ECML Power Supply Upgrade

[td97]

Shilbottle TSC's site at lunchtime today. Unlike the others, which are all modular containerised buildings, this is almost a throwback to the 60s with its bricks-and-mortar construction.

That’s interesting that a conventional construction has been chosen (or required by planning?).

Yes it will be a planning requirement. The exact same of the new PSP* at Dore Triangle.
*Principal supply point

 

[Richard123]

Well AFAICT from previous discussions the key to running all possible services on the wires is still the Marshall Meadows SFC site - and the previous post to yours now casts some serious doubt on the progress there, so I don’t think a date can be even guessed at.

The planning permissions for the SFC site, (post #86), and the associated grid supply upgrade to provide 3 phase 132 kV from Low Cocklaw, (post #139), were granted by Northumberland Council by 2022. The upgrade to the 132 kV supply was intended to involve modifying the existing poles.

I read (MR?) that after lockdown there was a view that passenger numbers had permanently fallen and train services to Scotland would be cut under GBR co-ordination.

We know at that time, savings were being demanded by DfT.

AFAIK passenger numbers on ECML are now higher than pre-Covid and services not, so far, reduced.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I read (MR?) that after lockdown there was a view that passenger numbers had permanently fallen and train services to Scotland would be cut under GBR co-ordination.

We know at that time, savings were being demanded by DfT.

AFAIK passenger numbers on ECML are now higher than pre-Covid and services not, so far, reduced.

pretty futile upgrading the rest of phase 2 if you don't take it all the way to Edinburgh. This section was one of the weakest on the route already.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

pretty futile upgrading the rest of phase 2 if you don't take it all the way to Edinburgh. This section was one of the weakest on the route already.

Hence why I thought Marshall Meadows was key.

 

[59CosG95]

Hence why I thought Marshall Meadows was key.

Perhaps they've moved it to the separate Scottish programme of works? AFAIK East Linton, Innerwick, Reston, Longniddry & Portobello feeders/TSCs were all similarly moved.

 

[swt_passenger]

Perhaps they've moved it to the separate Scottish programme of works? AFAIK East Linton, Innerwick, Reston, Longniddry & Portobello feeders/TSCs were all similarly moved.

That would seem unlikely as this one is not located in the NR Scotland territory, the site is in Northumberland, but are there any precedents for NR Scotland undertaking projects in England?

However the 132 kV grid feed upgrade is managed by SPEN, even though the Berwick transformer site at Low Cocklaw and the overhead pole route are entirely within Northumberland. I know the public utility company boundaries don’t actually follow the border.

 

[59CosG95]

REAL Power Supply Upgrade on LinkedIn: #powersupplyupgrade #ecml #eastcoastmainline

During the past month the PSU civils team have been busy across our sites in the north of England. One key milestone at every site is the pouring of the ring…

www.linkedin.com

Foundations for the new ASGs in place at Balne, Tursdale & Stannington.
None at Aycliffe as I believe, like Shilbottle, they're going for masonry over modular.
Nothing yet for Chester-le-Street & King Ed Junction, I couldn't help but notice...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I just noticed on LinkedIn that Darlington TSC has been commissioned as part of ECML PSU 2 - will try and post a link when I find it again.

 

[59CosG95]

I just noticed on LinkedIn that Darlington TSC has been commissioned as part of ECML PSU 2 - will try and post a link when I find it again.

No need - got it right here! https://www.linkedin.com/posts/real...eY?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

 

[59CosG95]

REAL Power Supply Upgrade on LinkedIn: #powersupplyupgrade #teamwork #collaboration #ecml

In the early hours of yesterday morning (12 March 24) the REAL Alliance successfully entered Dalton MPTSC into service. This is the 4th Mid-Point Track…

www.linkedin.com

The new Dalton MPTSC has now entered service (on 12/03/2024), and works have now passed the halfway point for Phase 2.
Further north, the redundant York FS building has now been removed.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

They said the rest by the end of the year. That is really great news.

 

[59CosG95]

A tenuous link, but one somewhat related to PSU Phase 1: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...tricity-network-upgrade-completed-14-03-2024/

£35M Little Barford UKPN electricity network upgrade completed​

14 MAR, 2024 BY TOM PASHBY

New cable circuits, re-routing of overhead power lines and the installation of new towers have been completed by UK Power Networks (UKPN) in a project which centred around the substation at Little Barford in Bedfordshire.
The project started in 2018 and involved upgrading grid capacity and reliability for 190,000 properties in Cambridge, Bedford and St Neots.
UKPN said the project was “one of the biggest infrastructure investments in the region for many years,” and all the dismantling and replacement of equipment took place under cover.
It said 10m high concrete frames which had been erected as part of the works had been taken down, apart from one left standing for “a few extra months” while house martins nest on it.

