MML Electrification: progress updates

[snowball]

Hope they haven't forgotten the bit between Clay Cross and the HS2 junction towards Alfreton.

I think HS2 Ltd are less likely to forget it than anyone else would be. Now if he'd given the job to NR...

 

[59CosG95]

Even less of an excuse then!



That'd give quite the patchwork quilt of OLE systems between London and Sheffield then! Mk3 St Pancras to Bedford, Master Series (Series 1 and Series 2) Bedford to Market Harborough, Alstom CLever (admittedly not a million miles away from Series 2, visually at least) from Market Harborough to Clay Cross, and then SNCF LGV style stuff from Clay Cross onwards!

Quite! Aren't the BR OLEMI Mk3 Headspans Dreadspans slated for replacement as well?

 

[Domh245]

Quite! Aren't the BR OLEMI Mk3 Headspans Dreadspans slated for replacement as well?

I would think so, at least in places. If the OLE south of Bedford is being upgraded to cope with 125mph operation, then they would (likely) have to be increasing the tension, which would probably lead to replacement of a large number of the structures. I wonder if it is the plan to convert a lot of the headspans to portals anyway as they have done at Connington and a few other locations.

 

[edwin_m]

I think HS2 Ltd are less likely to forget it than anyone else would be. Now if he'd given the job to NR...

It's possible HS2 have already looked at the bit south of Clay Cross as that was never part of anyone else's electrification. But it's also possible neither party has been remitted for that section - a bit like everyone seemed to forget about upgrading south of Bedford.

Electrifying north of Sheffield as far as a connection back to HS2 has also been promised I think, but no specific announcement as far as I'm aware.

 

[Chris125]

SPL Powerlines picks up electrification work after Carillion's collapse

Sounds like Corby electrification is, for now, going to plan...

Overall, the project scope for the electrification of the Midland main line includes:

- The installation of over 2,200 OLE foundations and masts;
- Erection of approximately 10km of lineside fencing;
- New troughing routes to contain 120km of new fibre optic cable and 90km of new return screen conductor cable;
- Running 200km of contact and catenary wiring;
- Full commissioning of the electrification system.

Despite the ‘hiccup’ caused by the Carillion liquidation, work is very much on track. As of June 2018, 584 mast foundations had been installed against a forecast of 578, 172 structures (masts) erected – exactly the number predicted – and 118 twin-track cantilevers, seven more than was planned​

 

[snowball]

Sounds like Corby electrification is, for now, going to plan...

However if I remember correctly the timescale for completion was extended in autumn 2017 from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020. Presumably the plan that is being kept to is the latest, slowest plan.

 

[AM9]

I would think so, at least in places. If the OLE south of Bedford is being upgraded to cope with 125mph operation, then they would (likely) have to be increasing the tension, which would probably lead to replacement of a large number of the structures. I wonder if it is the plan to convert a lot of the headspans to portals anyway as they have done at Connington and a few other locations.

That's exactly what happened on the GWML in a few places where the HEX OLE had headspans. Headspans were removed and portals bolted to the original headspan masts during overnight possessions.

 

[59CosG95]

That's exactly what happened on the GWML in a few places where the HEX OLE had headspans. Headspans were removed and portals bolted to the original headspan masts during overnight possessions.

Similar as well to what's occurring at Conington on the ECML at the moment. I suspect Werrington Jct may be similarly altered when the grade-separation takes place.

 

[AM9]

Similar as well to what's occurring at Conington on the ECML at the moment. I suspect Werrington Jct may be similarly altered when the grade-separation takes place.

It's good to see that at last functionality is back being considered more important than aesthetics with critical infrastructure such as OLE.

 

[edwin_m]

It's good to see that at last functionality is back being considered more important than aesthetics with critical infrastructure such as OLE.

I think the headspans were more about cost than either...

But at least what is going up on the MML looks a bit better than the GW stuff.

 

[Class 170101]

I am the eternal optimist and will bet you a tenner it will be filled with electrical goodies before 2030

I hope you are right but with the current incumbent in office I don't hold out much confidence.

That'd give quite the patchwork quilt of OLE systems between London and Sheffield then! Mk3 St Pancras to Bedford, Master Series (Series 1 and Series 2) Bedford to Market Harborough, Alstom CLever (admittedly not a million miles away from Series 2, visually at least) from Market Harborough to Clay Cross, and then SNCF LGV style stuff from Clay Cross onwards!

