MML Electrification: progress updates

[Bald Rick]

Seeing what seems to be on the cards for the Eastern leg, what would the fastest journey time be for a London> Leicester> Derby> Chesterfield> Sheffield fast service, if all wired and all 125mph electric fixes were made? How about Nottingham? And the Grantham alt route NR/LNER proposed.

Those may well be the end points for the region, unless there is some type of East Midlands Parkway arm from HS2.

About the same as now.

 

[Trainben]

I'm new to this forum so this question may have already been asked. I'm interested to know, once the new Hitachi trains reach Market Harborough, if they are non stop services, can the driver lift/lower the pantograph while the train is in motion, or will only stopping services be able to make use of the wired section.

 

[Nunners]

I'm new to this forum so this question may have already been asked. I'm interested to know, once the new Hitachi trains reach Market Harborough, if they are non stop services, can the driver lift/lower the pantograph while the train is in motion, or will only stopping services be able to make use of the wired section.

They can do this on the Great Western Main Line at various locations so it should be able to happen at Market Harborough if they install the right equipment

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm new to this forum so this question may have already been asked. I'm interested to know, once the new Hitachi trains reach Market Harborough, if they are non stop services, can the driver lift/lower the pantograph while the train is in motion, or will only stopping services be able to make use of the wired section.

Welcome to the forum.

The quick answer is yes, but the question has been asked and answered in much more detail only a couple of days ago:

Bi-modes: can they switch while on the move?

Just a quick question and just curious: can bi-modes switch from electric to diesel and v.v when on the move? Just wondering whether, if the switch point is somewhere they don't stop (such as Newbury for the faster services to the southwest), they could switch there or whether they would have...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Trainben]

Thanks both, I appreciate your replies, I found this really helpful.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I'm new to this forum so this question may have already been asked. I'm interested to know, once the new Hitachi trains reach Market Harborough, if they are non stop services, can the driver lift/lower the pantograph while the train is in motion, or will only stopping services be able to make use of the wired section.

Welcome to the forum. It looks as though your question has been answered.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Independent running a story on NPR which is negative for much of the aspirations for leaders of Northern cities but positive for this scheme as they say

While ministers are expected to resist definitively cancelling the eastern leg, they are expected to kick it into the long grass with no concrete completion date set under the guise of “phasing”. Electrification of the existing Midland Mainline, which was originally promised in 2013 and then partially cancelled, is expected to be offered as a more immediate alternative.

Guess they are front running the output of the IRP but this is certainly the most sensible option on the table to get improved infrastructure up and running quicker than any new build solution will provide.

 

[Kneedown]

Passing Braybrook in the dark on Sat night, I noticed, what appears to be, some gantry parts that had been deposited there.

 

[John Webb]

Passing the Napsbury access point today when returning from the box the only signs of activity was a large quantity of rail sections laid down in the area of the access point.

 

[Flying Phil]

More progress at the Braybrooke Supply site with a large crane doing "Stuff" and earth moving alongside the main line. Also some work going on behind the hedge towards Harborough.

Interestingly as I was standing on the overbridge a 222 went by Northbound...and the bridge literally vibrated...I hope it gets replaced when the wires come!

 

[swt_passenger]

Does it look as if there’s fencing to separate what will be the National Grid site from what will eventually be NR’s trackside compound? Different contractors maybe?

 

[Flying Phil]

It is difficult to tell about fencing at this stage as there is obviously lots of temporary fences there now.

 

[swt_passenger]

It is difficult to tell about fencing at this stage as there is obviously lots of temporary fences there now.

Yes sorry I meant the temporary fencing. There seems to be two separate lines running along behind the orange machinery for instance.

 

[59CosG95]

More progress at the Braybrooke Supply site with a large crane doing "Stuff" and earth moving alongside the main line. Also some work going on behind the hedge towards Harborough.View attachment 105170View attachment 105171View attachment 105172

Interestingly as I was standing on the overbridge a 222 went by Northbound...and the bridge literally vibrated...I hope it gets replaced when the wires come!

