MML Electrification: progress updates

[Robertj21a]

The PR was suggesting they are commissioning the new line from Kettering to Corby. There's no trains between the two stations until 26th February, and there are no EMT services between Leicester and Luton again next weekend.

I would like to think the piling and 4-tracking crews have been out in force, there's quite a few signalling and electrical cabinets that need moving to accommodate the rebuilt line.

I thought weekend restriction was Leicester to Bedford ?

 

[Domh245]

On another page it mentions the possibility of using HST power cars with Mk 4 coaches fitted with an inverter in the guard's space to convert the power. Design of this kit is said to be in progress.

I'd always understood that the HST power cars provided 415V AC to their carriages, whereas conventional LHCS takes a 1000V DC supply and then converts it to AC using Motor Alternators on the individual carriage, so it would have to be more than just an inverter.

As an aside, as reported in the Blackpool - Manchester electrification thread, Amey have picked up most of Carillion's Rail contracts, which included the MML improvement program - but does anyone know if it includes the new electrification which was a standalone contract held by a Carillion Powerlines consortium

 

[snowball]

Having now looked further into the magazine I see Ian Walmsley has four pages on the class 43/ Mk 4 idea.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

According to the new Modern Railways, doubling of Kettering-Corby is due to be commissioned during the current blockade which ends 25 Feb. Four-tracking south of Kettering not mentioned.

On another page it mentions the possibility of using HST power cars with Mk 4 coaches fitted with an inverter in the guard's space to convert the power. Design of this kit is said to be in progress.

Japanese Not Wired maybe?

 

[59CosG95]

Japanese Not Wired ?

The bi-modal units built by Hitachi. A play on "Japanese Knotweed", which is the bane of the lives of many a Briton.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The bi-modal units built by Hitachi. A play on "Japanese Knotweed", which is the bane of the lives of many a Briton.

I know shear brilliance- I sent a comment on the Modern Railways homepage on Facebook - even better than The Death of Alec Trick.

 

[59CosG95]

I know shear brilliance- I sent a comment on the Modern Railways homepage on Facebook - even better than The Death of Alec Trick.

Indeed; having studied "An Inspector Calls" as part of my GCSEs, I read that article with a quite a few wry chuckles!

Shear brilliance, meanwhile, would need to be implemented in the site investigations for the MML wiring, depending on the geology of the piling sites...
(sorry, my inner Geotechnical side took over there)

 

[InTheEastMids]

Having now looked further into the magazine I see Ian Walmsley has four pages on the class 43/ Mk 4 idea.

For any that missed it in the rolling stock thread about Grand Central HSTs to EMT, there was a very interesting (but slightly OT) discussion of the issues of Mk4 coaching stock on the MML, also see Twitter links below. Suggestion from somebody with significant knowledge on the topic, that clearing it to work at speed along the MML could require a lot of work, that would not be easy to complete by 2020.

https://twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/955512832652701696
https://twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/938753360651522049

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is this the same solution that Ian Walmsley calls Japanese Not Wired ? JNW

 

[43096]

I'd always understood that the HST power cars provided 415V AC to their carriages, whereas conventional LHCS takes a 1000V DC supply and then converts it to AC using Motor Alternators on the individual carriage, so it would have to be more than just an inverter.

The plan uses the same solution used on the Brush Class 73/9 conversions, which takes the variable output from the main alternator and generates 900V DC to the DC link. That is exactly the same as is required to generate the train supply for the Mark 4s, though obviously the power requirement is lower than for the Class 73's traction motors. A very clever solution, which I suspect the brains at Brush have been heavily involved with.

 

[martinr1]

Had a look at Kettering yesterday:-

 

[59CosG95]

Had a look at Kettering yesterday:-

Have there been any alterations that are immediately noticeable?

 

[InTheEastMids]

Have there been any alterations that are immediately noticeable?

Adding to this, will the MML works add a crossing North of Kettering that would allow Corby trains to call at platforms 3&4?

At the moment, the only option is quite a way south near the Pytchley Road bridge, and presumably having trains slowing at this junction seems sub optimal for both capacity and journey times

 

[Senex]

Adding to this, will the MML works add a crossing North of Kettering that would allow Corby trains to call at platforms 3&4?

At the moment, the only option is quite a way south near the Pytchley Road bridge, and presumably having trains slowing at this junction seems sub optimal for both capacity and journey times

Part of the reason for getting rid of the old fast-to-slow junction at the north end of the station was to be able to raise speed through the station on the fast line above the 70 that used to apply.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Sigh...

Looks like NR didn't quite manage to deliver according to plan

 

[richieb1971]

Hiccups are going to happen.

 

[londonmidland]

I’m on this currently crawling to Kettering. It seems some piling work has been taking place north of Kettering station. http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C62002/2018/02/26/advanced

 

[duffield]

On another page it mentions the possibility of using HST power cars with Mk 4 coaches fitted with an inverter in the guard's space to convert the power. Design of this kit is said to be in progress.

I hope this turns out to be true. I really like the MK4 1st Class interiors.
There have been a lot of comments to the effect that this was totally impractical, but if they really are designing the kit the I guess not?

 

[Domh245]

There have been a lot of comments to the effect that this was totally impractical, but if they really are designing the kit the I guess not?

It may well be impractical and expensive, but if the alternative is loosing a large portion of the high speed fleet on 1/1/2020 then they can't really do anything else.

 

[hwl]

It may well be impractical and expensive, but if the alternative is loosing a large portion of the high speed fleet on 1/1/2020 then they can't really do anything else.

It will be a lot cheaper than modifying doors on Mk3s and is very practical.

