MML Electrification: progress updates

[70014IronDuke]

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?

Ow GAWD! Not again.

 

[Roast Veg]

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.

It's still 15 now in both directions AFAIK, so getting it up to 25 would be a big improvement as it is.

 

[londonmidland]

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.

At least it’ll get the freight out of the way quicker if the up/down goods loop is not available. You get quite a lot of lengthy intermodal trains through Leicester and it’s not until once past the signal at the north end of platform 2 the driver accelerates from 15mph.

So 15mph accelerating up to linespeed vs 40mph accelerating up to linespeed seems like a worthy upgrade.

*40 mph one poster said and 25 mph another said? Unsure what the upgrade is but my understanding is platforms 2 and 3 40mph and 1 and 4 20mph?

 

[70014IronDuke]

It's still 15 now in both directions AFAIK, so getting it up to 25 would be a big improvement as it is.

Ah. OK. Apologies. I hadn't realised. It is an improvement then, agreed. But where does it start - at the turnout for platform 1 south of the station, I suppose. Bearable, but 40 mph would still allow for a faster stop. And as the next poster says, would also help good traffic clear the station area quicker.

 

[Roast Veg]

The increase in freight speed would doubtless be desirable, but it's limited by a couple of factors. At present, much of the freight is routed via the goods loop around the station in both directions and I don't expect this to change even with the increased speed. Of the remaining traffic, anything headed for Mountsorrel would not be accelerating to linespeed anyway (which is a generous proportion of the traffic through P2). If NR have an alignment that allows for 40mph both ways as well as space for a future fourth track then that's excellent news.

 

[38Cto15E]

Opentraintimes now shows the double track from Kettering to Corby, down passenger trains will still have to cross to the up line to access the platform at Corby, presumably, say on Sunday diverts an up stopper can use the platform and a down non stop can use the down line through the old platform.
Any plans to bring that platform back into use?

 

[59CosG95]

Opentraintimes now shows the double track from Kettering to Corby, down passenger trains will still have to cross to the up line to access the platform at Corby, presumably, say on Sunday diverts an up stopper can use the platform and a down non stop can use the down line through the old platform.
Any plans to bring that platform back into use?

I think it's almost a given, with the plans to increase service frequencies along that route after electrification.

 

[railneighbour]

Opentraintimes now shows the double track from Kettering to Corby, down passenger trains will still have to cross to the up line to access the platform at Corby, presumably, say on Sunday diverts an up stopper can use the platform and a down non stop can use the down line through the old platform.
Any plans to bring that platform back into use?

They didn't seem to be doing that last Sunday. The trains towards Kettering were being held outside Corby until the trains towards Manton had cleared the station, passing through the open platform.

 

[38Cto15E]

Thanks rail, I was going to have a ride last Sunday but the morning weather was a bit overcast, going this Sunday when it will probably be worse.

 

[Flying Phil]

I travelled from Market Harborough to St Pancras on Tuesday and although there has been quite a lot of work on the four tracking between Kettering and Bedford there are still lots of gaps - particularly through and around Wellingborough. There are quite a few bases for OHLE posts but no posts erected.

 

[Hairy Bear]

They didn't seem to be doing that last Sunday. The trains towards Kettering were being held outside Corby until the trains towards Manton had cleared the station, passing through the open platform.

The new track through the old platform has not been guage cleared, therefore we continue to cross over through the new platform until this is done.

 

[38Cto15E]

Thanks for the update Hairybear

 

[Chris125]

I think it's almost a given, with the plans to increase service frequencies along that route after electrification.

One platform will surely suffice for a half hourly service.

 

[38Cto15E]

I didn't know if they planned to divert more freight off the MML now the Manton route is doubled throughout.

 

[Julia]

I didn't know if they planned to divert more freight off the MML now the Manton route is doubled throughout.

Are there other constraints on this section? Today's up diversions seem to be a mixture of straight through Manton - Corby and big pathing allowances (eg. http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C62162/2018/03/18/advanced)- which suggests something (long signalling sections?) might still be preventing a decent headway.

Edit: scratch that, just noticed on the OpenTrainTimes map that the down line through Corby station is also under possession, which is presumably fun for the schedulers!

 

[londonmidland]

Does anyone know if the new line speeds through Leicester is in operation yet?

I noticed yesterday all lines south of the station were blocked and work was taking place immediately south of the station on the junction and also on the goods line right into the LIP.

 

[WymoWanderer]

Driving on the A6 Clapham bypass (between Bedford and Sharnbrook) this afternoon I noticed first pile base on the quad line section adjacent to the road.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/huge-railway-investment-in-northamptonshire-over-coming-weeks/

Huge railway investment in Northamptonshire over coming weeks

Network Rail will continue their work to upgrade the Midland Main Line in Northamptonshire with improvements taking place at five key railway structures in the county.

The work is part of the Midland Main Line Upgrade, which will see an additional line constructed between Bedford and Kettering as well as the electrification of the line to Corby in the biggest upgrade to the route since the Victorian era.

