Derby Resignalling - 22 July - 7 October 2018

[Mugby]

The former Up and Down Goods West seems to be where most of the trackwork is taking place at the moment.

I notice that no trackwork has been started yet on the approach from the north, from St. Marys. Is any work on this section due to start or will it all be done within the blockade?

 

[civ-eng-jim]

From what I've heard, the Up and Down goods became out of use at Christmas due to a lot of scrapping out of tracks to allow the new platform to be built. This allowed easier access to the Goods Lines to de-risk the main blockade.

A couple of sections of track were installed a couple of months before Christmas on the goods lines to the north. Near to the green footbridge in the fields which are always wet.

The rest will be done in the blockade. A lot of the track is in good condition so I suspect there'll be islands of existing plain line track left in situ and new S&C placed where required to suit the new signalling scheme.

The blockade works are as follows:

21 July to 30 July

Sunnyhill loops (South of Derby) includes Melbourne Junction, Pear Tree and up to Osmaston Road bridge.

30 July to 13 August

From Osmaston Road to the southern end of Derby Station platforms 1 to 4 (New numbers)

13 August to 20 August

From "Way and Works" junction by the Technical centre up towards London Road Junction and into platforms 5 and 6 (New numbers)

20 August to 27 August

Some works to plain-line the crossover at Spondon and some work to reposition a turnout in the Rolls Royce sidings at Sinfin.

27 August to 4 September

North end of Derby station up towards Nottingham Road bridge and into Chadesdden sidings too.

4 September to 8 October

From Nottingham Road bridge up towards the A38 road bridge.

 

[martinr1]

The project moves forward:-

 

[IKBrunel]

Are network rail still building a big depot for the own stock on the triangle wasteland south of Derby Station or did that all get axed at some point?

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Not to my knowledge and certainly not as part of this scheme.

Which bit of land? Between Bombardier and the Birmingham lines?

 

[IKBrunel]

possibly a misunderstanding on my part, from early press releases it looked like NR developing for own use but recent reports suggests its more of a land disposal from NR to developers for industrial estate https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/derby-triangle-development-set-to-create-3300-permanent-jobs/

 

[edwin_m]

possibly a misunderstanding on my part, from early press releases it looked like NR developing for own use but recent reports suggests its more of a land disposal from NR to developers for industrial estate https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/derby-triangle-development-set-to-create-3300-permanent-jobs/

Certainly looks like that. The shape of the site and its relationship to the railway line (curved so difficult to add a junction) makes it unsuitable for anything rail-connected. In fact I'm a little suprised NR has any land ownership in this area or interest in getting involved in development. The link below shows the area in 1938 and the Chaddesden Sidings didn't extend onto this site.
https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW060251
Similarly here's the old OS mapping:
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15&lat=52.9156&lon=-1.4372&layers=10&right=BingHyb

 

[grumpyoldman01]

Wyvern Way is the northern perimeter of the Derby Triangle site.

At its west end (just west of Boots and Toys 'R us) is a roundabout, then a Burger King, then Costco; the eastern end of Chaddesden Sidings is at Costco's west end, and Network Rail's depot and the recently built Mercia House is the on the sidings' north side (immediately west of Costco). I think this may be the new depot being discussed.

Most of the area which is now between the A52 Brian Clough Way (north side) and the current railway line west of Raynesway (the A5111 Derby ring-road) until it intersects the A52 (Eastgate) just to the east of the city centre was railway owned in the past. Apart from part of Chaddesden Sidings, the only other bit of historic railway infrastructure still standing (just!) is part of the Chaddesden wagon repair shops which was last used as the Fireplace Workshop; this will soon be demolished, and when road works presently being undertaken close to it are finished, it will be replaced by a new building which will include (according to local press report) a Nando's and a M&S Food.

The past rail uses for the site are reflected in names; the area occupied by the shops and offices immediately south of the A52 and west of Raynesway is called the Wyvern (which was, of course, part of the Midland Railway's coat-of-arms), and street names include Stephenson Way, Stanier Way, Pullman Road, and The Sidings.

 

[grumpyoldman01]

Paid a visit to Derby station early afternoon today; much activity, and much to see.

