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MML Electrification: progress updates

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GRALISTAIR

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Current flows - voltage is like the pressure that "pushes" the current through the wire. If you have too much pressure and current you melt the wire/fuse etc. That is how I explain it.
 

swt_passenger

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AFAICT that diagram the bloke has put on Twitter applies only to staff working in restricted areas.

According to Gary Keenor’s handy electrification guide, that 2.75 metres safety distance should be shown with respect to the standing surface, not from the guy’s shoulders.

In public areas however, eg on a platform, the safety distance should now be 3.5 metres, again with respect to the standing surface...

A little knowledge is dangerous? Is that the right expression?
 

Legolash2o

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Since it's live, I can update the map.

EDIT: I've removed the map to show just up to Irchester as live.
 
Last edited:

WAO

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657
NR's poster in #3747 is in error.

It states that we should keep 2.75m away from the 25kV (if only...).

ORR has decreed 3.5m.

WAO
 

59CosG95

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MML Wiring Progressometer 43.0 (Updated as of 28th of July 2020)
Mileages are from St. Pancras. Unless mentioned otherwise, all reference to the "Fast" side refers to tracks on the western side of the "10-foot" (centre of the track pairs), and the "Slow" side for the tracks on the eastern side.
All 2,248 foundations are now installed, and all wire runs are now run.

South of Bedford
  • In the Cricklewood area, around 13 new structures are gradually being erected; these are confirmed to be part of the works for the new Brent Cross West station.
  • Power Supply Upgrade Infrastructure south of Bedford station:
    • Napsbury ATS (Auto Transformer Site); no idea where it's planned to be sited. Perhaps near the North Orbital Commercial Park? No obvious signs of work yet.
    • East Hyde MPATS (Mid Point AT Site); compound established (but so far empty) off Cooters Hill Lane. No obvious signs of work yet.
    • Leagrave SATS (Sectioning ATS); possibly to be sited immediately south of Leagrave station? No obvious signs of work yet.
    • Chalton ATFS; pretty much ready. Works this weekend (11/12 July) seem to show that it was commissioned, and has replaced the old Sundon FS. (The oil bunds for the transformers currently have no transformers above them, so one can assume it'll be feeding in booster transformer mode, as per the S.Q.)
      Sundon FS is yet to be disconnected AFAIK
    • Ampthill TSC (new); LIVE. The legacy TSC was decommissioned as the new ASG container was commissioned, with a simplified spanwire disconnector arrangement, over 11/12 July 2020. Designed as Ampthill SATS, but no ATF provision yet, so it only functions as a TSC for now.
    • Bedford ATS; pretty much ready. Works this weekend (11/12 July) seem to show that it was commissioned, and might well have replaced the existing slow-lines only TSC. (No ATF provision yet, however, so it only functions as a TSC.)
  • From structure "SPC1 79/659/DF", just north of the Great Ouse Viaduct, new masts are going up on either side of the Fast tracks to support Bonomi Omnia (i.e. S2/UKMS) cantilevers. All of them appear to be up.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
  • The wires are now through Bedford on the Down Fast (P4) and the Up Fast. Additionally, the existing wires on Platforms 2 & 3 are now extended to Tensorex portal SPC2/80/599, replacing the former Balance Weights north of the island platform.
  • OLE is now LIVE as far as SPC2/99/158 structures (61m 49ch) on the Main Line (over Sharnbrook Summit), and as far as WYM/98/539 (61m 18ch) on the Wymington Deviation.
  • Bromham Rd O/B now reopened - the temporary footbridge has, as of the morning of the 11th of July, been removed.
  • Irthlingborough Road Bridge has now been replaced - its reopening date has been pushed back to December 2020.
  • Sharnbrook MPTSC (Mid-Point Track Sectioning Cabinet), north of Templars Way overbridge, has been live since 20/4/20. (This was designed to be a MPATS, but was de-scoped when OLE was cut back to Kettering)
  • The switching site at Wymington (Irchester TSC) now looks structurally complete, and is now presumed to be LIVE. (This was designed to be a SATS, but was de-scoped when OLE was cut back to Kettering)

