Comments for Made In Preston - the blog

Comment on High Speed Rail consultation period ends by Myf Nixon

Myf Nixon — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:37:45 +0000

I hope you don’t mind me plugging a website which I do in fact work for, but I think our site http://www.fixmytransport.com could serve you very well if you wanted to gather support for these ideas.

There’s already frustration building on there (and our associated Twitter account) about Northern Rail’s over crowding and ‘new’ rolling stock. The site’s set up so that anyone can bring a point in front of the operators, and then garner supporters until it can’t be ignored. Please do take a look!

Comment on Manchester to Blackpool rail electrification by 2016 by Keith Lumley

Keith Lumley — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:41:59 +0000

Just to be absolutely clear, these are the timescales we are working to –

Year end target completion dates are:-
2013 for Manchester to the WCML
2014 for Liverpool to the WCML, plus Huyton to Wigan
2015 for Preston to Blackpool
2016 for Deal Street to Euxton Jcn (i.e. Manchester to Preston)

i.e work to be completed by the end of each year.

Keith Lumley
Network Rail media relations manager

Comment on Manchester to Blackpool rail electrification by 2016 by John Gilbert

John Gilbert — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:17:43 +0000

Replying to John of MIP and Mr Guild, and taking their points – thank you -I think we are going to have to watch the Dept. for Transport very carefully to see just where the ex-Thameslink EMUs are deployed. Local services are all well and good, providing the units are comprehensively refurbished, but intercity services between the North-West and Scotland should without question be provided by Pendolinos, as the equivalent services to London have been, and for the same reasons. Any attempt to use outer-suburban units would be totally unacceptable, and totally unfair, but the London politicians may just try it on. Watch them!
As a general comment I am really amazed, as well as being delighted, that the NW electrification IN ITS ENTIRETY has been authorised. This will at one stroke complete the original job the Weaver Junction-Glasgow Scheme wished to include but which was thrown out by (those same) London politicians. From then on mere small sections will remain to be completed to complete the job in the NW.
[ In parenthesis one might comment that, living in a small country as we do, complete electrification of all our viable lines could really be achieved within a very few years, were we to embark on the sort of programme that China is currently embarking on with their drive and vision. After the Great Western and Midland Main lines all that remains of the basic network are the Derby to Bristol and Edinburgh/Glasgow to Aberdeen lines. The remainder is in-fill. But it does need that drive and vision!]

Comment on Manchester to Blackpool rail electrification by 2016 by Preston Guild

Preston Guild — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:00:06 +0000

Of course the full length of the Manchester-Newton-Liverpool line is going to be electrified, together with the Liverpool-Wigan and the Manchester-Preston-Blackpool lines. By adding the chord to the WCML at Newton, at an early stage electric trains will be able to run direct from Glasgow via Preston to Manchester. Diversions from the WCML will also become much more simple. Electric services will be introduced as the refurbished stock from Thameslink becomes available.

Comment on Manchester to Blackpool rail electrification by 2016 by Pete of MIP

Pete of MIP — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:31:56 +0000

Hi John,
Isn’t the line from Manchester to Liverpool being electrified beyond Newton Le Willows that will also allow trains from Liverpool to Scotland. Is it also that there are more trains from Manchester to Scotland than from Liverpool so this is being done first.

Comment on Manchester to Blackpool rail electrification by 2016 by John Gilbert

John Gilbert — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:52:02 +0000

Rather an obvious comment is that it is all very well, and very welcome, to wire up from Manchester to Newton-le-Willows, but what about the line from there to Liverpool. This half of the Manchester-Liverpool line is equally important so that Liverpool – Scotland trains can also be electrically hauled. Obviously a blind spot in the eyes of our London-centric politicians. And as for shortage of electric stock, the clear answer is to use some of the electric locomotives NOT sent short-sightedly to Bulgaria hauling Cargo D Mark Three stock. All this to be replaced in due course, BUT NOT I hope by outer suburban EMUs but by Pendolinos; why shouldn’t the North-West have tilting trains to Scotland? But in order to get through the London thick skins some pretty remarkable lobbying is going to have to take place.

Comment on Ronnie Clayton – Preston born star of Blackburn Rovers by David Hughlock

David Hughlock — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:40:28 +0000

As an ex-Fishwickian and a near neighbor of Ronnie Clayron oh so many years ago, it is my understanding the Ronnie was not ‘spotted’ by Blackburn Rovers but his services were offerd to them by ronnie’s father after being turned down by Preston North End because the father wanted both Ronnie and his elder brother Ken to be signed as a ‘pair’. Preston North end turned him down, Blackburn roves accepted the deal and Preston lost out on what should have been a perfect pairing of Finney and Clayton.

Comment on Burnley 1 Referee 3 PNE 3 by Pete

Pete — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:47:02 +0000

Evening Post website was down.

Comment on Made in Lancashire Food Market Days by Pete of MIP

Pete of MIP — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:32:28 +0000

Sounds great. We plant a bee friendly garden. If there are any local honey producers who have named products let us know.

Comment on Made in Lancashire Food Market Days by K. Lincoln

K. Lincoln — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:58:49 +0000

Not forgetting all the local honey produced by the beekeepers of preston and area. A stall with exhibits of honey production, wax and propolis, plus someone to explain how it is produced could enhance ones ideas about the honeybee.