MML Electrification: progress updates

[59CosG95]

Whilst they do have 92s they are only used for Cally sleeper work and some tunnel freight. Getting them cleared on the MML will more be an issue of their electrical interaction with the 360s and 700s as modern EMUs have a habit of causing a 92 to shut down.

Might there be a geographical factor for where other EMUs caused 92s to shut down? ISTR the Preston area was notorious for it; coincidentally, Preston (and indeed Crewe & Carlisle) were descoped from the WCML Autotransformer Upgrade programme, which included installation of Return Screening Conductors (RSCs) in the signalling troughs. RSCs absorb electrical interference as they deliberately have a larger cross section than the other cables in those troughs.

This hopefully shouldn't be a problem on the MML as it all looks scoped for AT as things stand.

 

[InTheEastMids]

The Wellingborough demo is an Innovation project from NR's annual SBRI competition so there's no commercial case behind it, so I expect there will be some kind of demo, but probably a bit premature to worry about specific traction

In other news, a number of bits of smaller steelwork have appeared around the A6 overbridge near Desborough and residents have been told to expect more piling in/near Harborough from 28/02 until 09/03,

 

[59CosG95]

In other news, a number of bits of smaller steelwork have appeared around the A6 overbridge near Desborough and residents have been told to expect more piling in/near Harborough from 28/02 until 09/03,

Makes sense; ISTR there are a few gaps in the piles just north of the stn and around the Little Bowden area (mainly east of O/B 31AA).
There's a sizeable dearth of piles west of Braybrooke too...

 

[PJM]

Looking north of Market Harborough station yesterday. A few more masts up.

 

[59CosG95]

Looking north of Market Harborough station yesterday. A few more masts up.
View attachment 110379View attachment 110380

Fantastic! Looks like the big one off the end of P2 (the SSA) will either anchor the crossover or an AT feeder (or both). Time will tell...

 

[PJM]

There were no changes to be seen at the Harboro end. No masts up in the station yet. At the Braybrooke Supply site the trackside area is nearly fenced off and the black underground cable pipes are nearly buried.
View attachment 109854
No changes around Desborough but the supply site near Rushton has a lot of Piles, mast posts and cantilevers stored. There are a few more masts up and the odd cantilever between there and Rushton itself.
View attachment 10985

Two and a half weeks later we have more masts and cantilevers.

Looking east from the Rushton compound as previously reported by Flying Phil and 59CosG95 masts going west towards Desborough, then a gap through Desborough, masts to Braybrooke compound then gap to just south of Little Bowden south of Market Harborough station.


Plenty of piles awaiting installation at Rushton compound


Also a number of masts.

 

[John Webb]

Napsbury: Passed the access point twice this week. There seems to be some civil engineering works going on, ground being levelled off etc. But unable to stop to look at in any detail. Will try and grab a photo during the coming week.

 

[swt_passenger]

Does anyone know what length those longest piles are in the third of the recent photos? About 5m maybe?

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Does anyone know what length those longest piles are in the third of the recent photos?

I fear the answer is 'too long'!!!

 

[PJM]

New piles at Market Harborough station -eastern side. Concreted this morning.

Pic. 1 south of car park steps.


By the steps to the car park.


North of the steps.

 

[Flying Phil]

Also, to the North of the station there were some more piles on site......ready to go further North I hope!

On the train to Kettering, there were several new piles in place and a few more masts up. There is still a big gap through Desborough with no work yet visible.

Not directly concerned with MML electrification, on the West side of Harborough Station they have laid the foundations for the new toilet block. I did ask about the apparent size, but was told it is to include storage rooms, a staff room and disabled toilets.

It was also good to see that the car park was about 75% full ie around 500 cars.......for the past two years it has been between 10 to 50 cars!!

 

[InTheEastMids]

It was also good to see that the car park was about 75% full ie around 500 cars.......for the past two years it has been between 10 to 50 cars!!

That does sound promising - sounds like in the old days (i.e. pre-2019), the car park would have been full.

I've also spotted a few odds and ends going on - e.g. some piling on the embankment around Bellfields Lane.

 

[edwin_m]

Also, to the North of the station there were some more piles on site......ready to go further North I hope!