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
  • Work to return the 4th platform (P4) at Wellingborough to public use is now well advanced.
  • All lines are now wired within Wellingborough station. These continue along all lines to Kettering.
  • North of Wellingborough, the Down Goods Loop (west of the Down Fast) and the Arrival/Departure Line (adjacent to the not-yet-in-service Up Slow) are now wired, along with the westernmost siding in Wellingborough Up Yard. There doesn't seem to be any concrete plan to put northern access into the yard yet, though.
  • The feeding/switching site at the old site of Finedon Station has been confirmed as Harrowden TSC; it was designed as Harrowden ATS but until the autotransformers arrive it's a TSC. Most large-scale connections are complete, however smaller scale connections (e.g. black/red bonds) are a bit trickier to see.
  • 2 TTCs (SPC3/109/586/US + SPC3/109/636/US), located south of Finedon Station Rd, are lacking arms on both cantilevers.
  • Work to transform the former Kettering Yard into an EMU stabling facility (KES; Kettering Electric Stabling) is complete.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
  • All 4 lines are now wired through Kettering station. On the Fasts, wires finish at Tensorex portal SPC3/116/654, while those on the Slows continue to Glendon Jct & Corby, and thence to the planned limit of wiring.
  • At Glendon, the new Kettering North SATS (Sectioning Autotransformer Site; TSC until 810s arrive) has been connected to the OLE on the Corby lines. Spanwires for the Main lines are coiled up O.O.U. until wires head to Market Harborough.

Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Market Harborough (82m 74ch)
  • Braybrooke Substation ((AT)FS) approved. To be located here: (https://goo.gl/maps/fuy1uZeDjdQ2).
  • Enabling Works happened; the land has now been returned to its original state.
  • The extent of wiring towards Market Harborough has now been as good as confirmed to reach the station. Approval has been given for final design work to be carried out on that section of route.
  • Ground Investigation Works are taking place between Kettering & Great Bowden (north of Market Harborough); this implies Great Bowden will be the northern limit of wiring until further wiring gets authorised.

The Future - Midlands Engine Rail (Midlands Connect) & HS2
  • Electrification proposed from Market Harborough to Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham & Derby; as part of the Midlands Connect strategy. The March 2020 Budget committed to the scheme; details are alleged to be found in the July Spending Review. When this will actually be released (what with COVID-19) remains to be seen.
  • Electrification proposed from Clay Cross HS2 Connection to Sheffield (Midland) as part of HS2 works.
  • Currently, no electrification is proposed between Clay Cross HS2 Connection & Nottingham, or Tupton & Derby (via Belper).

    Any updates would be greatly appreciated.
 
Last edited:

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,258
NR's poster in #3747 is in error.

It states that we should keep 2.75m away from the 25kV (if only...).

ORR has decreed 3.5m.

WAO
That’s what I was trying to say a few posts back. (#3754) Can anyone confirm if the staff and public safety distances are still definitely different?
 

Jamesrob637

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Joined
12 Aug 2016
Messages
5,205
MML Wiring Progressometer 43.0 (Updated as of 28th of July 2020)
Mileages are from St. Pancras. Unless mentioned otherwise, all reference to the "Fast" side refers to tracks on the western side of the "10-foot" (centre of the track pairs), and the "Slow" side for the tracks on the eastern side.
All 2,248 foundations are now installed, and all wire runs are now run.

South of Bedford
  • In the Cricklewood area, around 13 new structures are gradually being erected; these are confirmed to be part of the works for the new Brent Cross West station.
  • Power Supply Upgrade Infrastructure south of Bedford station:
    • Napsbury ATS (Auto Transformer Site); no idea where it's planned to be sited. Perhaps near the North Orbital Commercial Park? No obvious signs of work yet.
    • East Hyde MPATS (Mid Point AT Site); compound established (but so far empty) off Cooters Hill Lane. No obvious signs of work yet.
    • Leagrave SATS (Sectioning ATS); possibly to be sited immediately south of Leagrave station? No obvious signs of work yet.
    • Chalton ATFS; pretty much ready. Works this weekend (11/12 July) seem to show that it was commissioned, and has replaced the old Sundon FS. (The oil bunds for the transformers currently have no transformers above them, so one can assume it'll be feeding in booster transformer mode, as per the S.Q.)
      Sundon FS is yet to be disconnected AFAIK
    • Ampthill TSC (new); LIVE. The legacy TSC was decommissioned as the new ASG container was commissioned, with a simplified spanwire disconnector arrangement, over 11/12 July 2020. Designed as Ampthill SATS, but no ATF provision yet, so it only functions as a TSC for now.
    • Bedford ATS; pretty much ready. Works this weekend (11/12 July) seem to show that it was commissioned, and might well have replaced the existing slow-lines only TSC. (No ATF provision yet, however, so it only functions as a TSC.)
  • [/COLOR]
  • From structure "SPC1 79/659/DF", just north of the Great Ouse Viaduct, new masts are going up on either side of the Fast tracks to support Bonomi Omnia (i.e. S2/UKMS) cantilevers. All of them appear to be up.

