Good example - I don't really know the GA mainline, but that describes Bedford's future to a tee. The only difference is Bedford will have lines which are North-South and East-West whereas Shenfield only has a line on one axis ?
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MML Electrification: progress updates
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Good example - I don't really know the GA mainline, but that describes Bedford's future to a tee. The only difference is Bedford will have lines which are North-South and East-West whereas Shenfield only has a line on one axis ?
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59CosG95
Established Member
Shenfield also has the secondary branch line to Southend Victoria, from which a tertiary branch to Southminster branches off at Wickford.
Operationally, TfL Rail services aren't booked to progress beyond Shenfield, just like Thameslink with Bedford.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
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It will continue as per DfT’s announcement.
http://maps.dft.gov.uk/east-midlands-rail-franchise/
It has an entry in the drop down menu. Bi-mode will be the default stock, indeed the only 125 mph stock as described.
Rant:
To treat Bedford as the Shenfield of the Midland is madness. It's not a commuter town on the edge of zone 6, nor should it be treated as such.
This isn't just annoyance over the timetable, but an annoyance of successive decisions impacting these towns in a negative way.
In Bedford and Wellingborough, they, despite concerns of infrastructure, build thousands of homes (still got 6,500+ to go in Welly) and say "oh it'll be fine, we promise to improve services by electrifying and providing all you need". And then what do they do? throw them under the bus and give them what they already had south, while trashing the northbound service with direct links to towns most people drive to or already get the bus for. These two towns have had direct links north to Leicester and Nottingham for what? 150 years?
North Northamptonshire local authorities boast some of the worst social mobility rankings in England, even worse than the North East. In 2017, Wellingborough ranked 318th out of 324; Kettering 301st, Corby 321st, East Northants 306th. The town centre of Wellingborough has been killed off, made worse by the idiotic decision to build Rushden Lakes, and instead of actually helping the area, they blame Brussels, destroy the County Council, build a bloody prison, 7,000 homes, and then say "oh look, here are some commuter 12 car 360's 'express services' which call at more stations than before, with even higher eye watering fares for you, be grateful". It is infuriating.
Everyone knows good transport infrastructure is essential for the economy and any responsible government would go that little bit further to improve the economy there. I'm not even asking for much, an extra call or a DMU/bi-mode connecting service and a bus link to the local towns from Wellingborough station. These aren't impossible, they probably aren't even unaffordable with Boris's spending plans, cutting down Sherwood Forests' magic trees.
I'm sorry, I've probably gone way off topic, but it's hard to watch a town that you have ties to be systematically destroyed.
To treat Bedford as the Shenfield of the Midland is madness. It's not a commuter town on the edge of zone 6, nor should it be treated as such.
This isn't just annoyance over the timetable, but an annoyance of successive decisions impacting these towns in a negative way.
In Bedford and Wellingborough, they, despite concerns of infrastructure, build thousands of homes (still got 6,500+ to go in Welly) and say "oh it'll be fine, we promise to improve services by electrifying and providing all you need". And then what do they do? throw them under the bus and give them what they already had south, while trashing the northbound service with direct links to towns most people drive to or already get the bus for. These two towns have had direct links north to Leicester and Nottingham for what? 150 years?
North Northamptonshire local authorities boast some of the worst social mobility rankings in England, even worse than the North East. In 2017, Wellingborough ranked 318th out of 324; Kettering 301st, Corby 321st, East Northants 306th. The town centre of Wellingborough has been killed off, made worse by the idiotic decision to build Rushden Lakes, and instead of actually helping the area, they blame Brussels, destroy the County Council, build a bloody prison, 7,000 homes, and then say "oh look, here are some commuter 12 car 360's 'express services' which call at more stations than before, with even higher eye watering fares for you, be grateful". It is infuriating.
Everyone knows good transport infrastructure is essential for the economy and any responsible government would go that little bit further to improve the economy there. I'm not even asking for much, an extra call or a DMU/bi-mode connecting service and a bus link to the local towns from Wellingborough station. These aren't impossible, they probably aren't even unaffordable with Boris's spending plans, cutting down Sherwood Forests' magic trees.
I'm sorry, I've probably gone way off topic, but it's hard to watch a town that you have ties to be systematically destroyed.
Nothing confirmed - but bear in mind those extensions to Corby services are primarily for route retention purposes as Harringworth is the diversion when Market Harborough is closed for engineering - so it may be replaced with an ECS working or it may be that a couple of token northward services using diesel stock are retained.
Bedford is in the same position as Huntingdon was - Huntingdon used to get the "semi fast" York services until electrification was extended to Peterboro - now all Huntingdon services terminate at Peterboro.
Bedford retained the northbound "Inter City" services to provide continued connectivity to the next couple of stops up the line. If, back in 1980, BR had electrified to Kettering (which I believe was the original plan) then Bedford's services would have been changed then and the "Inter City" stops would have been Kettering and Luton.
