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Weaver Junction

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Weaver Junction is a railway junction connecting the West Coast Main Line (WCML) with the Weaver Junction–Liverpool line, 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, and also the world.

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 0.75 miles (1.21 km) south of its former location and known as Weaver Junction. At initial construction, it avoided the need for both a diamond crossing and a conflict of routes.

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

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. 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. In April 1964, Doctor Beeching stated he was completely against extending electrification north from Weaver Junction believing there was no financial justification. Continuing the electrification north from the junction was again discussed British Railways Board in 1968 and a document produced and further discussed in Parliament in February 1969. When finally announced by transport minister Richard Marsh and approved by parliament in February 1970, it was costed at 30.4 million pounds. 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. Major civil engineering work was required.

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. O. S. Nock states the junction was referred to as the zero point of the whole West Coast Route Modernisation of 1970-1974. The entire line was eventually electrified from Weaver Junction to Glasgow in the 1970-1974 timeframe. The final completed cost was 74 million pounds. There were some operational problems later resulting from the scheme and higher rail usage.

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. The electrification infrastructure at the junction uses the autotransformer system.

In 2018 to 2019 the line between Weaver Junction and Wavertree was further modernised with new signaling.

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.

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. 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. Disruption was seen over a few days, as the ground needed to be stabilised.

See also

References

  1. "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  2. "Weaver Junction | railway junction". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  3. Marshall, John (1975). The Guinness Book of Rail Facts and Feats (2nd ed.). Enfield: Guinness Superlatives. p. 65. ISBN 0-900424-33-8.
  4. Holt, Geoffrey O (1986). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Vol. 10 The North West (2nd ed.). Newton Abbot: David St John Thomas. p. 65. ISBN 0-946537-34-8.
  5. Nock, O. S. (1968). The Railway Enthusiast's Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). London: Hutchinson & Co. p. 15. ISBN 0-09-903310-0.
  6. Nock, O. S. (1974). Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. p. 44. ISBN 978-0711005303.
  7. Brown, Joe (2021). Liverpool & Manchester Railway Atlas. Manchester: Crécy Publishing. pp. 158 & index. ISBN 9780860936879. OCLC 1112373294.
  8. Nock, O. S. (1974). Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. p. 44. ISBN 978-0711005303.
  9. "Freight train capacity doubles to Port of Liverpool thanks to £8.3 million line upgrade". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  10. "North West and Central Route Specifications 2021 Network Rail" (PDF). Network Rail. pp. 170–172. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  11. "Written evidence submitted by Wigan Council (IRP0062)". UK Government.
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  13. Nock, O. S. (1965). Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester. London: Ian Allan. OCLC 59003738.
  14. Hardy, R.H.N. (1989). Beeching: Champion of the Railway?. London: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-7110-1855-6.
  15. "Route Improvements Weaver Junction to Glasgow" (PDF). Railway Archives. April 1968. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. "Weaver Junction—Motherwell Line (Electrification) (Hansard, 3 February 1969)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  17. 30.4 million pounds work on main line approved. The Glasgow Herald. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  18. Nock, O. S. (1965). Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester. London: Ian Allan. pp. 71–78. OCLC 59003738.
  19. Butland, A. N. (1966). "Paper 3: Civil Engineering Works of the Euston Main Line Electrification Scheme". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings. 181 (36): 51–64. doi:10.1243/PIME_CONF_1966_181_107_02.
  20. Nock, O. S. (1974). Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. p. 7. ISBN 978-0711005303.
  21. Nock, O. S. (1974). Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. pp. 44–47. ISBN 978-0711005303.
  22. Hewitt, Sam (17 April 2017). "50 years of West Coast electrics - Rail Express". Retrieved 26 September 2022.
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  24. "Electric all the way" (PDF). Railways archive. May 1974. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  25. 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). ISSN 0141-4615. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  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. 129 (3): 101. doi: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. doi: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). Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  30. "Frodsham Rail Connection, Frodsham, Cheshire. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Walkover and Topographic Surveys, and Watching Brief". library.oxfordarchaeology.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  31. "West Coast Main Line Strategy" (PDF). Railways archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 December 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  32. FIRSE, Paul Darlington CEng FIET (29 January 2019). "Christmas 2018: Weaver to Wavertree resignalling". Rail Engineer. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  33. "Railway upgrade signals greater reliability for Liverpool train customers". Network Rail Media Centre. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  34. "Rail Engineer - Issue 171 - Jan/Feb 2019 by Rail Media - Issuu". issuu.com. pp. 38–41. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  35. "Merseyside signals". Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2022 – via PressReader.
  36. Sharpe, Phil; Strange, Paul. "Optimisation of ballast compaction by continuous monitoring of ground stiffness" (PDF). researchgate.
  37. "Report on the Collision that occurred on 6th August 1975 at Weaver Junction in the London Midland Region British Railways :: The Railways Archive". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  38. Thomas, Joe (2 March 2020). "Landslide set to cause disruption to trains to and from Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  39. "Disruption on trains to last until Wednesday following landslide at Weaver Junction". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  40. Thomas, Joe (2 March 2020). "Landslide set to cause disruption to trains to and from Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 October 2022.

53°18′10″N 2°38′23″W / 53.3028°N 2.6396°W / 53.3028; -2.6396

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