Market Harborough Station Upgrade

[Flying Phil]

They have now put the base layer of tarmac on the new platforms from the new footbridge North to the ends of the platforms. Work is concentrated - literally, to get the new platforms up to the existing platforms at the South end.

 

[edwin_m]

We seemed to be slowing down sooner for the MH stop yesterday (southbound). Has a TSR been imposed? Perhaps the track has been re-canted to suit the alignment after the slew. I also noticed that the existing Down line is fairly rough-looking track just north of the platforms but just alongside the end of the "new" Up line it becomes newish track with e-clips. I think this part might be shifted sideways to become the future Up line.

 

[Spartacus]

No TSRs, perhaps just a cautious or trainee driver?

 

[Flying Phil]

Post #199 shows the trackwork to the North of the station. Effectively, what I think will be happening, is that the current Southbound track will slew and run on the current Northbound track under the Great Bowden bridge (still being refurbished with higher parapets). Then it will join the new track Southbound through the new platforms. The new Northbound track joins the old Northbound a couple of hundred metres North of the Great Bowden bridge.

 

[louis97]

I don’t mean to veer off topic however Leicester still remains a painfully slow 15mph on the down line on the approach to platform 1/2.

The freight loop round the back of the station isn’t always available to use so several, long metre container trains trundle through. It’s only until the last wagon has passed under the bridge until the driver can then start accelerating away from 15mph, thus delaying any passenger trains closely behind it.

The last I heard from Network Rail is that they were still designing a layout appropriate to the junction.

The signals at the north end of Leicester station have no overlaps, these are required before the line speed increase can go ahead. This is due to be done at some point this year.

 

[edwin_m]

Post #199 shows the trackwork to the North of the station. Effectively, what I think will be happening, is that the current Southbound track will slew and run on the current Northbound track under the Great Bowden bridge (still being refurbished with higher parapets). Then it will join the new track Southbound through the new platforms. The new Northbound track joins the old Northbound a couple of hundred metres North of the Great Bowden bridge.

That would fit with what I posted above about new and old track. I expect the future Up (current Down) line would also be slewed into the middle of the eastern arch at Great Bowden to give electrification clearances (the future Down line uses the western arch). If the wiring gets to MH it would be sensible to continue it past the crossovers to a train length north of the Up direction signals protecting them, so an electric train could reverse and switch lines. I'm not sure where the signals will be, but if they did this it would probably extend the wiring under Great Bowden.

 

[londonmidland]

The signals at the north end of Leicester station have no overlaps, these are required before the line speed increase can go ahead. This is due to be done at some point this year.

Interesting. So has all the relevant track works/ground work been done and it’s just the signals which need altering, or is it both things which need doing?

 

[Flying Phil]

Edwin_m
We can but hope! OHLE to Market Harborough makes such good sense on so many levels.

 

[louis97]

Interesting. So has all the relevant track works/ground work been done and it’s just the signals which need altering, or is it both things which need doing?

The track work on the points at London Road Junction are done, they were done last year during a weekend line closure. However any necessary track work to facilitate the new overlaps is still required, and then alteration to the Leicester workstation and interlocking is required too. This highlights how Line Speed improvements are not a simple job, and can required consideration of lots of different factors.

 

[Flying Phil]

The track in-between the North half of the new platforms is now ballasted
......and we also have three small platform shelters! The South end of the Northbound platform is excavated and has steel mesh ready for the concrete foundation slab to be poured. What is interesting is that the existing Northbound waiting room/toilet on the left is correctly aligned for the new platforms. Was it built like that - at an angle, when the station was remodelled in the past (1980's??) to allow for straightening?

 

[edwin_m]

What is interesting is that the existing Northbound waiting room/toilet on the left is correctly aligned for the new platforms. Was it built like that - at an angle, when the station was remodelled in the past (1980's??) to allow for straightening?

I'm sure I read that somewhere.

 

[Roast Veg]

The track work on the points at London Road Junction are done, they were done last year during a weekend line closure. However any necessary track work to facilitate the new overlaps is still required, and then alteration to the Leicester workstation and interlocking is required too. This highlights how Line Speed improvements are not a simple job, and can required consideration of lots of different factors.

Assuming this work is all at the north end of Leicester, would there also be scope to connect platform 4 directly to the Syston running lines as part of this work, such that incoming Ivanhoe services don't need to enter and exit the up fast? Having UF services brought to a standstill just outside of LEI can kill a good few minutes especially on an HST. It would shrink the avoiding line by a few meters but I don't think that's a capacity constraint at this time.

 

[Flying Phil]

Mods......Might it be better to put the Leicester Station suggestions in a separate thread?

 

[Flying Phil]

Mention has been made of the work being done on the Great Bowden road overbridge to the North of the station. Here is a view from the road side.
There are slightly longer and higher walls, the pavement is also raised and has more substantial paved edges - so it is still possible to see the tracks.

 

[InTheEastMids]

A pair of (what I think are) banner repeaters are also being installed by the new Little Bowden footbridge. They seem to be fixed in position, but hinged down so the whole thing is lying on the ground

 

[mt4958]

Will the work at Market Harborough leave it with 2 platforms?

