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MML Electrification: progress updates

W

WAO

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The completion of the Braybrooke GSP/ATFS and any wiring North of Glendon Jn would only be needed when Midland bi-modes were fully operational - some time ahead.

Something similar applies to wiring North of Wigston - the Leicester Capacity Scheme has to be completed first, although NR's new integrated approach to Colton Jn - Church Fenton (near York) may point to what to expect.

Even without pauses/cancellations, we should not have expected speedy progress; "just in time" applies.

WAO
 
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hwl

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59CosG95 said:
Nothing specific mentioned for new electrification in the Budget...might have to wait until the Spending Review.
Click to expand...
Plenty of other larger transport stuff going forward to spending review so no surprise that most rail stuff would as well.
 
W

WAO

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Meerkat said:
Is there any real movement on the Leicester scheme?
Click to expand...

The NR 2017 Enhancements document stated:

"Scope of works
• Currently the project is in the process of closing out GRIP Stage 2. The remit is to provide capacity to meet growth forecasts to 2023 and to build towards 2033 and 2043 forecast levels.
• Given changes to the delivery timescale for capacity enhancement works on other key routes, notably the F2N corridor a limited refresh of GRIP 2 will be undertaken in early 2016 against revised traffic forecasts to ensure the proposed outputs in CP6 remain aligned with forecast demand.
• Currently it is assumed the works will deliver grade separation at Wigston, up and down slow lines between Leicester and Wigston, a new slow line
platform at Leicester and up and down slow lines between Humberstone Road and Syston to aid improved capacity/train regulation in the Syston area."

I couldn't see anything in the latest CP6 GRIP list but it's mentioned obliquely in the Midlands Hub proposal which the Chancellor today endorsed. This report includes "necessary electrification - £600M"
described strangely as "North of Market Harborough and West of Nottingham", as part of a Bedford - Leeds route using HS2b from Toton (aka East Midlands Hub or Nottingham and Derby Parkway!) It also wants a fast HS2b routed service from B'ham to Derby/Nottingham with its own junction plan. £600M would buy about 93 miles of route at £2m/stkm.

It also compares Coventry- Leicester (99% car/1% rail) to Manchester Sheffield (50% car/ 50% rail) overlooking the difference between the M69 and the A57 Snake Pass!

There will be more for rail in other areas but we can now be reasonably hopeful the wires will reach Nottingham and Derby.

1.5 cheers,

WAO
 
I

InTheEastMids

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Anyway, back on topic ;)

MML will be closed this Sunday between Market Harborough and Luton. This seems to have been announced at rather shorter notice than normal as EMR are saying that passengers mighty have bookings for trains that won't run. Perhaps this indicates that things are at risk of slipping a bit (understandable as all the recent rain and wind can't have made the work any easier)
 
59CosG95

59CosG95

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InTheEastMids said:
Anyway, back on topic ;)

MML will be closed this Sunday between Market Harborough and Luton. This seems to have been announced at rather shorter notice than normal as EMR are saying that passengers mighty have bookings for trains that won't run. Perhaps this indicates that things are at risk of slipping a bit (understandable as all the recent rain and wind can't have made the work any easier)
Click to expand...
I recall that someone on here said that the planned commissioning of the new feeder station at Chalton was postponed due to either Ciara or Dennis.
 
B

Bob Buckler

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59CosG95 said:
I recall that someone on here said that the planned commissioning of the new feeder station at Chalton was postponed due to either Ciara or Dennis.
Click to expand...
I believe that the craning in of the beams to replace Irthlingborough Road bridge at Wellingborough was postponed due to the recent high winds.
 
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WymoWanderer

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Work around Wymington, North Bedfordshire appears to be pretty much complete now except for the footbridge to the North of the Sharnbrook tunnel.

The foot bridge has been closed since last summer. Also note the new sign around overhead live wires. Original
y4mOwcVcMtu_yREeOOp55-KzOzEkxIKMeUyGoZ--ReEjSpqxMIGzY9MXXPMZhO9fWkvpJXuONxat1wKqHEV1SsX5pbG4lNCqMRwPtlQKpWCSP30uN3IPwoN9CoiCc_MWmWXYEzTslFOmVf4h4N3IsR2ng8tCOiq3LerPU0XtFuod0NuQ7g1oxG_VTG_-2Uw2xAmHycx4sdhsmDQ4HN-MSR97g


Bedford Borough footpath notice saying the path is going to continue to be closed until August 2020. Not surprised it needs water-proofing - you could see the water dripping on to the rails below. Original
y4m9p_sj9h78ssue0t5pxlmo-QvB6606gxYeKuLPOUUMHpn0e7xaZj2vMp5sCWc8El8eHy80thd4sVWFrVeLB5Fhq6McXry-OFbdQhbmyV44eQLp-svRn0QqJgr9VPfJ5aEioMcfpFXUk5efA5xSk34BI1Jv7ClKWYLoPikKnxrh1_JRveJu3rbsosT0R24LuTOADXg2zC8U5qRchwGNTYTIA


And as a bonus a picture from last month showing the wires from the Wymington sub-station in just above ground level trunking (to the left, parallel to the fencing). These then pass down to the masts which then have wires attached to the over-head lines. (excuse my lack of technical terminology)
y4mtC-rmwI2Wf3uoCx3mkj4KTA-VJAdd60hybl0bIS3C64lZV4pucHU0rJ9Q-t6xGKgurdz8XajOc1s9lfw34ivvwcogP9qrb1qn-RE6LIwwGZg3ziHXgG9-9qSqlKnHfVX6LFmPDGCfDUzY_qF8uOEnZCKfXEZDQjIO-86hEGfeF_d-yDmqXbtQKSHfx6-ktBZ5emBIxPjFSz4yuNjoiyIEw
 
B

Bald Rick

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59CosG95 said:
I recall that someone on here said that the planned commissioning of the new feeder station at Chalton was postponed due to either Ciara or Dennis.
Click to expand...

Yes some work was lost due to both storms, some has already been recovered, and more needs recovering. But all is well on track for commissioning.
 
Last edited:
Aictos

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Not sure how accurate this is but told yesterday that the reason for a block between Luton and Kettering today was to allow for the OHL to be put up on the Up Fast at Bedford today, I await for confirmation though.
 
B

Bald Rick

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Aictos said:
Not sure how accurate this is but told yesterday that the reason for a block between Luton and Kettering today was to allow for the OHL to be put up on the Up Fast at Bedford today, I await for confirmation though.
Click to expand...

Some wiring (don’t know where, but there’s very little left so Bedford seems likely), but more importantly commissioning a new feeder station.
 
B

Bob Buckler

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Bald Rick said:
Some wiring (don’t know where, but there’s very little left so Bedford seems likely), but more importantly commissioning a new feeder station.
Click to expand...
I have been told that the new bridge spans were installed at Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough yesterday.
 
59CosG95

59CosG95

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MML Wiring Progressometer 39.0 (Updated as of 23rd of March 2020)
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.
All 2,248 foundations are now installed.

South of Bedford
  • In the Cricklewood area, around 13 new structures are gradually being erected; these are confirmed to be part of the works for the new Brent Cross West station.
  • Just south of Sundon FS, Lower Farm Rd (Chalton) FS has now been commissioned - this will allow for a increase in electric traction (i.e. the EMR Electrics) on the route.
    While I believe passive provision for AT operation has been made possible, there's currently no sign of an autotransformer on site; my assumptin is that that will come prior to the 810s coming on stream.
  • 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 (have been?) installed.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
  • The wires are now through Bedford on the Down Fast (P4), but have yet to be erected over the Up Fast. Wires on Platforms 1-3 are believed to have been extended northwards to the 'offline' wires just north of Bromham Road O/B.
  • All lines have been wired from Bromham Rd O/B to the eastern extremity of the viaducts over the Ise in Wellingborough. These are now presumed to continue to the station.
  • Irthlingborough Road Bridge has now been replaced - its reopening date has yet to be confirmed.
  • North of Templars Way overbridge, Sharnbrook, an AT switching site (Track Section Cabinet until AT operation) has been constructed in the former works compound. A pair of spanwire feeder masts are adjacent to the northern perimeter of said compound.
  • The Up Slow from Wellingborough to Sharnbrook is out of use until further notice.
  • The switching/feeder site at Wymington now looks structurally complete.

