Headbolt Lane Station Fly-Through
I had to show this Merseytravel YouTube video, as I feel the new Headbolt Lane station uses some interesting ideas.
This Google Map shows Headbolt Lane and the railway.
Note.
- The footbridge over the railway. I took the pictures from and around this bridge in Merseyrail To Skelmersdale – Headbolt Lane Station.
- The footbridge can’t be seen in the YouTube video.
Liverpool is to the West and Wigan is to the East.
These are my thoughts.
Is The Station North Or South Of The Railway?
As it is called Headbolt Lane, the station must have good access from that road, otherwise travellers will get rather confused.
So until proven otherwise, I will assume that the station must be to the North of the railway.
Which Way Is Liverpool In the Video?
If the station is North of the railway, then in the first part of the video, the visualisation approaches the station from the North and Liverpool is to the right and Wigan is to the left.
If that is right, then the yellow bus always points towards Liverpool.
How Many Platforms?
Wikipedia says that Headbolt Lane station will have three platforms.
From the video there will be two platforms for trains to and from Liverpool, although the current layout at Kirkby station makes do with just one platform.
There would also appear to be a single platform for trains to and from Wigan, Bolton and Manchester.
But there is a second Eastern track shown in the video, which possibly indicates provision has been made for a second platform for services in that direction.
Wot No Bridge?
It would appear that there is no bridge over or subway under the railway.
But it does appear that the platform layout shown allows passengers to walk between the ends of the tracks on the level to the platform or platforms on the side of the station away from the station building.
Will There Be A Second Entrance To The Station On The Other Side Of The Tracks?
The layout would allow this and it could be useful for those passengers living or working on that side of the railway.
Is The Platform Layout Unique?
I have travelled widely looked at railway stations all over the world.
But I can’t remember seeing a layout like this.
The layout does have advantages.
- An expensive bridge with lifts will not be needed.
- There is nothing mechanical or electrical to go wrong.
- Extra platforms can be added if required.
- It can also be used as a simple step-free way to cross the railway.
I suspect that the layout could be used in other places.
Train Frequencies To Liverpool
The current service between Kirkby station and Liverpool is four trains per hour (tph), which is handled on a single platform.
One platform at Headbolt Lane would surely be sufficient, but a second platform must surely allow extra services and provide more resilience in case of train failure.
Train Frequencies To Wigan, Bolton And Manchester
The current service between Kirkby station and Manchester is one tph, which is handled on a single platform.
One platform at Headbolt Lane would surely be sufficient and could easily handle two tph.
Are two platforms provided for Liverpool services, so that extra services could be run in the Peak or to provide more resilience, should a train fail in the station.
A Service To Skelmersdale
Consider.
- Skelmersdale is about five miles North of the line between Headbolt Lane and Wigan.
- One of Merseyrail’s current Class 507 trains covers the 5.5 miles between Kirkby and Sandhills station in twelve minutes.
- The proposed layout of Headbolt Lane station does not allow direct services between Liverpool and Skelmersdale.
These distances and timing would mean the following.
- A single shuttle train between Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale could run a two tph service.
- A pair of shuttle trains between Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale could run a four tph service.
Passengers would need to change trains at Headbolt Lane station.
This may seem less passenger-friendly than a direct service, but it could be the most affordable option.
And it could always be improved with modifications at Headbolt Lane station.
Is There A Role For Battery-Electric Trains?
Consider.
- For Health and Safety reasons, it is very unlikely that any new third-rail track will be laid in the UK.
- The distance between the current Kirkby station and the new Headbolt Lane station is about 1.5 miles.
- The distance between Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale stations is less than eight miles.
- I suspect Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale stations would both have good power supplies.
- Merseyrail’s new Class 777 trains have a battery capability.
Would this allow the following?
- Liverpool and Headbolt Lane services to use battery power between Kirkby and Headbolt Lane station. All charging would be done between Liverpool and Kirkby.
- The shuttle train between Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale would work on battery power, with batteries charged at both ends of the route.
There is also the possibility, that the Headbolt Lane and Manchester Victoria service could be run using battery-electric Class 331 trains.
