Wigan-Bolton electrification. Construction updates only please

[Geeves]

I worked at Farnworth station many times I can vouch that inter-station travel on the line beyond that to Bolton and Manchester is virtually zero, I definitely didn't sell any tickets to Moses Gate or Kearsley so that opens the options to having other trains stopping at just one of the intermediate stations and the 6 car trains running none stop between Bolton and the Crescent if needs be.

 

[Greybeard33]

I have created a Speculative Ideas thread:

How should Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley and Clifton be served once Wigan to Bolton electrification is complete?

Has there been any information on how 6-car 323 (138m) formations are expected to serve Moses Gate (85m), Farnworth (100m), Kearsley (109/126m) and Clifton (95m)? Only the hourly Southport diesel service calls at those stations. Presently. There's the possibility/expectation of a timetable...

www.railforums.co.uk

...to avoid taking this thread further off the topic of construction updates.

 

[td97]

Further updates have been secured for Westhoughton station - a pod toilet, full resurfacing, repainting including yellow line, tactile paving, upgraded shelters & seating.

Following on from a meeting with ward councillor Cllr Martin Tighe, and the volunteer group Friends of Westhoughton Station, they have now secured further upgrades to the existing platform, including a full resurfacing, repainting, and inclusion of tactile paving for safety.

Initially work had only been agreed to extend the platforms and cut back large over-hanging trees.

Cllr Tighe said: “This is a major upgrade to Westhoughton Station bringing it into the wider electrification of the network plan and providing additional much needed shelter and seating to station.

Cllr Tighe also says that they are seeking to upgrade shelters and extra seating along platform one, and in phase two they are hoping to secure better inclusive access for wheelchairs and disabled passengers.

Cllr Tighe said: “At the moment, the station doesn’t have any real safety features other than a handrail to the road and platform.

“As well as tactile paving, this will include yellow lines on the platform edge and the platforms will be lengthened to allow bigger electric trains to pass through.

Full interview at https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/new...-train-station-undergoes-huge-transformation/

 

[snowball]

A two-sentence item in RAIL magazine #1002, p. 26, says a wrought-iron footbridge at Hindley dating to 1887 has been given listed status by English Heritage. It once spanned nine tracks.

No doubt here (link to Google satellite view):

Hindley

www.google.co.uk

 

[pokemonsuper9]

A two-sentence item in RAIL magazine #1002, p. 26, says a wrought-iron footbridge at Hindley dating to 1887 has been given listed status by English Heritage. It once spanned nine tracks.

That was discussed in December on another thread when the listing was announced.

Which single-span footbridge crosses the most tracks?

Heritage England have today picked out some of the most notable structures added to the national heritage list this year. Among them, listed Grade 2, is the footbridge dating from 1889 at Hindley, Greater Manchester, which was built to span 9 tracks (of which, from the picture they provided...

www.railforums.co.uk

I believe this bridge is the one that has to be raised 1m for these wires.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Oh good lord how much will that cost in redesign etc? Also delay.

 

[Gricer99]

Oh good lord how much will that cost in redesign etc? Also delay.

They knew about it at the start. I think a local applied to get it listed because he suspected Network Rail would just remove the right of access, although it is well known locally

 

[GRALISTAIR]

So the bridge in the distance - it looks closer of course because of zoom.

 

[GhostManDN91]

With the line via Westhoughton now closed for until next Monday, any ideas how much work will get done? I noticed alot more trees have been cut down lineside.

 

[snowball]

Press release

It mentions rebuilding a bridge but doesn't seem to say which one - or has that been mentioned upthread?

Passengers in the North West urged to check before they travel during February rail upgrades

Railway engineers are working around the clock to complete major improvements across the Wigan and Southport areas, including level crossing renewals, electrification work and signalling upgrades.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Railway engineers are working around the clock to complete major improvements across the Wigan and Southport areas, including level crossing renewals, electrification work and signalling upgrades.

The work is part of Network Rail’s Wigan to Bolton electrification scheme, which is set to improve travel across the North West by allowing greener, cleaner and quieter electric trains to run on the line.

Enabling work for the project involves rebuilding a bridge, upgrading railway drainage systems and preparing for the installation of new signals which will allow engineers to move forward with the £78m project, ensuring the track is ready for Northern’s longer, electric trains when they are introduced.

Other improvements across the region will see engineers renew three level crossings (Pool Hey, Wyke Cop, Chapel Lane), enhance Burscough Signal Box and upgrade a number of signals across Parbold, increasing the reliability of train services passing through the area while making it safer for local communities.