The reason i ask is I can't help thinking it might be useful to have a third platform now that electrification will come this far, for future operational flexibility. For example, an option for some services to terminate at Market Harborough at times (maybe Corby rolling stock) so other longer distance services can non-stop.

I can see it opening a lot of options - depending on the rolling stock, I guess they could even split at Kettering on the slow line platforms in the future which could also restore some Kettering northbound services.

 

[Flying Phil]

Yes - there will only be two platforms with this work and we are still not sure that it has been approved for the wires to come to Harborough - although it would seem to be such an obvious addition.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Will the work at Market Harborough leave it with 2 platforms?

The reason i ask is I can't help thinking it might be useful to have a third platform now that electrification will come this far, for future operational flexibility. For example, an option for some services to terminate at Market Harborough at times (maybe Corby rolling stock) so other longer distance services can non-stop.

I can see it opening a lot of options - depending on the rolling stock, I guess they could even split at Kettering on the slow line platforms in the future which could also restore some Kettering northbound services.

Remember MH electrification (assuming it happens) is effectively "free" as it's around the same cost as the feeder cable. So it's somewhat of a scope creep to then start suggesting future enhancements (and costs), on the off chance that some services might be dreamed up in the future to use them.

 

[edwin_m]

A south-facing bay would mean starting the platforms further north (so further from the station building) or widening the road bridge. It would also need a crossover on the curve south of the station near where they were recently removed to make way for crossovers on straight track north of the platforms.

There's really no reason to terminate a train at Market Harborough given that the next station to the north is Leicester which has many more passengers. Nevertheless I hope the wires (assuming they get here at all) will continue beyond the platforms to a train length past the southbound signals that protect the crossovers, so that if there is ever any need to terminate an electric train it can be done albeit blocking the main lines. The work to Great Bowden bridge pictured above suggests that the wires will reach this far - although it could just be that it was planned before the electrification was Graylinged.

 

[Flying Phil]

Sleepers have now reached to the footbridge and we will be having a smart new, larger, waiting room on the Southbound platform.

 

[InTheEastMids]

smart new, larger, waiting room on the Southbound platform

I'll reserve judgement, I think it looks like an unheated glorified bus-shelter. Looks like it'll be cold in winter, hot in summer and not have any comfortable seats. And we all know how important seats are to this forum!

On the plus side, the bridge is looking better now it has windows and cladding.

 

[Flying Phil]

I'll reserve judgement, I think it looks like an unheated glorified bus-shelter. Looks like it'll be cold in winter, hot in summer and not have any comfortable seats. And we all know how important seats are to this forum!
On the plus side, the bridge is looking better now it has windows and cladding.

At least you can still wait in the warm and cosy station building cafe with a good cup of tea or coffee. True about the bridge.

 

[Flying Phil]

There is now a skeleton of another waiting room on the Northbound platform, together with the poles for lighting. The rails reach to the footbridge and the platforms are ready to join the old sections when the 6 day closure happens at the end of the month.

 

[edwin_m]

Are we getting the whole platforms at the end of May or will there be a bit longer of "front six coaches" until they build the bits where the current platforms and tracks are in the way?

 

[Flying Phil]

Are we getting the whole platforms at the end of May or will there be a bit longer of "front six coaches" until they build the bits where the current platforms and tracks are in the way?

Hi Edwin
I think there will be, at least, ten coaches of finished platforms on both sides when the line reopens. There is only the end few yards of the old platform region being used on the new alignment which might not be fully finished.

 

[DanDaDriver]

Hi Edwin
I think there will be, at least, ten coaches of finished platforms on both sides when the line reopens. There is only the end few yards of the old platform region being used on the new alignment which might not be fully finished.

We’ve been briefed that it’s still front four coaches only until October. Something to do with that subway

 

[Flying Phil]

We’ve been briefed that it’s still front four coaches only until October. Something to do with that subway

That is a surprise, as the platforms to the North of the new footbridge must be at least 6 coaches long I would have thought.....

 

[edwin_m]

We’ve been briefed that it’s still front four coaches only until October. Something to do with that subway

Probably it has to be filled in before the platforms are extended over it, and obviously it's needed for platform access until the start of the blockade so that work can't start until then. Presuming there isn't enough time within the blockade itself to do this, it will then have to be finished during non-traffic hours so will take a long longer than the work that's been done so far.

 

[Flying Phil]

I think the subway will still be in use after the remodelling so people can go from the station building ticket office through the subway and up onto the Southbound platform. The subway exit is still in line with the new Southbound platform alignment. That would also be a lot quicker than having to go up on Platform 1 and over the new footbridge to platform 2.
Certainly the pictures in post#66, from NR, show the shelter over the subway steps still on the end of platform 2.

 

[swt_passenger]

I think the subway will still be in use after the remodelling so people can go from the station building ticket office through the subway and up onto the Southbound platform. The subway exit is still in line with the new Southbound platform alignment. That would also be a lot quicker than having to go up on Platform 1 and over the new footbridge to platform 2.
Certainly the pictures in post#66, from NR, show the shelter over the subway steps still on the end of platform 2.

The planning drawings show the south end of the up platform widens slightly to match the existing subway stairs.

Not sure if it’s been mentioned before, but the drawings can be found on Market Harborough’s planning website under reference: 17/00988/PDN
“Layout 1 of 2” is the relevant drawing, extract below: