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MML Electrification: progress updates

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AM9

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I think it might be the author's camera lens; notice how the lamppost to the right of shot bends slightly.
I think it is pincushioning of the image, - note how the lamp posts on either side lean away from the centre of the picture.
 

Aictos

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Is there any updates when the Up and Down Fast become bi directional though Bedford station?
 

eMeS

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I think it might be the author's camera lens; notice how the lamppost to the right of shot bends slightly.

The Flickr site tells us that it was taken with an 18-400mm zoom on a Canon 750D DSLR, at a focal length of 40mm, so some lens distortion might be expected.
 

yorkie

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Just a gentle reminder that this thread is for updates regarding the actual MML electrification.

As always we do absolutely welcome suggestions for changes to infrastructure and/or service provision, but we do kindly ask that these are posted in the Speculative Ideas section (either in a new thread, or an existing one if there is one that's suitable), and not posted as replies to threads in other areas of the forum. People are, of course, welcome to link to such threads here.

I have split some posts into a new thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...vements-would-you-suggest-for-the-mml.192084/ ; feel free to continue that discussion there.

Many thanks :)
 

Class 170101

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Why wouldn't Bedford passengers change onto the ECML at Sandy on EWR?

Because no LNER services will stop at Sandy.

In the current services, no. However it could be that in a post HS2 service pattern that there could be some.

Precisely.

Just a small problem Sandy has no platforms on the fast lines of the ECML so would be expensive to rebuild the station, and could it be kept within the existing footprint? To this extent I would suggest better links to the north via MML and Toton. However terminating at Bedford is pointless as the station isn't really laid out well enough. I would suggest the trains would still run to / from St Pancras providing intermediate journeys. Yes no one would do St Pancras to Toton and onwards to Leeds say but its intermediate journeys that people fail to account for.
 

cle

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Bedford will connect ewr and will have zero direct connection to the north. It also has bottlenecks south of Bedford. The only option is to start a northern service from Bedford or allow stp trains to stop at Bedford and continue to the north.
There was at one point talk of EWR trains directly up the MML - say running Reading/Oxford to Leicester and Nottingham - which I think is far more interesting for the South/E Midlands in terms of reducing car journeys and creating new city pairs - than a slightly quicker Leeds service.
 

edwin_m

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There was at one point talk of EWR trains directly up the MML - say running Reading/Oxford to Leicester and Nottingham - which I think is far more interesting for the South/E Midlands in terms of reducing car journeys and creating new city pairs - than a slightly quicker Leeds service.
That would be possible by swapping this proposed new working with the Nottingham semi-fast so you'd have a London to Leeds via Leicester and Toton (but end-to-end passengers would use HS2 instead) and an EWR to Nottingham. To me this seems an attractive idea, but Midlands Connect probably don't want to get too involved with service patterns outside their own area so may just have suggested what is simplest.
 

59CosG95

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MML Wiring Progressometer 33.0 (as of 26th of September 2019)
Mileages are from St. Pancras. Unless mentioned otherwise, all reference to the "Fast" side refers to tracks on the western side of the "10-foot" (centre of the track pairs), and the "Slow" side for the tracks on the eastern side.

South of Bedford
  • In the Cricklewood area, around 13 new structures are gradually being erected; these are assumed to be replacements for headspans in the area. Pictures will follow.
  • Just south of Sundon FS, Lower Farm Rd ATFS is being commissioned - this will allow for a increase in electric traction on the route.
  • From structure "SPC1 79/659/DF", just north of the Great Ouse Viaduct, new masts are going up on either side of the Fast tracks to support Bonomi Omnia (i.e. S2/UKMS) cantilevers. All of them appear to be up.
  • Just south of the new Sectioning AT site (?) south of Bedford, 2 pairs of spanwire Feeder masts (for switching) are being installed; the more northerly pair's mast adj. to the Up Fast has yet to be installed.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
  • Work to raise Ford End Rd bridge is now complete.
  • On the Fast side, behind Bedford P4's fence, masts to support troughing appear to have been erected. These may carry feeder cables or similar.
  • Two Tensorex portals are now up immediately north of Bedford. Between them lies a "castellated" portal, which has a spanwire feeder mast adjacent to it in the Down Fast Cess. It has yet to receive its twin on the Up side.
  • One TTC is awaiting installation just south of Bromham Rd Bridge in the Down Fast cess; its pile is driven.
  • Over the pointwork of Bedford North Jct (just north of Bromham Rd Bridge), the majority of masts now have booms (either TTC or Portal).
  • The southernmost portal on this stretch is missing its Up side leg, and also its boom. Just north of it, two pairs of spanwire feeder masts have gone up. North of them, two pairs of Tensorex Portal legs are awaiting their boom.
  • Between Bedford North Jct & Sharnbrook Jct, about 90% of masts are up on both sides of the line.
  • Aerial Earth Wire is now up on both sides between Bedford & Oakley, verified in the Clapham area. All four lines are now wired past the former site of Oakley Station as far north as the Tensorex portal between Oakley Viaduct & Highfield Rd. Two-track portals now appear to be up over Oakley Viaduct too (on both lines).
  • The Fast Lines are wired (C&C, plus Aerial Earth on both sides) from just north of the A6 (Great Ouse Way) O/B; the Slow Lines start from the next Tensorex Portal at Lower Farm Rd.
  • In the Milton Ernest area, C&C on the Up Slow stops at the Tensorex portal immediately south of Milton Ernest Viaducts. Wires on the Fasts stop at the "wicket-keepers" immediately south of Radwell Rd O/B, while the Up Slow is wired again from the Tensorex portal a few structures south. on all lines except the Up Slow. North of there, wires only continue on the Up Fast & Down Slow.
  • Both Slow Lines are now fully wired over Radwell Viaduct.
  • Between Radwell Viaduct & Moor End Lane O/B, C&C resumes on the Down Fast and terminates on the Up Slow. Both wire runs on the Down Fast & Down Slow terminate shy of Sharnbrook Viaducts.Two pairs of spanwire feeder masts (one pair for the Slows, one pair for the Fasts) are also up, but have not received any switching equipment yet; these are located between the end of the aforementioned wire runs and the southern end of the viaducts.
  • All 4 lines now wired over Sharnbrook Viaducts.
  • Around Sharnbrook Jct (south of Templars Way O/B), at least 4 piles have gone in adjacent to the proposed alignment of the future Up Slow.
  • North of Templars Way overbridge, an AT switching site has been constructed in the former works compound. A pair of spanwire feeder masts are adjacent to the northern perimeter of said compound.
  • Almost all masts are now up over the Slow lines, from just north of Park Ln, Sharnbrook (https://goo.gl/maps/df2As431FDr) to Sharnbrook Rd overbridge (southern end of Souldrop bank); the 4-tracking here is not yet complete as signals "WH378" and “LR 8” sit right in the path of the restored Up Slow. Some TTCs have now gone up on the Fasts between these bridges too.
  • At Souldrop (between Sharnbrook Rd & Back Lane overbridges), 400m approx of Aerial Earth Wire (AEW) has gone up on the Slow side TTCs. On the Down Slow (to be), a run of C&C has now gone up, continuing south of Sharnbrook Rd to a point halfway between Sharnbrook Rd and Park Ln O/B's. The corresponding MPA portal on the Fast lines is now erected, but SPS, cantilevers & registration arms have yet to be installed. The Fast side AEW is also up to the south of Sharnbrook Rd, but is not registered on the portal.
  • Wymington Deviation - Fasts
    • On the Fasts, wires are now up from the 2nd-closest Tensorex portal south of Back Lane Bridge (aka Odell Viaduct), and continue north past Irchester, north of where the Fast lines rejoin the Slow lines. Three pairs of Spanwire Feeder masts are being installed at the northern end of the Fasts on this stretch, although the central one on the Down Fast side has yet to be installed.
  • Wymington Deviation - Slows
    • North of the first footbridge north of Sharnbrook Tunnel, wires start to run north, past Wymington Village, but finish before the Slows rejoin the Fasts.
    • The switching/feeder site at Wymington now looks structurally complete.
  • Just north of the A45 overbridge, a number of portals (2-track & 4-track?) are awaiting installation.
  • Irthlingborough Viaduct still has no masts, although brackets have been installed now on the Slow Lines' viaduct.
  • Between Irthlingborough Viaduct & I'borough Rd Bridge (i.e. the Kangaroo Spinney area), virtually all TTCs have booms now. The Fast side is seeing much more progress than the Slow side, with masts/booms nearly at I'boro' Rd Bridge. (Progress on the Slows stops west of signal LR 23.) A 4-track portal is being erected, with the boom not yet in situ - the structure number is "SPC2 103/387". Both "DF" & "US" masts are up.
  • Irthlingborough Rd Bridge was demolished on Christmas Day 2018 - only the utilities pipe remains. A temporary footbridge has also been erected. Immediately north of the temporary bridge, 2 pairs of TTCs (1 pair in the Fast side cess, the other pair in the 10-foot) have gone up complete with booms, and a mast for a Tensorex Anchor portal has gone up too (in the Slow side cess). Immediately south, 1 4-track portal leg & one boomed TTC are up in the Fast Side cess.
  • Just south of Wellingborough Viaduct, 4 wicket-keeper masts are due to go up; the Down Fast one has been erected, but lacks Tensorex drums. The other 3 are in the 10-foot/cess. North of the viaduct, the 6 nearest TTCs on the Slow lines still lack booms.

