MML Electrification: progress updates

[jontyasaurus]

Not sure if it's related, but there's a works compound popping up at Chesterfield, in the last few days safety signage for "SPL Powerlines" has gone up. I recall reading in this thread that there will be a substation not far south of here at Hasland, could they be doing survey work related to that? Apologies if it's completely unrelated!

 

[InTheEastMids]

Back on topic about the Chesterfield/Hasland substation: There isn't a convenient 400 kV line crossing the railway to connect to as at Braybrooke.

Is the plan to connect at NG Chesterfield Substation and bring a 25 kV cable lineside at Hasland?

 

[londonmidland]

SPL Powerlines compound at Loughborough, with the fencing altered to allow access to and from the platforms.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Not sure if it's related, but there's a works compound popping up at Chesterfield, in the last few days safety signage for "SPL Powerlines" has gone up. I recall reading in this thread that there will be a substation not far south of here at Hasland, could they be doing survey work related to that? Apologies if it's completely unrelated!

Given it's SPL Powerlines, it almost certainly is for electrification works
But further South, the Braybrooke substation (officially "Market Harborough 400 kV") had its own compounds and access. Where they've done substantial bridge works they establish a compound at site.

So my guess is that a compound at Chesterfield station at this stage will be for enabling works within the railway boundary on vegetation, drainage, signalling/telecoms etc.

 

[QSK19]

Based on post # 8343, is this already effective confirmation that the line will be electrified (at least to Trent Junction) or could the compound be used for something else which won’t lead to electrification (eg simply survey work which will contribute to the decision making progress)?

Of course we will have to see what the spending review next month reveals, but as others have said, it seems a sizeable compound and it’d be silly to go through all that and then suddenly stand teams down after the review.

Seeing the compound and little developments like installing gates straight to the platform just gives me that little feeling that electrification is actually going ahead, but I may be sadly mistaken.

 

[Yindee8191]

Based on post # 8343, is this already effective confirmation that the line will be electrified (at least to Trent Junction) or could the compound be used for something else which won’t lead to electrification (eg simply survey work which will contribute to the decision making progress)?

Of course we will have to see what the spending review next month reveals, but as others have said, it seems a sizeable compound and it’d be silly to go through all that and then suddenly stand teams down after the review.

Seeing the compound and little developments like installing gates straight to the platform just gives me that little feeling that electrification is actually going ahead, but I may be sadly mistaken.

There’s clearly been an amount of time and money spent that would make it very silly for the government to cancel the project now. However, this is the Treasury we’re talking about, so never assume they’ll make the rational decision when they have the alternative option of spending less.

 

[londonmidland]

The placement of some of the wooden pegs has been placed in such as way that it looks like it will support piling in close proximity to each other. So for some of the larger/heavier OLE structures which require additional support, such as in the example picture below:

A picture of Overhead Line Equipment on the Midland Mainline.