Progress Report

I took a trip to Manchester yesterday to see how things are moving along.  Here's a brief summary:

Between Huyton and Earlestown, mast bases are progressing well, but there's loads more still to do.

At Earlestown, the track work is still only half completed.  The crossover leading from the down line into the loop at Earlestown West Junction remains disconnected, and a number of the new signals are bagged.

Some work is under way near Astley, and I could see some catenary support arms lying on the ground.  Perhaps the section switching point which Modern Railways said was being omitted to save time, is now being inserted?

I headed up to Bolton, as expected there were no signs of work, and then on toward Wigan on the recently added "Phase Six" route.  I'll be putting pictures and details of this line on the Routes In Detail pages soon.

At Wigan I walked to North Western to get a train back to Manchester, and I was pleased to find it was one of the new electric units.

350402 was soon whizzing me southwards, until about a mile north of Golborne Junction, where we stopped abruptly with what seemed to be a TPWS trip.  After ten  minutes delay blocking the WCML and a conflab between the driver and some other TPE staff on board, we were on our way once more, completing the run to Piccadilly without further problems.

Next, I went to Stalybridge for a pint in the famous Buffet Bar, and to check out "Phase Five".  Again, pictures and details will be on the web site soon.  Bridge raising work is under way at Ashton-under-Lyne.

Finally I took a look around the building site which used to be Manchester Victoria.  The track has been lowered under the road bridge at the east end of the station, and a number of catenary support structures have been attached to the roof. 

Between Victoria and Ordsall Lane Junction lots of mast bases are in place and some masts and portal structures are up, more towards the Ordsall Lane end.

Electric Passenger Services!

Yesterday, 30 December, 350401 and 350403 operated the 07:15 Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow and the 11.09 Glasgow - Manchester Piccadilly, marking the first run in normal passenger use.

350403 working alone did the honours today.

Phase Six

The DfT today announced that Wigan North Western to Bolton (Strictly Wigan Station Junction to Lostock Junction) will be electrified, with completion targeted for 2017.

A task force has been set up to consider "where next" for electrification in Northern England.  They  have a list of routes to examine:

• Leeds-Harrogate-York
• Selby-Hull
• Sheffield-Leeds
• Sheffield-Doncaster
• East Coast main line-Middlesbrough
• Sheffield-Manchester
• Warrington-Chester
• Crewe-Chester.

Phase One - At Last!

5T91 23:09 Ardwick Traction Maintenance Depot to Wigan North Western has just passed along the phase one route from Castlefield Junction to Lowton Junction, running about 15 minutes early.  This train is booked to be a Class 350 EMU.

I'm hoping someone was out to see it to confirm it was electric, but I think this is probably the trial run we have been waiting for.

Two further runs are booked tonight:
5X90 23:51 Wigan North Western to Manchester Oxford Road
5X91 00:33 Manchester Oxford Road to Preston Carriage Sidings

UPDATE: It has been confirmed that this was a 350.  And here it is at Eccles - Picture courtesy of Network Rail:

An "invited guests" run is scheduled for Thursday daytime.

Phase One Nearly There?

A two page article in December's Modern Railways is highly critical of the work on Phase One, describing it as a débâcle.  They include pictures of missing, loose and disconnected droppers, as I mentioned on my 8th November blog entry.

Modern Railways goes on to say that the latest plan is to open the line to electric traction tomorrow (23 November) with Pendolino test trains scheduled for that day and the 25th.  At the time of typing I can see nothing in the VSTP feed for these.

Other sources report that test coach Mentor ran up and down the line on Wednesday, suggesting things may indeed be ready for this weekend.

Another point made by MR is that Ordsall Lane Junction to Newton-le-Willows has been commissioned as one electrical section because the section switches were not ready in time.  They describe this short cut as a disaster waiting to happen.  Presumably further works will be required to incorporate the switches later.

Update 23 November:
A correspondent reports that this morning at Parkside Junction, temporary earth wires were still present, and "some cables are loosely coiled up over some of the gantries".  Doesn't look promising!