Surely Series 1 rather than Series 2 is needed otherwise the MML north of Market Harborough and south of Clay Cross would be limited to 100mph (re Alstom CLever)

 

[Domh245]

Surely Series 1 rather than Series 2 is needed otherwise the MML north of Market Harborough and south of Clay Cross would be limited to 100mph (re Alstom CLever)

Not quite as simple as that - the idea (from what I remember) is to make use of both series to make the most of their respective strengths. For example, where linespeed is less than 100mph (ie everywhere on the slow line(s) and also the immediate areas around Kettering and Welingborough stations) , you can switch to series 2 style SPS, with series 1 SPS elsewhere. Similarly you can also make use of series 2 support structures which are generally far less visually intrusive than the series 2 stuff.

The only example we've seen so far of master series (AFAIK) is around Bromsgrove which has series 1 in the station, but series 2 just outside (and elsewhere on the scheme)

 

[WymoWanderer]

Driving on the A6 Clapham bypass this morning I noticed some of the TTCs now have drop tubes attached to them.

 

[38Cto15E]

Is it much of a job, time wise and money wise to upgrade the OLE from Series 2 to 1, south of Bedford?

 

[59CosG95]

Is it much of a job, time wise and money wise to upgrade the OLE from Series 2 to 1, south of Bedford?

Well, strictly speaking, the OLE south of Bedford is British Rail Mk3 OLE from BR's OLEMI range, so it wouldn't be Series 2.
Again, the "Master Series" OLE steelwork would probably use more Series 1 SPS fixtures for the MML, with probable replacement of headspan portals with the lightweight booms seen at Conington on the ECML.

 

[richieb1971]

If the wires get upgraded south of Bedford do class 700's benefit or just the EMT future trains that we have no specifics on yet?

 

[Domh245]

If the wires get upgraded south of Bedford do class 700's benefit or just the EMT future trains that we have no specifics on yet?

They'll benefit from improved reliability, but they're a 100mph max EMU and I doubt that they'll be upgraded

 

[59CosG95]

MML Wiring Progressometer 8.0 (week beginning 16th July 2018)
Mileages are from St. Pancras.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)

• Work underway (since 19/2) on Ford End Road Bridge (https://goo.gl/maps/gBj4QfKex5K2); should finish Aug '18.
• About 4 piles now in on the Down side south of Bromham Rd Bridge, Bedford. These piles stretch northwards from Bromham Rd as far as the eye can see, towards the Great Ouse Bridge.
• 8-9 piles are now in on the Up side north of Bromham Rd Bridge; none are fully down yet.
• Two masts are up on the Up side, immediately south of the Great Ouse Box Girder Bridge (nr Bedford North Jct); one of them has a boom, the other doesn't.
• At Bromham, between the A6 (Great Ouse Way) & Lower Farm Rd (https://goo.gl/maps/rSPFrDAZQ362), 13 Twin Track Cantilevers/TTCs (with booms) are up over the Slow Lines, and about 6/7 over the Fast Lines. This includes the Box Girder bridge over the river Great Ouse.
• 4 boomed TTC masts have now gone up north of Lower Farm Rd, adjacent to the Down Fast.
• At Oakley, on the site of the old station (just south of Station Rd Bridge), all visible piles over both lines now carry TC booms. Plenty of TTC uprights (all boomed) are up to the south of Oakley station; their extent is not yet known. Between Station Rd & Highfield Rd bridges, 4 boomed TTCS are up over the Slows. Piles for corresponding TTCs have gone in adjacent to the Down Fast. Another upright has gone up to the north of Highfield Rd bridge, adjacent to the Down Fast.
• 2 piles are in just south of Oakley Viaduct (https://goo.gl/maps/r5oXUSSPSAo); one next to the DF, another next to the US. These seem to have been in for a while.
• Lots of TTCs also up over both pairs of lines around Milton Ernest (between Radwell Rd & East End; https://goo.gl/maps/V5afGGQEZiE2).
• Between Radwell Rd & New Rd, a TTC mast has been placed between the Up Fast & Down Slow, as the embankment adjacent to the Up Slow had to be replaced with a gabion retaining wall.
• About 6 TTCs are up immediately to the north of Radwell Viaduct, over the Slow lines (https://goo.gl/maps/r5oXUSSPSAo); 3 more TTCs are up accompanying them over the Fast lines (positioned between the pairs of lines). Another 2 are now up over the Slows south of the viaduct. Masts for 2 portal booms are up at the southern end of the viaduct; the portal for the Fast lines has gained its boom.
• Roughly 3 or 4 piles (now with boomless TTC masts) are in next to the Down Fast, and another 4 (3 of which have boomed TTC masts) next to the Up Slow just north of Moor End Lane, Radwell (https://goo.gl/maps/cmgWsgyYAo62). South of Moor End Lane (but north of the next bridge to the south), about 5 TTC masts are up (2 of which have booms) adjacent to the Up Slow, with a similar number in adjacent to the Down Fast. South of that bridge, another 2 piles have masts (possibly w/ booms).
• 2 parallel piles are in place (no masts) adjacent to the Fast lines at Radwell; possibly for a portal frame?
• Almost all masts are now up over the Slow lines, from just north of Park Ln, Sharnbrook (https://goo.gl/maps/df2As431FDr) to Sharnbrook Rd overbridge (southern end of Souldrop bank); the 4-tracking here is not yet complete as signals "WH378" and “LR 8” sit right in the path of the restored Up Slow.
• 3 masts (1 with a TTC boom) are now in next to the future Down Slow at Souldrop, at the southern end of the bank (nr Sharnbrook Rd overbridge).
• Between Wymington (https://goo.gl/maps/apZ6wwj9StR2) and Wellingboro', intensive 4-tracking is underway, with the reversible Slow Line now reopened. Near the Google Maps link posted for Wymington, the car park used for the 4-tracking works is due to house a National Grid substation for the electrification; the concrete base has now been laid for the substation. Link to application to Beds Council: http://www.publicaccess.bedford.gov...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ONBIS8CUMMJ00
• Nothing up regarding masts in the Wymington area at this stage; piles are going in around the Fasts, and have started on the Slows too.
• Mast-wise, not much up around Kangaroo Spinney (https://goo.gl/maps/K8C8gkgvNaD2) or Irchester (https://goo.gl/maps/SxEfjQV71Ly) at this point
• Station Rd Bridge, Irchester (see above link) is closed from 9/4 to 22/11 to allow reconstruction for OLE; the replacement deck over the Relief Lines is now complete.