UKPN worked alongside Kier, Wood and Morrison Energy Services to install new 132kV underground cables that run 2.5km between Little Barford and East Socon.
The cables were installed with directional drills which dug under main roads, a river and a golf course which UKPN said had “minimum impact on the local environment.”

The company said the works would help the UK on its way to net zero, as the country uses electrification as a route to decarbonisation.
UK Power Networks project manager Arinze Udenwa said; "The improvement works at Little Barford have replaced old equipment with modern kit that will increase network reliability for years to come.”

This work might be the reason why the new Little Barford FS has yet to go online.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

A tenuous link, but one somewhat related to PSU Phase 1: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...tricity-network-upgrade-completed-14-03-2024/

This work might be the reason why the new Little Barford FS has yet to go online.

Forgive me, but I thought ECML Power Supply Upgrade Phase 1 had been announced as complete? How can it be complete if Little Barford FS has not come on line?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

A tenuous link, but one somewhat related to PSU Phase 1: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...tricity-network-upgrade-completed-14-03-2024/


This work might be the reason why the new Little Barford FS has yet to go online.

Looks somewhat different now but no sign of any new single phase transformers unless they are trackside.

 

[stuving]

Looks somewhat different now but no sign of any new single phase transformers unless they are trackside.

Where is the new FS supplied from? This was what UKPN were saying in their plan 10 years ago:

The replacement of the Little Barford 132kV switchgear with a new GIS switchboard at Eaton Socon requires circa 25km of 132kV underground cables to be installed to re-connect the existing132kV circuits that terminate at Little Barford Grid. Achieving consents for cable routes presents a risk to the anticipated delivery date / overall project cost. The new indoor switchboard is to located on land owned by National Grid.

Network Rail has identified a programme of works to upgrade electricity supplies to the East-Coast Mainline (ECM) rail route, part of which involves the installation of trackside autotransformers and cables in close proximity to the Little Barford 33kV site as the ECM runs alongside the east side of the 33kV compound. The Network Rail 25kV trackside assets are currently supplied by 2 x 132/25KV 18MVA transformers at the 132kV Grid site.

If Network Rail adopt the above approach the existing 18MVA 132/25kV transformers will eventually be decommissioned and removed (expected 2016) with the new Network Rail autotransformers being supplied from National Grid 400kV exit points. Access to the Network Rail assets is via the access road for the Little Barford 33kV site and a programme of works has been approved to install new 33kV transformer tails in the access road. The UKPN works are expected to be completed within DCPR5 timescales.

The first bit is about the two 132kV cables put in by horizontal drilling. The last bit is about access to the old and new FS sites, and to UKPN's own 33kV substation. Their 132kV "grid" site is the one pictured.

Standard practice for a 400kV supply would put two 25kV transformers next to the NG site at Eaton Socon and connect by underground cables. But a lot can have changed in 10 years..

 

[QueensCurve]

As I've started a Tracking/Queries thread for the WCML PSU, I thought I'd start one for the ECML too.

Phase 1: Wood Green (London) - Bawtry (Doncaster)

Cabled ATF (in troughs, rather than suspended from structures) in operation between Welwyn SATS & Hitchin SATS.

New Substations:

• Potters Bar TSC (containerised) - in operation, old TSC decommissioned
• 19m 29ch: Welwyn SATS - in operation, old TSC decommissioned
• 25m 73ch: Langley Junction SATS - in operation, old TSC decommissioned
• 29m 77ch: Corey’s Mill (Wymondley) ATFS - in operation
• Hitchin SATS - in operation, old TSC decommissioned
• 49m 72ch: Little Barford FS - under construction
  • 4 portal leg pairs for switchgear/OHNS are up but not yet boomed
  • Existing adjacent feeder still operational
• Essendine FS (between PBO & GRA; containerised) - in operation

Converted Substations:

• 5m 15ch: Wood Green FS - upgrade ongoing
  • Clearance of land going on north of Hertford Loop flyover
• Digswell TSL - TBC
• 40m 58ch: Biggleswade MPTSC - portals up but blue construction portable earths still applied on northernmost portal
• Huntingdon MPTSC - new MPTSC in operation, old MPTSC disconnected
• 69m 00ch: Holme MPTSC - new TSC in operation, old TSC disconnected
• Nene FS: TBC
• 78m 14ch to 78m 17ch: Bretton MPTSC - under conversion
  • New portal leg pairs are up for switchgear/OHNS, but no booms yet
  • Current feeder still operational
• 92m 29ch: Bytham FS - in operation, supplemented by Essendine
• Stoke TSC - just south of Stoke Tunnel - new TSC in operation, old TSC disconnected
• 107m 55ch: Grantham North FS (on embankment just south of Peascliff tunnel) - TBC
• Claypole TSC - converted
  • RSC troughing in place south of Claypole to just north of Newark
• Newark FS - TBC
• 123m 40ch: North Muskham TSC - converted?
• Tuxford TSC - converted?
• 139m 41ch: Retford FS - TBC
• 147m 48ch: Bawtry MPTSC - converted

