MML Electrification: progress updates

[GraphitProjekt]

that complainant (the alpaca farmer) also was in the news opposing National Grid proposals in the area. Seems like a regular suspect and a press favourite

 

[Noddy]

A big +1 from me. What on earth is it going to take? God forbid a death. Trees do not belong close to railway lines.

Well done NR!

Remind the complainers of the Autumn leaves delays and the accident at Salisbury Tunnel Junction in 2021.

WAO

I absolutely support removing lineside trees, they don’t belong there for a whole host of reasons. However, doing it smack bang in the middle of the nesting bird season is quite sad. They could have programmed it a little better.

 

[John R]

that complainant (the alpaca farmer) also was in the news opposing National Grid proposals in the area. Seems like a regular suspect and a press favourite

I await to hear them complaining that the current in the nasty electric wires is hurting their alpacas in due course.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Incidentally the DfT has granted NR an exemption from the ENE NTSN[3] for modified Mk3b OLE on the MML; a necessity as full compliance would be required otherwise, achievable only with wholesale replacement at potentially treble the agreed level of funding. That said, "there are plans to achieve full [ENE NTSN] compliance gradually through planned future interventions", which I presume means as and when renewals are due within the usual schedule of asset maintenance. Decision letter is attached.

[1] Engineering Access Statement
[2] Enhancement Delivery Plan
[3] Energy National Technical Specification Notice

For the layman, does this allow NR to replace old head spans with new head spans rather than portals or twin track cantilevers?
i.e. no requirement to deliver mechanically independent registration?

 

[Brubulus]

For the layman, does this allow NR to replace old head spans with new head spans rather than portals or twin track cantilevers?
i.e. no requirement to deliver mechanically independent registration?

I believe it's the station clearance rules, which had been tested by BR to be safe at much lower levels, then ORR decided to remove allowances and move to full TSI clearance, which required massive modification to EGIP. However they seem to be taking a slightly more pragmatic approach now.

that complainant (the alpaca farmer) also was in the news opposing National Grid proposals in the area. Seems like a regular suspect and a press favourite

Absolutely, one of those professional NIMBYs
From https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/n...tricity-pylons-across-the-countryside-4767060
"Sarah Mcrow, 55, from Brackenfield fears she could lose both her home and the business she has built up from scratch, if plans to build new 50m tall pylons across rural Derbyshire go ahead.

While reading a letter she received from National Grid, Sarah described the moment of “dawning horror” seeing the planned route for the new pylons entirely covering her farmland."

 

[duffield]

I believe it's the station clearance rules, which had been tested by BR to be safe at much lower levels, then ORR decided to remove allowances and move to full TSI clearance, which required massive modification to EGIP. However they seem to be taking a slightly more pragmatic approach now.

Absolutely, one of those professional NIMBYs
From https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/n...tricity-pylons-across-the-countryside-4767060
"Sarah Mcrow, 55, from Brackenfield fears she could lose both her home and the business she has built up from scratch, if plans to build new 50m tall pylons across rural Derbyshire go ahead.

While reading a letter she received from National Grid, Sarah described the moment of “dawning horror” seeing the planned route for the new pylons entirely covering her farmland."

Meanwhile, when I was growing up 50 odd years ago in the Reading area most of the nearby farmland seemed to have a few pylons crossing it, and the farmers managed just fine...

 

[Bald Rick]

I absolutely support removing lineside trees, they don’t belong there for a whole host of reasons. However, doing it smack bang in the middle of the nesting bird season is quite sad. They could have programmed it a little better.

Whenever trees are removed from the railway at this time of year, they are fully surveyed to check for nesting birds.

 

[Noddy]

Whenever trees are removed from the railway at this time of year, they are fully surveyed to check for nesting birds.

Good to hear. Unfortunately my experience of ecological surveys (just like any other survey) is they aren’t foolproof and things get missed. Better to mitigate by avoiding the spring months.

 

[59CosG95]

For the layman, does this allow NR to replace old head spans with new head spans rather than portals or twin track cantilevers?
i.e. no requirement to deliver mechanically independent registration?

Not necessarily. If completely new structures are installed, then they'll likely be mechanically independent.
The exemption was more to say "we're fine if you renew the existing headspans and improve the cantilevers", rather than going for wholesale replacement. If it was wholesale replacement, we'd doubtless see the MML south of Bedford looking exactly like the MML north of Bedford.

Again, on the GWML, they aren't ripping out all of the headspans at once, but they are slowly converting some of them. Admittedly, there have been a few schemes between Paddington & Airport Jn that have knocked the number of headspans down (OOC for Crossrail, OOC for HS2, Acton Dive Under, S&C renewals on the Fast lines which resulted in mechanically independent registrations, and of course the second set of flyovers at Airport Jn).

 

[InTheEastMids]

Back to the proposed wiring - pegs have started to appear NORTH OF DERBY.

North of Derby, there's also been vegetation management

It does seem like Sheet Stores to Derby and now even Derby -> north are getting ahead of Trent - Nottingham?

I also noticed that railway access point and compound locations have gradually appeared on Google Maps.
There are several between Long Eaton and Derby visible, but none that I've seen between Trent and Nottingham, which again supports the idea that there is more on site activity towards Derby vs towards Nottingham.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Not necessarily. If completely new structures are installed, then they'll likely be mechanically independent.
The exemption was more to say "we're fine if you renew the existing headspans and improve the cantilevers", rather than going for wholesale replacement. If it was wholesale replacement, we'd doubtless see the MML south of Bedford looking exactly like the MML north of Bedford.

What actually does the work south of Bedford consist of? I assumed it was re-tensioning span-wires and contact/catenary wires to be at a higher tension for higher speeds. But did they also replace a few headspans with portals?

 

[QSK19]

This reads a bit to me like the government are effectively forcing themselves to electrify as far as (from London) and surrounding (from other directions) Derby - would be politically embarrassing to preach about their green credentials yet have trains rolling into GBR’s home city on diesel.

Might turn out to be one of the quickest electrification projects we’ve seen; but let’s not jump ahead of ourselves until we’ve seen the spending review next month. We might be unpleasantly surprised (as has happened many times with the MML), so let’s manage our excitement for now and hopefully the spending review bears fruit.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

TRUP seems to be going a little quicker honestly, lots of masts sprouting in multiple different locations

 

[zwk500]

What actually does the work south of Bedford consist of? I assumed it was re-tensioning span-wires and contact/catenary wires to be at a higher tension for higher speeds. But did they also replace a few headspans with portals?

I'm fairly sure Headspan to Portal conversion is part of it. I also understand from other posts on here that some of the triangular cantilevers need to be replaced with ones that have a wider angle to help handle the greater forces invovled with higher speeds. No idea on the tensioning.

 

[CdBrux]

I await to hear them complaining that the current in the nasty electric wires is hurting their alpacas in due course.

could be value adding:

"Mary had a little lamb, It ran into a pylon. 10,000 volts went up its arse,. And turned its wool to nylon."

A big +1 from me. What on earth is it going to take? God forbid a death. Trees do not belong close to railway lines.

This is why it's important to explain this to those living nearby who will not have the knowledge that those on these forums do. Without this I think it's quite natural that people will complain if this happens 'out of the blue'

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It does seem like Sheet Stores to Derby and now even Derby -> north are getting ahead of Trent - Nottingham?

I also noticed that railway access point and compound locations have gradually appeared on Google Maps.
There are several between Long Eaton and Derby visible, but none that I've seen between Trent and Nottingham, which again supports the idea that there is more on site activity towards Derby vs towards Nottingham.

In fairness the following has been published in multiple places:

Route Section 2a (RS2a) – Wigston South to Leicester North
Route Section 2b (RS2b) - Leicester North to Syston
Route Section 3 (RS3) – Syston to Trent Junction 28.7km
Route Section 4 (RS4) – Sheet Stores Junction to Chaddesden Sidings (Derby) 15.7km
Route Section 5 (RS5) – Trent Junction to Nottingham 13.1km
Route Section 6 (RS6) – Chaddesden Sidings (Derby) to Toadmoor Tunnel 16.7km
Route Section 7 (RS7) – Toadmoor Tunnel to London Road 43.3km
Route Section 8 (RS8) – London Road to Sheffield North 2.5km

So Derby was always supposed to be ahead of Nottingham.

 

[Edvid]

What actually does the work south of Bedford consist of? I assumed it was re-tensioning span-wires and contact/catenary wires to be at a higher tension for higher speeds. But did they also replace a few headspans with portals?

* Increasing wire run tension (to cope with OLE oscillations at 110mph where 2 / 3 pans are approx. 80 / 160 metres apart)
* Regrading of wire runs at overbridges (to cope with OLE oscillations at 125mph where 2 pans are approx. 190 (?) metres apart)
* Replacing shallow-curve single track cantilevers with deep-curve versions (same reason as above)
* Renewing headspans (to improve resilience and electrical safety)
* Replacing legacy balance weight anchors with anti-fall versions (on fast-line wire runs only)
* Replacing failing headspans with portals (i.e. where ground conditions caused the original foundations to shift)
* Renewing neutral sections (certain components have been updated for resilience - this workstream is already complete)

Some of these are part of OLE125, which itself is part of the wider South of Bedford (Electrification) Enhancements and Renewals scheme (SoB(E)ER for short, depending on when you're on the job )

 

[Halish Railway]

TRUP seems to be going a little quicker honestly, lots of masts sprouting in multiple different locations

I think if we have a firm commitment to electrifying the rest of the MML then this project could progress much quicker (on a per mile basis) than TRU.