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
  • Work to return the 4th platform (P4) at Wellingborough to public use is now well advanced.
  • All lines are now wired within Wellingborough station. These continue across all lines to Kettering.
  • North of Wellingborough, the Down Goods Loop (west of the Down Fast) and the Arrival/Departure Line (adjacent to the not-yet-in-service Up Slow) are now wired, along with the westernmost siding in Wellingborough Up Yard. There doesn't seem to be any concrete plan to put northern access into the yard yet, though.
  • 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. One of these now has its wire coiled up and ready for installation - the current status of this and the other 5 spanwire feeder masts has yet to be confirmed.
  • Work to transform the former Kettering Yard into an EMU stabling facility (KES; Kettering Electric Stabling) is nearly complete: the anchor portal boom over the buffers is the only large bit of steelwork still outstanding before the wires can go in over the 4 sidings. All SPS is up.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
  • All 4 lines are now wired through Kettering station. On the Fasts, wires finish about 500m north of the platforms, while those on the Slows continue to Glendon Jct & Corby, and thence to the planned limit of wiring.
  • Around Glendon, 7 Spanwire Across Track Feeder mast pairs are now up. The top 5 are bristling with insulators and bracketry for feeder cables from the new Kettering North SATS (Sectioning Autotransformer Site); the top 3 are numbered as follows:
    • SPC3/119/912/DF;
    • SPC3/119/920/DF; and. This structure bears the number plate
    • SPC3/119/928/DF.
  • 2nd track now in operation, and linespeed raised to 90mph where it was previously 60mph.

Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Market Harborough (82m 74ch)
  • Braybrooke Substation approved. To be located here: (https://goo.gl/maps/fuy1uZeDjdQ2).
  • Enabling Works happened; the land has now been returned to its original state.
  • The extent of wiring towards Market Harborough has now been as good as confirmed to reach the station. Approval has been given for final design work to be carried out on that section of route.

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. The March 2020 Budget committed to the scheme; details are alleged to be found in the July Spending Review. When this will actually be released (what with COVID-19) remains to be seen.
  • 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.
 
F

Flying Phil

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Many thanks for these updates 59CosG95, we enforced (Covid) armchair rail enthusiasts really appreciate your efforts!
 
Jozhua

Jozhua

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WymoWanderer said:
And as a bonus a picture from last month showing the wires from the Wymington sub-station in just above ground level trunking (to the left, parallel to the fencing). These then pass down to the masts which then have wires attached to the over-head lines. (excuse my lack of technical terminology)
y4mtC-rmwI2Wf3uoCx3mkj4KTA-VJAdd60hybl0bIS3C64lZV4pucHU0rJ9Q-t6xGKgurdz8XajOc1s9lfw34ivvwcogP9qrb1qn-RE6LIwwGZg3ziHXgG9-9qSqlKnHfVX6LFmPDGCfDUzY_qF8uOEnZCKfXEZDQjIO-86hEGfeF_d-yDmqXbtQKSHfx6-ktBZ5emBIxPjFSz4yuNjoiyIEw
Click to expand...

That's some sexy OHLE if I've seen any... :wub:
 
W

WymoWanderer

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WymoWanderer said:
Work around Wymington, North Bedfordshire appears to be pretty much complete now except for the footbridge to the North of the Sharnbrook tunnel.

The foot bridge has been closed since last summer. Also note the new sign around overhead live wires. Original
y4mOwcVcMtu_yREeOOp55-KzOzEkxIKMeUyGoZ--ReEjSpqxMIGzY9MXXPMZhO9fWkvpJXuONxat1wKqHEV1SsX5pbG4lNCqMRwPtlQKpWCSP30uN3IPwoN9CoiCc_MWmWXYEzTslFOmVf4h4N3IsR2ng8tCOiq3LerPU0XtFuod0NuQ7g1oxG_VTG_-2Uw2xAmHycx4sdhsmDQ4HN-MSR97g
Click to expand...
The foot bridge has now re-opened. From the foot bridge you can now see new signals on the reversible slow line in both directions just North of the Sharnbrook tunnel entrance.
 
Supercoss

Supercoss

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Despite the date testing starts tonight Between Bedford and Corby 47,91,90 Mark3s and pair of 20s deployed 3Q01 To 3Q04
 
I

iced_blue

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This came through the post the other day.
 

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