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MML Electrification: progress updates

D365

D365

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iced_blue said:
This came through the post the other day.
Click to expand...

They've done a great job with the website, worth a read even for those with a casual interest in the railways.

Mikey C said:
"Biggest transformation since 1870"???

Surely the original Bedpan electrification was more significant for a start?
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That would be like saying the Great Northern electrification in the 1970s was the biggest investment in the East Coast Main Line up to that point. A definite upgrade to suburban trains, but in the case of the MML, long distance trains haven't seen any significant infrastructure improvements until now.
 
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Mikey C

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D365 said:
That would be like saying the Great Northern electrification in the 1970s was the biggest investment in the East Coast Main Line up to that point. A definite upgrade to suburban trains, but in the case of the MML, long distance trains haven't seen any significant infrastructure improvements until now.
Click to expand...

But unlike the ECML it's not as if the whole of the MML has been electrified, STP to Bedford is further than Bedford to Corby.
 
59CosG95

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WymoWanderer said:
Oooh, shame it is so late otherwise I'd go and have a look. Will the line be powered up for the test?
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The line wasn't powered up AFAIK; a video I saw on Facebook from someone who lives lineside at Kettering showed the pans on both 90035 & 91122 (the electric locos used) to be down.

To add to this, the Up Fast at Bedford is still unwired.
 
Senex

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D365 said:
They've done a great job with the website, worth a read even for those with a casual interest in the railways.



That would be like saying the Great Northern electrification in the 1970s was the biggest investment in the East Coast Main Line up to that point. A definite upgrade to suburban trains, but in the case of the MML, long distance trains haven't seen any significant infrastructure improvements until now.
Click to expand...
If they didn't please their masters with such ridiculous hyperbole, how would the public relations staff justify their salaries? Or are we seeing a new definition of the Midland main line as just the 72 miles from London to Kettering along with the Corby branch?
 
59CosG95

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From Rail Operations Group's LinkedIn page:
Rail Operations Group said:
It's business as usual here at ROG. Last night witnessed the first successful test operation of the newly installed Midland Main Line (MML) overhead line equipment (OLE) extension from Bedford to Corby. This slow-speed operation was the first of the OLE gauge measuring part of the programme, the first of a complex and very comprehensive suite of test operations. Over the coming months, the test programme gradually increases compexity, concluding with 125mph dynamic testing. We're very proud to be working with Data Acquisition and Testing Services (DATS) who are leading the test programme on behalf of Network Rail.
Click to expand...
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rail...at-rog-last-activity-6651389132406837248-Tnog
 
38Cto15E

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125mph Dynamic testing in the future, what will the line speeds be once normal running takes place, especially the slows. TIA
 
Domh245

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Anywhere between 125mph and about 40mph although the maximum speed on the slows is 90mph far as I can tell. All the speeds are in the Sectional appendix (London North Eastern) available here, pgs 387-393 (ish) in your pdf browser of choice
 
D365

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richieb1971

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_toommm_ said:
Some really nice photos of the consist on 1st April here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpmediaphotography/49727305561/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpmediaphotography/49726759273/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpmediaphotography/49727304611/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpmediaphotography/49727621602/in/photostream/
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Thats definitely a wow from me.

The max speeds on the slows between Bedford and Corby are interesting because one line north and south of Sharnbrook seems to be untouched although I haven't been out in a while to visualize any improvements.

If the new line north of Sharnbrook is graded for a much higher top speed that would be interesting.

I remember once seeing a class 70 hauling cement going south from Sharnbrook to Radwell bridge and the 70 was bouncing around quite a bit accelerating to potential line speed.

Personally I'd like to see the slows alleviate capacity north of Bedford.

I pass the bypass bridge near Bromham/Clapham at approx 05:40 in the mornings and a passenger train (1C01 0439 Leicester to St Pancras International) is quite regularly stopped at a light there under the road bridge. I can't imagine Bedford being bottlenecked at 05:40 in the mornings.

upload_2020-4-9_1-51-9.pngupload_2020-4-9_1-51-9.png
 
B

Bald Rick

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richieb1971 said:
I pass the bypass bridge near Bromham/Clapham at approx 05:40 in the mornings and a passenger train (1C01 0439 Leicester to St Pancras International) is quite regularly stopped at a light there under the road bridge. I can't imagine Bedford being bottlenecked at 05:40 in the mornings.
Click to expand...

It’s waiting for 1, sometimes 2, freight trains to get out of its way.
 
westcoaster

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richieb1971 said:
Thats definitely a wow from me.

The max speeds on the slows between Bedford and Corby are interesting because one line north and south of Sharnbrook seems to be untouched although I haven't been out in a while to visualize any improvements.

If the new line north of Sharnbrook is graded for a much higher top speed that would be interesting.

I remember once seeing a class 70 hauling cement going south from Sharnbrook to Radwell bridge and the 70 was bouncing around quite a bit accelerating to potential line speed.

Personally I'd like to see the slows alleviate capacity north of Bedford.

I pass the bypass bridge near Bromham/Clapham at approx 05:40 in the mornings and a passenger train (1C01 0439 Leicester to St Pancras International) is quite regularly stopped at a light there under the road bridge. I can't imagine Bedford being bottlenecked at 05:40 in the mornings.

View attachment 76304View attachment 76304
Click to expand...


It sometimes runs early, and has to wait for the 0525 TL ECS to luton to leave.
 
E

Edvid

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Has the Up Fast been wired through Bedford station yet?

(I know that question has been asked before, but as today is when the extension to Corby goes live...)
 
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WymoWanderer

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Had a quick look at the lines near Wymington this evening. The over heads have these blue wires attached to them which I assume mean the power is not live.

Separately I saw this strange structure on the fast line where the wires from each line go to some sort of isolation lever. Any ideas what this is?
 

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59CosG95

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WymoWanderer said:
Had a quick look at the lines near Wymington this evening. The over heads have these blue wires attached to them which I assume mean the power is not live.

Separately I saw this strange structure on the fast line where the wires from each line go to some sort of isolation lever. Any ideas what this is?
Click to expand...
The blue wires are construction earths; you're correct in assuming they mean the power isn't live. In case there's a stray current, they have to remain on until such time as all electrical connections are complete.
Maintenance earths are orange, and are used much more often, such as when isolations have to be taken during a possession.
 
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Bald Rick

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WymoWanderer said:
Separately I saw this strange structure on the fast line where the wires from each line go to some sort of isolation lever. Any ideas what this is?
Click to expand...

It’s an isolation switch! To enable the switch out of a short section for maintenance or in the event of an unplanned event that will go on for more than, say, about an hour.
 
59CosG95

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This weekend's engineering work on the MML includes a posession of the line between Market Harborough (exc.) & Bedford (exc.) on Saturday; this is extended to Luton (exc.) on Sunday. No trains to Corby either. Could this be the weekend the Up Fast through Bedford gets wired, and the line goes live? (I appreciate the second point's a bit unlikely!)
 
Hairy Bear

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Feeder station at Sharnbrook went live though. New Feeder stations at Burton Latimer and Glendon awaiting connection.
Up fast at Bedford does appear to be the final bit of Overhead not done.
 
59CosG95

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Hairy Bear said:
Feeder station at Sharnbrook went live though. New Feeder stations at Burton Latimer and Glendon awaiting connection.
Up fast at Bedford does appear to be the final bit of Overhead not done.
Click to expand...
Judging by the possession southwards to Luton on Sunday, I'll be surprised if the new 400kV feeder at Chalton/Sundon/Long Meadow Farm (replacing the old Sundon FS) didn't go live at the weekend too.
 
59CosG95

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A word pun for you Francophiles while we're in Quarante-ine...and the 40th update of this list!

MML Wiring Progressometer 40.1 (Updated as of 21st of April 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 (and brought online?)- 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 assumption 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. Additionally, the existing wires on Platforms 2 & 3 have not yet been extended to overlap with the 'offline' wires, that were extended down from north of Bromham Road O/B some weeks ago. Those on P1 have been extended.
  • All lines have been wired from Bromham Rd O/B to Wellingborough station.
  • Bromham Rd O/B closure extended until the summer.
  • 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. As of 20/4/20, it has now gone live.
  • The Up Slow from Wellingborough to Sharnbrook is due to enter service on 23/4/20.
  • The switching/feeder site at Wymington now looks structurally complete. (It could also be live...)

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 along all lines to Kettering station.
  • 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 (near Burton Latimer); six pairs of spanwire feeder masts are now all up on either side of the line where the switching equipment will be suspended. The feeder wires now await connection.
  • Work to transform the former Kettering Yard into an EMU stabling facility (KES; Kettering Electric Stabling) is nearly complete: the anchor portal boom has now gone up. Wires are awaited...

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.
  • At Glendon, the new Kettering North SATS (Sectioning Autotransformer Site; TSC until 810s arrive) awaits connection to the OLE.

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.
 
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59CosG95

59CosG95

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59CosG95 said:
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. Additionally, the existing wires on Platforms 2 & 3 have not yet been extended to overlap with the 'offline' wires, that were extended down from north of Bromham Road O/B some weeks ago. Those on P1 have been extended.
Click to expand...
To illustrate this point, I attach the following image from Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/2iNsF3j, to which I've added my own annotations.
bedford rereg.png
The numbers on the edit correspond to the wire run of each platform. Both wire runs for P2 & P3 are still tensioned on the old Balance Weight Anchor assemblies, and have not been re-registered on the Tensorex drums in the background. Additionally, I think that the increase in length required to reach the Tensorexes from the weights requires a new run of wire through the platforms, although I don't know whether or not new structures have been put in further south on the slow lines for this; they would need to if the wire runs were full tension lengths with mid-point anchors, but might not need to if they were half-tension lengths with a fixed anchor further south.
 
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D365

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Hairy Bear said:
4th track, up slow, Wellingborough to Sharnbrook due to start being used from the 23rd.
Click to expand...

Is there any stock that could use it at the moment? Or would this simply be for testing/commissioning purposes?
 
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InTheEastMids

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D365 said:
Is there any stock that could use it at the moment? Or would this simply be for testing/commissioning purposes?
Click to expand...

In the normal Timetable the 0730-ish from Derby to London uses the slow lines from Harrowden to Sharnbrook. Don't know if that runs at the moment.

Obviously there is freight traffic too.
 
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Meerkat

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Any chance they will swap Montsorrel loading from the fast side to the slow side before electrifying it?
 
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CherryCoffin

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Not sure where to post this but what will the provisional timetable look like after electrification? I know 2tph to Corby is happening but haven’t found anything else anywhere.

Many thanks
 
B

Bald Rick

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CherryCoffin said:
Not sure where to post this but what will the provisional timetable look like after electrification? I know 2tph to Corby is happening but haven’t found anything else anywhere.

Many thanks
Click to expand...

Broadly same as now, plus the 2 to Corby, with almost all calls south of Kettering removed from services heading to Leicester and beyond.
 
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