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
  • Immediately south of the station, MPA portals are going up.
  • Preparations to return the 4th platform (P4) at Wellingborough to public use have now begun. Concrete facings for P4 are now appearing.
  • Two piles are in next to each other just north of P1; one of which now bears a boomed TTC mast. The other must be for a backstay.
  • Extensive 4-tracking laid (except at points where existing infrastructure has to be moved).
  • Between Mill Rd O/B, and Finedon Rd O/B, over 95% of steelwork is now up. Only a few things remain outstanding, like Anchor Portal Backstays, Across Track Feeder masts etc.
  • North of Finedon Rd Bridge, all portal booms are now up.These accompany the TTCs over both pairs of lines near Wellingborough Yards; SPS and cantilevers are now starting to go up.
    South of these booms, a TTC (boom facing the Slow side) has been erected in the 10-foot.
  • Rumours are afoot that the two western sidings in Wellingborough Up Yard (those nearest the Up Slow) will be wired and used by NR. These rumours also state that a northern connection to the yards will be provided as well.
  • TTCs stretch north from Wellingborough Yards over both pairs of lines as far north as the Weetabix factory (north of Burton Latimer).
  • At Harrowden Junction, assembly of two Anchor Portals has begun, but only the southern one has a boom. The signal gantry still appears to be in situ.
  • In the Harrowden Junction area, TTCs largely look complete, with only Anchor Portal booms being the only missing parts.
  • A new feeding/switching site is going in at the former Finedon Sidings; six pairs of spanwire feeder masts are now all up on either side of the line where the switching equipment will be suspended.
  • At Burton Latimer (south of the Weetabix factory), power lines (National Grid) might be due a raise; taller wooden poles have been erected adjacent to the existing ones.
  • Almost all (if not all!) masts and booms have now gone up around Kettering Headlands.
  • Ground clearance works ongoing at Kettering Yard; the yard will be electrified as part of an EMU stabling facility.
  • A number of TTCs have now been erected on the southern approach to Kettering station, roughly parallel to Kettering Yard. So far, these amount to 8 over the Fasts (4 having booms) and 5 (all boomed) over the Slows. At least 1 STC and 2 Anchor Portal uprights are also up next to the Slows.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
  • Works appears to have started to extend the southern end of P3, and a small chunk of the canopy on P3 is missing at the north end.
  • At the northern end of Kettering Station, 2 Mk1-style bespoke portal booms spanning all 4 tracks have been erected; 2 pairs of portal legs for another 2 booms are now in position to the south of the first pair. A 5th pair is located just south of the station footbridge.
  • On the Fast side, around 6 TTCs are up to the north of the signal gantry at the north end of Kettering station; another is up immediately south of said gantry. On the Slow side, about 4 or 5 TTCs are up roughly parallel to the 6 on the Fasts; one is currently without a boom. Another pile is driven & capped in the 10-foot between the Up Fast & Down Slow.
  • Limit of Live Wires on the Fasts appears to be 500m north of Kettering Station.
  • At Glendon Jct/Kettering North Jct, all piles on the Slow side have now grown TTCs with booms; at least 5 are now bedanglied ("dressed"). A few signal gantries from the BR days have been (or are due to be) removed. A pair of portals spanning all 4 lines have gone up over the Kettering North Jct pointwork.
  • A pair of Anchor Boom Portal Masts are now up on the Slow side just short of where the lines to Corby diverge; 2 TTCs (one without a boom) are between them.
  • 4 Spanwire masts have also gone up around Glendon, all so far on the Up side. A pile for a fifth is up near the northernmost one.
  • About 5/6 STC masts are up adjacent to each side of the line just north of Glendon Jct, roughly where the Corby Lines diverge from the Mains.
  • Pile now in on the Down side near Kettering North Jct.
  • 2nd track now in operation, and linespeed raised to 90mph where it was previously 60mph.
  • A number of STCs are up over both sides in the Storefield area. The Corby branch electrification compound is also located here.
  • A good stretch of the overheads are now up between a point just south of Newton Rd Bridge (near the former site of Geddington Station), continuing northwards over Harper's Brook Viaduct and to the end of the planned wiring at Corby.

Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Market Harborough (82m 74ch)
  • Braybrooke Substation approved. To be located here: (https://goo.gl/maps/fuy1uZeDjdQ2).
  • Enabling Works are now underway.
  • The extent of wiring towards Market Harborough has now been as good as confirmed to reach the station.

Upcoming works:
  • 23/6/19: Kettering to Corby replaced by buses all day; done.
  • 30/6/19: No early morning trains between Bedford & Kettering. First northbound service from Bedford departs 10:47; first southbound service from Kettering departs 10:45. Done.
  • 7/7/19: No early morning trains between Bedford & Kettering. First northbound service 10:47. Kettering to Corby replaced by buses all day; done.
  • 14/7/19: All trains diverted between Kettering & Syston North Jns (i.e. via Corby & Manton Jn). Leicester & Mkt H'boro served by coach from Kettering; done.
  • 21/7/19: Kettering to Corby replaced by buses all day; done.
  • 28/7/19: Kettering to Corby replaced by buses all day; done.
  • 4/8/19: No early morning trains between Bedford & Kettering, and no trains between Kettering & Corby; done.
  • 11/8/19: No early morning trains between Bedford & Kettering, and no trains between Kettering & Corby; done.
  • 31/8/19 to 1/9/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering; done.
  • 8/9/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day. Kettering to Corby still open; done.
  • 29/9/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day. Kettering to Corby still open.
  • 6/10/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day. Kettering to Corby still open.
  • 2/11/19 to 3/11/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering.
  • 10/11/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day. Kettering to Corby still open.
  • 16/11/19 to 17/11/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering.
  • 1/12/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day.
  • 21/12/19 to 28/11/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering.

The Future - Midlands Engine Rail (Midlands Connect) & HS2
  • Electrification proposed from Market Harborough to Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham & Derby; as part of the Midlands Connect strategy.
  • Electrification proposed from Clay Cross HS2 Connection to Sheffield (Midland) as part of HS2 works.
  • Currently, no electrification is proposed between Clay Cross HS2 Connection & Nottingham, or Tupton & Derby (via Belper).

    Any updates would be greatly appreciated.
 

GRALISTAIR

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The Future - Midlands Engine Rail (Midlands Connect) & HS2
  • Electrification proposed from Market Harborough to Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham & Derby; as part of the Midlands Connect strategy.
  • Electrification proposed from Clay Cross HS2 Connection to Sheffield (Midland) as part of HS2 works.
  • Currently, no electrification is proposed between Clay Cross HS2 Connection & Nottingham, or Tupton & Derby (via Belper).

    Any updates would be greatly appreciated.
Absolutely crazy.
 

CdBrux

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Absolutely crazy.

Not really.
HS2 need electrification from Clay Cross. I presume they pay (and let's not forget they are under pressure at the moment!)
Midlands connect want it from Harborough to meet HS2 at Toton for their proposed service. I presume they pay, with a contribution from MML TOC who will also benefit
So the beneficiaries of the remaining gaps then need to make the case.

I do accept that, in effect, it's all currently different government funding streams. Maybe if longer post HS2 MML franchise was awarded they could see it to at least make a contribution themselves in some form. If the benefit is big enough, otherwise we should be prioritising other projects where it is.
 

edwin_m

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Not really.
HS2 need electrification from Clay Cross. I presume they pay (and let's not forget they are under pressure at the moment!)
Midlands connect want it from Harborough to meet HS2 at Toton for their proposed service. I presume they pay, with a contribution from MML TOC who will also benefit
So the beneficiaries of the remaining gaps then need to make the case.

I do accept that, in effect, it's all currently different government funding streams. Maybe if longer post HS2 MML franchise was awarded they could see it to at least make a contribution themselves in some form. If the benefit is big enough, otherwise we should be prioritising other projects where it is.
Franchise holders don't generally contribute to that sort of project, other than simple/quick things like station refurbishments. Anything bigger is rarely completed during a franchise term, so the franchisee would see no return on their spending. Two exceptions, Chiltern with the Evergreen projects and TfW currently, both involve much longer franchises.
 

CdBrux

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Franchise holders don't generally contribute to that sort of project, other than simple/quick things like station refurbishments. Anything bigger is rarely completed during a franchise term, so the franchisee would see no return on their spending. Two exceptions, Chiltern with the Evergreen projects and TfW currently, both involve much longer franchises.


I had intended to mention longer franchise!
 

Flying Phil

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I am confused....I went along to see what progress has been made on the Braybrooke Substation site ....and they appear to have filled it in and there is no sign of any more work.....DSCF7111sss.jpg Ref post 3103 for previous view.
 

sharpley

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I am confused....I went along to see what progress has been made on the Braybrooke Substation site ....and they appear to have filled it in and there is no sign of any more work.. Ref post 3103 for previous view.
Delayed until next year.. https://harboroughfm.co.uk/construction-of-giant-power-plant-delayed/
Construction of a giant electricity substation beside the railway in Braybrooke has been delayed until next Spring.

Work had been due to start work anytime now on land off Harborough Road, but National Grid still needs to appoint a main contractor and address ecological aspects of the project.

The facility, which will be the size of one and half football pitches, will provide power for the electrification of the railway between Market Harborough and Kettering and beyond, and take around 18 months to build.
 

westcoaster

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Lots of work carried out at Wellingborough overnight, Two new ohle stanchions erected on the down main platform (south end), one is actually behind the platform in the square gap between the bus shelters.

Currently also installing the first stanchion on the new southbound platform and work is progressing on extending the short freight line platform northwards.
Took some pictures but the site says they are too large.
 

59CosG95

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Lots of work carried out at Wellingborough overnight, Two new ohle stanchions erected on the down main platform (south end), one is actually behind the platform in the square gap between the bus shelters.

Currently also installing the first stanchion on the new southbound platform and work is progressing on extending the short freight line platform northwards.
Took some pictures but the site says they are too large.
How large are the photos? It might be worth compressing them.
 

A0wen

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In the current services, no. However it could be that in a post HS2 service pattern that there could be some.

Not a chance - the point everyone keeps missing about EWR is that it's not about providing connectivity between lines.

From Cambridge, for example, it'll still be easier to head to Peterborough via existing services to access the ECML. From Milton Keynes - it'll still be easier to head via Birmingham, Nuneaton or Tamworth to access Leeds, York or Newcastle.

Bedford really isn't a place of any significance and Sandy is even less so. ECML stops will stay as Stevenage and Peterborough. Even pre-ECML electrification the only other place which saw regular long distance services that doesn't now is Huntingdon - and that was because most of the Hitchin shuttle DMUs terminated there so the semi-fasts provided the link between Huntingdon & Peterborough - once electrification arrived Huntingdon lost the "long distance" services in place of a vastly better (i.e. more frequent and quicker) EMU service between Peterborough & KX.
 

hooverboy

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Not a chance - the point everyone keeps missing about EWR is that it's not about providing connectivity between lines.

