MML Electrification: progress updates

[Nicholas Lewis]

Really good news indeed. I thought there maybe a chance that Nottingham got done marginally before Derby.

Good news will be masts taking the place of pegs. Despite the negativity around rail spending i feel we will see approval to creep further North theres a lot of Labour seats in the corridor.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Good news will be masts taking the place of pegs. Despite the negativity around rail spending i feel we will see approval to creep further North theres a lot of Labour seats in the corridor.

Absolutely- 100%!

 

[QSK19]

Good news will be masts taking the place of pegs. Despite the negativity around rail spending i feel we will see approval to creep further North theres a lot of Labour seats in the corridor.

Let’s just wait to see concrete proof and/or solid commitments (or even as far as seeing spades in the ground) before popping the champagne corks. Signs look good; but the MML has been stung so many times that I don’t want us to get excited.

As for whether electrification would sway me (as a voter in a corridor constituency), absolutely not - an incompetent, unaccountable party in power and too many other issues (national and local) at play. I dare say the majority of voters in affected seats wouldn’t care two hoots about MML trains running on electric - the public simply wants trains operating regardless of traction.

Overall though, all looks promising and hopefully the real purpose of the pegs is what we hope for.

 

[WAO]

Does anyone recall the role of pegs in previous stages, and what they signified in respect of progress?

WAO

 

[59CosG95]

Does anyone recall the role of pegs in previous stages, and what they signified in respect of progress?

WAO

From KO1a (later RS1), the pegs signified trial holes dug for foundations (piles or augered concrete) at design locations, and in the vast majority of cases, these points made it to the final design. There were a few changes that made their way in, but at an estimate, over 90% of these pegs were where the masts ended up. Pegs at switches/crossovers, signal-sighting locations, and near bridges tended to be the ones that changed; "Open Route" pegs are a near guarantee to stay put.

 

[PJM]

Does anyone recall the role of pegs in previous stages, and what they signified in respect of progress?

WAO

I have peg to pile in 15 days north of Platform 2 Market Harborough station! 2 - 17 Jan 2022. There were however many other piles in place at the time.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Let’s just wait to see concrete proof and/or solid commitments (or even as far as seeing spades in the ground) before popping the champagne corks. Signs look good; but the MML has been stung so many times that I don’t want us to get excited.

At times like this I am reminded that full masts were constructed on the lines towards Oxford and Cheltenham yet the work was still cancelled.

 

[themiller]

At times like this I am reminded that full masts were constructed on the lines towards Oxford and Cheltenham yet the work was still cancelled.

There are also many more piles without masts towards Oxford so a resumption of work would achieve very fast progress!

 

[Bald Rick]

At times like this I am reminded that full masts were constructed on the lines towards Oxford and Cheltenham yet the work was still cancelled.

Cheltenham?

 

[Legolash2o]

So just to confirm it looks like Syston Jns to Nottingham possibly first? Or all the way to Leicester?

 

[stuu]

Cheltenham?

Chippenham presumably. Only a few letters and about 40 miles out

 

[InTheEastMids]

So just to confirm it looks like Syston Jns to Nottingham possibly first? Or all the way to Leicester?

Based on where we've seen eg pegs, planning docs, bridge works (planned and actual) suggests Syston-Trent/Sheet Stores. Wigston to Syston might have been merged with it, or be following a short time behind. I've seen nothing about anything further towards Derby or Nottingham.

Network Rail launched a big procurement based on the idea of going all the way to Sheffield and Nottingham, but no contracts have been publicly awarded

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Cheltenham?

Chippenham presumably. Only a few letters and about 40 miles out

Sorry everyone, I'm too east anglian for even the basic geography

 

[Edvid]

Between 22 February and 1 June there will be nine weekend closures for the south-of-Bedford OLE upgrades - six south of Luton, two north of Luton/Harpenden, and one north of Mill Hill Broadway.

Thursday 6 Feb 2025

Vital upgrades affecting London journeys taking place over several weekends from February​

Region & Route: Eastern | Eastern: East Midlands

Passengers are advised of weekend work which will see major strides made in a project delivering better journeys on the Midland Main Line.

Over nine weekends between Saturday 22 February to early June*, engineers will be carrying out essential infrastructure work south of Bedford to upgrade the overhead lines that power trains between Bedford and London.

It means that Thameslink and East Midlands Railway journeys between London St Pancras International and Bedford will be significantly altered and are likely to involve a bus.

This work is crucial for the introduction of East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) new greener fleet of bi-mode trains.

These improvements will also mean smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers travelling between South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London.

In addition, teams will be removing a temporary bridge at Agar Grove in Camden. This follows the successful replacement of the bridge deck over Christmas 2024, bringing the project a step closer to completion.

Early development and enabling work will be carried out on Luton and Flitwick stations’ access improvements, a bridge replacement at Harlington, and the new Wixams station being developed by Bedford Borough Council.

Other work will include track upgrades to make services more reliable and drainage improvements to prevent flooding. Further progress will be made on the rail link to SEGRO’s Radlett Strategic Freight Interchange, Hertfordshire, as well as dozens of maintenance jobs along the section of route which is closed.

Passenger services will be disrupted and rail replacement bus services running while this work is taking place. Customers are being urged to plan ahead and check www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.

[...]

