Cambridge South new station construction progress.

[neill]

Here are some photos from about an hour ago. I had assumed things would be pretty quiet after the weekend but activity was in full swing. Looked like the main work areas were OLE to the south side of the station and something on/under the track between long road and the guided busway bridge.

 

[mr_moo]

When you move the tracks this Xmas will you put the points and crossings in for the other platforms or is 2023 simply slewing the existing track and Xmas 2024 for all the points and junctions? I'm making an assumption it has to be Xmas when such big things are done.

This Christmas is just a slue - no new S&C at all yet. The tracks will be moved to a tempoary alignment through future platfoms 3 and 4.
The S&C will be put in over several possessions in the late part of next year, out of use initally. Christmas 2024 is the big comissioning when it's all brought into use in one big hit. This includes Shepreth Branch Junction and Hills road.

@mr_moo I had no idea you were one of those building the station, that’s very exciting indeed and quite far from your usual base if I’m not wrong? Many thanks for the updates

Yep! I move around in the project world, and Cambridge caught me this time! You are correct, I'm a bit of a trek from home, but that's fine.

Thank you very much for the continued (and informed) updates!

I am a regular visitor to the south of Cambridge, so I'm taking a great interest in progress and it is great to see things happening on the ground.

Thank you. People appreciating the updates is great to see.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Sep 2023 ==

Here are some photos from about an hour ago. I had assumed things would be pretty quiet after the weekend but activity was in full swing. Looked like the main work areas were OLE to the south side of the station and something on/under the track between long road and the guided busway bridge.

Fab photos again neill. I was on site again this weekend and will share some from inside again, but it will take me a bit longer to process mine and work out what I can share.

 

[William3000]

Some photos from the southern end of the station taken on Sunday 1st October.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2023 ==

Some photos from the southern end of the station taken on Sunday 1st October.

 

[neill]

And a couple from the north from Saturday. I am guessing the blue line is where P4 will go.

 

[dk1]

Great photos. This is going to be such a successful station from day one.

 

[mr_moo]

Some photos from the southern end of the station taken on Sunday 1st October.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2023 ==

Great photos. I keep meaning to take some myself from up on the bridges but am so busy I struggle to get up there. Thanks.
Some points:
1) You can really see the new OLE showing how much wider the formation will be getter here now. We took down the old masts last weekend on the Down side, althouh you'll note there are still some on the Up side. The Down is more important because of the track slue that's coming up at Christmas. Once that's happened, there will be more psace on the Up side so working there will be easier and the old masts there will then dissapear.
2) Note the new brown infill on the Down side. This is base course for the future tracks. There's more layers to go on top yet - between the ground being quite soft and the significant change in levels being installed here, there's quite a lot of fill going in.

And a couple from the north from Saturday. I am guessing the blue line is where P4 will go.

Yep - the first parts of the front face wall will be appearing fairly soon, bang on that line (although we set out using co-ordinates, not a paint line!)


I really will share my photos from the weekend of over a week ago now soon, but life just seems really busy and I haven't sorted and files them yet. Sorry. Coming soon.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2023 ==

Great photos. This is going to be such a successful station from day one.

I really hope so! With the work we're all pouring into it, it will look great, plus we're certainly expecting some high passenger numbers. With 1000 bike parking spaces we're expecting a lot of cyclists too!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2023 ==

The Cambridge South station design, including cycle parking provision, has been agreed by local councillors. Further details here:

Cambridge South station design agreed by councillors

Cambridge South station is being built near the city's Biomedical Campus.

www.bbc.co.uk

More here: https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=497&MId=4353&Ver=4, including plans.

I note the video from the meeting that was held on 16th August is now available on youtube:

An interesting watch to see how the planning was presented and the various objections noted etc.

 

[neill]

The edge of P4 has appeared…

There are also some interesting blocks near where the station building will be. Foundations for the passenger bridge or lifts maybe?

 

[neill]

Update From last night. Piling operations in progress - presumably for the station foundations on the west side. Looks like the ballast has been going in between P3 and P4 as well.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Oct 2023 ==

Another update from yesterday. Sleepers!

 

[snowball]

Press release

Cambridge South station main construction contract awarded

J Murphy and Sons Ltd awarded £93.4 million contract to build Cambridge South station. Passengers will benefit from quicker and easier access to the city’s biomedical campus – Europe’s largest centre of medical research and health science. New station will support 300 new construction jobs and...

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Cambridge South station main construction contract awarded

J Murphy and Sons Ltd awarded £93.4 million contract to build Cambridge South station.
Passengers will benefit from quicker and easier access to the city’s biomedical campus – Europe’s largest centre of medical research and health science.
New station will support 300 new construction jobs and forms part of the proposed East-West Rail route, which aims to unlock £103 billion of economic growth.

Following the Rail Minister’s commitment to fund the construction of Cambridge South on 5 June 2023, Network Rail has awarded the main works contract to build the new railway station to J Murphy & Sons Ltd (Murphy).

The £93.4 million contract includes work to begin main construction which will deliver a new two storey, four platform station on the West Anglia Main adjacent to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This will include:

ticket vending machines
lifts providing step free access to all platforms
accessible toilets, baby change facilities, waiting area and space for retail/catering
access for pedestrians and cyclists from both sides of the railway with capacity for 1000 cycle parking spaces
modification to roads and crossings to facilitate access to the station

Together with our other integrated delivery partners, Alstom and South Rail Systems Alliance (SRSA), Murphy will also modify and enhance the rail infrastructure to support the new station which will include:

remodelling of the existing track layout
installing two additional track loops to accommodate a four-platform station
enhancements to Shepreth branch junction
modification to the railway on the southern approach to Cambridge station
provision for overhead line electrification infrastructure and a substation
modification of existing signalling equipment
closure of two private level crossing and provision of alternative access

The enabling works are already underway with the establishment of the worksite compound, installation of overhead line masts and the front-walls of the platforms. Work will now continue to deliver the station through to completion, currently planned for 2025.

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

Is it me, or does that station design look 80s

 

[dk1]

Is it me, or does that station design look 80s

Looks like a modern Manchester Oxford Road. I wouldn’t say 80s style though.

 

[mr_moo]

Hi everyone. Sorry for the silence. Life's been crazy these last few weeks.

This weekend sees another possession for us, and a busy one at that, with work across all three sites.

Things to watch out for:
- Track works near Addenbrookes road bridge, building sections of track ready for Christmas that are close to the existing tracks and thus need a possession.
- OLE installation works at Shepreth Branch Junction. Piles are already in. Some masts in the separate section that's away from the railway have been installed over the last couple of weeks, but this weekend sees lots of masts around the tracks going up, plus a couple of portals over the top.
- OLE foundation installation at Hills road.

Track has been installed through the future platforms 3 and 4, plus 6ft drainage under that too. That track will become operational at Christmas.

I'm on site again and will have my camera as always. I still haven't posted my photos from a few weeks back - sorry, but I will do a big update when I can...

Enjoy!

 

[camflyer]

Good to see hear of the progress being made.

How long the line possession over the Christmas/New Year period is due to last? I'm trying to plan some trips over the holidays.

 

[William3000]

Some photos showing progress on Cambridge South with the northbound tracks/sleepers being laid between the new platforms 3 and 4.

 

[Magdalia]

I did a cycling tour of the site last week.

One thing, that I think has not been mentioned yet, is that work has started on diverting the cycleway that currently passes under the Addenbrookes Bridge on the Biomedical Campus side of the line.

What is actually happening seems to be slightly different to what was in the TWAO plans, with the cycleway only being diverted across the field towards the Abcam building after it has crossed the Nine Wells stream.

 

[neill]

(Edited with additional photos)

I was at the station this morning as well. Things are coming along nicely. @William3000 must have just missed you!

I did notice that there was work going on south of Foxton but I can’t imagine that is related to the station.

In addition to the photos from busway bridge there are some showing the cycle path @Magdalia mentions near the Addenbrookes road bridge. I think this is temporary - I guess for access? There are also photos showing the OLE work from Shrepeth junction up to the site.

Anyone have any ideas what is going on with the mast that seems to be attached to a half driven pile!?

 

[Jimcam]

It looks as though all the OLE masts between Shepreth Branch Junction and the new station are being replaced. I understand the area around the changes at the junction, and where the track will splay out from two to four around the Addenbrooke's Road bridge, but doesn't the track in between just stay where it is? Why does it need new masts all the way along?

 

[59CosG95]

Another question for @mr_moo - what equipment is being used on the "new" OLE? I can see that Mk3 registrations have been used on the temporary positions/masts etc, but I wonder what the permanent cantilevers will be formed of...

 

[Class 170101]

It looks as though all the OLE masts between Shepreth Branch Junction and the new station are being replaced. I understand the area around the changes at the junction, and where the track will splay out from two to four around the Addenbrooke's Road bridge, but doesn't the track in between just stay where it is? Why does it need new masts all the way along?

Shepreth Branch Jn itself is changing its geometry (shape) to allow higher speed operation so needs the OLE changing too to reflect the new geometry.

The OLE itself has also been up around 35/40 years so may need to be replaced anyway.

 

[Steve Harris]

The OLE itself has also been up around 35/40 years so may need to be replaced anyway.

It certainly isn't 40 years old yet !! But yes, it isn't that far off that, as it was electrified* 1985/86 with services commencing in 1987. I can actually remember the bases going in and the masts going up !

*As in construction of bases and installation of masts, wire etc

 

[jon0844]

Press release

Cambridge South station main construction contract awarded

J Murphy and Sons Ltd awarded £93.4 million contract to build Cambridge South station. Passengers will benefit from quicker and easier access to the city’s biomedical campus – Europe’s largest centre of medical research and health science. New station will support 300 new construction jobs and...

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Who decides if a station will be written as 'Cambridge South' or 'BRENT CROSS WEST' on the building exterior? I thought there were now recognised style guides on type faces, text sizes etc?

(I think upper and lower case is far neater FWIW).

 

[neill]

Here’s a few photos from Hills Road looking south. I think there will be some work happening here in due course but not sure if the bits of S&C scattered about are related to the station or not.

 

[Bald Rick]

but not sure if the bits of S&C scattered about are related to the station or not.

Definitely related to the station - in that they will be maintnenance spares for the S&C at Cambridge station.

 

[neill]

Back to the site of the new station, looks like the station building foundations are starting to take shape.

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

Here's an update of things happening at Cambridge South. Including new over head wires, and tracks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Nov 2023 ==

Railfuture East Anglia steps up campaign for Haverhill to Cambridge railway line to reopen

It could link Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Granta Park, Linton and Haverhill.

www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk

More murmurings in the Cambridge Independent about the possible reopening of the line from Cambridge to Haverhill via Linton.
this would also connect through Cambridge South, assumedly terminating at the main Cambridge station.

 

[Bald Rick]

More murmurings in the Cambridge Independent about the possible reopening of the line from Cambridge to Haverhill via Linton.
this would also connect through Cambridge South, assumedly terminating at the main Cambridge station.

No chance.

 

[camflyer]

More murmurings in the Cambridge Independent about the possible reopening of the line from Cambridge to Haverhill via Linton.
this would also connect through Cambridge South, assumedly terminating at the main Cambridge station.

This story pops up every couple of years for as long as I can remember. Can't see any prospect of a heavy rail link just to Haverhill any nowhere beyond but it would be ideal for a light rail/metro or whatever is supposed to be replacing the abandoned CAM project.

 

[Magdalia]

Railfuture East Anglia steps up campaign for Haverhill to Cambridge railway line to reopen

It could link Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Granta Park, Linton and Haverhill.

www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk

More murmurings in the Cambridge Independent about the possible reopening of the line from Cambridge to Haverhill via Linton.
this would also connect through Cambridge South, assumedly terminating at the main Cambridge station.

I read the Cambridge Independent article. As the headline indicates, it is a bit of pressure group grandstanding. It doesn't have any official status.

This story pops up every couple of years for as long as I can remember. Can't see any prospect of a heavy rail link just to Haverhill any nowhere beyond but it would be ideal for a light rail/metro or whatever is supposed to be replacing the abandoned CAM project.

I don't agree that there is no prospect of the line being reinstated, but, at present, the prospects are not good, probably less than 10 per cent. I don't see that Railfuture's campaign changes that. For the line to be reopened three other things need to happen first:

• East West Rail goes ahead using the southern approach, without 4 tracks from Shepreth Branch Junction there is no capacity for Haverhill line trains;
• the Greater Cambridge Partnership need to abandon their proposal to use part of the trackbed for a busway, which is currently on hold, and switch their support to using the trackbed for rail;
• the rail solution needs business and University support from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, and, more importantly, Granta Park.

None of these are going to happen very quickly, if at all. And even if they all happen, there are yet more challenges to negotiate.

Furthermore, there is a lot of political uncertainty at present, with a General Election and a Cambridgeshire Mayor election both due within the next 18 months. By that time, Cambridge South station should be almost ready to open: when it does, I think that the benefits of heavy rail on the Haverhill line trackbed will be much more plain to see.

Finally, one interesting little bit of news, at the end of the article, is the appointment of Anthony Browne as a junior transport minister. This will constrain what he is able to say about Cambridge area transport policy.

 

[wagnaga]

I read the Cambridge Independent article. As the headline indicates, it is a bit of pressure group grandstanding. It doesn't have any official status.


I don't agree that there is no prospect of the line being reinstated, but, at present, the prospects are not good, probably less than 10 per cent. I don't see that Railfuture's campaign changes that. For the line to be reopened three other things need to happen first:

• East West Rail goes ahead using the southern approach, without 4 tracks from Shepreth Branch Junction there is no capacity for Haverhill line trains;
• the Greater Cambridge Partnership need to abandon their proposal to use part of the trackbed for a busway, which is currently on hold, and switch their support to using the trackbed for rail;
• the rail solution needs business and University support from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, and, more importantly, Granta Park.

None of these are going to happen very quickly, if at all. And even if they all happen, there are yet more challenges to negotiate.

Furthermore, there is a lot of political uncertainty at present, with a General Election and a Cambridgeshire Mayor election both due within the next 18 months. By that time, Cambridge South station should be almost ready to open: when it does, I think that the benefits of heavy rail on the Haverhill line trackbed will be much more plain to see.

Finally, one interesting little bit of news, at the end of the article, is the appointment of Anthony Browne as a junior transport minister. This will constrain what he is able to say about Cambridge area transport policy.

I think one key to the Haverhill rail link is how well integrated Cambridge South is to the Cambridge bus network and especially to the various sites around Addenbrookes. A significant volume of people in Haverhill work on the Addenbrookes site and given the growth of it over the next few years that will increase. Perhaps of there was a kiss and ride site in Haverhill it might take quite a lot of traffic off the A1307 reducing congestion and pollution.

As much as I am keen to see it proceed I'm doubtful - it's a big investment.

 

[Magdalia]

how well integrated Cambridge South is to the Cambridge bus network and especially to the various sites around Addenbrookes.

Cambridge South is not designed for bus interchange, because of space constraints. It is a destination station for the Biomedical Campus. Most connectivity with the local bus network will still be at the main station. The bus connectivity priority at Cambridge South will be the Biomedical Campus itself, and the Park and Ride sites, especially Trumpington but also Babraham Road.

And it is effectively impossible to expand the bus network in Cambridge because of driver recruitment and retention issues. The Cambridge bus network is about making most effective use of existing resources.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but when Cambridge South opens the station that needs the big improvement in bus connectivity, and has the space for it, is Cambridge North. Soon, for the first time ever, it will be possible to get from one side of Cambridge to the other in 10 minutes, by getting on a train from North to South, or vice versa. People from the north side of Cambridge, going to the Biomedical Campus, will need to be getting the bus to Cambridge North and using the train to get to Cambridge South, instead of trying to get through or round the city by road.

To fully unlock that potential integrated ticketing will be needed, but I've not seen any sign that anyone is thinking about that.