Weaver Junction Explained

Weaver Junction is a railway junction connecting the West Coast Main Line (WCML) with the Weaver Junction–Liverpool line,[1] [2] opening on 1 April 1869. Trains bound for Liverpool from London diverge from the WCML at this junction. Weaver Junction is the oldest flying junction in Britain,[3] [4] [5] and also the world.[6]

The junction between the main line to Warrington and the north, and the direct line to Runcorn and Liverpool was originally from the date of opening in 1869, a flat junction at Birdswood. The flyover carrying the Liverpool line over the main line at Birdswood was not opened until 13 November 1881. The junction is now located some 0.75miles south of its former location and known as Weaver Junction.[7] At initial construction, it avoided the need for both a diamond crossing and a conflict of routes.[8]

Its location is strategic and is considered a high importance freight corridor.[9] [10] The Weaver Junction area is classed as congested infrastructure when discussed in Parliament in connection with High Speed 2.[11]

Modernisation of the junction and associated lines

The 1955 Modernisation Plan called for removal of steam, large scale introduction of diesels and substantial electrification of the UK railway network.[12] The north west of England was amongst the first areas to be electrified, but electrification of the WCML initially only went to Liverpool and not Preston and Glasgow, and so stopped at Weaver Junction on the WCML in the initial phase.[13] In April 1964, Doctor Beeching stated he was completely against extending electrification north from Weaver Junction believing there was no financial justification.[14] Continuing the electrification north from the junction was again discussed British Railways Board in 1968 and a document produced[15] and further discussed in Parliament in February 1969.[16] When finally announced by transport minister Richard Marsh and approved by parliament in February 1970, it was costed at 30.4 million pounds.[17] In the 1960s electrification scheme at Weaver Junction, the signaling was modernised. The old signal box was removed, and the semaphore signals replaced with coloured electric light signals. This took place 6 November to 7 November 1960. The track layout at Weaver Junction was also modernised.[18] Major civil engineering work was required.[19]

The electrification of the WCML north of Weaver Junction was done differently from the work south of the junction and incorporated lessons learned as well as newer and innovative techniques.[20] O. S. Nock states the junction was referred to as the zero point of the whole West Coast Route Modernisation of 1970-1974.[21] The entire line was eventually electrified from Weaver Junction to Glasgow in the 1970-1974 timeframe.[22] [23] [24] The final completed cost was 74 million pounds.[25] [26] There were some operational problems later resulting from the scheme and higher rail usage.[27] [28] [29]

In 2009, concerns were raised and an archeological report issued in connection with a Network Rail application to the National Grid for a boost to the power supply for the WCML at Weaver Junction. It involved running an underground cable from the grid feeder at Frodsham to Weaver Junction.[30] The electrification infrastructure at the junction uses the autotransformer system.[31]

In 2018 to 2019 the line between Weaver Junction and Wavertree was further modernised with new signaling.[32] [33] [34] [35]

Weaver Junction was one of four sites chosen for data acquisition/monitoring and experimentation with ballast packing. Specifically, this was research conducted by Network Rail regarding machines for compacting ballast.[36]

Accidents and incidents

An accident happened at the junction on August 6, 1975 involving a collision between two freight trains. The cause was identified as insufficient braking power. Some vehicles were derailed but not the locomotives and there were no injuries.[37] As the two trains were carrying soda ash and alcohol, the location was informally known as "whiskey and soda junction".

On 2 March 2020 a landslip occurred at Weaver Junction partially closing the WCML and required the use of rail replacement buses.[38] Disruption was seen over a few days, as the ground needed to be stabilised.[39] [40]

See also

References

53.3028°N -2.6396°W

Further reading

. Christian Wolmar. On the Wrong Line: How Ideology and Incompetence Wrecked Britain's Railways. 2005. rev.. Aurum Press. London. 1-85410-998-7.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: OpenStreetMap . 2022-09-26 . OpenStreetMap . en.
  2. Web site: Weaver Junction railway junction . 2022-09-26 . wikimapia.org . en.
  3. Book: Marshall, John . The Guinness Book of Rail Facts and Feats . 2nd . Guinness Superlatives . 1975 . Enfield . 0-900424-33-8 . 65 .
  4. Book: Holt, Geoffrey O. A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. 10 The North West . 2nd . David St John Thomas . 1986 . Newton Abbot. 0-946537-34-8 . 65 .
  5. Book: Nock, O. S.. O. S. Nock. The Railway Enthusiast's Encyclopedia . 2nd . Hutchinson & Co . 1968 . London. 0-09-903310-0 . 15 .
  6. Book: Nock, O. S.. Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. 1974. 978-0711005303 . 44.
  7. Book: Brown, Joe . Liverpool & Manchester Railway Atlas . 2021 . Crécy Publishing . Manchester . 9780860936879 . 1112373294 . 158 & index.
  8. Book: Nock, O. S.. Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. 1974. 978-0711005303 . 44.
  9. Web site: Freight train capacity doubles to Port of Liverpool thanks to £8.3 million line upgrade . 2023-01-02 . GOV.UK . en.
  10. Web site: North West and Central Route Specifications 2021 Network Rail . Network Rail . 170–172 . 23 September 2022 . 25 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210725063857/https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/NWC-Route-Specification.pdf . live .
  11. Web site: Written evidence submitted by Wigan Council (IRP0062) . UK Government.
  12. Web site: Modernisation and Re-Equipment of British Rail. British Transport Commission. (Originally published by the British Transport Commission). 1954. The Railways Archive. 25 November 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061031102337/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=23. 31 October 2006. dead.
  13. Book: Nock, O. S.. Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester. Ian Allan . London. 1965. 59003738.
  14. Book: Hardy, R.H.N. . Beeching: Champion of the Railway? . Ian Allan Ltd . 1989 . London . 59 . 978-0-7110-1855-6 .
  15. Web site: April 1968 . Route Improvements Weaver Junction to Glasgow . Railway Archives . 22 September 2022 . 16 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220516164030/https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BRB_WCML001.pdf . live .
  16. Web site: Weaver Junction—Motherwell Line (Electrification) (Hansard, 3 February 1969) . 2022-09-23 . api.parliament.uk.
  17. Book: 30.4 million pounds work on main line approved . The Glasgow Herald . en . 23 September 2022 . 23 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923190726/https://books.google.com/books?id=kJxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA25&dq=%22Weaver+Junction%22&article_id=3300,5884621&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi6ivfzvav6AhW3s4QIHZa5DwIQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=%22Weaver%20Junction%22&f=false . live .
  18. Book: Nock, O. S.. Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester. Ian Allan . London. 1965. 59003738 . 71–78.
  19. Butland . A. N. . Paper 3: Civil Engineering Works of the Euston Main Line Electrification Scheme . 10.1243/PIME_CONF_1966_181_107_02 . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings . 181 . 36 . 51–64 . 1966 .
  20. Book: Nock, O. S.. Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. 1974. 978-0711005303 . 7.
  21. Book: Nock, O. S.. Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. 1974. 978-0711005303 . 44–47.
  22. Web site: Hewitt . Sam . 2017-04-17 . 50 years of West Coast electrics - Rail Express . 2022-09-26 . en-GB.
  23. Book: Nock, O. S.. Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. 1974. 978-0711005303.
  24. Web site: May 1974. Electric all the way. live. Railways archive. 22 September 2022. 11 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200611164359/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BRLM_Elec002.pdf.
  25. Book: Weaver Junction to Glasgow: electrification and resignalling . August 1973.
  26. Cobbett . D. J. . May 1974 . ELECTRIFICATION OF BR WEST-COAST MAIN LINE COMPLETED . Rail Engineering International . 4 . 4 . 0141-4615 . 23 September 2022 . 20 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210620050213/https://trid.trb.org/view/19915 . live .
  27. Bradwell . A. . Wheeler . J.C.G. . 1982 . Evaluation of plastics insulators for use on British Railways 25 kV overhead line electrification . IEE Proceedings B - Electric Power Applications . en . 129 . 3 . 101 . 10.1049/ip-b.1982.0015.
  28. Ribbons . R.T . June 1977 . West Coast Main Line Operational Performance following Electrification from Weaver Junction to Glasgow . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers . 191 . 99–106 . 10.1243/PIME_PROC_1977_191_015_02 .
  29. Blake . D. C. . March 1977 . OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH BRITISH RAILWAYS FIXED EQUIPMENT EMPLOYED ON THE WEST COAST MAIN LINE FROM WEAVER JUNCTION TO GLASGOW . Elektrische Bahnen . 48 . 3 . 23 September 2022 . 13 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210613123621/https://trid.trb.org/view/60301 . live .
  30. Web site: Frodsham Rail Connection, Frodsham, Cheshire. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Walkover and Topographic Surveys, and Watching Brief . 2022-09-23 . library.oxfordarchaeology.com . 11 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200811034015/https://library.oxfordarchaeology.com/4998/ . live .
  31. Web site: West Coast Main Line Strategy. live. Railways archive. 2021-07-21. 2007-12-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20071202033358/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/SRA_WCMLStrat2003.pdf.
  32. Web site: FIRSE . Paul Darlington CEng FIET . 2019-01-29 . Christmas 2018: Weaver to Wavertree resignalling . 2022-09-22 . Rail Engineer . en-GB . 18 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210118235523/https://www.railengineer.co.uk/weaver-to-wavertree-resignalling/ . live .
  33. Web site: Railway upgrade signals greater reliability for Liverpool train customers . 2022-09-22 . Network Rail Media Centre . english.
  34. Web site: Rail Engineer - Issue 171 - Jan/Feb 2019 by Rail Media - Issuu . 38–41 . 2022-09-22 . issuu.com . en . 23 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923190731/https://issuu.com/railmedia/docs/tre-janfeb-2019 . live .
  35. Web site: Merseyside signals . 2022-09-22 . PressReader . 19 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190619205137/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/rail-uk/20180704/282720522712952 . live .
  36. Web site: Sharpe . Phil . Strange . Paul . Optimisation of ballast compaction by continuous monitoring of ground stiffness . researchgate.
  37. Web site: Report on the Collision that occurred on 6th August 1975 at Weaver Junction in the London Midland Region British Railways :: The Railways Archive . 2022-09-22 . www.railwaysarchive.co.uk . 29 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130629083053/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=400 . live .
  38. Web site: Thomas . Joe . 2020-03-02 . Landslide set to cause disruption to trains to and from Liverpool . 2022-09-26 . Liverpool Echo . en.
  39. Web site: Disruption on trains to last until Wednesday following landslide at Weaver Junction . 2022-09-26 . Warrington Guardian . en.
  40. Web site: Thomas . Joe . 2020-03-02 . Landslide set to cause disruption to trains to and from Liverpool . 2022-10-18 . Liverpool Echo . en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Weaver Junction".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.