In 2021, Rail Engineer reported on the Crewe Basford Hall and Independent Lines (BHIL) re-signalling. BHIL is an early part of the overall large Crewe Hub programme which will consist of many individual projects and phases. In this article we look at the whole programme, which was presented to the IRSE in February by Geoff Paley. Geoff’s presentation was before the two-year delay to HS2 Phase 2, announced in March.
Crewe has always been an important junction on the West Coast Main Line, so its signalling infrastructure is extensive and complicated, with six busy routes and a connection to HS2 to come. The station first opened in July 1837 with Crewe becoming a major junction when the lines to Manchester Piccadilly, North Wales, Stoke-on-Trent/Derby, and Shrewsbury/South Wales were provided a few years later.
It is the last main station before the branch to Liverpool Lime Street at Weaver Junction, with line going on to Scotland. To the south of the station there are lines to London and to Birmingham from Stafford. The station was modernised around 1861 with the Independent Lines tunnels and the Basford Hall sidings for freight trains constructed in the early 1900s, along with an island platform extension on the western side of the station in 1905.
Overdue upgrade
The last major resignalling took place in 1985, with the creation of the Crewe Signalling Control Centre (CSCC) located near to North Junction and the Independent Lines. While this was an extensive resignalling, it did not include the Independent Lines as they were proposed for closure, nor Crewe’s other fringes, and the resignalling only covered the station area and north and south junctions. Today, CSCC is approaching 40 years old, and its asset life is starting to cause problems along with the other much older signalling. The Independent Lines were not closed and remain an important freight route. Salop Goods Junction signal box, which controls most of the Independent Lines dates from 1901 and was last resignalled in 1936.
The 1985 resignalling modernised and simplified the track layout, eliminating many points and crossings and provided 80mph (130 km/h) running over the North Junction. At the same time, all but one of the six 1905 western side extension platforms were taken out of use. Today, even after Covid-19, rail use is increasing and will play an important part in future carbon reduction, so some of the platforms and routes taken out of use 40 years ago are to be reinstated. The CSCC signalling interlocking is life-expired and the canopy structure, installed in 1905 is also in poor condition, with much of it currently needing scaffolding to maintain its integrity.
Health and safety systems are much improved since 1985, as are the testing and assurance processes for signalling work. So, as well as being a much bigger programme than the one that took place in 1985, it must be delivered differently and to modern standards.
Cheshire East Council, HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport, and Network Rail have developed the Crewe Hub programme, which aims to provide more capacity, better connectivity, more resilience, and improved access and facilities at the station, and to accommodate the HS2 trains that are proposed to call at Crewe and to provide infrastructure to fit with the North West transport strategy. Phase 1 of HS2 involves the railway being built between London and Birmingham, with the line extended from the West Midlands to Crewe in Phase 2a. Phase 2b will connect Crewe to Manchester.
The Crewe Hub programme also includes station renewals and enhancements, station area resignalling and remodelling, and Alsager/Kidsgrove line resignalling which features 16 tricky level crossings. Approximately four miles of the main line will also be realigned to accommodate the HS2 trains calling at Crewe. North of Crewe, Winsford to Weaver Junction is being resignalled along with provision of a northern connection to HS2.
The Crewe Northern Connection will be provided to the north of Crewe tunnel to connect the route of HS2 to the WCML. Crewe North Rolling Stock Depot (RSD) and Crewe North Infrastructure Maintenance Base – Rail (IMB-R) will be located between the route of HS2 and the WCML where they diverge to the east of Walley’s Green. The RSD will serve as an operational and maintenance hub for HS2 rolling stock and the IMB-R will be an infrastructure maintenance facility and storage area for the Proposed Scheme.
Individual projects
The Crewe Programme is a £5.7 billion scheme, made up of Network Rail funding of £1.7 billion and HS2 funding of £4 billion. The ultimate project funder / strategic sponsor is the Department of Transport, with delivery by Network Rail and HS2 responsible for its part of the programme. A small programme lead team will be the ‘guiding mind’ between HS2 and Network Rail. The Crewe Programme is not an alliance but consists of 22 individual projects each with their own profit and loss accounts and contracting strategies.
There are four delivery models for the projects:
- Network Rail funded and delivered. Projects include, for example, life extension works and resignalling of the Alsager/Kidsgrove line with level crossings to be closed, upgraded, or renewed. Recontrol to Manchester Rail Operating Centre (MROC) of Gresty Lane, Crewe Steel Works. Independent Lines resignalling and diversionary route upgrades for the blockades of the main station area.
- Jointly funded and delivered by Network Rail. This includes the core Crewe station area resignalling, major station works and a new roof, and platform extensions for HS2 trains.
- HS2 funded and jointly delivered. Such as the Crewe north and south connections with HS2 and rolling stock depot.
- HS2 funded and delivered. This will provide the HS2 running tunnels under Crewe, with Network Rail undertaking the assurance and Asset Protection and Optimisation (ASPRO) requirements.
Much coordination will be required with other projects being delivered around the country during the Crewe Programme, as the signalling and other engineering resources required are huge with many ‘peaks and troughs’ for key people and material. The programme is so big that some of the infrastructure will need life extending until it can be replaced during the later stages.
The life extension works include Crewe station OFF Indicators and Train Ready To Start (TRTS) equipment; Crewe Coal Yard interlocking, Crewe Steelworks interlocking and signals; Beeston Castle & Tarporley signal box diagram and telecoms; and Winsford signal box signals, location cases, and telecoms.