Comparable main lines - ECML has two "inter city" stops in the first 50 or so miles Stevenage and Peterborough, the GW mainline has two Slough and Reading, the WCML has two - Watford Junction and Milton Keynes. The MML has 5 Luton (x2), Bedford, Wellingborough and Kettering - that's not sustainable.
Wellingborough town centre is a red herring argument - it's a small town centre, nowhere near the railway station and was never a shopping destination. Ditto Kettering.
The service post electrification for Kettering and Wellingborough will be better by virtue of having longer trains which if they start at Corby are more likely to have seats available and with the current stopping pattern a competitive service time to / from London. Go and stand at Wellingborough station at 8am and see how many people are getting on a London bound train compared to a northbound train - I'd estimate its 10:1.
The stopping pattern proposed of Bedford, Luton and London is exactly the same as today - so that's synthetic indignation.
It's not that long ago that Wellingborough and Kettering got a patchy, non-clock face service with a random stopping pattern. THat changed when Midland Mainline started tidying the timetable up and introduced firstly the Turbostars then the Meridians. 12 car 360s with 2+2 seating will be an improvement again.
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Just looking at NR timetables for Christmas and New Year. The MML upgrade website says there will be no services north of Bedford from 21 - 28 December. Though, the NR timetable currently has direct trains from London St Pancras to Nottingham up to Christmas Eve, with no direct trains from 27 December to 1 January.
swt_passenger
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I think until proven otherwise DfT have explicitly confirmed it...
What's confirmed? That there will continue to be services north of Corby ? What rolling stock they will use?
As I said, something will be run because it's needed for route retention purposes, but whether that's in service or ECS moves......
swt_passenger
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I hadn't - but the Corby electric service will go live before then, which means something else will stay in place until new stock comes on stream in 2022 (assuming it gets delivered on time and works out the box.....)
59CosG95
Established Member
MML Wiring Progressometer 34.2 (Updated 12th of October 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
Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Market Harborough (82m 74ch)
Upcoming works:
The Future - Midlands Engine Rail (Midlands Connect) & HS2
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 now confirmed to be for the new Brent Cross station (between Cricklewood & Hendon).
- 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 & the Great Ouse Way Overbridge, about 90% of masts are up on both sides of the line.
- 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.
- Masts now starting to go up within Wellingborough Station. One TTC has gone up behind P1 at the northern end. North of P3/4, cantilevers are going up on the TTCs.
- Extensive 4-tracking laid (except at points where existing infrastructure has to be moved).
- It is very difficult to track the progress of specific items from an outsider's perspective, but it seems to me that Wellingborough to Kettering is almost wire-ready.
- 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, Aerial Earth Wires are starting to go up on both sides of the line.
- 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. SPS also starting to go up. Outstanding main steelwork is now only down to the MPA & Anchor Booms.
- Ground clearance works ongoing at Kettering Yard; the yard will be electrified as part of an EMU stabling facility. The first tracks are now being laid in from the Up Slow.
- 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.
- Within Kettering Station, 4 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.
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.
- 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. A matching number is up on the Slow side; SPS appearing on both sides now. An SSA (wicketkeeper) has gone up in the 10-foot between the Up Fast & Down Slow, where there was previously a capped pile.
- Immediately north of the platforms at Kettering, uprights for a mid-point anchor portal are now up.
- 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; done.
- 6/10/19: No service between Bedford & Kettering all day. Kettering to Corby still open; done.
- 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 28/12/19: 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.
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Bob Buckler
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- 12 Feb 2018
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- 16
The utilty pipes across the railway at Irthlingborough Road bridge have been removed.
I believe that they have been diverted under the railway.
After much local outcry about the decision not to rebuild the bridge, it will now be replaced.
Work was supposed to start about now, but no sign as yet.
I believe that they have been diverted under the railway.
After much local outcry about the decision not to rebuild the bridge, it will now be replaced.
Work was supposed to start about now, but no sign as yet.
InTheEastMids
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- 726
Think the upcoming works bit is missing this weekend's shutdown between Bedford and Market Harborough.
Really appreciate you keeping track of the project for us
59CosG95
Established Member
Cricklewood Headspan Replacement Works (from Don Coffey's video) - 1 of TBD
Two Portal Leg pairs await their booms; both look as if they will be the 'castellated' type of portal (seen at Wellingborough Finedon Rd, and at other locations such as Rugby, Leeds, Harringay etc.)
Two Portal Leg pairs await their booms; both look as if they will be the 'castellated' type of portal (seen at Wellingborough Finedon Rd, and at other locations such as Rugby, Leeds, Harringay etc.)
59CosG95
Established Member
Cricklewood Headspan Replacement Works (from Don Coffey's video) - 2 of TBD
Two competed "Vierendeel" portals (similar to the ones at Luton Airport Pkwy, GWML etc) are up; one at each end of the stretch past Cricklewood CS.
Two competed "Vierendeel" portals (similar to the ones at Luton Airport Pkwy, GWML etc) are up; one at each end of the stretch past Cricklewood CS.
