More electrification announced...

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

... and same old stuff confirmed again

Pre Budget report text states:

...the Government will:
proceed with a ^1.1 billion rail electrification programme for the Great
Western Main Line and Liverpool to Manchester. A further announcement
on electrification will be made shortly, and the Government will also
continue to evaluate the case for electrification of the Midland Main Line
from London to Sheffield;

But what Darling actually said was:

"Work is now underway on Crossrail, the Thameslink project, and from
this month, the upgrade of the M1. All this work will continue.  So
will the rail electrification programmes for the Great Western Main
Line and the North West announced in July.

"I can tell the House today that I have also given the go-ahead to
further plans for rail electrification between Liverpool, Manchester
and Preston. The SoS for Transport will announce further details
shortly."

It looks as though that may allow for a more direct route for Manchester - Scotland trains, there have been some stories recently about electric stock being used for this as well as Manchester - Liverpool.

Paul

[grandsire]

It has been expected all the time that the Liverpool-Manchester electrification would allow the Manchester-Glasgow services to join the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) near Newton le Willows and so be electric all the way. However agree that todays announcement may mean Manchester-Preston is electrified via Chorley and LIverpool-Preston via St Helens.  Let us hope so.

[Lee]

Apparently, Darling may also have re-announced the DMUP vehicles that have been cancelled...
http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2009/12/darling-announces-200-earlier-vehicles.html

[John R]

The gradual infilling is to be welcomed. Blackpool should be next, and I believe informed thought is that Manchester to Stalybridge could also happen, as Liverpool services currently terminate there.

However..... Lord Adonis has admitted in a speech a couple of days ago that his government's policy on electrification has been a failure.  Because it took them 12 years in power to begin a rolling programme, which is not much good if you kick off such a programme just before you run a high risk of being booted out of office and the projects are all still at stages where they could be cancelled with minimal embarrassment or cost.

With Liverpool and Machester wired to Scotland, what is needed is a build of shorter (say 6 coaches) electric tilting stock to take over the existing Manchester route, introduce a Merseyside - Scotland route, and the Birmingham to Scotland services too. 100mph non tilting stock will utilise too many paths. That would also facilitate the release of a reasonable number of diesel units for cascade.

I won't happen though, unless the government exercises the existing option in the Pendolino lengthening contract to order a few more sets but chooses to reconfigure them into shorter sets. Now there's an idea! 

[paul7575]

Apparently, Darling may also have re-announced the DMUP vehicles that have been cancelled...
http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2009/12/darling-announces-200-earlier-vehicles.html

OTOH^▸ (On The Other Hand) I think Railwayeye have made an error.   (And not for the first time.) That quote is from the 2008 PBR that they are linking to, not the 2009 one, which doesn't appear to mention carriages anywhere that I can find.

Paul

[grandsire]

Blackpool North to Preston has  been announced by Govt today  as well as Liverpool-Preston (i.e. Huyton to Wigan) and Manchester-Euxton

[IndustryInsider]

Here's the link:

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/Content/Detail.aspx?ClientId=202&NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=409548&SubjectId=36

[Btline]

What about Manchester - Preston? (so the FTPE^» (First TransPennine Express - website) trains can continue to serve Bolton)

[paul7575]

What about Manchester - Preston? (so the FTPE^» (First TransPennine Express - website) trains can continue to serve Bolton)

Manchester to Euxton is what allows Manchester to Preston. Euxton Jn to Preston is already WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line)...

As it says in the link above:

The 25 mile route between Manchester and Euxton Junction, allowing electric trains to operate between Manchester and Preston, via Bolton

Anyone would think you never bothered reading official info... 

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

A further link which includes an interview with Lord Adonis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8411923.stm