MML Electrification: progress updates

[Flying Phil]

As "InTheEastMids" says, it would be good to get confirmation of one of those options. Naturally I hope it will be 2c as that would make not only economic and environmental sense ie longer pure electric running...but also gives the East Mids hope for the future and further electrification - which would also make good political sense for any future government. Additionally, with all the work going on at Harborough, the extra cost for OHLE will be minimal now.

 

[WymoWanderer]

New video from Network Rail posted today.

 

[59CosG95]

New video from Network Rail posted today.

Well I'll be. Amtrak GE Genesis and Česke Dráhy RegioPanters through Wellingborough?? More Mandrax please.

 

[richieb1971]

I think they make these with train simulators. Which is cool if you buy the add ons which represent the right stock.

 

[nlogax]

P40s / P42s on the MML..yeah, that's definitely an upgrade

 

[59CosG95]

MML Wiring Progressometer 14.0 (as of 9th of October 2018)
Mileages are from St. Pancras.

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

• Work to raise Ford End Rd bridge is now complete.
• On the Down side south of Bromham Rd Bridge, Bedford, at least 9 masts are now up. These masts stretch northwards from Bromham Rd as far as the eye can see, towards the Great Ouse Bridge. At least 1 pile still needs to be driven home.
• 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.
• At least 9 boomed and dressed (aka. bedanglied) TTC masts have now gone up north of Lower Farm Rd, adjacent to the Down Fast; 2 similar structures are now up adjacent to the Up Slow here too.
• Nothing up yet around Pavenham.
• To the south of Oakley, all the TTCs that are up appear to have sprouted their registration arms (https://flic.kr/p/NuS8uw). The extent of these running southwards is not yet clear.
• At Oakley, on the site of the old station (just south of Station Rd Bridge), all visible piles over both lines now carry TTC booms. Between Station Rd & Highfield Rd bridges, all TTCS over the Slows and Fasts are now boomed.
• 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?
• A couple of piles (no masts) have now gone in around Sharnbrook Jct.
• 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. Some TTCs have now gone up on the Fasts between these bridges too.
• 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
• In the southern area of the Wymington Deviation, around 9 masts are now up on the Fasts (single cantilever type). North of Souldrop Tunnel, 3 piles are up near the footbridge at 60m56ch, and approx 5 are further down near the tunnel.
• On the Slows at the northern end of the "deviation", a number of STCs and TTCs have gone up, with at least two twin track portals also up.
• Station Rd Bridge, Irchester is closed from 9/4 to 22/11 to allow reconstruction for OLE; the replacement deck over the Relief Lines is now complete.
• Masts have now sprung up in large numbers north and south of Station Rd Bridge, Irchester. North of Station Rd, all masts seem to be up over the Fast lines as far as the first footbridge north of there.
• Mast-wise, not much up around Kangaroo Spinney (https://goo.gl/maps/K8C8gkgvNaD2).
• 2 piles now in between the Up Fast & Down Slow north of Station Rd Bridge, Irchester; 9 piles have also gone in adjacent to the Down Fast on this stretch.

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.
• At least 6 TTC masts (with booms) are now in position between Finedon Rd Bridge and the curve to the south of Harrowden Junction. These are mainly on the Down side; work has yet to commence on the Up side equivalents.
• TTCs stretch north from Harrowden Junction over the Fast lines as far as the eye can see; only about 5 remain to go up from there to Finedon Station Road. A couple of gaps remain where old equipment has to be removed e.g. the signal gantry at Harrowden Jct.
• Burton Latimer (south of the Weetabix factory) now has a number of TTCs up over the Slow lines to the south, to join the 2 TTCs up to the north of it (over the Fasts).

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

• At Glendon Jct/Kettering North Jct, all piles on the Slow side have now grown TTCs with booms; at least 5 are now bedanglied ("dressed"). A few signal gantries from the BR days have been (or are due to be) removed. Unclear of progress with piling/masts on the Main line north of Glendon Junction.
• 2nd track now in operation, and linespeed raised to 90mph where it was previously 60mph.
• Largest piling gap around here is between the A14 & A43 bridges.
• 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.