 

[A0wen]

It will be a lot cheaper than modifying doors on Mk3s and is very practical.

Except as pointed out in post 1718 the MML infrastructure would need alot of work to be cleared for Mk4s at speed.

And the Mk4s are 30 years old now.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...-between-kettering-and-corby-enters-into-use/

Passengers begin using extra rail line between Kettering and Corby

Passenger services’ use of newly commissioned track and signalling installed by Network Rail marks the successful completion of a £130m capacity project.

Since construction began between the two Northamptonshire towns in 2014, a significant amount of work has been carried out to improve the capacity, speed and resilience of the Kettering to Corby route, helped by the railway partnership between East Midlands Trains and Network Rail, as well as the patience and understanding of both passengers and local communities along the railway.

This project is a key part of the Midland Mainline upgrade, which is an investment of over £1bn. From 2020, this upgrade will enable improved long-distance passenger services between Sheffield, Nottingham and London, as well as improved services between Corby, Kettering and London. There will be more seats and faster intercity journeys during the peak, which will in turn strengthen the railways contribution to the economy.

The Kettering to Corby upgrade has strengthened 14 bridges and viaducts, laid 21km of track (12km of new track and renewal of 9km of existing track), installed 4km of drainage, stabilised 15km of railway embankment and laid 73km of cabling laid. Further work will be delivered between Kettering and Corby to get the route ready for electric train services.

Whilst the full benefits of this work will arrive in 2020, with over 1000 additional extra seats into London in the peak, an increase of around 50 per cent, the immediate benefits include the improved reliability for passengers, the removal of a temporary speed restriction, an improved diversionary route and the ability to accommodate freight containers helping to remove traffic from local roads.


"We are investing in the most significant upgrade of the Midland Main Line since it was completed in 1870 to transform services for passengers. This will mean more than 1,000 extra seats available on services into London in the peak and faster intercity journey times on greener trains.

The double tracking of the route from Corby will help to deliver 50 per cent more seats in the peak between Kettering, Corby and London, and is essential to meet the growing demand for rail in the Midlands."

Jo Johnson, Rail Minister


"This is a milestone moment for the Midland Main Line – which is undergoing its largest upgrade since being completed in 1870.

Last week saw the final piece of this part of the project completed as the newly installed signalling equipment was tested and commissioned.

Passengers and the local community will really see the benefits of this investment in the future and I’m grateful for their patience whilst the work was carried out."

Spencer Gibbens, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/runni...-line-improvement-programme/ketteringtocorby/

Videos and more information about the Kettering to Corby upgrade

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks for that Snowball....with all the advantages of this upgrade, why would we ever have wanted wires further up the MML........

 

[WymoWanderer]

Machinery working on the slow line this afternoon in Wymington. Been a fair bit of activity recently too.

These two below were taken a couple of weeks ago showing the progress of the dual line reinstatement:

 

[Senex]

We know of the major route-improvement work being done at Market Harborough and Derby despite Grayling's cancellation of electrification, but is there also a small-scale job happening at Leicester? There have been no Sunday trains in and out of the south end of Leicester the last couple of Sundays, and apparently the permitted speed on the up main line at London Road Jn is due to be lifted from 15 to 40 mph and on the up loop (pl 4) from 15 to 25 with effect from next Monday. 15 to 40 is a big jump and suggests something a little more than a straightforward renewal of the S&C. Is there a minor re-alignment involved too, and if so, does that mean it will be possible also to do something in the down direction? (PS Has anyone perhaps got a photo looking north from the New Walk bridge?)

 

[edwin_m]

There's certainly something going on just south of Leicester and it involves new signalling equipment and cables. They've managed to put most of it in the way of the eventual reinstatement of the fourth track.

 

[Senex]

There's certainly something going on just south of Leicester and it involves new signalling equipment and cables. They've managed to put most of it in the way of the eventual reinstatement of the fourth track.

Oh dear! Isn't that where they are very seriously thinking of putting the fourth track back as part of restoring the quadrupling between Wigston Jn and Syston Jn, possibly even within CP6?

 

[Roast Veg]

Is there a minor re-alignment involved too, and if so, does that mean it will be possible also to do something in the down direction? (PS Has anyone perhaps got a photo looking north from the New Walk bridge?)

There's little value in raising the limit beyond 25 in the down direction as all passenger trains will be stopping in the station anyway. With a higher limit in the up direction trains can accelerate much faster out of the station, potentially saving a 222 minutes on its journey south. I'd like to see a remodel of the junction on the other side of the station to allow the slow Nottingham trains to access Syston without crossing the up line, but I guess that would qualify as a different project.

I'll see about getting a photo from new walk later.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...-between-kettering-and-corby-enters-into-use/

That's quite a well thought-out press release, to be fair. Too much detail for many, but better that than not enough.

ONly, why do they use the date of completing the Midland as 1870? Surely 1868 is the generally accepted date (if you leave off the S&C)? Or was the Manton-Glendon line only completed in 1870?

 

[70014IronDuke]

There's little value in raising the limit beyond 25 in the down direction as all passenger trains will be stopping in the station anyway. With a higher limit in the up direction trains can accelerate much faster out of the station, potentially saving a 222 minutes on its journey south. I'd like to see a remodel of the junction on the other side of the station to allow the slow Nottingham trains to access Syston without crossing the up line, but I guess that would qualify as a different project..

Well, it depends on where it starts, surely? I think it was 15 mph back in the 70s, and the crawl along platforms 1 + 2 took quite awhile. Obviously, on the up, the speed increase is likely to mean more significant time saving.