59CosG95
Established Member
Cricklewood Headspan Replacement Works (from Don Coffey's video) - 3 of TBD
Another pair of Vierendeel Portals - albeit without booms this time. Note the portal on the far left in the 2nd picture; I assume this is a cable route of some kind.
Another pair of Vierendeel Portals - albeit without booms this time. Note the portal on the far left in the 2nd picture; I assume this is a cable route of some kind.
59CosG95
Established Member
Cricklewood Headspan Replacement Works (from Don Coffey's video) - 4 of TBD
Not sure what's going on here, but it looks like a few anchoring structures are going in around this area (see pile pairs on right).
Not sure what's going on here, but it looks like a few anchoring structures are going in around this area (see pile pairs on right).
Those headspans aren’t, strictly speaking, MML electrification works*. It’s for the new Brent Cross station.
* yes, it’s electrification work, and it’s on the MML, but it’s not being done as part of the MML electrification programme, if that makes sense.
* yes, it’s electrification work, and it’s on the MML, but it’s not being done as part of the MML electrification programme, if that makes sense.
59CosG95
Established Member
Ahh righty ho. That makes perfect sense then.
Class 170101
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But still suitable for electric trains running at 125mph?
Yes, although nothing else is there, line speed is 110mph, and not changing (105mph through the curve at Hendon station)
59CosG95
Established Member
A quick search on Flickr shows that wires are now up all the way from just north of Glendon Jct to the planned limits of wiring in Corby itself. Note that only one track (that adjacent to Platform 1) is electrified within the station.
And on that topic, a little update from me, taking my first actual trip down to the MML this afternoon to see progress. Photos will follow.
- Irthlingboro' Rd (Kangaroo Spinney) - all structures appear to be up. No wires yet.
- 15 Arches/Irthlingboro' Viaduct - Steelwork appears to be going up. Difficult to tell from far away, as the track towards the viadcut itself was locked for works access. Engineers were swarming the area, so I couldn't really go much further.
- Irchester - All 4 lines are wired under Station Rd bridge. Wires stop before the next footbridge.
- Wellingboro' Station - MPA portal over the Fasts is now up. A number of TTCs have been installed, and a new signal gantry leg for the Slows is going up north of P4. Pit for a TTC on P2 was being dug; this will be the last bit of main steelwork to go up in Wellingborough Station itself before the SPS wires arrive.
- Wellingboro' Mill Rd - 99% of steelwork up; one mast (an Earth wire anchor?) still remains.
- Wellingboro' Finedon Rd - all main steel up, over all 6 tracks. Evidence that the goods loop will be wired. Not sure on the yard yet.
- Harrowden Jct - all major steelwork is up. 1 backstay still to go in on a monoboom anchor portal, and on the TTC nearest the bridge over the Slows. SPL (main OLE contractor) were in evidence, putting SPS up on a monoboom near the new signal gantry; the old gantry is still extant.
- Finedon Station Rd - Signal gantries and OLE steelwork all in waiting at the compound. AEWs from Harrowden reach this far. Nowhere convenient to park with all the works traffic.
- Kettering Station - concrete pour occurring in the 10-foot, probably for a new signal gantry over the Slow lines. The 5th & final Mk1-style portal (south of the station footbridge) is also up. MPA portal at north end of station still needs a boom; TTC behind signal gantry needs a boom too (over Slow lines).
- Glendon Jct - all masts in on Slow lines. Cable trough replacement underway; the old 1970s(?)-era concrete troughs being replaced by grey plastic ones. Couldn't get closer to the 'vee' of the junction as the works traffic was too numerous.
Aictos
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It might just be me but is that actually going to help futureproof the infrastructure? For example, in 10 years time they decide to build a second platform at Corby due to it having a good business case, are they going to make it difficult to do with the existing OHL being there?
I only ask because if they're going to be running half hourly with EMUs, will the single platform be enough and if not, how much more work would be needed to permit future expansion at Corby?
One platform is comfortably enough for a half hourly service. Indeed it’s enough for a train every ten minutes, if it fits in the rest of the timetable.
Rest assured that the OLE will be constructed in a manner that in the event that it is required to be extended, it will be relatively straightforward.
59CosG95
Established Member
The situation is such that the twin track cantilevers are behind what would be Platform 2, reaching over it to both tracks. The wire run on P1 has a compact cantilever (the goose-necked Single Insulator ones seen on GWEP) on each structure, so it's relatively easy to accommodate.
Aictos
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I'm not familiar with Corby but at the moment as it seems to be mostly 5 car Class 222s on this route and the plan is for 12 car trains, correct me please but does the platform already take 12 cars or will this be done prior to completion of electrification?
Ahh that's good as futureproofing isn't something the UK excels at IMHO!
Ahh thank you for clarifying
59CosG95
Established Member
DSLR shots from Saturday afternoon.
- Harrowden Junction (from the public byway): https://flic.kr/p/2htUjHq
- Finedon Rd, Wellingboro': https://flic.kr/p/2htQDMm
- Harrowden Junction, from Furnace Lane: https://flic.kr/p/2htQEdm