 

[Aictos]

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.

I hate to think they would only wire up to the approaches of Market Harborough and not reaching the station itself but then again this is the DAFT.

Do enjoy the updates you do

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks 59CosG95 - impressive detail.

 

[59CosG95]

Not sure if anyone got the memo from EMT, but yesterday & today (13th/14th October) there's no service between Bedford & Leicester; EMT's website have cited "track improvement & signalling works". At a guess, they're probably removing any redundant signal gantries between Bedford (exc.) and Kettering (inc.), along with more track alignment works at Market Harboro'. My further thoughts on the signalling works may be due to the 4-tracking between Kettering & Sharnbrook Jct, AFAIK there are quite a few signals in the way of the new Up Slow's alignment.

 

[richieb1971]

About time. Slows shouldn't affect fast lines though should they.

 

[Kettledrum]

Progress looks so much faster than the Great Western electrification. Any ideas why?

or does it just re-enforce the view of those who think the MML should have been electrified before the Great Western?

 

[59CosG95]

About time. Slows shouldn't affect fast lines though should they.

Not normally, no - but they've had to take the signalling offline in order to move some of the infrastructure (which may or may not be getting recontrolled to the EMCC - I don't know for certain). An example of a gantry in the way of the track is at Harrowden Jct; this shot from January shows the offending gantry in question. https://flic.kr/p/2azQQTJ

 

[WymoWanderer]

There's quite a bit of pilling work going occuring on the slow lines at Wymington this weekend. Much to the other half's disgust.

 

[59CosG95]

There's quite a bit of pilling work going occuring on the slow lines at Wymington this weekend. Much to the other half's disgust.

Ahh, that might be part of the reason why as well. Any photos?

 

[WymoWanderer]

Ahh, that might be part of the reason why as well. Any photos?

Weather (and workload) permitting I'll have a wander tomorrow.

 

[snowball]

Progress looks so much faster than the Great Western electrification. Any ideas why?

Does it really look faster? Not counting bits that have been dropped, MML involves doing about 30 route miles (Bedford - Corby); GW involves doing about 163 miles (Airport Junction to Cardiff plus Reading to Newbury plus Wootton Bassett to Chippenham). Yet even so, the expected finish date for MML slipped from 2019 to 2020 a few months ago.

 

[59CosG95]

Does it really look faster? Not counting bits that have been dropped, MML involves doing about 30 route miles (Bedford - Corby); GW involves doing about 163 miles (Airport Junction to Cardiff plus Reading to Newbury plus Wootton Bassett to Chippenham). Yet even so, the expected finish date for MML slipped from 2019 to 2020 a few months ago.

Hardly surprising, given that the main contractor for electrification was a JV with Powerlines (from Austria) & Carillion...
Powerlines are now 100% in charge of the JV, so work is still happening, but the whole furore with who would do the work was probably a factor in the wake of Carillion's costly collapse.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Not sure if anyone got the memo from EMT, but yesterday & today (13th/14th October) there's no service between Bedford & Leicester; EMT's website have cited "track improvement & signalling works". At a guess, they're probably removing any redundant signal gantries between Bedford (exc.) and Kettering (inc.), along with more track alignment works at Market Harboro'. My further thoughts on the signalling works may be due to the 4-tracking between Kettering & Sharnbrook Jct, AFAIK there are quite a few signals in the way of the new Up Slow's alignment.

...although they've had these weekend Bedford-Leicester shutdowns before, and didn't seem to move anything.

At Harborough, there's a lot of work happening immediately South of the station - bridge repairs have meant road closures, plus a tamper and re-ballasting happening tonight - the line speed here rises from (I think) 75 to 95 as part of the line speed/station project.

In electrification news, I felt that most of the Fast line TTCs have been installed between Wellingborough yards and Weetabix. Some of these have small steelwork now around Finedon Station Rd Bridge. Progress on the slows is... slower.

There's a few piles on both sides at the South End of Kettering Yard.
Pretty sure I saw a pile on the Down side near Kettering North Jnc. Hadn't seen any piling for FL electrification North of Kettering before.

