Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge Railway Improvements

What is overhead line equipment (OLE) piling?

OLE piling is the process of vibrating and/or hammering steel piles deep into the ground which requires the use of specialist machinery. This is part of preparatory work to support future steel masts and energised electric wires that will eventually be installed to power the trains.

To undertake this work, we will be using a Movax attachment mounted to an excavator – this will be used to vibrate cylindrical steel piles deep into the ground. If the piles refuse, a hydraulic hammer will be mounted to the excavator to hammer the cylindrical steel piles into the ground.

What level of noise can you expect?

Due to the machinery and process used to carry out the piling, this can result in a high level of noise and vibration disturbance for our railway neighbours. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and acoustic barriers will be installed around the machinery to try and dampen the noise. As it is a transient activity we will be aiming to complete work in each area as quickly as possible as we move along the track.

We will be sending letters to all properties within a 500m radius of the track where piling is due to take place and we aim to provide at least two-weeks’ notice before the activity is due to commence. The letters will also detail community engagement events that we will host that you may attend to find out more or ask us any questions you may have.

Benefits of electrification

• Electric trains are better for the environment compared to diesel, creating cleaner travel
• They are also quieter for those living close to the railway and passengers onboard the train
• They are lighter and faster than diesel trains and so cause less damage to the track
• By electrifying this section of the line, it provides more opportunity for electric and bi-mode trains to run in the future between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge