MML Electrification: progress updates

Flying Phil · 7 May 2018

fflint said:
Slightly off topic but still a MML question. Can someone explain please how Syston station works with only one platform? I know Brunel was a big fan but that was years ago.

There is only a single track through Syston Station which is bidirectional, so the single platform is fine. North of Syston there are two "slow" tracks and two "fasts" but between Syston and Leicester there are only three tracks. The previous "drivers eye view" video shows this quite well.

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fflint · 8 May 2018

Thanks to all for your explanations.

edwin_m · 8 May 2018

Rather unfortunate that the platform at Syston is on the trackbed that will be needed for the fourth track.

Mugby · 8 May 2018

edwin_m said:
Rather unfortunate that the platform at Syston is on the trackbed that will be needed for the fourth track.

Rather than demolish the platform and rebuild it further back, perhaps it could be turned into an island platform for the Up and Down Slows with a subway entrance from the approach yard?

The_Engineer · 8 May 2018

The above video starts at Syston North Junction headed south. You'll see the track alignment is all wrong to make the platform an island and then get the rails under the bridge! I see no alternative to two new platforms alongside up and down slow lines (as the original station was, I believe). Your options are really constrained by the short distance between the pointwork of Syston South Junction and the road bridge, it may possibly limit any platform length to four car trains only.

edwin_m · 8 May 2018

Yes, I think you'd take out a slice of the car park and put a new platform further back to serve the new track. The existing track would be the Down Slow with a platform between that and the Up Fast.

londonmidland · 12 May 2018

Some observations from traveling to London from Leicester this afternoon:

- TSR is still in operation at Leicester bar the up line on platform 3 with 40MPH linespeed.
- Market Harborough station car park looks nearly complete. The access road from the main road looks to be complete, with road markings applied and lights having been installed.
- Quite a few more Twin-Track Cantilevers have been installed on the up/down slow. Nice to see a few erected not far from Bedford, closing the gap between Bedford and Wellingborough.

59CosG95 · 14 May 2018

Been trying to track the work between Bedford & Corby a bit over the last week or so; here are my observations thus far based on the posts in this thread, along with images from Flickr etc.
So, to get the MML work in the same boat as the Blackpool-Manchester & GWML Wiring Threads, I present the MML Wiring Progressometer.
As with the other 2 threads, I'll be updating every Monday (or Tuesday in the event of BH works).

MML Wiring Progressometer 1.0 (14th May 2018)
Mileages are from St. Pancras.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
Work underway (since 19/2) on Ford End Road Bridge (at the north end of Bedford); should finish Aug '18.
At Bromham, over the Slow Lines between the A6 & Lower Farm Rd, about 12-13 Twin Track Cantilevers/TTCs (with booms) are up.
2 piles are in just south of Oakley Viaduct; one next to the DF, another next to the US. These seem to have been in for a while.

Lots of TTCs also up around Milton Ernest (between Radwell Rd & East End).
About 6 TTCs are up immediately to the north of Radwell Viaduct, over the Slow lines.
Roughly 3 or 4 piles are in next to the Down Fast, and another 2/3 next to the Up Slow just north of Moor End Lane, Radwell. South of Moor End Lane (but north of the next bridge to the south), roughly 3/4 piles are in next to the Up Slow, with a similar number in adjacent to the Down Fast; the 3 closest DF piles to the southern bridge (plus 2 behind the bridge) have masts now.

Not much up around Irchester, Sharnbrook or Souldrop at this point.

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
Haven't seen much going on around here from my observations; any updates would be most welcome.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
Piling going on to the north of Kettering station. A few signal gantries from the BR days have been (or are due to be) removed. Unclear of progress with piling/masts towards Corby, or on the Main line north of Glendon Junction; I assume some wires will go this way to be used as overruns.

Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

InTheEastMids · 14 May 2018

59CosG95 said:
Been trying to track the work between Bedford & Corby a bit over the last week or so; here are my observations thus far based on the posts in this thread, along with images from Flickr etc.
So, to get the MML work in the same boat as the Blackpool-Manchester & GWML Wiring Threads, I present the MML Wiring Progressometer.
As with the other 2 threads, I'll be updating every Monday (or Tuesday in the event of BH works).

MML Wiring Progressometer 1.0 (14th May 2018)
Mileages are from St. Pancras.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
Work underway (since 19/2) on Ford End Road Bridge (at the north end of Bedford); should finish Aug '18.
At Bromham, over the Slow Lines between the A6 & Lower Farm Rd, about 12-13 Twin Track Cantilevers/TTCs (with booms) are up.
2 piles are in just south of Oakley Viaduct; one next to the DF, another next to the US. These seem to have been in for a while.

Lots of TTCs also up around Milton Ernest (between Radwell Rd & East End).
About 6 TTCs are up immediately to the north of Radwell Viaduct, over the Slow lines.
Roughly 3 or 4 piles are in next to the Down Fast, and another 2/3 next to the Up Slow just north of Moor End Lane, Radwell. South of Moor End Lane (but north of the next bridge to the south), roughly 3/4 piles are in next to the Up Slow, with a similar number in adjacent to the Down Fast; the 3 closest DF piles to the southern bridge (plus 2 behind the bridge) have masts now.

Not much up around Irchester, Sharnbrook or Souldrop at this point.

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
Haven't seen much going on around here from my observations; any updates would be most welcome.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
Piling going on to the north of Kettering station. A few signal gantries from the BR days have been (or are due to be) removed. Unclear of progress with piling/masts towards Corby, or on the Main line north of Glendon Junction; I assume some wires will go this way to be used as overruns.

Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

Great stuff! Can I suggest you add a further section: North of Glendon Jct? Two reasons
1. The supply point will be at Braybrooke, and there will need to be some way of getting the power to Glendon (it may be in a trench like one of the GW supply points)
2. The extent of electrification from Glendon towards Market Harborough has not been decided - it might be Braybrooke.

On this topic, it appears the Braybrooke Substation was approved this week by Kettering Borough Council.
https://www.kettering.gov.uk/planningApplication/127527

59CosG95 · 15 May 2018

InTheEastMids said:
Great stuff! Can I suggest you add a further section: North of Glendon Jct? Two reasons
1. The supply point will be at Braybrooke, and there will need to be some way of getting the power to Glendon (it may be in a trench like one of the GW supply points)
2. The extent of electrification from Glendon towards Market Harborough has not been decided - it might be Braybrooke.

On this topic, it appears the Braybrooke Substation was approved this week by Kettering Borough Council.
https://www.kettering.gov.uk/planningApplication/127527

All added in for next week's update. For all the relevant points mentioned (inc. Braybrooke), I've added Google Maps URLs as well.

Flying Phil · 16 May 2018

Thanks for these updates.

59CosG95 · 16 May 2018

Side note: I'm going off-radar for 2 weeks while I finish my finals, so expect a bumper progress update (2 weeks' worth) on the 30th. Hope you readers all understand!

Flying Phil · 16 May 2018

Hope the Finals go well - but you shouldn't be reading this now!

WymoWanderer · 16 May 2018

Went for a little wander today to have a look at the ongoing work in Wymington.
No masts appear to have been erected on either the fast or slow lines in the area.

First image is on the slow lines where you can see the banks works going on.

y4md7R4nLzAUEbUf9lur9Ttbv9ztgAj9vAXRIRr9mdU32MsatHJZxClmYR8WzsybDUhYm_bCJGsrWyFb_GuqRCElJRW_WURSuVIxcGWOiawZkP72cRieWAuw6CcUHZjhEUjDvNKAe1TDSq72RCXexnSDNy8eQ8c9jHuWRzQ0522qMDGeT7RA_RsN2RjuQ3xkc_oM8dbetRTfqTog8uKtwWONQ

Second picture is of the car park for the ongoing works. Car park is also the proposed site of the electricity substation.

y4mhvhysJdA9PcTnlYW1uRQVo41DrhEB5MYLXnV0N3y5-99jLAR2vznGey5NWcZEZPW_EejiKoaYPyS_fTk40mpJKCRk7kTrtivaZobjKI-sFdo0pNITjj5DqSNITE1BCLYJ1ZJQy1_-8xWvorQP7EWZC_sU_JZ98pKTjY_POoIvXj8Yqj6Kjkryb-RNh7HAHzJd4KsNJgsnjSYL3f4gMdpcQ

Details of the substation are available on Bedford Borough Council's planning pages
http://www.publicaccess.bedford.gov...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ONBIS8CUMMJ00

InTheEastMids · 16 May 2018

WymoWanderer said:
Details of the substation are available on Bedford Borough Council's planning pages
http://www.publicaccess.bedford.gov...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ONBIS8CUMMJ00

I had a click through the docs for this planning application. In an inset to document VO3, it shows all the substations required for electrification to Leicester. Not sure how much of this already exists or whether this is referring to the future state once the upgrade promised for South of Bedford has been done

hwl · 16 May 2018

InTheEastMids said:
I had a click through the docs for this planning application. In an inset to document VO3, it shows all the substations required for electrification to Leicester. Not sure how much of this already exists or whether this is referring to the future state once the upgrade promised for South of Bedford has been done

It was submitted the week before Grayling axed electrification

InTheEastMids · 16 May 2018

hwl said:
It was submitted the week before Grayling axed electrification

Yeah North of Braybrooke it's a case of "what might have been". South of Bedford, it's "what could/should still go ahead"

WymoWanderer · 16 May 2018

InTheEastMids said:
I had a click through the docs for this planning application. In an inset to document VO3, it shows all the substations required for electrification to Leicester. Not sure how much of this already exists or whether this is referring to the future state once the upgrade promised for South of Bedford has been done

The planning document is what is under-construction now at Wymington along with the reinstatement of the fourth line. Yes, it also shows substations further up the line which presumably won't be built since electrification is stopping at Kettering/Corby.

richieb1971 · 17 May 2018

I took these pics last week.

Taken at Lower Farm Road Bromham, Miltern Ernest, Radwell. It should be noted to those not familiar with the track layout that most gantries are on the slow lines.

I'm happy that they used over hanging gantries rather than the setup south of Bedford. But this is probably due to the track layout as the fast and slows often spread wide in places. Radwell would have been awesome if not for the 7ft high wall on the bridge as the gantries are separated and you can right down the middle.

Flying Phil · 17 May 2018

Thanks for those pics Richieb - nice to see them cracking on!

GRALISTAIR · 17 May 2018

Flying Phil said:
Thanks for those pics Richieb - nice to see them cracking on!

Indeed thanks

A0wen · 18 May 2018

Well the slow line is closed south of Wellingborough down to Wymington at present as the track's been removed on the bridge over the Nene where they seem to be doing alot of work.

On the fasts around Wymington you can see the bases for the OHL masts.

Also a few more masts north of Bedford - particularly on one of the river bridges. I imagine works closer to Bedford won't start until Bromham Road bridge is sorted.

That was all obvious yesterday when I used the line.

richieb1971 · 20 May 2018

I will do bi monthly pic updates. I will do wymington today if u can.

richieb1971 · 20 May 2018

There are no improvements on the diversionary path at wymington since my last visit. The piles are in on the fasts over the summit. Pretty disappointed since the slow line at wymington is completely closed you would think they would be cracking on. I think more work is being done north of wellingborough.

londonmidland · 22 May 2018

Can certainly see why additional capacity is needed around Leicester.

59CosG95 · 24 May 2018

Popping up briefly to say that this month's Modern Railways issue states that the proposed scope of wiring could go as far north as Market Harborough.
From the article on page 8:

However, with the power supply feed to be located at Braybrooke, just south of Market Harborough, NR is currently working through options with the Department for Transport for how this would feed the electrified section south of Corby & Kettering. A Network Rail spokesman told Modern Railways: "As part of the upgrade to the Midland Main LIne, we are remitted to develop a number of options to connect to the power supply at Braybrooke. This could include either using an underground cable or extending the Overhead Line Equipment."

themiller · 24 May 2018

59CosG95 said:
Popping up briefly to say that this month's Modern Railways issue states that the proposed scope of wiring could go as far north as Market Harborough.
From the article on page 8:

I suppose the further north it goes, the further north it’s likely to go as the savings from not wiring will be reduced!

Domh245 · 24 May 2018

The line between Kettering North Junction and Market Harborough is ~9 miles of 2 tracks with no apparent major obstructions, and a maximum speed of HST110 - it should therefore be a relatively simple (and so cheaper) stretch to electrify. It would be a great shame if they didn't properly electrify this stretch. It'd also mean that about 2/3 of the route mileage to Nottingham/Derby would be electrified - something that should be important for the Government to make a point of if they are trumpeting their Green credentials.

richieb1971 · 24 May 2018

Makes sense to electrify the stretch. I would personally ohle all the way to the first obstruction if it is near Leicester station.

londonmidland · 24 May 2018

It would make sense to extend the OHLE to Leicester if it is possible as it would allow electric trains to switch over to diesel and vice versa. Also 99% of services stop at Leicester.

MML Electrification: progress updates

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