H.J.Berry in administration

Posted on 15 February 2010 by Pete of MIP

The old furniture maker in Chipping went into administation this week. A blow to a way of work, skills and manufacturing as well as the staff and village. Last year it featured on Gerry Robinson’s TV programme and he offered to put in some funds in exchange for a majority share. However it seems he didn’t take it up. It is thought the factory will now be used for another industry.

All isn’t lost in manufacturing. Not directly related, an old weaving company in Wellington, Somerset, Fox Bros. founded in 1772, has been saved by Deborah Meadon of Dragon’s Den fame. She sees a future for the top end of manufacturing quality as at this flannel maker. Would be nice if she looked at Chipping but she has some association with Somerset.

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December 2009 house prices in Lancashire

Posted on 15 February 2010 by Pete of MIP

According to the Land Registry average house prices in Lancashire reached their lowest in August 09 and have since risen to £117,750 in December 2009,  equal to February 2006. This change is fairly uniform across the range of houses from detached to apartment.

The peak average house price was February 2008 at £136,688. Is it a coincidence that peaks and troughs occur in February although the minimum was £114,291 in August 2009 which being 6 months from February, is there something in the 6 month cycle?

Prices rose at around £1000 a month up to February 2008 and that was during a boom. Anyone having bought a house between February 2006 and February 2009 is likely to be owning a property worth less than they paid for it.  This happened to us in 1980 and it took a few years to get back. Fortunately we were in no hurry to move.  If we’d had to move because of work for example it would be difficult to know if commuting a long distance would be preferable to selling at a loss. All our circumstances are different depending on how much deposit you placed for example.

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Angel of Preston

Posted on 14 February 2010 by Pete of MIP

There is a flurry of commentary about placing a statue next to the M6 to symbolise Preston.  One is a semi-buried soldier denoting the historic battles that took place in Preston and the other is a statue symbolising a military aircraft to relate to one element of the local industry.

While supporting art forms both modern and traditional, it seems both of these are unimaginative ideas on a major scale.  It joins the race to create ‘angels of the north’ all over the country with a horse being built at Ebbsfleet which seems fairly pointless and unimaginative.  The Angel of the North was fairly controversial when it opened but now represents something unusual and dramatic, something no corporate design company could create.

It’s also seen as an opportunity to make a name for individuals and corporate designers.

Is a large public artwork the answer or would this amount spent on the Harris make it a bigger attraction. Why shouldn’t the Harris celebrate local business and build up to the Guild. Preston is known for cotton, trams, buses in Leyland, planes and now call centres.

It isn’t clear where the funding for implementing these ideas comes from. The council is offering money to the Football Museum and maybe, with that almost certainly going to Manchester, then there is some spare. Although I’d imagine that to make a good job of such a feature would cost at least £3m.  There are examples of art being bought apparently expensively such as Bolton Museum buying the imitation sculpture, Preston buying Pauline in the Yellow Dress during the war, and Trinity Hospice spending £50k on 7 commissioned artworks this year. So money for art is available, sometimes when you don’t expect it.

Then you might say who judges what should be built.  An example is Blackpool Promenade where a number of large public art pieces have been built that many people seriously dislike. Yet over time they are becoming established features and wearing well with time.  So there is a chance that the only art worth getting is that most disliked at the time. In general, and it may sound pompous, it could be that the public shouldn’t be trusted to judge on what makes good art, otherwise the shops wouldn’t be full of kitsch and more people might go into PAD. So I’d support a reputable artist deciding. Keep the corporates and local representatives well away or a paper aeroplane with no lasting appeal will result.

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Island of Preston

Posted on 29 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

The Coastal Management Plan for the next 100 years has been issued and the coast around the Ribble estuary is largely to be protected except for an area on the south bank that will be allowed to make a managed change.

A bit of a surprise as 10 years ago it was common to see maps showing Preston on the coast with the Fylde underwater except for a few islands by 2050.  Ten years on maybe the rate of change doesn’t make it sound probable anymore.

Reading that further does it make the climate change warnings overall seem a bit more distant and with a lesser scale.

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Winckley Square as it was

Posted on 26 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

A couple of thousand are said to have completed cards objecting to the plans for Winckley Square.  As I wasn’t aware of what the objectors are voting for, except a vague statement that the square should be restored to its previous appearance and not liking the new design, particularly the totem pole, I thought I’d have a deeper look. In the library is a book by Marian Roberts who was a keen local historian and her book about Winckley Square is interesting reading. 