Looks very good that, Phil. I take it the blue & yellow security unit (on a tripod) didn't bark at you in a strong Ulster accent?

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi 59CosG95
I don't think I was close enough to find out!

 

[Trainben]

Evening all. I just wondered if anyone knows how they will wire the bridge just outside Market Harborough station, the one that spans the A4304 road and the river welland. Will they attach the gantries to side or within the structure if clearance allows.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Evening all. I just wondered if anyone knows how they will wire the bridge just outside Market Harborough station, the one that spans the A4304 road and the river welland. Will they attach the gantries to side or within the structure if clearance allows.

Given the size of that grid supply point they need to wire the whole of the MML otherwise it will be rather oversized.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Given the size of that grid supply point they need to wire the whole of the MML otherwise it will be rather oversized.

Are you sure about that? I am almost certain another grid supply point will go in around the Kegworth area and one in Chesterfield area too.

 

[59CosG95]

Evening all. I just wondered if anyone knows how they will wire the bridge just outside Market Harborough station, the one that spans the A4304 road and the river welland. Will they attach the gantries to side or within the structure if clearance allows.

Depends on a multitude of factors, signal sighting being particularly crucial. ISTR the line's on a slight curve over that viaduct so a portal (or TTC; most likely a portal) may well be needed to get the stagger right.
We can only wait...

 

[Trainben]

Thanks for giving me some idea how it could work, looking forward to seeing the work being carried out, camera in hand.

 

[londonmidland]

Quite a few piles and, what looks like, twin-track cantilevers, waiting to be installed.

Not sure about the name of the site they’re located at, however it’s located roughly halfway between Kettering and Market Harborough.

 

[59CosG95]

Quite a few piles and, what looks like, twin-track cantilevers, waiting to be installed.

Not sure about the name of the site they’re located at, however it’s located roughly halfway between Kettering and Market Harborough.

Desborough, maybe? That's roughly halfway between Mkt H & Kettering. Was the site on the Down side or Up side? (That might help narrow it down a bit)

 

[londonmidland]

Desborough, maybe? That's roughly halfway between Mkt H & Kettering. Was the site on the Down side or Up side? (That might help narrow it down a bit)

It was on the up side.

 

[59CosG95]

It was on the up side.

More likely to be Braybrooke then, as Desboro' doesn't have any Up side access points (to my knowledge). None east of Desboro' either.

 

[Flying Phil]

Yes there is a work site across the road from the garden centre. It is about a mile South of the Braybrooke Supply Site.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Are you sure about that? I am almost certain another grid supply point will go in around the Kegworth area and one in Chesterfield area too.

facetious remark on my behalf about the size of the site both physically and electrical capacity if they don't push on with full electrification. You are of course correct that another feeder station will be needed to get as far as Sheffield

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In fairness the Braybrooke feeder will help with F2N for freight etc electrification too.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

In fairness the Braybrroke feeder will help with F2N for freight etc electrification too.

Good point and at least we are future proofing the feeder stations to cover network wide electrification although NR will be paying alot in capacity charges for many years before F2N appears although in my view in should be high priority route given freight traffic but doubt it will be complete before 2030's.

 

[59CosG95]

In fairness the Braybrroke feeder will help with F2N for freight etc electrification too.

Certainly the Wigston - Leicester stretch. Not entirely sure where the boundary between Braybrooke and Kegworth will be, or where the boundary on the route via Melton Mowbray will be thereafter.

I suspect that another feeder between the MML & ECML will be required, as I don't know off the top of my head whether Braybrooke (to the west) and Bretton/Essendine (to the east) will have enough combined power to end-feed the route.

 

[Nottingham59]

what looks like, twin-track cantilevers,

If they're in the National Grid compound at Braybrooke, might they be the new lattice work to extend the arms of the pylons to allow the feeder cables to connect to the 400kV switching gear? They will need four of these according to the plans.