The improvement work means changes to train services between Wigan North Western, Ince, Hindley, Westhoughton, Lostock and Bolton:

A continuous closure until Sunday 18 February
Saturdays and Sundays in February
Sundays in March.

Phil James, North West route director for Network Rail, said: “We understand there is no ideal time to close the railway and want to thank passengers for bearing with us while we compete these major upgrades.

"The work is a vital part of our rail improvement plan across the North West which will not only help to improve the reliability of train services, but also take us one step closer to a greener, faster railway.

"I’d encourage anyone travelling to plan their journey ahead of time via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator."

Network Rail has worked closely with train operators to keep customers on the move via rail replacement buses and passengers are urged to plan their journeys at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Notes to Editors

The Wigan to Bolton Electrification Scheme is a £78m programme of investments which involves installing overhead line equipment, carrying 25,000 volts of electricity over the railway, and improving signalling between Wigan North Western station and Lostock Junction in Bolton.

This work will ensure the track is ready for Northern’s longer, electric trains when they are introduced along the route.

 

[jonesy3001]

The iron bridge or the one over M61 perhaps?
No mention of piling though.

 

[snowball]

The iron bridge or the one over M61 perhaps?
No mention of piling though.

The line goes under the M61 and I am sure the bridge will have enough headroom. Might need the parapets raised.

 

[Elecman]

The line goes under the M61 and I am sure the bridge will have enough headroom. Might need the parapets raised.

The parapets were raised a few years ago possibly as a mistake instead of doing the bridge on the Chorley line when it was electrified

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Travelling past Hindley this week I've noticed a lot of tree stumps that were once full trees.
Guess that's a decent part of what's going on at the weekends
Looks like the trees were shredded where they landed, the trackside is very orange with small pieces of tree.

 

[wrinkley]

The bridge deck beams and parapet walls for the section of Chulsey Gate bridge spanning the running lines have been erected this week. There are two more sections to do covering the area where the lines into the old sidings used to be. New drainage was also installed between Westhoughton station and the A6 bridge

 

[Foggycorner]

further to wrinkley's report the old bridge deck and also the support girders have been removed to enable new bridge to be installed
on a run out today to Wigan from Bolton I noticed that more mast base piles had been put in between westhoughton golf club and crow nest junction
I counted 33 on the Up side and 32 on the Down side so some more progress
extra pile bases have also gone in at Wigan station junction

 

[jonesy3001]

Did see a post on LinkedIn that one of the bridges has been done up near lostock jct but can't find the post now.

 

[td97]

Update from Kier

Between Saturday 10 and Friday 16 February, we had a team of over 100 people on each shift working at pace to deliver a challenging programme, which included the demolition and reconstruction of Chulsey Gate Bridge, installation of 230 metres of track drainage, 74 overhead line electrification foundations, as well as route-wide devegetation and brickwork to Masons Bridge.

Kier Transportation on LinkedIn: #infrastructure #rail #transport

This weekend saw us successfully hand back possession of the key North West rail route between Wigan and Bolton after seven full days of engineering works on…

www.linkedin.com

Nice to see the COSS enjoying a vape, doubt that was in the task brief sheet.

 

[jonesy3001]

Update from Kier

Kier Transportation on LinkedIn: #infrastructure #rail #transport

This weekend saw us successfully hand back possession of the key North West rail route between Wigan and Bolton after seven full days of engineering works on…

www.linkedin.com

Nice to see the COSS enjoying a vape, doubt that was in the task brief sheet.

That's the post I saw on LinkedIn.

 

[Gricer99]

The Iron Bridge at Hindley will be closed to pedestrians later this week

 

[Springs Branch]

Is something happening at Ince station at the end of April?

The pdf timetable for the Manchester - Wigan line on Northern's website seems to show all trains which would normally call at Ince skipping that station from Mon. 22 April onwards. See notes X and Y in the attached ...

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/s...s/N14/2023-12-10-to-2024-06-01-1698753245.pdf

That seems to suggest Ince will be closed (presumably for electrification work - maybe on Ince Green Lane bridge??)

However, I can't easily find a reference to station closure on any of Northern's website, the Network Rail electrification project page, or even on Wigan Council's upcoming roadworks & closures website.

Northern's journey planner will happily give me itineraries and sell me tickets for travel in either direction to & from Ince on random dates in early May.

Is the pdf wrong?
Or is there some hidden surprise coming up (nasty surprise, because I was planning to use Ince a few times during May!)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Is something happening at Ince station at the end of April?

The pdf timetable for the Manchester - Wigan line on Northern's website seems to show all trains which would normally call at Ince skipping that station from Mon. 22 April onwards. See notes X and Y in the attached ...

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/s...s/N14/2023-12-10-to-2024-06-01-1698753245.pdf

That seems to suggest Ince will be closed (presumably for electrification work - maybe on Ince Green Lane bridge??)

However, I can't easily find a reference to station closure on any of Northern's website, the Network Rail electrification project page, or even on Wigan Council's upcoming roadworks & closures website.

Northern's journey planner will happily give me itineraries and sell me tickets for travel in either direction to & from Ince on random dates in early May.

Is the pdf wrong?
Or is there some hidden surprise coming up (nasty surprise, because I was planning to use Ince a few times during May!)

And nothing's (yet) different on RTT.
I would've thought if something's planned early enough to be on the paper (or PDF) timetable it'd be in the data too
Guess we'll have to see closer to the time if anything happens.

 

[CAF397]

The Iron Bridge at Hindley will be closed to pedestrians later this week

Is it an emergency if it's a planned closure? Should the closure not have been planned several months prior?

 

[td97]

That seems to suggest Ince will be closed (presumably for electrification work - maybe on Ince Green Lane bridge??)

Platform extension is the most likely reason

 

[Springs Branch]

And nothing's (yet) different on RTT.
I would've thought if something's planned early enough to be on the paper (or PDF) timetable it'd be in the data too

Platform extension is the most likely reason

Do I remember correctly that when Hindley station closed for the bridge reconstruction there, didn't trains continue to physically stop but doors weren't released, so no-one could alight?

If / when Ince is closed, maybe same will apply on the 1 tph booked to call there (usually the Leeds/Wallgates)?
So the electronic data will still be timed for a stop - which is unfortunately carried over into RTT and on-line journey planners.

Given that PDF was effective from 10 December 2023, you'd think any planned station closure would have been flagged to the public at least somewhere by now (but we are talking about Northern here!)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Do I remember correctly that when Hindley station closed for the bridge reconstruction there, didn't trains continue to physically stop but doors weren't released, so no-one could alight?

Booked to stop (not in public timetable, in WTT) but did not actually stop, trains passed at line speed.

If / when Ince is closed, maybe same will apply on the 1 tph booked to call there (usually the Leeds/Wallgates)?
So the electronic data will still be timed for a stop - which is unfortunately carried over into RTT and on-line journey planners.

RTT would show that it is not publicly shown to stop if that was the case, and other sources would then completely ignore the stop.

Given that PDF was effective from 10 December 2023, you'd think any planned station closure would have been flagged to the public at least somewhere by now (but we are talking about Northern here!)

It's concerning that a few lines of text on a pdf (or paper copy) is the only indication at all of a closure, Hindley's closure was well advertised.

 

[507020]

Do I remember correctly that when Hindley station closed for the bridge reconstruction there, didn't trains continue to physically stop but doors weren't released, so no-one could alight?

If / when Ince is closed, maybe same will apply on the 1 tph booked to call there

No, but when Hindley was closed, many trains made additional calls at Ince. Obviously, when Ince is closed but Hindley is open, no trains will be making additional calls at Hindley.

On a semi-related note, I made 2 unusual visits to Westhoughton recently, first on 17 February, the first day of the line’s reopening when it saw 3tph with Wigan - Leeds services diverted via and calling at Westhoughton and Bolton, but Southport - Oxford Road services not running.

At this time, platform extension work had not yet commenced with the station untouched from previously and more work visible at Hindley. Then again, by 26 February, in better weather, the disused sections of platforms beyond the 4 car stop marker had been cleared, as can be seen in the picture.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Just seen an update from SPL Powerlines on LinkedIn:

SPL POWERLINES UK on LinkedIn: #electrification #ole #electrification

Wigan to Bolton #electrification - Hindley Compound #ole #electrification

www.linkedin.com

Hindley Compound- Wigan to Bolton Electrification scheme. The first pieces of OLE have now been delivered to the access points. The team have worked tirelessly to get to this point alongside Kier Group and Network Rail- Great team effort another milestone passed

As they comment, a great milestone. Steelwork being delivered is really great news.

 

[jonesy3001]

This tweet is from guard amos on twitter showing the stanchions going up next to the iron bridge near hindley station.
Credit to Phil.

https://twitter.com/Guard_Amos/status/1767188712767508723?t=9PC6LsMMVo8gGyrC86dTSg&s=19

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Excellent news. Really pleasing progress.