Good match between the existing canopies and the new ones

 

[martinr1]

Here are some moving pictures from yesterday

 

[martinr1]

The scene on Wednesday 16th May:-

 

[martinr1]

An the project moves forward. Scenes on Wednesday 23rd May:-

 

[martinr1]

The project roll on and this was the scene on Saturday 2nd June

 

[martinr1]

A further look on Wednesday 6th June

 

[xc170]

I was in Derby only a couple of weeks ago, the progress being made here is impressive.

 

[gtis]

Hi
Got this through the post box the other day

 

[grumpyoldman01]

Paid another visit to Derby station on 7 June.

As is visible on the video posted of the works taken on the 6th, some signals have been hung from the gantry at the station's west end; the photo reproduced below was taken from the end of platforms 2 and 3, and it gives a good impression of how far south (left) the track will be moved, as the two signals positioned on the left of the gantry will control the exits from nos 3 and 4. Therefore, the line serving platform 3 will be more or less where signal DY444 (currently controlling the exit from platform 4) is located.

Special EMT timetables are now available on Derby station showing planned services for the duration of the partial closure; and our postie has just delivered a leaflet - different to the one reproduced in post 105 - explaining what is planned to happen between 22nd July and 7th October.

 

[martinr1]

The scene at Derby on Friday 15th June including more signals hung on the gantry:-

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thank you so much for your posting all the video updates. Great to see. Martinr1

 

[martinr1]

Thank you for your kind comment - Martin

 

[43055]

@martinr1 It is good to see someone documenting the project. I normally don't have long at the station to have a look at what is going on but here is some pic's from this month, some on Friday. Standing on platform 4B and looking at the new signals at the south end really shows the amount of realigning at the south end of the station.

 

[waterlooroader]

Does anybody know if there are any plans for the mechanical signal boxes on the Derby to Crewe line? I know that Tutbury Crossing is listed (Also one of the oldest boxes left in use- built 1872 and still using a frame from 1897) but I presume the rest are going to meet the bulldozer?

Shame; I particularly like Egginton Junction (Applied for a signaller job there a few years back and went for a look round) but Derby badly needs this upgrade. Mechanical signalling has no place on a 21st century mainline.

 

[43055]

Does anybody know if there are any plans for the mechanical signal boxes on the Derby to Crewe line? I know that Tutbury Crossing is listed (Also one of the oldest boxes left in use- built 1872 and still using a frame from 1897) but I presume the rest are going to meet the bulldozer?

Shame; I particularly like Egginton Junction (Applied for a signaller job there a few years back and went for a look round) but Derby badly needs this upgrade. Mechanical signalling has no place on a 21st century mainline.

I don't know what is happening at the moment, I know there is nothing happening on the north staffs during the remodeling. I think there are currently no plans for closing the boxes at the moment which is a good thing as I like the sound of the bells and signals dropping particularity at Tutbury and Uttoxeter. It would be nice to keep the boxes even if they are not listed.

 

[Class 170101]

Presumably the gantry to which the new and old signals are sitting side by side is sufficiently high enough to accommodate OLE underneath should that farce be sorted out?

 

[43055]

I'm not sure but it looks like it would be possible given the hight and probably was in mind in the design stages as the plans would of been drawn up a good while back when the MML electrification was a thing.

 

[martinr1]

The scene at Derby on Wednesday 27th June:-

 

[43055]

One of the more significant parts this week showing the placement of the new signals at the north end and the lighting where there is no canopy. The signal for he service platform at he south end is up but is difficult to get a good picture as it is behind other equipment.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I know there is nothing happening on the north staffs during the remodeling. I think there are currently no plans for closing the boxes at the moment which is a good thing as I like the sound of the bells and signals dropping particularity at Tutbury and Uttoxeter. It would be nice to keep the boxes even if they are not listed.

The North Staffs Crewe-Derby line could do with having the boxes closed so the timetable can be improved, No Sunday morning service, last train pre-21:00, moving control to Derby could really help improve things

 

[Tomnick]

The North Staffs Crewe-Derby line could do with having the boxes closed so the timetable can be improved, No Sunday morning service, last train pre-21:00, moving control to Derby could really help improve things

Extending the late turn (or even a full night turn) and an earlier start on Sunday or a full early turn for seven signalmen and one crossing keeper would be a much cheaper way of achieving that than a multi-million pound resignalling scheme. If the will was there, it’d be done...

 

[Deafdoggie]

I don't think they will spend any money on it! But if it was a bi-product of an existing scheme then I am sure they would take advantage