A number of correspondents regularly send me photographs of the project and it seems a bit of a waste if I just email my thanks and then file them away, so with thanks to David Hull and Paul Gaskell (and there's a couple of my own as well), here's some pictures of the current state of affairs:
Looking west from Roby we can see the third track is near-complete, and on the right in the mid-distance, the new retaining wall for the wider embankment.
At Roby itself, all the woodwork of the platform canopy has been
removed, along with the props supporting it. The brackets remain.
Meanwhile, down below, excavation of the lift shafts is progressing well. Flooding has always been an issue at Roby, so I'm not surprised to see the sump full of water - I assume a drainage system will be provided.
Also at Roby, one or more new signals have been installed, bagged at this stage.
One stop further east, at Huyton, the lift buildings seem structurally complete. I hope they've cured the knotweed problem!
Small buildings have appeared on platform 2/3 and on platform 4, these are to be lift motor rooms according to the plans.
An example of the new Liverpool - Newcastle service whizzes through Huyton. A quick scan of the running data for the first day of this service showed many of the trains reaching their destination fifteen or more minutes late.
Further east, at Earlestown, the trackwork has been completed. Under the new arrangements trains using the west curve (At the left on this picture.) must use the former goods loop, connecting with the main line at the far end, at what is now called Sankey Junction.
Here's a shot taken at Bryn station on the 9th of May of the very first wires to be put up.
