Author Archives: Pete of MIP

Preston area Rail Electrification dates announced

Posted on 27 April 2012 by Pete of MIP

Network Rail have announced the dates for electrified rail services near Preston as follows: Manchester to West Coast Main Line and Newton-le-Willows, December 2013 Newton-le-Willows to Liverpool Lime Street; Hyton to Wigan, December 2014 Preston to Blackpool, December 2015 Manchester … Continue reading →

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Electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool line

Posted on 24 March 2012 by Pete of MIP

The Chancellor confirmed in Wednesday’s budget what had been stated before. That the line from Manchester to Blackpool via Preston will be electrified.  Just to remind us that some money is flowing into the North West, although it doesn’t compare … Continue reading →

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Preston Passion – Good Friday 6th April 2012, 10am.

Posted on 24 March 2012 by Pete of MIP

On Good Friday a Passion Play will take place in Preston, televised live on BBC1.  Ticket are available to be an active member of the performance or to be an audience member. Click on the link below. http://www.prestonguild2012.com/?OBH=413&ID=322 The Manchester … Continue reading →

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First win for Westley at PNE

Posted on 15 February 2012 by Pete of MIP

Preston 1 Hartlepool 0.  Over 14,000 watched PNE score fairly late in the game and take their first win for the new manager.  The team has a lot of new faces and PNE could be on target for record turnover … Continue reading →

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Graham Westley takes over at PNE

Posted on 22 January 2012 by Pete of MIP

Graham Westley has moved from Stevenage to take over the managers job at Preston North End. Bringing his 2 coaching staff, John Dreyer and Dino Maamria. Not wasting any time he signed 3 loan players on Friday 20th January: Jamie … Continue reading →

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High Speed Rail to Preston

Posted on 11 January 2012 by Pete of MIP

Ben Wallace MP for Wyre and Preston North spoke in parliament on including Preston in the High Speed Rail route, HS2. To which Justine Greening replied as below. As reported in ‘they work for you’: Ben Wallace (Wyre and Preston North, … Continue reading →

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PNE end Phil Brown’s time

Posted on 15 December 2011 by Pete of MIP

After a poor run of results PNE’s new Chairman, Peter Ridsdale, told Phil Brown his time was up yesterday, 14th December, only 11 months after he replaced Darren Ferguson. PNE have had a string of management changes with Alan Irvine … Continue reading →

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Parliament debates BAE redundancies

Posted on 26 November 2011 by Pete of MIP

On November 24th a debate was held in parliament on the redundancies at BAE SYSTEMS primarily at the Warton and Samlesbury plants in Lancashire and the closure of the Brough site in Yorkshire. The prime mover was David Davis, the … Continue reading →

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20mph Speed Limit in Lancashire

Posted on 21 November 2011 by Pete of MIP

Lancashire County Council popped a leaflet through our door today announcing that our road will have a 20mph speed limit to improve safety and improve the local environment. The leaflet says that the objective is to make driving at 20mph … Continue reading →

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Goodbye Tithebarn Project

Posted on 4 November 2011 by Pete of MIP

This week John Lewis pulled out of being an anchor store in the proposed Preston major development, Tithebarn. The state of the economy and job losses at BAE Systems were quoted as contributing to the decision.  Although one national paper … Continue reading →

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Preston’s Old Buildings Departing

Posted on 15 October 2011 by Pete of MIP

This week Preston Council granted planning permission for houses to be built on the land now occupied by the Park School on Moor Park. This school educated generations of Preston females who passed their 11+ exam, including my mother and … Continue reading →

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Voluntary Redundancy

Posted on 28 September 2011 by Pete of MIP

Having taken voluntary redundancy 7 years ago I can understand some of the feelings BAE workers will be going through.  But this story is for people in their late 50’s. I was the right age and had a reasonable pension … Continue reading →

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North End move to second place

Posted on 28 September 2011 by Pete of MIP

Worth mentioning that after winning last night at Wycombe, PNE are 2nd in league 1 with a game in hand on the leaders. So theoretically could be table leaders. Not to get over excited at this stage in season.  A couple … Continue reading →

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BAE Systems redundancies announced

Posted on 28 September 2011 by Pete of MIP

BAE Systems announced on 27th September, 3,000 potential job losses at its sites. Of the total the Preston area includes; 843 at Warton and 565 at Samlesbury, making 1,408 in the area. Worst hit of all the military aircraft sites … Continue reading →

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Trams in Preston – Edinburgh’s lessons

Posted on 27 August 2011 by Pete of MIP

For quite some time there has been the idea of building a tram track and trams in Preston using part of the old Longridge rail line, including a route along Church Street. On paper this seems a good idea enabling … Continue reading →

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High Speed Rail consultation period ends

Posted on 8 August 2011 by Pete of MIP

The High Speed Rail consultation period concluded at the end of July and decision making will take until the end of the year. At present the line is planned to extend as far as Manchester in the north-west but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, Rail, Technology | 1 Comment

Tithebarn another step forward

Posted on 30 June 2011 by Pete of MIP

The appeal by Blackburn against the Tithebarn project has been rejected.  Blackburn are now considering whether to make a further appeal although most think it’s throwing good money after bad. Whether the Blackburn appeal has already done its job might … Continue reading →

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Made in Britain, we’re on TV again

Posted on 22 June 2011 by Pete of MIP

The BBC once more centred around the area of Preston in its Made in Britain programme fronted by Evan Davies on the 20th June. A visit to Warton to see the highest levels of technology followed by a flight in … Continue reading →

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PNE 2011 / 12 fixtures released

Posted on 18 June 2011 by Pete of MIP

Yesterday the Football League released Preston’s League 1 fixtures.  The first game is at home against Colchester on the 6th August. The last time PNE played Colchester it was in the cup and PNE scored 7 goals. The second game … Continue reading →

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The Street That Cut Everything

Posted on 26 May 2011 by Pete of MIP

Out of thousands of streets in the UK the BBC selected a street in Preston for ‘The Street That Cut Everything’ broadcast last week.  Meant to highlight the difficulty of providing public services with a limited budget it seemed to … Continue reading →

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