Notes to Editors​

Planned engineering work dates*

The closures on the Midland Main Line between London and Bedford will take place on:

• Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February
• Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 March
• Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March
• Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March
• Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April
• Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April
• Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May
• Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May
• Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June

 

[59CosG95]

Been on a little jaunt to see what's what around East Midlands Parkway & Loughborough in terms of proposed pegs.
Managed to spy the following:

Any file starting with "179" is around Loughborough; any starting with "190" is around East Midlands Parkway - those being the kilometrages from St Pancras.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Been on a little jaunt to see what's what around East Midlands Parkway & Loughborough in terms of proposed pegs.
Managed to spy the following:

Any file starting with "179" is around Loughborough; any starting with "190" is around East Midlands Parkway - those being the kilometrages from St Pancras.

Fantastic set of photos. Thanks for posting. Progress towards East Midlands Parkway would be very welcome indeed .

 

[PJM]

Been on a little jaunt to see what's what around East Midlands Parkway & Loughborough in terms of proposed pegs.
Managed to spy the following:

Any file starting with "179" is around Loughborough; any starting with "190" is around East Midlands Parkway - those being the kilometrages from St Pancras.

Nice shots thanks for posting.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Network Rail have applied to Rushcliffe Borough Council for consent for temporary access to an OLE construction compound to be situated next to the A6006 at Sutton Bonington.
The application went in at the end of last month and reference is 25/00164/GDO18.

From Network Rail's letter:

The access will remain in situ for the duration of the temporary compound which is currently expected to be from July 2025 – May 2026.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Even if only for civils, this is way north of Leicester and has to be good news.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

There was sort of an indication that Syston to Trent Jncs was the next bit to go ahead. RS3 was it? I suppose there's still nothing to report about Kegworth FS though, the should need the thing if RS3 finishes significantly before Wigston-Syston

 

[GRALISTAIR]

There was sort of an indication that Syston to Trent Jncs was the next bit to go ahead. RS3 was it? I suppose there's still nothing to report about Kegworth FS though, the should need the thing if RS3 finishes significantly before Wigston-Syston

IIRC That was in Modern Railways - a Roger Ford article. I have seen nothing elsewhere to confirm this though.

 

[59CosG95]

Even if only for civils, this is way north of Leicester and has to be good news.

This seems to be more for civils IMO. The mention of Amco-Giffen (who, while a decent civils contractor, are not to my knowledge an organisation with skin in the OLE game) seems to me to make this a venture to rebuild bridge SPC5-88 (that carries the A6006 over the MML). Of course, there's nothing to stop it becoming a lay-down area for OLE materials.

 

[InTheEastMids]

I suppose there's still nothing to report about Kegworth FS though, the should need the thing if RS3 finishes significantly before Wigston-Syston

Given the "pegs in the ground", and discussions around rebuilding a bridge South of Leicester, if we'll see the near-simultaneous delivery of Wigston-Syston and Syston-Trent. If so, perhaps the initial forecast load (of bimode trains) can be arranged to be delivered from Braybrooke (e.g. as Braybrooke was not initially needed for Bedford-Corby). But I also suspect that the substation planning application is not going to be submitted until the Comprehensive Spending Review has (or not) given the go-ahead.

This seems to be more for civils IMO. The mention of Amco-Giffen

I wondered that, but Network Rail's letter is quite specific (see quote below), and the planning application is only for the access/turn-in from the A6006, which could be done by any competent highways contractor.

a temporary compound is required on land adjacent to the railway at Kirk Hill for the installation of the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE).

...but on the other hand, for OLE you'd need level access to the railway. The sites at Rushton/Kibworth were both much larger, so I wonder if the compound will be quite a bit larger and reach further to the South than what's indicated on the submitted plans - The compound itself does not need planning consent.

 

[londonmidland]

…and discussions around rebuilding a bridge South of Leicester

Which bridge is this in question, out of interest?

 

[InTheEastMids]

Which bridge is this in question, out of interest?

B582 Blaby Road

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Given the "pegs in the ground", and discussions around rebuilding a bridge South of Leicester, we'll see the near-simultaneous delivery of Wigston-Syston and Syston-Trent. If so, perhaps the initial forecast load (of bimode trains) can be arranged to be delivered from Braybrooke (e.g. as Braybrooke was not initially needed for Bedford-Corby).

I agree. I hate admitting it but, bimodes will definitely help on projects. If there is a delay on a grid feeder it will not be as critical as it has been in the past.

But I also suspect that the substation planning application is not going to be submitted until the Comprehensive Spending Review has (or not) given the go-ahead.

I will try and find a link but I could swear I had seen a post that an application had been made. (Not Chesterfield though)

 

[YorkshireBear]

Im still wary of the spending review where rumours are that only three rail enhancement projects will be kept, HS2, TRU and East West Rail. These leaked rumours to the press however, don't clarify enhancement. Is MML a minor enhancement (minor in the sense it's just electrification not four tracking flying junctions etc.)

 

[Bald Rick]

Is MML a minor enhancement (minor in the sense it's just electrification not four tracking flying junctions etc.)

No, its not minor.

 

[YorkshireBear]

No, its not minor.

I did try and clarify that, maybe not clear enough. Shouldn't have used word minor.

I wonder if the leak to the press about their only being those three enhancements is more referring to the huge schemes, cross rail 2, HS2 phase 2A etc.

I would say MML isn't on the scale of TRU for example. But as you say not minor at all...

 

[QSK19]

Makes me wonder why, supposing the pegs in the ground refer to electrification, they’d bother doing this work & submitting seemingly-relevant planning applications if then the line isn’t going to be electrified. Would seem a waste of money and manhours to me.