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)

• Extensive 4-tracking laid (except at points where existing infrastructure has to be moved).
• Finedon Rd Bridge is closed from 22/3 to 28/9 to allow reconstruction for OLE.
• Furnace Lane bridge now has 2 TTCs up to the north of it (over the Fasts), with piles in elsewhere in the area.
• A couple of piles (with orange caps) have gone in around Finedon.
• 1 or 2 piles have gone in around Isham; not much progress elsewhere.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)

• Piling going on to the north of Kettering station. A few signal gantries from the BR days have been (or are due to be) removed. Unclear of progress with piling/masts towards Corby, or on the Main line north of Glendon Junction; I assume some wires will go this way to be used as overruns.
• 2nd track now in operation, and linespeed raised to 90mph where it was previously 60mph.
• A handful of masts (~10) are now up in the Great Oakley area, halfway between Glendon Jct & Corby. All are single track cantilevers.

North of Glendon Jct (74m 00ch)

• Braybrooke Substation approved. To be located here: (https://goo.gl/maps/fuy1uZeDjdQ2).
• The extent of wiring towards Market Harboro' has been all but decided to reach the station itself.

Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cle]

They'll benefit from improved reliability, but they're a 100mph max EMU and I doubt that they'll be upgraded

Seems a shame given that they also run up the ECML, that 110mph units like the later 350s weren’t procured.

Not sure how much difference it would make materially, but possibly the fastest trains could run on the fast lines, and of course a help through Welwyn.

 

[Bald Rick]

Seems a shame given that they also run up the ECML, that 110mph units like the later 350s weren’t procured.

Not sure how much difference it would make materially, but possibly the fastest trains could run on the fast lines, and of course a help through Welwyn.

Very little. The difference between 100 and 110 is 3 seconds a mile; because of the various PSRs and allowing for acceleration / deceleration, it would save at most half a minute for a 700 on one of the faster services.

 

[hooverboy]

Very little. The difference between 100 and 110 is 3 seconds a mile; because of the various PSRs and allowing for acceleration / deceleration, it would save at most half a minute for a 700 on one of the faster services.

considering most of the new wiring north of bedford is also sub 100mph, you won't get a great deal of extra time improvement.You will gain on acceleration versus meridien or dmu.
might get a few seconds between st P and bedford to clear the fast paths.
might be ok if it's St P, st Albans, luton,bedford,wellingborough(on the slows) kettering, corby.

