Transpennine Upgrade : Manchester/Leeds

[62613]

I thought that that had already been looked into. At any rate I'm sure I remember reading something about remodelling at Marsden, although it could've just been  "these are the awkward points" without putting forward any definite solutions. And might've just been some random chat rather than anything official.

As part of the original Northern Hub scheme, it was proposed to reopen the two single-line Stanedge Tunnels, but that didn't survive into the final document.

[ColinK]

I knew TPE were intending ordering new units now they have retained the franchise. Have they placed the order yet?

[The Stationmaster]

Boris has now proposed a parallel road tunnel now he only has a couple of months left in the job!

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/04/boris-johnson-london-road-tunnels-congestion-air-quality

 

I assume he has forgotten about the proposal he made about 2 years ago!

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/mayor-sets-out-plan-for-22-mile-ring-road-tunnel-under-london-9354896.html

Regards

 

I thought that was the purpose of the M25?  Trouble is you build a road and it fills up fairly quickly - without doing much to relieve the congestion it was meant to relieve in the first place.

[peanuts]

Steering clear of politics, I don't think that the country can afford for the "Northern Powerhouse" to be just a "lot of hot air". Unless the whole economy of the North can be improved, too much pressure is put on London and the South East where living conditions are getting fairly awful e.g. all those back gardens sheds in Newham being used as "bijou" studio flats. But the Pennines are a big physical obstruction and it is probably more realistic to accept that there will be two Northern economic hubs.

 

Electrification of the main Transpennine route (Standedge) really should not be that difficult given that much of it is a four-track route with currently only two tracks. Some parts where the trackbed for the second pair of tracks may need some lavish expenditure to get that facility back again.

the section between stalybridge and diggle would be near impossible to re instate to four track as the Micklehurst loop track bed has been all but obliterated by conversion to  a linea park the tunnels at ryfields and the royal george have been filled the long viaducts at greenfield millbrook and stalybridge have been demolished and there is the small matter of a swimming pool and sports center on the site of uppermill station & a large factory at micklehurst  ! a shame as it was a route with less severe curves and gradients so would of been ripe for  a line speed increase 

[peanuts]

recieved a letter over the weekend stating the planned lift of heavy equipment for the electricity feeder station to be constucted at the site of the former Heyrod power station has been cancelled no reasons given so the diruption to local roads will no longer be taking place . the heavy tree clearing etc in the area that has been ongoing for some time now makes sence 

[PenrithBeacon]

recieved a letter over the weekend stating the planned lift of heavy equipment for the electricity feeder station to be constucted at the site of the former Heyrod power station has been cancelled no reasons given so the diruption to local roads will no longer be taking place . the heavy tree clearing etc in the area that has been ongoing for some time now makes sence

Please use capitation and take a look at your grammar. Your posts are very informative but difficult to read.

 

Regards

[Argos]

Capitation - is a payment arrangement for health care service providers such as physicians or nurse practitioners. It pays a physician or group of physicians a set amount for each enrolled person assigned to them, per period of time, whether or not that person seeks care.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2016 by Argos

[The Stationmaster]

Capitation - is a payment arrangement for health care service providers such as physicians or nurse practitioners. It pays a physician or group of physicians a set amount for each enrolled person assigned to them, per period of time, whether or not that person seeks care.

 

 

 

So it's not at all like capitalisation then   

[eastwestdivide]

A fine example of Muphry's law in acton.

[peanuts]

recieved a letter over the weekend stating the planned lift of heavy equipment for the electricity feeder station to be constucted at the site of the former Heyrod power station has been cancelled no reasons given so the diruption to local roads will no longer be taking place . the heavy tree clearing etc in the area that has been ongoing for some time now makes sence 

now to take place this weekend with road closures on springbank lane and grove road all weekend 13-16th plus rolling closures of approach roads as heavy equipment is brought to site through stalybridge and millbrook .expect the turn into grove road to be difficult for the drivers 

[SHMD]

Roads closed for 2 weeks on the road side signs.

 

There is plenty of 'swing room' for the driver(s) at the junction of Huddersfield road and Grove Road. Although the gradients,cant and angles could make life interesting!

At this time, I would expect delays on this busy road too.

 

I will try to take some photos of the SGT (Super Grid Transformer) being delivered.

 

 

Kev.

[jamie92208]

Roads closed for 2 weeks on the road side signs.

 

There is plenty of 'swing room' for the driver(s) at the junction of Huddersfield road and Grove Road. Although the gradients,cant and angles could make life interesting!

At this time, I would expect delays on this busy road too.

 

I will try to take some photos of the SGT (Super Grid Transformer) being delivered.

 

 

Kev.

 

Having had to help guide a low loader with a tram on it recently they have amazing turning capability with built in steering on the rear wheels. One of ours did a 3 point turn in what seemed like less space than many inhabitants of Morley in their cars.

 

Jamie

Edited May 13, 2016 by jamie92208

[peanuts]

Roads closed for 2 weeks on the road side signs.

 

There is plenty of 'swing room' for the driver(s) at the junction of Huddersfield road and Grove Road. Although the gradients,cant and angles could make life interesting!

At this time, I would expect delays on this busy road too.

 

I will try to take some photos of the SGT (Super Grid Transformer) being delivered.

 

 

Kev.

gonna try and do the same in between using the old power station for a different style of modeling 

[SHMD]

At the beginning of the year, extensive tree pruning along Printworks road was going on.

This was at the time that they had just announced a suspension in the Trans Pennine Electrification scheme. Work continued apace in the sub station where the proposed connection to the Grid was to take place though.

 

Some things can not be switched on or off at a politicians whim!

 

 

A few weeks ago I received this letter from the nationalgrid:-

The dates were soon put back.

 

A week, or so ago, this was put up along Grove Rd at the site of the former SHMD (and later CEGB) Power Station at Heyrod.

 

So, after arriving home late last night, I went and made a quick 'reccy' of Grove Rd.

 

This is the smaller of the too bridge reinforcing's that the Super Grid Transformers - SGT - will have to traverse, (as well as several 90 degree corners).

This does not look like a bridge but under the road a culvert was diverted, off the River Tame, and went right through the centre of the former Power Station. This was used for cooling water.

 

But the main obstacle is the two span bridge over the River Tame. (With a smaller - taller - hump backed bridge over the Huddersfield Narrow canal just beyond.

Each Span has been reinforced and a further 'spreader' was placed on top of those two in a sort of pyramid.

 

When they were re-opening the canal, it was a condition that this canal bridge be designed to take the weight of SGTs. The Bridge over the River Tame was not! Despite it being designed to carry the then CEGB cables under the footpath.

 

This is the same bridge but from the other side looking east. This is the direction that the loads will be heading.

The footpath was separated from the road by the barrier. This was to stop any heavy trucks from going along the footpath, which at the time, the cable conduit was only covered by flags.

 

 

Kev.

[SHMD]

This morning I was woken up alerted to the fact that items were being delivered along Grove Rd, so I rushed down to the river with a brew and only just remembering the Phone with its camera!

(Hills are steep here and I would have missed all the excitement!)

 

So I had missed the first lorry and I only just caught second after it had already traversed the canal and river. So, only a few sharp bends, the culvert and the trees to negotiate before arriving at the sub station along Printworks Rd less than 1 mile away.

 

 

A good view of all the rear axels turning here.

 

This thing is a "Reactor"!

No, not a chemical reactor and certainly not a nuclear reactor. No, it reacts to short lived dips in the voltage - the opposite of spikes if you will.

(Oh, and it's way too small to be the SGT!)

 

 

The tractor unit climbs the ramps onto the load spreader.

 

 

In this view you can see the quite large range of travel each of the axles can move up and down by to even the load.

 

In this last view, the reactor is seen leaving the end of Grove Rd and is turning onto Printworks Rd for the final minutes of its journey from Redditch.

They had set off at 5:00am and had arrived here by 7:30 ish. Not bad at all.

 

 

Kev.

[SHMD]

Here the reactor heads off down Printworks Rd. Just beyond this position the reactor clipped a tree and brought it down!

I am pretty sure that this is the FIRST EVER VEHICLE to obey the roads speed limit!

 

It's a testament to the fact that this project is so well managed because tree surgeons were on site since 7am to cover just this eventuality.

 

That bank, to the left, is the main Manchester to Leeds railway line.

In the distance you can just see the end of Printworks road where it joins Grove Rd (to the right) or Springbank Ln (to the left).

 

Spring bank Lane not only climbs this railway bank but also climbs up higher to go over the railway!

This is a thin winding steep lane - not for the feint hearted - but being used increasingly as a rat-run.

(Every so often, a truck gets stuck on it after their SatNav thought it would be a good route to take!)

 

 

Kev.

 

[peanuts]

thanks shmd didnt know there was a culvert there but do know the whole site is riddled with them plus tunnels for the ends of the conveyor and conduits for the cables is spring bank lane closed off at the top or can you " park " in it ?

 

 hoping to get in the buildings again to do some more of these 

 

 

[flapland]

This morning I was woken up alerted to the fact that items were being delivered along Grove Rd, so I rushed down to the river with a brew and only just remembering the Phone with its camera!