Bedford (49m 65ch) - Wellingborough (65m 09ch)
  • The wires are now through Bedford on the Down Fast (P4) and the Up Fast. Additionally, the existing wires on Platforms 2 & 3 are now extended to Tensorex portal SPC2/80/599, replacing the former Balance Weights north of the island platform.
  • OLE is now LIVE as far as SPC2/99/158 structures (61m 49ch) on the Main Line (over Sharnbrook Summit), and as far as WYM/98/539 (61m 18ch) on the Wymington Deviation.
  • Bromham Rd O/B now reopened - the temporary footbridge has, as of the morning of the 11th of July, been removed.
  • Irthlingborough Road Bridge has now been replaced - its reopening date has been pushed back to December 2020.
  • Sharnbrook MPTSC (Mid-Point Track Sectioning Cabinet), north of Templars Way overbridge, has been live since 20/4/20. (This was designed to be a MPATS, but was de-scoped when OLE was cut back to Kettering)
  • The switching site at Wymington (Irchester TSC) now looks structurally complete, and is now presumed to be LIVE. (This was designed to be a SATS, but was de-scoped when OLE was cut back to Kettering)

Wellingborough (65m 09ch) - Kettering (72m 01ch)
  • Work to return the 4th platform (P4) at Wellingborough to public use is now well advanced.
  • All lines are now wired within Wellingborough station. These continue along all lines to Kettering.
  • North of Wellingborough, the Down Goods Loop (west of the Down Fast) and the Arrival/Departure Line (adjacent to the not-yet-in-service Up Slow) are now wired, along with the westernmost siding in Wellingborough Up Yard. There doesn't seem to be any concrete plan to put northern access into the yard yet, though.
  • The feeding/switching site at the old site of Finedon Station has been confirmed as Harrowden TSC; it was designed as Harrowden ATS but until the autotransformers arrive it's a TSC. Most large-scale connections are complete, however smaller scale connections (e.g. black/red bonds) are a bit trickier to see.
  • 2 TTCs (SPC3/109/586/US + SPC3/109/636/US), located south of Finedon Station Rd, are lacking arms on both cantilevers.
  • Work to transform the former Kettering Yard into an EMU stabling facility (KES; Kettering Electric Stabling) is complete.

Kettering (72m 01ch) - Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Corby (79m 40ch)
  • All 4 lines are now wired through Kettering station. On the Fasts, wires finish at Tensorex portal SPC3/116/654, while those on the Slows continue to Glendon Jct & Corby, and thence to the planned limit of wiring.
  • At Glendon, the new Kettering North SATS (Sectioning Autotransformer Site; TSC until 810s arrive) has been connected to the OLE on the Corby lines. Spanwires for the Main lines are coiled up O.O.U. until wires head to Market Harborough.

Glendon Jct (74m 00ch) - Market Harborough (82m 74ch)
  • Braybrooke Substation ((AT)FS) approved. To be located here: (https://goo.gl/maps/fuy1uZeDjdQ2).
  • Enabling Works happened; the land has now been returned to its original state.
  • The extent of wiring towards Market Harborough has now been as good as confirmed to reach the station. Approval has been given for final design work to be carried out on that section of route.
  • Ground Investigation Works are taking place between Kettering & Great Bowden (north of Market Harborough); this implies Great Bowden will be the northern limit of wiring until further wiring gets authorised.