Probably only to a train length beyond the Up direction signals for the time being, so an electric train terminating here from the south can reverse back into the other platform. While it would be good to see them carrying on towards Leicester without pausing for breath, I suspect they'll have to wait for contracts, designs and enabling works.

 

[Bald Rick]

It was also good to see that the car park was about 75% full ie around 500 cars.......for the past two years it has been between 10 to 50 cars!!

interesting, given the tube strike today.

 

[Flying Phil]

interesting, given the tube strike today.

My post was about the car park yesterday ......2 03 2022 as per photo dates.

 

[Bald Rick]

My post was about the car park yesterday ......2 03 2022 as per photo dates.

ah, sorry, thought it was today.

 

[Peter Sarf]

My post was about the car park yesterday ......2 03 2022 as per photo dates.

ah, sorry, thought it was today.

Got me thinking. Be nice to know how busy the car park was today (strike day), if someone was there and noticed. Maybe tomorrow morning also as strike has after effects ?. Of course the 02/03/2022 was a day where passengers' plans might have been changed because of no early tube - so might usually be more cars ?.

 

[PJM]

Got me thinking. Be nice to know how busy the car park was today (strike day), if someone was there and noticed. Maybe tomorrow morning also as strike has after effects ?. Of course the 02/03/2022 was a day where passengers' plans might have been changed because of no early tube - so might usually be more cars ?.

Probably 40-50% full yesterday. I was there in the morning and then again in the afternoon.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Probably 40-50% full yesterday. I was there in the morning and then again in the afternoon.

Thanks. So could be quite a few affected by the actual strike day. I say affected but maybe just given an excuse to work from home !. Although not everyone likes doing it.

 

[John Webb]

Napsbury - somewhat frustrated during the week by the weather and lack of parking spaces, but here's a view from this morning:

As can be seen there has been a considerable tidy-up and levelling-off of the ground since the end of January - see post #4,981. But still no indication of exactly what it's all in aid of!

 

[swt_passenger]

Napsbury - somewhat frustrated during the week by the weather and lack of parking spaces, but here's a view from this morning:

As can be seen there has been a considerable tidy-up and levelling-off of the ground since the end of January - see post #4,981. But still no indication of exactly what it's all in aid of!

I wonder if when they go into serious wiring mode, that’ll be the operating base for quite a large fleet of road rail machines.

 

[59CosG95]

I wonder if when they go into serious wiring mode, that’ll be the operating base for quite a large fleet of road rail machines.

That, plus the new switching station (TSC; Track Sectioning Cabinet) judging by the size of the lay-down area and the previously mentioned plans for the TSC.
The use of the Terram damp-proof membrane certainly tips the scales in favour of some fairly major work.

 

[Ken H]

Napsbury - somewhat frustrated during the week by the weather and lack of parking spaces, but here's a view from this morning:
View attachment 111074
As can be seen there has been a considerable tidy-up and levelling-off of the ground since the end of January - see post #4,981. But still no indication of exactly what it's all in aid of!

span wires? I thought that was a no-no these days.

 

[edwin_m]

span wires? I thought that was a no-no these days.

The ones here date from the 1980s.

 

[Bald Rick]

I wonder if when they go into serious wiring mode, that’ll be the operating base for quite a large fleet of road rail machines.

There won’t be much in the way of wiring in that area. The work is mostly to do with the distribution system, changing the registration arrangements and possibly the OLE tension.

 

[Ken H]

span wires? I thought that was a no-no these days.

sorry. should have looked up Napsbury before posting.
School boy error

 

[59CosG95]

News for KO1a+: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greg...tyassurance-activity-6905580588288290816-mObz

The GRIP 4 (Single Option Selection) design for extending OLE beyond Market Harborough has landed, and work to survey each proposed structure location to assist with the GRIP 5 (Detailed Design) element of the works has begun. No idea what "Route Section 1" covers geographically, but I assume it's Mkt Hboro to Leicester.

 

[John R]

Or maybe as far as Wigston?

 

[59CosG95]

Or maybe as far as Wigston?

Yep; should've remembered that!

 

[londonmidland]

What are the chances the Wigston triangle will be electrified too as part as a overlap?