From Cambridge, for example, it'll still be easier to head to Peterborough via existing services to access the ECML. From Milton Keynes - it'll still be easier to head via Birmingham, Nuneaton or Tamworth to access Leeds, York or Newcastle.

Bedford really isn't a place of any significance and Sandy is even less so. ECML stops will stay as Stevenage and Peterborough. Even pre-ECML electrification the only other place which saw regular long distance services that doesn't now is Huntingdon - and that was because most of the Hitchin shuttle DMUs terminated there so the semi-fasts provided the link between Huntingdon & Peterborough - once electrification arrived Huntingdon lost the "long distance" services in place of a vastly better (i.e. more frequent and quicker) EMU service between Peterborough & KX.

I disagree.
bedford at present is a place of large significance(not as much as luton though t.b.f)
it is an interchange point between what should be ECML(not there),MML,WCML (not at a metro/IC hub station)and further afield to cambridge and oxford once EWR is built.

it has both metropolitan and intercity trains using it.
It should connect to other mainlines that also have metropolitan/intercity hub status.

theere is frankly much,much room for improvement.
The present development of EWR to go via sandy/bletchley is in my opinion absolutely myopic thinking.They are concentrating on initial outlay instead of footfall.

East west connectivity is desperately needed,but must be done right.

you could say the same of luton though. with the new monorail thingy from parkway to the airport,it would not take a genius to work out that that could be extended to stevenage,for a connection to ECML(about 8km away as the crow flies),
That would save nearly an hour of transit time against present public transport road connections between the two towns.(the 101 takes about 1hr 10 mins from luton centre to stevenage rail station),more if you plan to travel futher by rail only ...

I would reckon a light rail link could do the journey in 15 mins. maybe less


perhaps even onwards to bishops stortford and stansted, and through the town centre the other way toward leighton(would be better as a connection to watford junction in truth)
 
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edwin_m

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Population of Bedford built-up area: 107000
Population of Peterborough: 197000

Peterborough is also the connecting point between East Anglia and the north, and also between East Anglia and the East Midlands. EWR will create a few new connections at Bedford but even if it serves Midland station there will be nowhere near as many connecting passengers as at Peterborough.

Population of Luton: 215000

I agree Luton could do with better east-west links, and running EWR via Luton and the airport was looked at, but Bedford was preferred probably because of the cost of getting through the hilly country between Luton and Stevenage. The "monorail thingy" is a cable-hauled peoplemover similar to the one in Birmingham. This technology isn't capable of being extended anywhere near as far as Stevenage.
 

cle

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Population is not the only driver (nor is interchange) - but Bedford is a much less important place than Luton or Peterborough.

It's a medium-sized county town, with no major industries or attractions as such to drive demand. And it's close to a lot of other places. Whereas Luton historically had Vauxhall and the airport, plus super quick to London and a railhead for Dunstable - and Peterborough is a much bigger regional centre, with a larger number travelling in from outside for work than heading out, and rapid growth. Not comparable.

But as an interchange, and the appeal that would generate, Bedford may well become a more popular place to live and locate a business. Then again, Crewe and Doncaster aren't buzzing really, railways aside.
 

Bald Rick

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with the new monorail thingy from parkway to the airport,it would not take a genius to work out that that could be extended to stevenage,for a connection to ECML(about 8km away as the crow flies),
That would save nearly an hour of transit time against present public transport road connections between the two towns.(the 101 takes about 1hr 10 mins from luton centre to stevenage rail station),more if you plan to travel futher by rail only ...

I would reckon a light rail link could do the journey in 15 mins. maybe less


perhaps even onwards to bishops stortford and stansted, and through the town centre the other way toward leighton(would be better as a connection to watford junction in truth)

That people mover is costing £225m for 1.3miles, on land largely within the airport’s ownership. That’s more expensive than HS2, with all its tunnels, viaducts expensive land and new stations. It would not take a genius to work out how such a system couldn’t possibly be viable for an extension to Luton town, let alone Stevenage / Stansted etc.
 