Removed Substations

• 84m 56ch: Tallington FS - now Tallington TSC, old FS removed after replacement by Essendine

Phase 2: Bawtry to Edinburgh

New PSP Switchgear, and 400kV/650V

• Portobello FS (opp. Craigentinny TMD)
• Prestonpans
• Drem
• Dunbar
• 41m 14ch approx.: Grantshouse

New ASPs

• Monktonhall
• 13m 32ch: Longniddry MPTSC
• East Linton TSC
• 69m 17ch (from NCL): Marshall Meadows SFC & FS

Unknown

• 156m 50ch: Doncaster North FS
• 165m 74ch (approx): Balne TSC (just south of the LC)
• 174m 58ch: Hambleton Jct SFC & FS
• 182m 79ch Approx: Colton Jct MPTSC (in the vee of Colton Jct)
• MILEAGE CHANGE - zero mileage now from York
• 2m 04ch: York FS
• Tollerton TSC (south of Station Rd Bridge adjacent to Sidings Drain)
• 19m 09ch: Dalton MPTSC
• Northallerton TSC (just north of Down platform at stn)
• 35m 05ch: Hutton Bonville FS
• Darlington TSC (behind Bannatyne’s Health Club)
• 49m 60ch: Aycliffe MPTSC
• 58m 71ch approx: Tursdale Jct TSC (in the vee of the ECML and the former line to Houghton-le-Spring)
• 64m 73ch: Durham FS
• 72m 04ch: Chester-le-Street MPTSC
• King Ed Bridge Jct TSC - at King Edwards Bridge Jct
• MILEAGE CHANGE - zero mileage now from Newcastle
• 4m 23ch: Benton FS
• 14m 00ch: Stannington MPTSC
• 22m 24ch: Ulgham Crossing FS (adjacent to Ulgham Grange LC)
• Shilbottle TSC (just south of the road to High Buston off the A1068)
• 45m 56ch: Chathill MPTSC
• 57m 17ch: Fenham TSC
• 69m 67ch: Boundary Change - 54m 50ch from EDB
• 46m 22ch: Reston TSC
• 33m 60ch: Innerwick FS

All of the above information is gathered from https://www.networkrail.co.uk/runni...oast/east-coast-upgrade/power-supply-upgrade/.
Any updates and further information pertinent to the above would be appreciated.

Glossary of Terms:
ATF - Auto Transformer Feeder
SATS - Sectioning Auto Transformer Site
ATFS - Auto Transformer Feeder Station
TSC - Track Sectioning Cabin(et)
TSL - Track Sectioning Location
FS - Feeder Station
MPTSC - Mid-Point Track Sectioning Cabin
SFC - Static Frequency Converter

Do the static frequency converters potentially obviate neutral sections assuming they can be synchronised along the route?

 

[swt_passenger]

Do the static frequency converters potentially obviate neutral sections assuming they can be synchronised along the route?

Theoretically yes, but you still need the facility to isolate sections for maintenance or if there is damage or other faults. This was discussed a couple of times already way back in this thread, for example in post #90 @edwin_m thought it unlikely, because it would have to be more complex to deal with fault handling.

There are a number of similar follow up questions on the next couple of pages.

 

[hwl]

Do the static frequency converters potentially obviate neutral sections assuming they can be synchronised along the route?

Yes but this isn't approved yet. All set up for standalone un-synchronised with the future potential to...

 

[swt_passenger]

Forgive me, but I thought ECML Power Supply Upgrade Phase 1 had been announced as complete? How can it be complete if Little Barford FS has not come on line?

Phase 1 has definitely been announced as ‘completed in 2020’ by NR.
Post #195 linked to this page in January:

Power supply upgrade - Network Rail

We’re upgrading the power supply on the East Coast Main Line to enable faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly electric rains to run.

www.networkrail.co.uk

However, in the text you get this odd paragraph:

Phase 1 of the project began in 2014 and was completed in 2020.

The following upgrades have already been completed:

installation of 23 substations along the route
laying 600km of new cabling
construction of foundations and structures to support overhead line equipment
new 400kv connection to the main National Grid

Further upgrades are planned to increase resilience and reliability along the route. These upgrades include additional sub-stations, track based cabinets and feeder stations.

