Better rail journeys arriving in 2018 - The Great North Rail Project between Preston and Blackpool - Community Rail Lancashire

Better rail journeys
          arriving in 2018
     The Great North Rail Project
    between Preston and Blackpool
                               2 March 2018

   Preston to Blackpool – your weekly update
This week Team Orange have and continue to contend with extreme weather
   as low temperatures, snow and strong winds continue to hit the region.

                      Photo: Blackpool North in the snow.

    Despite the poor weather, it’s been another highly productive week
        to upgrade and electrify the Preston to Blackpool railway.

Changes to train services on Saturday 3 March

Please be aware that trains between Preston and Blackpool South
       will be replaced by buses tomorrow while our engineers work during the
        day to install overhead equipment in the Preston and Kirkham areas.

        Industrial action will affect other services in the region this Saturday.
        Passengers are urged to check before they travel at nationalrail.co.uk

            Upgrade goes forth at Blackpool North
  Several new overhead structures have been installed at Blackpool North this week.

             Photo: Team Orange prepare to lift an overhead portal boom into place.

Team Orange can be seen using a ‘monster’ crane and mobile elevated work platforms
 to lift in the top sections of the portals spanning Blackpool North’s station approach.

Photo: New overhead equipment installed outside Blackpool North station.

    With a great deal of the electrification equipment and signalling structures now
installed, Blackpool is one step closer to a greener, quieter and more reliable railway.

     Photos: On the former site of Blackpool North No. 2 signal box - new signalling equipment.

Photo: A birds-eye view of Blackpool train care depot.

             Next week work will continue to get the new platforms
                completed and overhead equipment installed.

  Drainage upgrades continue in Poulton-le-Fylde
Team Orange are working day and night in the Poulton-le-Fylde area to complete
drainage upgrade work. The new drainage is needed to support an improved track
      layout and when complete will help to deliver a more reliable railway.

                  Photo: Drainage works in the Poulton-le-Fylde area.

Work continues to realign Poulton-le-Fylde station’s platforms
          and adjust the canopies ahead of electric trains operating.

                           Photo: Poulton-le-Fylde station.

     As part of the route upgrade, Carleton level crossing is being converted
into a closed circuit television (CCTV) operated level crossing. When the railway
 reopens, the level crossing will be monitored remotely from our state of the art
     rail operating centre in Manchester. New equipment is being installed to
    facilitate the upgrade which will ensure the safe operation of the crossing.

Photo: Overhead wire installation at Carleton level crossing (photo by Peter Fitton)

     The team installing overhead line equipment are making excellent
  progress through Carleton with new wiring installed through the crossing.

Photo: Team Orange working at height to install overhead equipment (photo by Peter Fitton).

                              Temporary road closures

   To facilitate the upgrade of Carleton level crossing, Blackpool Road will

be closed at the crossing from this evening at 10pm until 6am on Monday morning.

                   The road will also be closed at the crossing
                 overnight Monday to Friday from 10pm to 6am.

                Lifts, lights and overhead lines
   It’s been another busy week at Kirkham & Wesham station with work on the
        new lifts progressing well. Team Orange are installing cladding on the
    lift shafts and completing block work for the lift motor rooms. This is where
          the mechanical equipment will be housed to make the lifts operate.

                    Photo: Kirkham & Wesham station is transforming.

                    Photo: Cladding of the new lift shafts is underway.

Photo: A view inside one of Kirkham’s new lift shafts.

      Elsewhere on the station work is taking place to complete
         platform drainage, install new lighting and handrails.

     Railway drainage improvement work continues at Kirkham
        Junction next week to support the new track layout.

                   Footbridge in the Fylde
  Following last week’s successful installation of a new footbridge
 level crossing at Preese Hall, Team Orange moved onwards and
  upwards to complete another in the Warton and Westby district.

Photo: Ready for lift off – the footbridge span is lifted off the back of a low-loader.

A 500 tonne crane was used to lift the 27 metre span into
      place which will provide a safe crossing over the railway.

           Photo: A giant crane was used to lower the span into place.

Photo: The upgraded footbridge level crossing will help to make the railway safer.

                        Ready, aim, wire!
With foundations in the ground and the majority of steelwork installed,
  Team Orange are ramping up activity to install the wires that will
     power electric trains between Preston and Blackpool North.

Photo: A Network Rail wiring train spotted in the Kirkham area.

 The wires are installed using a huge purpose-built wiring train
that slowly feeds wires up to engineers on an elevated platform.

                   Photo: A Network Rail wiring train.

Did you know? Over 200,000 metres of overhead
              wiring is being installed on the Preston-Blackpool route.

              Keeping our neighbours informed
          As we move into the final phase of our railway upgrade between
   Preston and Blackpool, we’ve invited our railway neighbours and passengers
to attend further drop-in sessions which are due to take place in the coming weeks.

The drop in sessions, which will take place throughout February and March, provide
an opportunity to get the latest information and ask the project team any questions.

                     Here are the details of upcoming events:

                        Tuesday 6 March 14.00-18.00
            Blackpool North station, Talbot Road, Blackpool, FY1 2AB

                         Tuesday 20 March 16.00-19.00
          Poulton Civic Centre, Breck Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, FY6 7PU

                        Monday 26 March 16.00-19.00
           St Walburges Church Hall, Weston Street, Preston PR2 2QE

                           These are open to everyone.

                 For a full list of drop-in events between Preston
           and Blackpool, please visit www.networkrail.co.uk/blackpool

           Customers urged to check before
        they travel before and during Easter as
       work continues on Great North Rail Project
     Work to deliver the ambitious multi-billion pound Great North Rail Project
 is continuing over Easter meaning passengers need to check before they travel.

As part of this work, Manchester Victoria will be closed to train
       services on Sundays until Easter and the Easter weekend. This is to
     replace old track with new and to lower track under Cheetham Hill Road
bridge on the line out to Stalybridge. This will help provide faster journeys in future.

                                     Read more.

                  Manchester to Preston update
         Due to ongoing work to upgrade the Manchester to Preston route,
            there will be no trains running through Bolton at weekends
             until later in the year. Midweek services are not affected.

We are urging passengers to check before they travel at nationalrail.co.uk

                          Stay in touch
                Follow us on Twitter @TheGNRP for the
                 latest Great North Rail Project news.