MML Electrification: progress updates

[GRALISTAIR]

Fab pics - thanks for the update.

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks for the updates - I will try to visit the Three Arches bridge tomorrow, there have been no passenger services over this weekend through Market Harborough.

 

[59CosG95]

Many thanks for the update

59CosG95 what is the fate of three arches bridge? Not in the country at the moment to witness this momentous (also sad occasion).​

Afraid to say I wasn't able to get a decent enough view from the road to the south; Story's have firmly plonked themselves at the entrance to the field. It did look a hive of activity when I was there, however!

 

[Flying Phil]

The Three Arches Bridge has gone! The bricks and spoil has already been removed from the site. The embankments restored and new grass seed has been applied. There is still a discussion about whether a small steel access bridge will go in but at present it is not happening.
I understand there is still a problem finishing one of the Wistow bridges, the other one is complete now. There is still a 1/2 mile catenary/contact wire gap at Braybrooke.

 

[Skymonster]

Line closures, longer journeys, fewer trains... First it was Beford-Kettering electrification, then Brent Cross station, overhead upgrades south of Bedford, Dore and Totley, overhead installation between Kettering and Market Harborough. Next it’ll be electrification through Leicester onwards towards Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby, which will be worse as there aren’t the diversion routes. Its getting boring now - trying to use the MML on the weekend can frequently be a pain in the posterior, at best. Just run the flippin’ 810s on diesel for goodness sake, that’s why they’ve got power units hung under four of the five carriages!

 

[59CosG95]

Line closures, longer journeys, fewer trains... First it was Beford-Kettering electrification, then Brent Cross station, overhead upgrades south of Bedford, Dore and Totley, overhead installation between Kettering and Market Harborough. Next it’ll be electrification through Leicester onwards towards Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby, which will be worse as there aren’t the diversion routes. Its getting boring now - trying to use the MML on the weekend can frequently be a pain in the posterior, at best. Just run the flippin’ 810s on diesel for goodness sake, that’s why they’ve got power units hung under four of the five carriages!

You're lucky that you even have diversionary routes! The South Wales Valleys (by and large), along with Barrhead/East Kilbride, haven't had that luxury.
At least Syston-Trent Jn should be able to make use of the 4-track arrangement, reducing the number of closed lines during most possessions.
You've also got the Erewash to use when the route via Derby's shut.

 

[PJM]

The Three Arches Bridge has gone! The bricks and spoil has already been removed from the site. The embankments restored and new grass seed has been applied. There is still a discussion about whether a small steel access bridge will go in but at present it is not happening.
I understand there is still a problem finishing one of the Wistow bridges, the other one is complete now. There is still a 1/2 mile catenary/contact wire gap at Braybrooke.
View attachment 158420

Farewell old friend! Clear for the last catenary run now. Thanks for the update Phil.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Line closures, longer journeys, fewer trains... First it was Beford-Kettering electrification, then Brent Cross station, overhead upgrades south of Bedford, Dore and Totley, overhead installation between Kettering and Market Harborough. Next it’ll be electrification through Leicester onwards towards Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby, which will be worse as there aren’t the diversion routes. Its getting boring now - trying to use the MML on the weekend can frequently be a pain in the posterior, at best. Just run the flippin’ 810s on diesel for goodness sake, that’s why they’ve got power units hung under four of the five carriages!

You should try using the GEML! Every few years it decides to be closed every weekend for several months - typically in different places each weekend as well. They don't even build anything new (a new station is on the way this time tbf) it's just renewals. At least on MML you can see wires going up and understand what the point of sacrificing your journeys were. Now I think about it, MML is one of the more divertible lines out there once you get north of Kettering. If they really wanted to, you could try sending trains through Ashby-de-la-zouche and Burton in order to call at Leicester and Derby avoiding Syston, Loughborough and the Trent Junctions (unless your going to Nottingham). Granted, there's no plans to do that and there are likely no passenger drivers who know that route. But when it comes to diversions that are actually used: as previously mentioned the Erewash lines are have been used by XC and EMR and also the alternative approach to Sheffield via Woodhouse which is used late at night.

 

[QSK19]

At least on MML you can see wires going up and understand what the point of sacrificing your journeys were. Now I think about it, MML is one of the more divertible lines out there once you get north of Kettering.

Spot on about the useful diversionary capability of the MML, but, in terms of wires going up, it is finally playing catch-up with other mainlines. It has been a political plaything for years - electrification going ahead one minute, paused the next, cancelled the next, bits of it the next, etc.