For one this is mainly an electrification project and lacks the amount of civil engineering works that TRU has and secondly it should be much easier to shut sections of the route for extended periods of time to condense work into a shorter timescale given the provision of diversionary routes (Erewash and Beighton lines in particular) and ease of running rail replacement buses (East Midlands Parkway would come in handy should the Nottingham branch be shut for an extended period).

 

[duffield]

I think if we have a firm commitment to electrifying the rest of the MML then this project could progress much quicker (on a per mile basis) than TRU.

For one this is mainly an electrification project and lacks the amount of civil engineering works that TRU has and secondly it should be much easier to shut sections of the route for extended periods of time to condense work into a shorter timescale given the provision of diversionary routes (Erewash and Brighton lines in particular) and ease of running rail replacement buses (East Midlands Parkway would come in handy should the Nottingham branch be shut for an extended period).

I guess you mean "Beighton" not "Brighton"

 

[zwk500]

I think if we have a firm commitment to electrifying the rest of the MML then this project could progress much quicker (on a per mile basis) than TRU.

For one this is mainly an electrification project and lacks the amount of civil engineering works that TRU has and secondly it should be much easier to shut sections of the route for extended periods of time to condense work into a shorter timescale given the provision of diversionary routes (Erewash and Brighton lines in particular) and ease of running rail replacement buses (East Midlands Parkway would come in handy should the Nottingham branch be shut for an extended period).

That's a rather big diversion!

 

[Halish Railway]

I guess you mean "Beighton" not "Brighton"

Yes, I’ve amended my post now. Silly autocorrect

 

[InTheEastMids]

For one this is mainly an electrification project and lacks the amount of civil engineering works that TRU has and secondly it should be much easier to shut sections of the route for extended periods of time to condense work into a shorter timescale given the provision of diversionary routes (Erewash and Beighton lines in particular) and ease of running rail replacement buses (East Midlands Parkway would come in handy should the Nottingham branch be shut for an extended period).

Network Rail's procurement framework, when advertised in October 2023, envisaged £880m spend. Adding up the single track km of electrification from Wigston northwards (304km). One divided by the other suggests an estimate of £2.9m per STK, which seems about right. So it does seem like the intention was/is to do the whole lot in 5 duration of the framework. This seems like a quite significant acceleration from the Kettering to Harborough works, which I think took 3 years from the first works through to energisation (for 74 STK)

 

[zwk500]

Network Rail's procurement framework, when advertised in October 2023, envisaged £880m spend. Adding up the single track km of electrification from Wigston northwards (304km). One divided by the other suggests an estimate of £2.9m per STK, which seems about right. So it does seem like the intention was/is to do the whole lot in 5 duration of the framework. This seems like a quite significant acceleration from the Kettering to Harborough works, which I think took 3 years from the first works through to energisation (for 74 STK)

Which is to be expected, if you can keep the original delivery team largely intact (both NR and contractor(s)) and share experiences and knowledge through the entire delivery base.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Which is to be expected, if you can keep the original delivery team largely intact (both NR and contractor(s)) and share experiences and knowledge through the entire delivery base.

indeed, the positive effects of a rolling programme. There's still bound to be a significant amount of downtime ahead even if the spending review doesn't randomly lob off a few bits of MMLe. For RS3, construction ended over a year ago - so I wonder how they can keep those teams joined up when there's not much to do and hasn't been for some time.

 

[Phillipimo]

Some of these are part of OLE125, which itself is part of the wider South of Bedford (Electrification) Enhancements and Renewals scheme (SoB(E)ER for short, depending on when you're on the job )

I came across this recent cabride video today, including a run on the MML slow lines from West Hampstead to Bedford. It's not so easy to see but I think you can spot new registration arms on the fast lines and shiny new headspans. But I'm no expert!

 

[Bald Rick]

What actually does the work south of Bedford consist of? I assumed it was re-tensioning span-wires and contact/catenary wires to be at a higher tension for higher speeds. But did they also replace a few headspans with portals?

I'm fairly sure Headspan to Portal conversion is part of it. I also understand from other posts on here that some of the triangular cantilevers need to be replaced with ones that have a wider angle to help handle the greater forces invovled with higher speeds. No idea on the tensioning.

Very few headspans replaced by portals, only where ground conditons require it. There have been headspans put in some places by other projects.

It’s new wiring in places (including new headspan wires) re tensioning , new small part steelwork and componentry.

 

[zwk500]

indeed, the positive effects of a rolling programme. There's still bound to be a significant amount of downtime ahead even if the spending review doesn't randomly lob off a few bits of MMLe. For RS3, construction ended over a year ago - so I wonder how they can keep those teams joined up when there's not much to do and hasn't been for some time.

Arguably the design team is the most important to be kept together, and given the pegs being reported by other posters, it looks like that isn't leaving long fallow periods.

 

[londonmidland]

I wonder if Network Rail will take advantage of the blockades at Wigston during June and July by cutting back the widely overgrown vegetation here?