The rumour mill was correct, as usual.
Network Rail yesterday announced that due to "exceptionally poor ground conditions", the tunelling work at Farnworth will not be completed on schedule on the 5th October.
Tunnel boring machine "Fillie" has found a number of areas of loose sand which run into the tunnel leaving large voids which need to be filled.
Engineers are now injecting resin ahead of the boring machine to stabilise loose ground.
Resumption of normal train service could be delayed until December. Until then, the current single line operation will continue.
Meanwhile, on the rest of the electrification project, we still haven't heard who will replace Balfour Beatty as contractor. Modern Railways suggests Carillon and/or Volker Rail.