I’ve always seen the MML as being the poorer relation compared to the ECML and WCML. Granted the journey times on the MML are shorter in general; however that is no excuse to have neglected it for so long. At least we’re now starting to see decent amounts of electrification and hopefully that keeps advancing northwards.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Spot on about the useful diversionary capability of the MML, but, in terms of wires going up, it is finally playing catch-up with other mainlines. It has been a political plaything for years - electrification going ahead one minute, paused the next, cancelled the next, bits of it the next, etc.

I’ve always seen the MML as being the poorer relation compared to the ECML and WCML. Granted the journey times on the MML are shorter in general; however that is no excuse to have neglected it for so long. At least we’re now starting to see decent amounts of electrification and hopefully that keeps advancing northwards.

I know right! It's crazy that successive governments have looked at it and gone... "nah, doesn't justify it, on cost grounds yknow - just no business case for it...". In this way, the Transpennine route and MML are quite similar in the ways that electrification promises came in and successively got scuppered until now. I believe the electrification of the Airedale and Wharfdale lines in the 1990s was meant to go along with the Huddersfield line, but then it was cancelled and new diesel stock was procured instead - reminds me of Grayling cancelling MML and talking about Bimodes and in the end electrification started to deliver faster than the new trains did.

In some ways, the HST was a bit too good at its job and delayed electrification on every line it touched, maybe when they've done the MML some attention can be turned to the XCML - the true runt of the litter. I've heard the measure is above 4 trains per hour or over 100mph line speed and the railway can be ran cheaper/more efficiently with electric trains. But that equation does dip with bimodes.

It is encouraging the amount of electrification work that has gone on in the last 10 years and that real progress is happening on MML and with TRUP even if progress is glacial. These two schemes are some of the few sources of railway hope left after the demise of HS2.

 

[59CosG95]

[Video] Sam A Parker on LinkedIn: First energisation of the Auto transformers at Braybrooke ATFS. The…

First energisation of the Auto transformers at Braybrooke ATFS. The humming you can hear is due to the magnetostriction effect! The magnetic core is changing…

www.linkedin.com

The Auto-Transformers at Braybrooke ATFS have been energised for the first time.
The Go Live date inches ever closer...

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Run down from Sheffield earlier and Down Rd looks complete apart from the small section mentioned above. Most of the contractor's compounds have been vacated also so the end must be close but do we have a target date yet for energisation.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

[Video] Sam A Parker on LinkedIn: First energisation of the Auto transformers at Braybrooke ATFS. The…

First energisation of the Auto transformers at Braybrooke ATFS. The humming you can hear is due to the magnetostriction effect! The magnetic core is changing…

www.linkedin.com

The Auto-Transformers at Braybrooke ATFS have been energised for the first time.
The Go Live date inches ever closer...

Absolutely fantastic news.

 

[Edvid]

Neil O’Brien, the MP for South Leicestershire [...]

South Leicestershire lies to the west of his constituency, which is Harborough.

[...] do we have a target date yet for energisation.

Energisation is scheduled for July, by the looks of things.

Sam A Parker on LinkedIn: Today, with SPL POWERLINES UK and Integrum Power Engineering, Section…

Today, with SPL POWERLINES UK and Integrum Power Engineering, Section proving testing undertaken at Braybrooke ATFS. An important step towards energisation in…

www.linkedin.com

 

[LTJ87]

Network Rail has just put out this press release:

Network Rail

A milestone has been reached for the electrification of the Midland Main Line after the final bridge was demolished on the Kettering to Wigston stretch to prepare for new overhead wires to be powered up.

Over the weekend of 18 and 19 May, engineers successfully demolished the Three Arches bridge near Market Harborough to allow for new wires to be installed between Kettering and Wigston.

Along the Kettering to Wigston stretch, there have been 18 bridges which have seen vital upgrade work to prepare for the new wires.

 

[swt_passenger]

The Three Arches Bridge has gone! The bricks and spoil has already been removed from the site. The embankments restored and new grass seed has been applied. There is still a discussion about whether a small steel access bridge will go in but at present it is not happening.

I’m struggling to work out why a replacement bridge would ever be needed now, given the new direct road access to the site. Was it used as an unofficial local footpath, because there’s no indication on the OS map?

Does the original landowner still have a long term right of access from south of the railway, even if the site on the north side is now owned by the Grid and Network Rail?

 

[Edvid]

Having watched the timelapse I note it took longer to do the embankment works than to remove the brickwork. The presser says a replacement bridge "will be re-built in the future once the electrification is complete", which suggests they may not be in any particular rush to put one in place.