The Future - Midlands Engine Rail (Midlands Connect) & HS2
  • Electrification proposed from Market Harborough to Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham & Derby; as part of the Midlands Connect strategy. The March 2020 Budget committed to the scheme; details are alleged to be found in the July Spending Review. When this will actually be released (what with COVID-19) remains to be seen.
  • Electrification proposed from Clay Cross HS2 Connection to Sheffield (Midland) as part of HS2 works.
  • Currently, no electrification is proposed between Clay Cross HS2 Connection & Nottingham, or Tupton & Derby (via Belper).

    Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

So around 100km (62 miles) from London is live. Progress at last.
 

GRALISTAIR

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Dalton GA USA & Preston Lancs
I have just seen this in the e-news of Modern Railways about project SPEED. I have edited and only quoted stuff relevant to this thread.

Network Rail has identified six programmes where it is aiming to halve the time and slash the cost of delivery, in response to Government’s ‘Project Speed’ challenge to accelerate infrastructure schemes.

Under the Project Speed moniker within Network Rail, ‘Speed’ stands for Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery. The six programmes identified by NR are:
• Midland main line electrification to Sheffield – extension northwards from Corby/Market Harborough following on from current and planned programmes.
 

Mikey C

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Messages
6,830
I have just seen this in the e-news of Modern Railways about project SPEED. I have edited and only quoted stuff relevant to this thread.
Great news is it happens, though a shame that there presumably be a gap between the current work to Market Harborough finishing and any new work starting
 

Senex

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York
Great news is it happens, though a shame that there presumably be a gap between the current work to Market Harborough finishing and any new work starting
All well and good if anything happens, but it could all just be one more way of ensuring delay by having yet another study of each of the projects.
 

Brissle Girl

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I would imagine that M Harborough will take at least 18 months (once authorised), which would presumably be enough time to prep for at least the next few miles to give continuity of work to the project team.
 

adamedwards

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In British Rail days things like foundations for masts got put in before schemes were authorised to keep the crews working and speed up projects, so maybe the team could just keep going north of MH? They can get to Wigston before anything complex is needed.
 

edwin_m

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In British Rail days things like foundations for masts got put in before schemes were authorised to keep the crews working and speed up projects, so maybe the team could just keep going north of MH? They can get to Wigston before anything complex is needed.
If the crews were directly employed and the plant was owned, then if they had nothing better to do they could just be sent out with a bit of concrete to dig and fill some holes. The cost of this would be buried on some overhead, and in any case would have been little more than paying them to do nothing. These days it's all done through contractors. It would be necessary to prepare, agree and find funding for a contract variation as a minimum, and possibly to go through a competitive procurement which might end up with a different contractor starting from scratch.
 

Philip Phlopp

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In British Rail days things like foundations for masts got put in before schemes were authorised to keep the crews working and speed up projects, so maybe the team could just keep going north of MH? They can get to Wigston before anything complex is needed.

The days of sending out a team to dig around in the cess haphazardly are long gone. British Rail didn't mind too much if a works team managed to dig their way through the signalling cables, Network Rail is rather more cautious and after the GWEP shenanigans, really likes to know exactly what's lying in the cess, out of sight.
 

Killingworth

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If the crews were directly employed and the plant was owned, then if they had nothing better to do they could just be sent out with a bit of concrete to dig and fill some holes. The cost of this would be buried on some overhead, and in any case would have been little more than paying them to do nothing. These days it's all done through contractors. It would be necessary to prepare, agree and find funding for a contract variation as a minimum, and possibly to go through a competitive procurement which might end up with a different contractor starting from scratch.

Isn't there some legislation that compels almost every major contract to be put out to tender?
 

Camden

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I have just seen this in the e-news of Modern Railways about project SPEED. I have edited and only quoted stuff relevant to this thread.
Electrification to Sheffield is another indicator that the decision to abandon the eastern arm of HS2 in favour of Leeds via Manchester has already been made.
 

D365

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Electrification to Sheffield is another indicator that the decision to abandon the eastern arm of HS2 in favour of Leeds via Manchester has already been made.

Why are the two decisions co-dependent?
 

hwl

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Electrification to Sheffield is another indicator that the decision to abandon the eastern arm of HS2 in favour of Leeds via Manchester has already been made.