(Hills are steep here and I would have missed all the excitement!)

 

So I had missed the first lorry and I only just caught second after it had already traversed the canal and river. So, only a few sharp bends, the culvert and the trees to negotiate before arriving at the sub station along Printworks Rd less than 1 mile away.

20a.jpg

 

21a.jpg

 

A good view of all the rear axels turning here.

22a.jpg

 

24a.jpg

This thing is a "Reactor"!

No, not a chemical reactor and certainly not a nuclear reactor. No, it reacts to short lived dips in the voltage - the opposite of spikes if you will.

(Oh, and it's way too small to be the SGT!)

 

25a.jpg

 

The tractor unit climbs the ramps onto the load spreader.

26a.jpg

 

27a.jpg

 

In this view you can see the quite large range of travel each of the axles can move up and down by to even the load.

28a.jpg

 

In this last view, the reactor is seen leaving the end of Grove Rd and is turning onto Printworks Rd for the final minutes of its journey from Redditch.

They had set off at 5:00am and had arrived here by 7:30 ish. Not bad at all.

29a.jpg

 

 

Kev.

 

I assume this had come from Ferranti's not far down the road at Hollingwood, Chadderton.  

 

Sadly I know this isn't the case although my Mum did work there over 50 years ago before I came along. Whats is interesting of course this transformer went down Printworks road and the former transformer works is now a printsworks.  

[jamie92208]

Thanks for posting those Kev.  It's good to see some progress on the Trans Pennine route even if initially this will only allow the Victoria to Stalybridge service to be wired.   I look forward to more updates.

 

Jamie

[SHMD]

thanks shmd didnt know there was a culvert there but do know the whole site is riddled with them plus tunnels for the ends of the conveyor and conduits for the cables is spring bank lane closed off at the top or can you " park " in it ?

 

 hoping to get in the buildings again to do some more of these 

 

 

 

Hi Peanuts,

 

The first two look like the inside of the former canteen block by the old main gate at the bottom of Spring Bank Lane.

The third one looks like it was taken in the switch gear building that backs onto Spring Bank Lane.

 

Did you ever plonk a model on top of a rusted burnt out car just inside the main gate?

 

 

Kev.

[peanuts]

Correct two in the canteen one in the switch room love shooting down there as it's so versatile along with the lnwr warehouse the river and the canal gives me loads of locations to shoot and all at the bottom of my garden ! Shame I can't share more but would get a ban and cause a few heart attacks lol

[SHMD]

I assume this had come from Ferranti's not far down the road at Hollingwood, Chadderton.  

 

Sadly I know this isn't the case although my Mum did work there over 50 years ago before I came along. Whats is interesting of course this transformer went down Printworks road and the former transformer works is now a printsworks.  

 

Printworks road was so named after a Print Works that used to be at the southern end of the road.

However, the Print Works ceased to be more than a hundred years ago.

The sub stations have always been there since first installed and have not changed use.

 

 

Here is a map to show the SGTs intended route, obstacles and final destination.

 

 

 

Kev.

[SHMD]

I took this lot a few minutes later with the next load.

 

Can you see the Problem?

 

 

When the Tractor unit mounted the reinforcement the drive wheels, with all that torque, flung out the rear ramp!

I took this photo after I had completed the "funky chicken", in front of the Driver, to alert him to the problem.

(I think he was aware of something but I was not to know that!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The job was stopped until the cavalry arrived.

A simple strap attached the ramp to the trailer and the whole lot inched forward slowly.

 

 

Safely on the other side and the Driver does another check before heading off past the former canteen block of the Power Station

(During this time there was an infrequent but steady stream of car drivers showing up to demon straight their various attempts at U and 3 6-point turns. Yes - they had already passed the road closed signs up by the main road.)

 

In the distance the last of the loads has arrived.

Even the horse seemed interested!

 

To the left is the nationgrid site and on the right, of Printworks Rd, is the site for NationRails connection to the Manchester Leeds line.

 

 

Kev.

[peanuts]

ta kev so springbank road continues to show the usual flock of numpty drivers for what they are .the amount of near headons ive had at the bottom of there with idiots flying around the corner heading up hill is unbelievable even had one silly bint in her chelsea tractor weanting me and three other cars coming down the hill to reverse  all the way back to the top back to let her through !

god only knows what it will be like when the control rooms are developed for nine "executive " houses and the old goods yard has 160+ barrets rabbit hutches thrown up will be mayhem down there !

 

 and thanks for the info on the printworks never knew that 

[62613]

Don't suppose you saw how the vehicles went on over the speed bumps (and potholes!) on Printworks Road?