Meanwhile, another weekend possession through Market Harborough is pencilled in for 27 and 28 July. During the latter there will be no trains at all between Wellingborough and Leicester/Corby, and if I were a betting man that'll be when Braybrooke ATFS is connected.

 

[Nottingham59]

Having watched the timelapse I note it took longer to do the embankment works than to remove the brickwork.

Does anyone know why the two embankments had different treatments? What is the green lumpy material on the far side?

The presser says a replacement bridge "will be re-built in the future once the electrification is complete", which suggests they may not be in any particular rush to put one in place.

If it's just an accommodation bridge, why didn't they just buy out the landowner?

 

[LTJ87]

Another release from Network Rail detailing works over June:

Top tips for travelling to and from London St Pancras during June upgrade work

Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) are coming together to issue their top tips to passengers to keep them on the move during major upgrade work that will close sections of the Midland Main Line in June.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

On Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June, new sections of track and switches & crossings, the specialist equipment that trains use to change tracks from one to another, will be installed, as well as upgrades to overhead line equipment near Bedford to allow new trains to operate at 125mph.

New overhead lines will be installed between Kettering and Wigston on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June, with further switches & crossings installed near Cricklewood. Overnight overhead line upgrades will be carried out between Luton and Bedford on Sunday 9 as well as Sunday 30 June.

On Sunday 23 June, the second phase of a major resignalling project will be carried out resulting in no train services between London St Pancras and Wellingborough. This project will result in more reliable journeys for passengers and help signallers make better, more efficient decisions for services.

Separately to the Midland Main Line upgrade work, engineers will be laying new track between Leicester and Peterborough on 22-23 and 29-30 June.

 

[Trainbike46]

Apparently this project is ahead of schedule and under budget, so some good news at least:

x.com

x.com

 

[Trainman40083]

So when can we expect electric trains north of Rushton Jct?

Talk of the 810s entering service mid 2025.

 

[QSK19]

Talk of the 810s entering service mid 2025.

I’d wager a bet on full entry into service being 2026 - technical delays and still no agreement on staff training doesn’t bode well. That’s unless any insiders can confirm otherwise on the latter point (providing they can say anything, of course)

 

[blueberry11]

Since energizing the Kettering to Wigston stretch is coming within the next few months, I presume that once it's done, the 810s will start testing shortly, followed by entering revenue service in early 2025. Is there still one section of wires missing (where the bridge demolition occurred)?

 

[PJM]

Since energizing the Kettering to Wigston stretch is coming within the next few months, I presume that once it's done, the 810s will start testing shortly, followed by entering revenue service in early 2025. Is there still one section of wires missing (where the bridge demolition occurred)?

As of yesterday that section does not have any wires.

 

[swt_passenger]

As of yesterday that section does not have any wires.

However it does seem from the timelapse video to have all the registration arms etc already fitted. I think completion will be comparatively straightforward, and won’t be outstanding for very long?

 

[PJM]

However it does seem from the timelapse video to have all the registration arms etc already fitted. I think completion will be comparatively straightforward, and won’t be outstanding for very long?

Yes, I believe everything is in place except the catenary.

 

[Nottingham59]

I assume they'd want to energise it as soon as possible, even if it's not brought into service. If only to deter cable theft.

 

[Smoggy]

Run down from Sheffield earlier and Down Rd looks complete apart from the small section mentioned above. Most of the contractor's compounds have been vacated also so the end must be close but do we have a target date yet for energisation.

Energisation is still scheduled for 28th July. Also today is the 1 year anniversary since Derby ECR went live.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Local media are reporting that the Newton Lane Bridge near Wistow will reopen by the end of the week.

The road linking Fleckney with Wigston is finally set to re-open this week after being shut for over seven months.

Work to replace a bridge over the railway on Newton Lane near Wistow should have been completed at the start of March, but was delayed when it was halted over concerns about the highway design.

Network Rail has told HFM the road will re-open ‘towards the end of the week.’

Fleckney - Wigston Road Finally Set To Re-Open

The road linking Fleckney with Wigston is finally set to re-open this week after being shut for over seven months. Work to replace a bridge over the railway on Newton Lane near Wistow should have been completed at the start of March, but was delayed when it was halted over concerns about the high

harboroughfm.co.uk

 

[HSTEd]

Apparently this project is ahead of schedule and under budget, so some good news at least:

View attachment 158704

x.com

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Network Rail probably hasn't mentioned it because they set the budget so high that even being "under budget" would still look ruinously expensive.