they plan to do that then?
The Atherton line already has half-hourly service each way which all already stop at Daisy Hill (and losing that perfect half hourly would not be nice)
Although I definitely wouldn't object to the line getting more trains.
Mod (requested) Note: Thread split to https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/temporary-timetable-during-wigan-bolton-electrification.244383/

Also is there any idea if a Temporary Speed Restriction will be in place past Hindey, what's it like for other similar work sites in the past?

 

[WatcherZero]

Edit: Thought I was sleep deprived and it was Ince rather than Daisy Hill but went back and watched again and Northern does def say Daisy Hill.
43:30 in the video.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - working together to improve the lives of people in Greater Manchester - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan

democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

 

[Gricer99]

Realtime Trains has it as an Unadvertised stop at Hindley throughout, probably to keep to the existing timetable. I assume that means they stop but don't open the doors?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Edit: Thought I was sleep deprived and it was Ince rather than Daisy Hill but went back and watched again and Northern does def say Daisy Hill.
43:30 in the video.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - working together to improve the lives of people in Greater Manchester - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan

democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Talks about the works in question here from 40:55 - 47:00
43:30 - Exact quote: "We are inserting additional calls in trains that would normally not call at Daisy Hill, so Daisy Hill will see a more frequent service" (I'm gonna discuss this further here to avoid dragging us off topic again)