The square appears to have had three general forms.  Originally it had a large area in the middle that looks like flowers and trees, with a number of other beds scattered about in a pattern. Some time later it appears the square was divided into plots which acted as gardens for the surrounding houses. Then it became the grass and tree area we know today, although it had a period of neglect and almost became a car park.  Round that time what now appears as civic vandalism was rampant and many good buildings in the square were demolished and replaced with ‘modern’ offices.

At the moment the square is very green with grass and a lot of trees. Personally I’d like it to be more open with floral beds and surrounded by trees.  The lights are fine, the fountains will be fine.  When will this be settled?

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North West football ups and downs

Posted on 19 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

North End well beaten with a mixed display at Bristol with Mr Ferguson in charge for the first time. There’s time, but with Chelsea scoring 7 and playing PNE in the cup next week the defence are no doubt practicing blocking the goal line. Although Darren F says attack and entertainment is his philosophy so lets hope he gets it right.

Preston’s plight is similar to a number of north-west teams this season. Even the mighty Man.U. are looking out of sorts but still high in the table.  Some glimmers of light,  last weekend on TV, Everton and Wigan looked like they’d turned a corner and maybe they’ll move up the table.

Some common themes are management disruption. Preston, Bolton, Burnley, Wigan, Man.C. have had changes to their managers. Man U, Liverpool have tensions between the fans and board. Man.U. and Liverpool have also had injuries to some key players.  The recession is also increasing the damage and, although denied, this and the fall of the pound against the Euro makes overseas clubs able to make bids that those with the UK£ will find more difficult to turn away and more difficult to buy replacement.

Another feature is that Chelsea and Arsenal are playing great football this season.

The north-west has been very successful in football terms in the last decade and even places like Morecambe and Fleetwood are having their best time.  Can’t really account for this but hope that things aren’t changing just yet.

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Firing Squad

Posted on 19 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Went to visit Mr Growing With Nature at Pilling last Saturday as he was to tell us how to grow our organic vegetables better, which seemed a bit of a contradiction as he sells them to us.  A murky and cold day in the depths of the Fylde with country lanes as narrow as the car and a misty view of the fells. Turned into a very narrow lane and were confronted by a convoy of 4×4’s.  A local shooting club who’d been out firing at geese. A bit of a mystery to me about what sort of enjoyment there is shooting at geese as they fly in their majestic formations slowly and at low altitude, while chatting to each other, over the Fylde.  I do eat chicken and turkey, and maybe the wild geese get a better life, and perhaps hunting them is what humans have always done. Yet I know that if I deliberately killed another creature that wasn’t a threat I wouldn’t sleep peacefully ever again.

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The resilience of Preston?

Posted on 18 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Todays Times newspaper names Preston as one of the top ten most resilient places in the UK during the recession.  The story is from a report by a group called the Centre for Cities. It says the claimant count has increased by 1.3% (2,882 people) in Preston between February 2008 and November 2009. This compares with the lowest, Cambridge, with 0.8% increase and the highest, Hull, with 3.7%.  Surprisingly perhaps Blackpool was slightly better than Preston while Wigan and Rochdale did quite a bit worse.

Without reading the report there are a lot of unanswered questions. For example, the report says the government should put money into Swindon because of its high increase.  Yet not long ago Swindon was the place with zero unemployment. Is it not more important to say how many are claiming, not just the change since 2008.

Swindon has lost 3,813 jobs which although over twice the percentage of Preston is a lot less than double the number. If Preston had 3.1% it would be 6,800 and one of the highest numbers. So percentage isn’t telling a full story either.

Why are Preston and Blackpool relatively unchanged? Is it that many people are working in the public sector or on government projects?  If so, what happens if  the government starts cutting the public sector later and the money has gone into Swindon.

If Preston was one of the worst the increase would be over double which would be another 3,000 on the dole. A lot of people.  Take Birmingham, it has an increase of 41,000. That is serious stuff.

So to the 2,882 who have lost their jobs and probably some more who don’t claim, this ‘resilience’ is not really good news and they’ve as much right to government help as anyone else. The M4 corridor is a job magnet, Swindon will soon be doing fine without help.

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Combined Heat and Power from Baxi

Posted on 11 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Baxi say they are geared up to deliver up to 20,000 combined heat and power units a year from their Preston, Bamber Bridge, plant. 

The government is issuing contracts worth billions of pounds for green energy but the great majority of the manufacturing work is expected to go overseas.  Combined Heat and Power (CHP)  isn’t regarded as a ‘green’ technology in government terms although it gives the capability to return power to the grid or for use in the building reducing dependence on the grid. It’s downside being that it is still using gas. So no government green manufacturing contracts are coming to Preston for this.  They’re going to Germany and Denmark, perhaps China.

Micro-CHP sounds an interesting solution but I don’t know a lot about it.  Is it more efficient to generate electricity in small generators, does that adequately offset the distribution costs and need to import?  Baxi claim their domestic unit, the Ecogen, is 90% efficient compared to 35% efficiency for grid electricity. 

Security of supply is a good point, as we did have an electricity black-out for one hour last month and for several hours 2 years ago, in the final stages of X-factor as well, but I don’t think I’d spend much to reduce the risk. You’d need a smart meter as well I’d think.  At the end of the day I’d be looking at how much the boiler costs and how much my gas and electricity bill will change. That’s why green often doesn’t get bought, it’s not cost efficient and a government grant is needed.

Baxi also supply a Ground Sourced Heat Pump although it isn’t known where that is made, probably not Preston.  I’ve read good things about these and might take a further look.

Perhaps we could take advantage of the governments £400 boiler scrappage scheme.  Notice that B&Q are selling a boiler for £399 so do you get a pound back and find you’re own fitter. Surprising that I read that a new boiler typically costs about £2000 to install.  The pipes are there and so is the gas,  if that is the case it costs £1600 to remove and fit the boiler, then adjust a couple of feet of pipe. Should take under a day.  Nice work if you can get it.  Our house has warm air heating and the previous owner bought a new boiler that cost a lot more than £399.

Found this on the Baxi website. Quote:

What is mCHP?

Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, is the simultaneous production of useful heat and electricity from a single source. Large scale CHP, suitable for industrial and commercial applications, has been around for some time.

Micro or Mini-CHP (mCHP) refers to the small-scale production of heat and power for  individual commercial buildings, apartments and individual homes. These units meet the demand for space heating and hot water whilst providing electricity to supplement or replace the grid supply.

Why mCHP?

mCHP is a true low (or zero) carbon alternative to a gas boiler.

Installation of mCHP appliances – in existing or new buildings – can be more cost-effective and less disruptive compared to other renewable and low carbon technologies, as installation and servicing relies largely on current skills required for heating installation.

What are the benefits of mCHP?

  • Carbon emissions are reduced by generating electricity at the point of use – avoiding the system losses associated with central power production.
  • Economic savings are generated for the user, by reducing imported electricity and by selling surplus electricity back to the grid.
  • Security of supply is greatly enhanced by reducing reliance on centralised power production

End of quote from Baxi website.

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Garden Bird observations in snowy weather

Posted on 10 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Two Fieldfare birds have been visiting our garden this week.  Have never heard of them before, let alone seen one.  The snow has driven them out of the country and they’ve nearly stripped our holly tree of berry’s.

We read that Redwings are doing the same and we thought that was what they were but they’ve more intense black lines round the eyes and have a very pale breast brighter than a thrush.  Bit bigger than a blackbird although the blackbirds are chasing them away.

We’ve also had a woodpecker having a go at our ‘superfortress’ of mixed sunflower seeds.  The woodpecker is greedy, versatile and strong with no refinement but very attractive.  

The ‘superfortress’ is the best squirrel proof seed feeder we’ve had, but seems to be out of production. It’s other great feature is that the top is attached by twisting the lid. So re-filling is done with no screwing or taking it down.  The squirrels have been scratching it but the top is too big and strong for them to turn or lever off.  It’s also broader than high so it’s easy to get seeds into it.  Since buying it I’ve never seen another and it’s a few years old now.  If you’re out there ‘superfortress’ maker send me an e-mail.

A couple of days ago around 9am hundreds of geese passed nearby in several large V’s heading south west which seemed to be towards Blackpool Airport.  If they were heading for Martin Mere, south of the Ribble they’d be going more south.  How come they are moving at 9am as I’d have thought southerly headed birds would be at the end of their journey, so what time did they set off, was it dark. Not sure what is going on with geese at the moment as one day they pass north or north east and a couple of days later it’s the opposite direction.  Great sight and sound though.

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Darren Ferguson in at PNE, Alan Irvine at Sheff W

Posted on 8 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Certainly adds spice to the managerial roundabout when PNE get a new man and Sheff W, a rival Championship club, take on the old one.

On Wednesday at 4pm Darren Ferguson and Derek Shaw had a press conference to introduce the new manager. Didn’t seem like it was rehearsed as neither made inspirational listening. From it I took that Darren Ferguson likes to see entertaining football, he doesn’t know how much money he has and I’d think he must tire of people asking if his dad agrees.  Derek Shaw referred to Darrens father being a good contact and saying the money would be shown if the target looked right. 

Darren has brought his assistant, Kevin Russell, and a trainer, Scott Taylor, from Peterborough so Rob Kelly is probably looking for a job after his great result last Saturday. Having read the Peterborough local newspaper these are people who have been with him for some time and the assistant is someone close.

The match on Saturday is postponed which will help familiarisation.

Alan Irvine must be happy to walk into a new job so quickly and probably still getting his compensation from PNE.  An interesting position with Sheff Wed almost at the bottom and having the potential to be a very big club although never achieving it. It would be decent for him to do well although not too well, making PNE look bad isn’t what is wanted, so it’s mixed feelings.

Halfway through the season.  23 games to go and 45-50 more points needed.   14 wins,  8 draws, 1 defeat although 3 defeats might be enough.  In reality the play-offs seem unlikely but possible.

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Darren Ferguson imminent?

Posted on 5 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Around 9pm news organisations started announcing they ‘understood’ Darren Ferguson is to be the new PNE manager.  Started on the BBC, then Sky, then LEP.  LEP comments pages still on the daily 200 inputs.  Most supportive of the new appointment.

Await the official announcement.  Nothing settled till it’s settled.

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Coldest for years

Posted on 4 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

Don’t remember a cold spell like this for a long time. Certainly not at this time of year. Seem to recall 1981-ish being very cold in early January.  Went out this morning at 10am and it was minus 3C and ony 1C at 1pm.

Drove to Ansdell and walked along the beach to St Annes, as it’s south facing thought it would be a bit sheltered. Beautiful sunny day, no wind except for a slight northerly drift that kept some avenues white, and the first time I’ve seen ice and snow on the beach. Nice away from the traffic on a quiet day with the sun low in the sky at midday.

Walking back the tide had come in and was lapping close to the dunes with the ice giving it a paste like consistency.  Could see Snowdon quite prominent on the horizon, the gas rigs and windmills in Liverpool Bay as well.

Climbing off the beach to Fairhaven Lake there was an excellent view over the lake towards the white church tower at Ansdell reflecting the sun with a misty sort of look. Birds walking on the lake must have been a bit confused. There was a hole in one bit where they were queueing for a bath.  Didn’t see a lot of birdlife though.

The last few weeks the Fylde skies have been full of geese formations flying in all directions , but not today. Have been curious about why some geese are flying north and others flying south. Did they turn back when they saw the weather further north.

Photograph of Lytham St Annes Lifeboat with tractor –  4th January 2010

Lytham St Annes Lifeboat - January 2010

Photograph of St Annes Pier with snow – 4th January 2010

St Annes Pier with snow - January 2010

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Preston 7 Colchester 0 FA Cup

Posted on 2 January 2010 by Pete of MIP

After a week of events with the sacking of Alan Irvine and the speculation and controversy surrounding it the team answered back.

Some say Colchester are in a league lower than PNE but they are 4th and it would have been easy for it to be a difficult game.  So you can’t win with some.

The Evening Post website letters section has been red hot all week with over a 1000 inputs. Many wanting the board sacking and Derek Shaw out.  They haven’t asked for the ground to be knocked down but they might as well.

A continuing rumour is that there is something big to be announced perhaps on Monday when the stock exchange opens. Then again rumours take a life of their own as fragments are drawn into the evidence and there are many who like to feed them.

Whether this match is Rob Kelly’s interview and he did well time will tell. There is a lot going on with Bolton sacking their manager and seeming to be intent on getting Burnley’s manager despite him having recently turned down Celtic. Blackburn are having a bad run as well but big Sam hasn’t been there that long. So PNE haven’t got an open field.

Parkin got a hat-trick today and it seems PNE made Colchester look like a non-league team. Don’t like teams being thrashed but PNE need this.

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High Speed Rail to miss Preston?

Posted on 31 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

The High Speed 2 Company submitted its plans to Lord Adonis who will declare the preferred routes in March 2010.  To date the proposal has shown a line up the west coast via Preston to Glasgow but yesterdays newspapers seemed cooler on this idea.  The routes being showed seem to favour going to Leeds from Manchester and then to Newcastle with Glasgow being fed via Edinburgh. With a route via Nottingham, Sheffield to Leeds as well. One paper said the Conservatives favoured the east coast route to Scotland, missing Preston, and that Lord Adonis is trying to get all party agreement on the routes.