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hooverboy

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That people mover is costing £225m for 1.3miles, on land largely within the airport’s ownership. That’s more expensive than HS2, with all its tunnels, viaducts expensive land and new stations. It would not take a genius to work out how such a system couldn’t possibly be viable for an extension to Luton town, let alone Stevenage / Stansted etc.

if it is a toulouse metro-type light transit system, then those lines are about 20km long each, and the vehicles rubber tyred.
gradients not so much of an issue.
Easily capable enough.

the line could alternatively be extended to j10 of the M1 when the new shopping/media complex gets built(extra revenue needed for power court football ground move), and then toward the back of dunstable.
that would help relieve a lot of the bottlenecks on the A505 and relief road roundabouts respectively.
 

edwin_m

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if it is a toulouse metro-type light transit system, then those lines are about 20km long each, and the vehicles rubber tyred.
gradients not so much of an issue.
Easily capable enough.

the line could alternatively be extended to j10 of the M1 when the new shopping/media complex gets built(extra revenue needed for power court football ground move), and then toward the back of dunstable.
that would help relieve a lot of the bottlenecks on the A505 and relief road roundabouts respectively.
It's not. As I posted just above it's a Doppelmayr cable-hauled system similar to Birmingham Airport. Its length is limited by the length of the cable but also becasuse each track can only have one vehicle, so the longer it gets the less frequent the service.
 

A0wen

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That people mover is costing £225m for 1.3miles, on land largely within the airport’s ownership. That’s more expensive than HS2, with all its tunnels, viaducts expensive land and new stations. It would not take a genius to work out how such a system couldn’t possibly be viable for an extension to Luton town, let alone Stevenage / Stansted etc.

I can only assume that cost is driven by the engineering challenge of getting up a steep hill - that climb must be about 60' in that mile which would mean a grade of about 1.3% (assuming I've understood correctly) which puts it on par with Wellington Bank according to this article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_(slope)#Angle_from_a_tangent_gradient
 

A0wen

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I disagree.
bedford at present is a place of large significance(not as much as luton though t.b.f)
it is an interchange point between what should be ECML(not there),MML,WCML (not at a metro/IC hub station)and further afield to cambridge and oxford once EWR is built.

it has both metropolitan and intercity trains using it.
It should connect to other mainlines that also have metropolitan/intercity hub status.

theere is frankly much,much room for improvement.
The present development of EWR to go via sandy/bletchley is in my opinion absolutely myopic thinking.They are concentrating on initial outlay instead of footfall.

East west connectivity is desperately needed,but must be done right.

you could say the same of luton though. with the new monorail thingy from parkway to the airport,it would not take a genius to work out that that could be extended to stevenage,for a connection to ECML(about 8km away as the crow flies),
That would save nearly an hour of transit time against present public transport road connections between the two towns.(the 101 takes about 1hr 10 mins from luton centre to stevenage rail station),more if you plan to travel futher by rail only ...

I would reckon a light rail link could do the journey in 15 mins. maybe less


perhaps even onwards to bishops stortford and stansted, and through the town centre the other way toward leighton(would be better as a connection to watford junction in truth)

You can disagree all you like. But Bedford will almost certainly lose its direct trains to the East Midlands when the electric Corby services start and that interchange will shift north to Kettering where the routes separate.

Sandy won't become an interchange onto long distance ECML services - because serving Peterborough and Stevenage (as at present) will continue to make more sense.

The best parallel for Bedford is Nuneaton which gets long-distance commuter services on both the North-South and East West axis. Nuneaton also doesn't have a compelling reason for getting a different regular service pattern and is a sensible distance from other, more important places.
 

londonmidland

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But Bedford will almost certainly lose its direct trains to the East Midlands

You could compare Bedford and its potentially future services to what Shenfield has right now.

Terminus for TfL services (TL on the MML). Served by semi fast GA services (EMR electrics), changing at Chelmsford (Kettering) for intercity Mainline services towards Norwich (The East Midlands/North).
 

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