Two of the structures scheduled for work are road bridges, which need to be demolished and reconstructed to allow a safe distance for the electric wires to pass underneath them. Due to the nature of the work, these bridges will be closed to vehicles between the following dates and times:

• 
  
  
  • Finedon Road bridge will be closed from Thursday, 22 March until Friday, 28 September. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the work.
  • Station Road bridge in Irchester will be closed from Monday, 9 April until Thursday, 22 November. Pedestrian access will be maintained via a temporary pedestrian footbridge.

During the road closures, clearly signposted diversionary routes will be in place for vehicles.

The three further significant structures being upgraded are Wellingborough and Irchester viaducts, which have no impact on vehicle or pedestrian traffic, as well as Bush Bridge, which carries a bridleway over the railway. Bush Bridge will be closed from Monday, 26 March until Monday, 18 June.

Whilst the majority of this significant package of work will have no impact on passenger services, there will be some changes to East Midlands Trains services over the weekends of 28/29 April and 2/3 June. On these weekends, a reduced service will be in place with replacement bus services between Leicester and Bedford/Luton. Any passengers travelling over these weekends are advised to check before they travel via National Rail Enquiries.

Rob McIntosh, Route Managing Director at Network Rail, said: “We know that this work may cause some disruption to those living in the area and we are sorry for this.

“We are doing a huge amount of work to railway infrastructure on this stretch of the Midland Main Line to allow overhead wires to be installed.

“We’re investing over £1billion in this project which will help to deliver the railway of the future, one which meets the needs of the communities and economies which our railway serves.”

Jake Kelly, Managing Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “The Midland Main Line Upgrade will deliver major benefits for customers as part of the railway’s long term plan for change.

“Whilst there will be some short term pain with changes to our services over the weekends of 28/29 April and 2/3 June, this will help to deliver long term improvements for customers travelling on the Midland Main Line to London.”

 

[richieb1971]

Souldrop looking north towards Wymington Tunnel. Its taken a long time for anything significant to happen in this area. I thought tracks were laid differently, this seems to be a kind of kit they bring piece by piece.

 

[Flying Phil]

I went from Harborough to Bedford and return today to see the progress and it is really piecemeal 4 and 3 tracking all along from Kettering Southbound with Wellingborough area significantly 3 track at present. There are piles ready for the masts in a few places now and the vegetation has also been cleared on the west side for nearly the whole length. There are several work sites with stacks of tubes for the piles. There is a lot of work going on North West of Wellingborough Station but I'm not sure if it is for the railway?

 

[LeeLivery]

There is a lot of work going on North West of Wellingborough Station but I'm not sure if it is for the railway?

What you saw is probably the Stanton Cross housing development, the whole west side of the station will be very different in a few years. I think the development has put money towards a new station building on the currently disused plat 4.

 

[Bald Rick]

View attachment 44261


Souldrop looking north towards Wymington Tunnel. Its taken a long time for anything significant to happen in this area. I thought tracks were laid differently, this seems to be a kind of kit they bring piece by piece.

There’s a number of methods of laying new track. How it is does depends on the circumstances at the site. In this case it looks like the sleepers have been baled off the supply train using road raiders. A very cheap way of doing it, when there are presumably long possessions available on that line.

 

[craigmason197!]

This government is quite happy to spend billions on London and the south east but when folk living along the midland mainline in the midlands and south yorkshire want a modern electrified railway the government says NO.

 

[LeeLivery]

This government is quite happy to spend billions on London and the south east but when folk living along the midland mainline in the midlands and south yorkshire want a modern electrified railway the government says NO.

Totally ignoring the electrification programme in the north right as we speak. More should be spent around the country but at the end of the day, London and the South East are the only regions that give a tax surplus to the Treasury, has the highest GDP, population and rail usage by far, it will always get more spending.

 

[IanXC]

Its also the case to say the benefits of electrification are most effectively extracted on 'network schemes'.

The North West scheme for instance, has included or work is underway on (and I will probably forget something), Liverpool to Manchester, Liverpool to Wigan, Preston to Blackpool, and Preston to Manchester via Bolton. This gives a whole host of electrified routes and a critical mass of units required that enable economies of scale to be obtained.

In any case, we're getting rather off topic here - this thread is for discussion of MML Electrification works - ie construction progress on Bedford to Corby. If anyone wishes to further discuss the scope of the scheme I'd request this is in an existing thread for that purpose or a new one if there is not one already available.

 

[38Cto15E]

I did a nice HST Leicester-Kettering return trip today, lots of new signals between Manton and Glendon, what does KM stand for on the signal posts?
TIA

 

[snowball]

what does KM stand for on the signal posts?
TIA

Just guessing but could it be Kettering to Manton?
Kirby Muxloe doesn't seem very likely.

 

[38Cto15E]

Excellent reply snowball.
I am not sure if Melton Mowbray box was open or not yesterday, if not, it is a long section from Whissendine to Frisby.
HST each way yesterday,Leics-Kettering, just over £13 for a 1st class off peak day return with railcard and coffee and complimentaries each way
Whenever I go that way I always think of the Leicester driver who was tragically killed near to the Northern entrance of Corby tunnel, I guess mid 70's.

 

[Chris172]

According to the Wikipedia page of Corby Railway Station, it states that once electrified London to Corby will use new class 387s (I know you usually have to take wiki with a pinch of salt) would these be the first electric trains that EMT (or their successor) would use?

 

[Chris172]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corby_railway_station

My source I forgot to link in the previous post