- Headbolt Lane and Manchester Victoria will be a 28.5 mile service with a couple of miles of electrification at the Manchester end.
- I estimate that the battery-electric Class 331 trains will have sufficient range to handle this route with charging at Headbolt Lane station.
- Currently, trains from Manchester Victoria take over ten minutes to turnround at Kirkby station.
- Provision for a charger could be built into Headbolt Lane station.
It would be a simple way to electrify the Kirkby and Manchester Victoria service.
In addition, battery-electric Class 331 trains are likely to have longer battery range than the Class 777 trains.
So might it be better if the Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale shuttle was worked by battery-electric Class 331 trains.
If the two East-facing platforms at Headbolt Lane station were to be fitted with charging facilities, this would give an increased level of reliability.
Could Northern’s Manchester Victoria Service Terminate At Skelmersdale?
If both services were to be run by Northern’s battery-electric Class 331 trains, this could be a possibility.
- A reverse would be needed at Headbolt Lane station.
- I estimate that 2tph on the route would fit together well.
- Trains would be charged at Skelmersdale station.
- Chargers might not be needed at Headbolt Lane station.
In addition, a two tph service would fit in well with four or six tph to Liverpool.
Conclusion
It’s almost as if Headbolt Lane station could consist of three elements.
- The station facilities, bus interchange and car parking.
- A two-platform station for Merseyrail services to Liverpool
- A two-platform station with charging facilities for Northern services to Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester Victoria, Skelmersdale and Wigan.
All services from Headbolt Lane station will be run by battery-electric reains.
Costs have been saved by the following.
- Not having a bridge over the tracks.
- Maintaining the separation between Northern and Merseyrail services.
- Not electrifying between Kirkby and Headbolt Lane stations.
- Not electrifying the Skelmersdale Branch.
The whole station appears to have been designed on a single level.
A Fair Recovery For Hackney Central
This image from Hackney Council shows a visualisation of the new entrance to Hackney Central station, that will be created on Graham Road.
I took these pictures of the site in October 2019.
I wrote about the new entrance in Will Hackney Central Station Get A Second Entrance?.
It’s certainly a site in need of improvement.
Here’s a few more of Hackney’s images from this page on Hackney Council’s web site.
If they build it like the visualisations, it could be something special.
Kraft Heinz And Freight Innovation
In the UK, we certainly need to get more freight on to the railways.
Recently, KraftHeinz were involved in an experiment. A lot of their product currently comes into the UK in containers, which are then taken by road from the ports by truck.
This report about the experiment was on this page of the Modern Railway’s web site.
KraftHeinz’s distribution centre is in the Orrell district of Wigan, with the Wigan Wallgate to Southport route the closest railway line. The trial involved a container train that was sent from Crewe to the branch on an overnight working, with the notional offloading taking place from the running line close to Gathurst station. Also demonstrated was the feasibility of loco run round in this area. Network Rail signallers helped ensure the success of the trial by facilitating the use of a crossover at Parbold station for the run round (some signal alterations would be likely if this became a regular operation).
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- Gathurst station is in the North-West corner of the map.
- The KraftHeinz Distribution Centre is in the South-East corner of the map.
- The Wigan Wallgate and Southport Line runs between the two.
It was all very convenient for some intense night work.
I have some thoughts.
Where’s The Siding?
Years ago a lot of factories and distribution centres like this, would have had a siding.
Many have been sold off and built over, as many companies preferred to use road transport.
Using The Running Line
This was first used in the UK to load timber on to trains in the North of Scotland for transporting to markets in the South.
Surely, the only thing needed is ground strong enough alongside the track to support a container handling machine.
Were JCB Involved?
JCB are innovators and appeared a few days on this blog, in this a post entitled JCB Finds Cheap Way To Run Digger Using Hydrogen.
Although, that post wasn’t about cargo handling, it shows that the company thinks differently and I’m sure they can come up with a pollution-free container-handler to unload containers at night for companies like KraftHeinz.
Conclusion
Surely, if this freight movement were to be used regularly, the signalling changes and perhaps some concrete should be installed.
We need more cargo-handling experiments like this to get more trucks off the road.
The Anonymous Widower 