Politics will play as big a part as economics in the decisions. Already noises are being made about damage to the countryside and cities are vying to get a station on the route. This matches the French experience where too many stations were built as a political sop and made the service less attractive.

The timescale for the service is also much too prolonged.  To say the service will start to Birmingham in 2025 means the north won’t be linked possibly for 30 years.  By then the technology will be on the verge of obsolescence.  High speed rail has been around for 40 years now, after 70 years most transport technologies are looking old.

Making the service available in under 10 years could bring a boom. With London 1 hour from the northern cities it could transform work and leisure.

If Preston doesn’t get this line it will damage the local economy and the north west beyond Manchester will become a remote area. This space needs watching.

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PNE sack Alan Irvine

Posted on 29 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

Big surprise news today – PNE have sacked their popular manager Alan Irvine. It was thought he’d have more time.  Not long ago everyone was sweating on whether he’d go to WBA and even if he’d manage Scotland.  There was gratitude he stayed and it seemed a loyal decision.

When writing this it has to be considered that someone we like has been hurt today. Although going into sport makes winning and losing,  apparent justice and injustice seem part of all the jobs, and there is good compensation in many cases.

What can have brought the board to this decision now? Could it be any combination of the following:

Going down? A string of poor results pointing PNE more towards the bottom than the top.

Not scoring?  That the team are looking poor at the front and maybe that stretches into other areas of creativity.

Lack of money?  The possibility that there is no-one to sell without damaging the team and no-one to bring in cheaply who might become valuable.

Timing?  That the board believe that to bring in a new manager after the transfer window would not set him off in the best position.

Negotiating?  That changing managers later when in desperation isn’t a good position to be in.

Opportunities?  That the board have someone else in mind who is available now.

Looking at the list of potential managers in the Evening Post isn’t encouraging. I’d put Alan Irvine above many of those.

Rob Kelly is stepping in as temporary manager. Is there a possibility he has matured to be the man? Sometimes people in their mid-forties get a blast of realisation and it all comes together to make the real thing.  I know a few who did that, but it didn’t happen in my case.

On the boards decision and Derek Shaw. Stepping above the fray and making wise, if harsh, decisions is what a board has to do. Perhaps they could have waited till the new man was known, Man City announced their new manager immediately, PNE haven’t.  Perhaps they could have waited a few more games.

Interesting to see what will happen in the next few weeks and decide then if it was the right decision. Football isn’t like that though, it’s about venting immediate emotion more than logic most of the time and it wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t.

Alan Irvine did a great job last year and at the beginning of this year.  Everyone on the terraces has great regard for him.  Best wishes to Alan. Let’s hope the team plays better though and it has undiverted support.

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St Ledger returned to PNE by Middlesbrough

Posted on 25 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

Middlesbrough announced that they are returning all 4 of their loan players and that means Sean St Ledger back at Deepdale. He played 15 games and scored once for Boro. Since he left both teams have had poor results and as said before this might be coincidence.  PNE received £1.5m up front and a transfer fee of £4.5m was to be completed in January.  As Boro sank in the division it seemed less likely it would go through and Gordon Strachan, their new manager, must have other ideas.

It is said Sean didn’t want to leave North End and most fans will welcome him back.  Where that leaves the cash situation will need to be addressed but the way the team were going it might have been a lesser worry.

If the strikers have got new shooting boots for Christmas maybe things will look up.

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Verge of a crisis or just a phase at Deepdale

Posted on 20 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

Notts Forest 3 PNE 0.  With died in the wool North Ender Paul McKenna scoring the opener for Forest.  Forest are on a roll at the moment under Billy Davies. Can he get 3 clubs into the play-offs?  So from that point of view maybe there wasn’t going to be much today for PNE whatever.

Since Sean St Ledger left for Middlesbrough both teams have moved down the table, with PNE now 15th and Middlesbrough just above. Is this coincidence?   Will Sean be returning when the payment is due or the payment be less? North End’s main problem seems to be an inability to score goals. I’ve long thought Neil Mellor was going to be the man but it seems I was wrong.  He’s been available most of the season and hasn’t scored much and from what I’ve read isn’t looking like he will.