 

[Flying Phil]

Re the Market Harborough works, they are putting up a new footbridge to replace a public foot crossing to the South of the station. The line speed is 60 through the station and it is due to rise to 110mph with the new alignment.

 

[Senex]

Re the Market Harborough works, they are putting up a new footbridge to replace a public foot crossing to the South of the station. The line speed is 60 through the station and it is due to rise to 110mph with the new alignment.

Is that going to happen? We seem to have heard that the line is not now going to be restored to the old alignment at Great Bowden but will be left over the old flyover bridge. There is an 85 mph speed-limit there, and I was under the impression (may be wrong, of course!) that this was possible only with the full 6" / 150 mm of cant and, when that came in, using the enhanced curving rules, so that it now counts as an exception. If that is true, would there be any point in going above 85 for the whole distance from the long curve south of the station right through to the northern side of the flyover bridge?

 

[Flying Phil]

Good point Senex - I too wondered about the Great Bowden curve - but there did seem to be some work going on there when I went past a couple of months ago......

 

[WymoWanderer]

Weather (and workload) permitting I'll have a wander tomorrow.

Had a (wet) wander this afternoon. Didn't see any new piles or masts on the slow lines - they must be elsewhere in the village.
What I did see was more masts on the fast lines including some of them with fittings attached.

Looking North-West with the down-fasts with fittings attached. Original image.

Looking South. Original image.

Looking South . Two sets of portal masts. A further two sets of portal mast are around this area. Original image.

Looking south at the fast lines. Original image.

 

[Legolash2o]

Cool images. Where abouts are they? Wymington?

Here are some maps that may be useful (hopefully correct).

 

[WymoWanderer]

Cool images. Where abouts are they? Wymington?

Here are some maps that may be useful (hopefully correct).

Thanks. They're all taken around the village of Wymington, Bedfordshire. To be precise the last picture was taken here. The others were taken around here.

 

[edwin_m]

Good point Senex - I too wondered about the Great Bowden curve - but there did seem to be some work going on there when I went past a couple of months ago......

There was some sort of work there but the emerging alignment of the new tracks clearly re-joins the existing between Great Bowden Road and the footbridge north of it. Someone confirmed on the other thread that the northern part of the re-alignment had been de-scoped.

 

[59CosG95]

Had a (wet) wander this afternoon. Didn't see any new piles or masts on the slow lines - they must be elsewhere in the village.
What I did see was more masts on the fast lines including some of them with fittings attached.

Looking North-West with the down-fasts with fittings attached. Original image.

Looking South. Original image.

Looking South . Two sets of portal masts. A further two sets of portal mast are around this area. Original image.

Looking south at the fast lines. Original image.

Great set of shots there @WymoWanderer - slow but sure progress. The "portal masts" in this case may actually be 2 pairs of Double Cantilevers (i.e. 2 sets of registration arms per mast for one track) for the end of two or more wire runs - Tensorex drums are more than likely due to be used.

 

[Senex]

Referrring back to my earlier questions about the recent works at Leicester London Road Jn, I had the chance to grab a quick photo from New Walk yesterday. Whilst the up line has been fully re-laid through the area with completely new connections, the down line looks as if nothing has actually yet been done — you can just about make out that the ballast does no look new (though there is some new scattered) and it's clear that the down-line end of the former 15mph trailing connection has not been removed, which would surely have been done at the same time as any renewal of the 1/2 divergence (the new 40mph tailing connection is out of sight part under the New Walk bridge.). If the renewal hasn't been done, that's clearly why the 15 on the down line is still there.

 

[38Cto15E]

Nice informative image senex.

 

[londonmidland]

Do Network Rail have any plans to raise the linespeed from 15mph on the down-line? Seems odd for the up-line to have been done but virtually no work on the down-line. Unless there wasn’t enough time when it took place and a further possession(s) is required?

 

[londonmidland]

A rushed picture but spotted this in a yard between Wellingborough and Bedford.

Not sure what they are but those (booms?) almost look Series 1 based?