The page then goes on to describe ‘phase‘ 2.

I think they must have a very different definition of the word complete to most people.

 

[hwl]

Phase 1 has definitely been announced as ‘completed in 2020’ by NR.
Post #195 linked to this page in January:

Power supply upgrade - Network Rail

We’re upgrading the power supply on the East Coast Main Line to enable faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly electric rains to run.

www.networkrail.co.uk

However, in the text you get this odd paragraph:


The page then goes on to describe ‘phase‘ 2.

I think they must have a very different definition of the word complete to most people.

There is probably a subtle difference between physical completion and being able to switch stuff on... The ability to switch on may have been outside NR's control.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thanks for the replies and explanations.

 

[edwin_m]

Yes but this isn't approved yet. All set up for standalone un-synchronised with the future potential to...

It shouldn't be too difficult to synchronise them - just use one phase of the Grid as a reference and make sure everyone picks the same one. This should be reliable provided the Grid doesn't get split into smaller parts, and if that happened I suspect not being able to run trains would be the least of our problems.

 

[hwl]

It shouldn't be too difficult to synchronise them - just use one phase of the Grid as a reference and make sure everyone picks the same one. This should be reliable provided the Grid doesn't get split into smaller parts, and if that happened I suspect not being able to run trains would be the least of our problems.

The plan appears to including getting a decent understanding of SFCs operating then looking at synchronising as later step.

 

[paul1609]

Forgive me, but I thought ECML Power Supply Upgrade Phase 1 had been announced as complete? How can it be complete if Little Barford FS has not come on line?

Wasnt there an issue where NR had delivered the upgrade on the assumption that the DNOs would offer a derogation for the fact that their network could deal with the imbalances that the new NR equipment would place on their network on an assumption based on the fact that theyd previously done so.
The new equipment was built and completed but then the derogation was rejected either by the DNO or their regulator, so the upgrade was completed as far as NR were concerned it just couldnt draw any power?

 

[59CosG95]

Wasnt there an issue where NR had delivered the upgrade on the assumption that the DNOs would offer a derogation for the fact that their network could deal with the imbalances that the new NR equipment would place on their network on an assumption based on the fact that theyd previously done so.
The new equipment was built and completed but then the derogation was rejected either by the DNO or their regulator, so the upgrade was completed as far as NR were concerned it just couldnt draw any power?

Not too sure about that, but the new FS ASG building and disconnector masts were definitely in for at least 3-4 years before this point, and the connections haven't yet been made linking the new equipment with the OLE.

Now, Grantham North (National Grid, ex-WPD) & Retford (NPG) are having/have had fairly more acute issues of this nature.

 

[Class 170101]

Any news on how north of Newcastle to Edinburgh is coming along? If indeed it is? I'm confised now as to whether its happening or has been abandoned.

 

[swt_passenger]

Any news on how north of Newcastle to Edinburgh is coming along? If indeed it is? I'm confised now as to whether its happening or has been abandoned.

There’s been regular progress reports on locations between Newcastle and Berwick on the last couple of pages. The fly in the ointment is the Marshall Meadows SFC installation which seems to have gone very quiet. Please note posts #188 and #191 for examples.

Works on the actual Scottish section get very little coverage however.

 

[59CosG95]

Can confirm by eyeball that the ASGs at Balne, Tursdale & Stannington (which is green rather than grey) have now all been landed on their ring-beam foundations.

 

[59CosG95]

Post-Easter update - not been officially announced on REAL's LinkedIn, but the new Tollerton TSC appears to be in service now. Passed it a few minutes ago and blue earths were up on the old green TSC; its connections to the 25kV shorn.
IIRC the 'bare feeders' on the Down side were meant to be removed - didn't have a chance to eyeball those unfortunately.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Post-Easter update - not been officially announced on REAL's LinkedIn, but the new Tollerton TSC appears to be in service now. Passed it a few minutes ago and blue earths were up on the old green TSC; its connections to the 25kV shorn.
IIRC the 'bare feeders' on the Down side were meant to be removed - didn't have a chance to eyeball those unfortunately.

REAL Power Supply Upgrade on LinkedIn: #powersupplyupgrade #ecml #collaboration #railinfrastructure

Last week yet another PSU site was entered into service!! On Tuesday 26 March works were completed successfully, on time to a well-executed plan…

www.linkedin.com

Last week yet another PSU site was entered into service!!

On Tuesday 26 March works were completed successfully, on time to a well-executed plan.

Tollerton is the third of four sites to be entered into service over an 8 week period which will also see 3 sites take deliveries of new buildings.