In reality the results havn’t been that bad but have been going from inconsistent to poor. Losing at home to Reading who were almost bottom, then winning away. More recently drawing at home and away or losing by the odd goal without replying which is becoming ominous.

Naturally Alan Irvine will come under pressure if it continues over the next 3 games. PNE have reached a point in the table where they can still easily get into the play-offs or slip into the relegation zone.   Alan’s name has been mentioned for higher places and all the supporters were glad he stayed. Now he’s got a test and we hope he get’s through it.

Next three league games against Yorkshire teams and at least 6 points are expected although 4 might be more realistic.

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Avenham, Miller Parks and Lancashire Museum get lottery funding

Posted on 17 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) agreed a grant of £1.75m to Avenham and Miller Parks. This tops up the £2.7m granted in 2005. Also the Lancashire Museum in Stanley Street has been allocated £0.9m from the lottery and £0.8m from Lancashire County Council.

In the parks, the original design by landscape designer Edward Milner will be restored including newer additions such as the Japanese Gardens. The 2005 grant built the modern pavilion in Avenham and restored it’s buildings.  Both of these parks are in fine settings sloping steeply down to the River Ribble and overlooked by period buildings. With only the 1960’s boxlike addition blotting the landscape over Miller Park.  Will this building ever become fashionable?

This work coupled with the Georgian buildings of Winckley Square and the planned refurbishment of the square itself,  the old but attractive terrace housing,  including the listed buildings near the park, Avenham Walk promenade and the Harris Institute will make the area from the river to the main shopping street, Fishergate, a characterful and attractive area to walk. Although if I was to comment the cars and vans parked and skips that always seem to be in Winckley Street spoil its appearance. Although it’s a short street it could be a smart entrance to the square and parks.

The lottery is funding parks all over England in it’s Parks for People programme which has allocated £150m and is continuing at £20m a year. As a condition of the funding the parks have to achieve Green Flag status every year which means they are to be maintained to a high standard.  Preston must have got it’s share of lottery funding as Burnley and Wigan are on a list of places that havn’t had their fair share.

In the Lancashire Museum the funding will renovate the building and create new interactive galleries and the ability to display items previously stored as well as a cafe and shop. The museum will therefore be closed all 2010 which is a shame.  I’ve often thought more could be made of this museum as it has some interesting displays but appears a bit ignored and isolated. It has good car-parking but the entrance fee doesn’t help.  With it’s location next to the prison it would be appropriate to have a prison history display. How about that?

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Manchester – Preston – Blackpool Electrification

Posted on 14 December 2009 by Pete of MIP

Lord Adonis, today, put more substance behind the pre-budget statement that seemed to cover electrification of only Manchester – Preston. It now includes Blackpool, which makes more sense.  His statement reads:

”The first line is between Huyton – on the line running from Liverpool to Manchester – and Wigan, on the already electrified West Coast Main Line. This will allow electric trains to operate between Liverpool and Wigan via St Helens. The second line is between Manchester and Euxton Junction – just south of Preston on the West Coast Main Line. This will allow electric trains to operate between Manchester and Preston, via Bolton. The third line is between Blackpool North and Preston. This will allow electric trains to operate between Blackpool North and both Liverpool and Manchester.

Our plans envisage that, once electrified, these three lines will be served by thoroughly refurbished electric commuter trains transferred from the Thameslink line. This will increase rail capacity and reliability between key cities and towns in the North West. It will allow 30 year old ‘Pacer’ diesel trains to be retired, and modern diesel trains to be transferred to other routes requiring extra capacity. It will also help to reduce the long-term cost of operating the railway, and reduce carbon emissions.’

Gordon Brown has said he thought the north didn’t get it’s share of infrastructure projects and that this will help against the recession.  I’d agree with that.  Although the line will still have some non-electrified gaps such as the trains to Buxton and to Manchester Airport.  There are also a number of trains that go on the route via Lytham although in general they go to Blackburn. It is a complicated business and a start is needed somewhere.

There is also a timescale to be attached. The closest is that Lord Adonis said a percentage of trains would be electrified by 2017. This doesn’t put a timescale on the Manchester – Preston or Preston – Blackpool work. If cost – benefit is involved it might not happen as the link to Wigan will allow both Manchester and Liverpool to connect to the northbound main line which will reduce the advantages of the work on the route through Bolton to Preston.

If this all happens in a good timescale it is good news. There is part of me saying it has a strong probability of falling to the cuts that are surely going to come who-ever gets into power after the election. Presumably the more you spend more you need to cut, in my world anyway.

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