25% of the required MML electrification route mileage is shared by both MML and the HS2 eastern arm.
What about the NR decarbonisation plan recommending MML electrification in addition to HS2
 
Last edited:

edwin_m

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MML will still have 4TPH whatever happens to HS2 because of the need to connect stations from Market Harborough to Loughborough with London, Nottingham, Derby etc. There's also scope for some local trains to be electrified (changing destinations around to maximise use of the wires) and for Midlands Connect Bedford-Leeds and Birmingham-Nottingham services that join or leave HS2 at Toton and would need the classic lines electrifying. There's also probably more capacity for extra freight than on the WCML or ECML, which could also be electric if there was a network-wide strategy to electrify the routes freight needs.
 
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59CosG95

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Heads up for test train-seeking folk: the DATS rake should be out to play on the ECML again today, to calibrate the systems on board.
For anyone between Leicester & Peterborough, and between Peterborough & Doncaster, the workings are below.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02246/2020-08-06/detailed 5Q45 10:15 Leicester LIP - Peterborough Eastfield Jn
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02736/2020-08-06/detailed 3Q23 11:46 Peterborough Eastfield Jn - Doncaster
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02737/2020-08-06/detailed 3Q45 12:56 Doncaster - Peterborough Eastfield Jn
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02247/2020-08-06/detailed 5Q59 14:10 Peterborough Eastfield Jn - Leicester LIP
 
Last edited:

richieb1971

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Last Sunday I spent a bit of time around Bromham (north of Bedford) and the fasts were blocked. The Passenger trains were awfully slow doing around 45mph on the slows. Are there any plans to upgrade these tracks in the future to a more reasonable 75mph line speed?

Of course, being so close to Bedford that is close to the preceding signal which blocks anything entering the station. I cannot see the signal due to a bridge blocking my view from my perspective. However, we are talking jointed track in some sections. I am guessing the newly laid 4th track north of Sharnbrook has really high standards in comparison but I'm sure the line speed is dictated by the worst of the track, not the best.

It seems to me that OHLE on the slows just allows a contingency option rather than improving service.
 

John Webb

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Last Sunday I spent a bit of time around Bromham (north of Bedford) and the fasts were blocked. The Passenger trains were awfully slow doing around 45mph on the slows. Are there any plans to upgrade these tracks in the future to a more reasonable 75mph line speed?.........
Is the line speed set at 45mph or were they doing a lower speed because of the nearby works on the Fasts?
 

richieb1971

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Is the line speed set at 45mph or were they doing a lower speed because of the nearby works on the Fasts?

There were no nearby works on the fasts, not in my visibility zone anyway. I can see as far as Bedford in one direction (2 miles) and 1 mile north.

2 freight passed as well, doing same speed.
 

takno

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There were no nearby works on the fasts, not in my visibility zone anyway. I can see as far as Bedford in one direction (2 miles) and 1 mile north.

2 freight passed as well, doing same speed.
That close to Bedford I'd have expected the slow line speed limit to be determined by the signal spacing - you'd expect virtually everything to stop or go slow through Bedford anyway, and presumably being able to pull up closer to the station while waiting for a platform is more beneficial than having a slightly quicker run up. It's not an area I know at all well though
 

Philip Phlopp

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Is the line speed set at 45mph or were they doing a lower speed because of the nearby works on the Fasts?

Line speed. There's mainly a mixture of 50/60/75 mph running between Bedford and Wellingborough on the slow lines, and a mix of 50/60/90 mph between Wellingborough and Kettering on the slow lines.

The route between Bedford and Kettering has really good operational flexibility for the UK, with extensive bi-di signalling and the associated crossovers, electrification of only the fast lines just wouldn't have worked.
 

59CosG95

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Last Sunday I spent a bit of time around Bromham (north of Bedford) and the fasts were blocked. The Passenger trains were awfully slow doing around 45mph on the slows. Are there any plans to upgrade these tracks in the future to a more reasonable 75mph line speed?

Of course, being so close to Bedford that is close to the preceding signal which blocks anything entering the station. I cannot see the signal due to a bridge blocking my view from my perspective. However, we are talking jointed track in some sections. I am guessing the newly laid 4th track north of Sharnbrook has really high standards in comparison but I'm sure the line speed is dictated by the worst of the track, not the best.

It seems to me that OHLE on the slows just allows a contingency option rather than improving service.
There were, I believe, track renewals at Radwell.
 

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