8 car instead of 5 is a very healthy bonus though

 

[Domh245]

considering most of the new wiring north of bedford is also sub 100mph

??? They haven't strung up any wires yet, and the wiring will be designed for the linespeeds - no point having 140mph capable OLE were the line speed is less than 100mph for example, and v.v.

 

[twpsaesneg]

Not quite as simple as that - the idea (from what I remember) is to make use of both series to make the most of their respective strengths. For example, where linespeed is less than 100mph (ie everywhere on the slow line(s) and also the immediate areas around Kettering and Welingborough stations) , you can switch to series 2 style SPS, with series 1 SPS elsewhere. Similarly you can also make use of series 2 support structures which are generally far less visually intrusive than the series 2 stuff.

The only example we've seen so far of master series (AFAIK) is around Bromsgrove which has series 1 in the station, but series 2 just outside (and elsewhere on the scheme)

The type of support arrangement is irrelevant for linespeed in UKMS; the F+F Single Insulated Cantilever ("Series 1") or Bonomi Cantilever ("Series 2") can both be used. For limited bridge approaches, Mid Point Anchors and Monobooms, SICs are being used on MMLE. The rest are Bonomi. All of the mainline will be UKMS125 which runs at higher tension than most Series 2 installations to date. This higher tension is what drives higher linespeed complying with TSI requirements.

UKMS100 is still available for use which runs at the same tension as Series 2 and Mk3B OLEMI.

I would be surprised to see Clay Cross to Sheffield being designed as anything other than UKMS System Design, just because HS2 bankroll it doesn't mean it will be HS2 kit.

 

[londonmidland]

considering most of the new wiring north of bedford is also sub 100mph, you won't get a great deal of extra time improvement.You will gain on acceleration versus meridien or dmu.
might get a few seconds between st P and bedford to clear the fast paths.
might be ok if it's St P, st Albans, luton,bedford,wellingborough(on the slows) kettering, corby.

8 car instead of 5 is a very healthy bonus though

All depends on what sort of EMU we’re talking about. Meridians have very good acceleration for a diesel train. A few years ago our acceleration was pretty much on par with a FCC 377 out of Luton Airport Parkway.

 

[InTheEastMids]

I saw some masts have gone up on the Corby lines between Glendon South Junction and the bridge over the A43 adjacent to Prologis Park Kettering.

I think a few masts / TTCs have gone up South of Weetabix on the slow lines (Burton Latimer)

I saw a lot of piling alongside the up fast between Wymington and Souldrop.

Also, the lack of any activity at Wellingborough Station is starting to suggest to me that the slow line platforms won't be done when the Corby services go electric? Anybody know the timescale for new Platforms 3 and 4 at Wellingborough?

 

[LeeLivery]

Findon Road bridge has been replaced.

I saw some masts have gone up on the Corby lines between Glendon South Junction and the bridge over the A43 adjacent to Prologis Park Kettering.

I think a few masts / TTCs have gone up South of Weetabix on the slow lines (Burton Latimer)

I saw a lot of piling alongside the up fast between Wymington and Souldrop.

Also, the lack of any activity at Wellingborough Station is starting to suggest to me that the slow line platforms won't be done when the Corby services go electric? Anybody know the timescale for new Platforms 3 and 4 at Wellingborough?

I did see some in the Harrowden Junction area on Tuesday.

I think platform 4 is being funded by Bovis Homes. The not so great plans were approved back in 2012. There seems to be no start date in the planning permission but it could be waiting on the development of the mixed use station site. However, surely at least the platform should be done at the same time of 4th tracking and electrification

I am wondering what kind of steelwork they'll use in the station as it's listed. Looking at Wellingborough's planning, Network Rail have permission to carry out works on the canopy on platform 1. No mention if it's related to the electrification, however.

 

[cle]

It’s a shame that all these capacity works are only creating one additional path, the second tph to Corby. Line speeds, wires and additional tracking - I know journey times will improve somewhat too, but isn’t most of that unlocked already? Freight capacity I am guessing must be the other winner.

Is there more non-London capacity, ie which could be used by an E/R service in future, or a local/shuttle (eg the second Corby canned for a shuttle, and a future extra Leicester path once wired?)

 

[WymoWanderer]

I can confirm there's been a lot of overnight pilling work around Wymington this week - much to the annoyance of the other half!
Network Rail have re-opened Ford End Road bridge in Bedford. Press release here.

 

[WymoWanderer]

I have seen masts and booms being delivered through Wymington today. Presumably these will be erected fairly soon.

 

[richieb1971]

Coming along now. Amazing how quickly things move once the paperwork is signed