First Stage Completed

Network Rail are trumpeting the completion of the first stage of the Electrification project: £3 million has been spent on rebuilding three bridges between Eccles and Patricroft, ready for the installation of overhead wires "next year".

Bridge In Place at Buckshaw

In the early hours of this morning a crane lifted into place the pedestrian bridge for the new Buckshaw Parkway station. The station is expected to open in the Autumn.

Scotland Train Order Delayed

An order for new Siemens Desiro emus of class 350/2 to operate the Manchester to Scotland service from December 2013, running on the first part of the electrification project to be completed, from Manchester to Newton, has been delayed. It is hoped that DfT approval for the trains will be granted in September.

"New" Trains Running Late

Today Rail Minister Theresa Villiers announced details of the new trains to be built by Siemens for the Thameslink line in London. The first of these is scheduled to arrive in 2015. Some of the displaced Class 319 trains are to move to the Northwest.

So, the lines from Liverpool to Manchester and Wigan are scheduled to be electrified by 2014, but the electric trains won't arrive until a year later?

New Liverpool South Parkway to Blackpool Service

From May 23 the existing Liverpool - Blackpool North service was extended in off-peak daytime hours to and from Liverpool South Parkway. This does not require any additional stock, as the trains previously stood for 55 minutes at Lime Street.