Electrification Liverpool-Manchester Victoria
 

I certinately like the idea, I was slightly annoyed when they showed the NorthWest Tonight report, where they interviewed passengers onboard an Arriva Trains Wales 175 (Liverpool?), which I think are good units, they were saying how bad it is.

I hope they link it with Piccadilly, we could have Liverpool-Manchester-London Pendolinos on it that would be really good, though whether Piccadilly platforms 13 and 14 can convey this is in question :D .

Some people are never happy. The ATW 175's are probably the most comfortable trains operating on any part of the Manchester-Liverpool route.

The railway press seems to think that it will be linked with Piccadilly as they are talking about electric services between Manchester Airport and Glasgow and being able to use the newly electrified line as a WCML diversion route. I also read one article that said that some of the London Midland 350's would take over the Manchester-Glasgow services releasing 185's to strengthen the Transpennine (via Leeds) services to 6 cars.
I wonder what the good people of Bolton and Chorley think about these new electric services bypassing their towns?:(

:rolleyes: Yeah, I could imagine it now. It could be TPHF (TransPennine High Frequency) 350 operation via Wigan, missing out Bolton and Chorely, and in retun they will get a 150 hourly operation to between Preston and Manchester Oxford Road with Northern Rail all stopping. After seeing Virgin practically scrap trent valley stations I could actually see this happening.

DfT Electrification Report
 

There is a download document on the Department for Transport website which gives brief details of the proposed elecrtification schemes. The Liverpool-Manchester Victoria scheme also includes the "South Junction" spur to link up with the former MSJAR at Castlefield Junction and thus will allow direct running to platforms 13&14 at Piccadilly.

These platforms could easily accommodate Pendolinos and I have seen diverted units passing through having been diesel hauled from the West Coast mainline.

The biggest challenge will be seeing the work carried out in the planned timescale. The Shadow Transport Secretary, Theresa Villiers, is already pouring cold water on the proposed Great Western electrification and a change of government next year might see both proposed schemes scuppered.

We will all need to lobby hard with existing and future MPs to see that these schemes and others are brought to fruition. A failure to invest adequately in the infrastructure of this country over the next five years will have dire consequences.

No Arriva Trains Wales come into Liverpool, as far as they get from Manchester is Earlestown where they turn left to go to Warrington BQ and then on to Llandudno via Chester.

Yes but not Liverpool city centre.

Its a shame they aren't electrifying through to Ashton and Stalybridge. the current 'stopper' goes there after arriving at Manchester Victoria and this would result in a change of trains for travellers going that way.

I also note from that document....

319's? In the northwest? With aircon? Surely not!

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319's? In the northwest? With aircon? Surely not![/QUOTE]

General Election in a few months. Anything could happen after that!
Richard