New station: Wixams, Bedfordshire. Planning approved

[Class 170101]

No Platform on the Down Fast I seem to recall?

 

[edwin_m]

No Platform on the Down Fast I seem to recall?

No Fast line platforms at all. If Universal goes ahead and signs up to enhance the station then a lot will have to change!

 

[masekwm]

There has been a line closure last weekend, and lots of line side works have taken place. The video shows the work done so far, mayor of Bedford has said construction has officially started.

 

[Edvid]

Just a short update at yesterday's ESCOSC meeting (in great contrast to the EWR-related 5-hour Full Council meeting the evening before!)

From the briefing note:

2.1 The current position with regard to the project’s finances shows a combined actual and committed expenditure of £16M to the end of December 2024. This figure is still just below the total of secured s106 contributions of £18.7M.
2.2 As well as works on site to install further electrification masts and piles, key activities planned to take place in January 2025 include the ordering of overhead line booms, and the return and evaluation of tenders for a package of civil engineering ‘enabling’ works to commence in the Spring.
2.3 In the three-month period January to March 2025, it is currently anticipated that NR will undertake work that will commit expenditure of a further c. £5M.

Next full possession is scheduled for 22/23 February, followed by slow or fast line possessions on 1/2, 8/9, and 15/16 March.

 

[Edvid]

OLE booms were installed last weekend, and during this weekend's fast line possession work is underway to attach the stovepipes (see first attached picture).

In the second picture there are two gantries next to each other. The gantry behind is one of 11 (essentially) identical portals whereas the gantry in front is unique to the worksite; is the latter also an OLE portal, or something else? (Mast to the very left of picture is for an existing headspan.)

Track layout remains unchanged at present.

 

[59CosG95]

OLE booms were installed last weekend, and during this weekend's fast line possession work is underway to attach the stovepipes (see first attached picture).

In the second picture there are two gantries next to each other. The gantry behind is one of 11 (essentially) identical portals whereas the gantry in front is unique to the worksite; is the latter also an OLE portal, or something else? (Mast to the very left of picture is for an existing headspan.)

Track layout remains unchanged at present.

The front gantry in the second picture is also from the OLEMI & UKMS design ranges.
This is the rarely seen 4-angled portal; due to the way the connections to the foundations work, there is a much, much smaller margin for error. As a result, the design is used sparingly, such as in locations with higher wind speeds to reduce wind loading.

Recently, though, those portals have seen a little bit of a renaissance, but as signal gantries (notably on the WCML from Crewe northwards). As a result, I think the same principle is being applied here.

 

[edwin_m]

Recently, though, those portals have seen a little bit of a renaissance, but as signal gantries (notably on the WCML from Crewe northwards). As a result, I think the same principle is being applied here.

I believe that is its purpose, assuming it is where the north end of the platforms will be. The Down signals are being moved so the one on the Down Slow is a platform starter, and the one on the Down Fast will be adjacent as there would otherwise be a risk of drivers reading the wrong one.

 

[Edvid]

Detailed design of the station is complete and another reserved matters application (24/01889/MAR) has been submitted with proposed changes to the approved station building and car park, listed in section 3.6 of the design & access statement (V19 on the documents page). The current target date for a decision is 19 December.

Reserved matters were approved early Feb, it turns out; I thought it would be subject to Planning Committee scrutiny. How far the modest build will progress (if it starts) before the likely Universal greenlight is another matter.

 

[masekwm]

Drone footage of the station build

 

[John R]

Great video, but the comments "looks like it's still being built as a two platform station" are somewhat odd if not naive. Surely there will have to be a further planning process gone through before a four platform station can be started, and that isn't going to happen until after confirmation that Universal is going ahead? You can't just decide to build a bigger station, even if the funding was available, which it isn't.

 

[Edvid]

A slideshow/video presentation NR made to the DfT last month was adapted for yesterday's ESCOSC meeting (screenshots of the slideshow attached).

To date three contracts have been delivered or committed to - ES5 design, civils early contractor involvement, and enabling civil works. The next contract is for the £25 million main civil works, on which a decision is due in April according to the briefing note; however Jon Shortland* also mentioned NR are amenable to that contract being split in two and leaving the bigger piece on hold for another two months. Ultimately, the council want negotiations between Universal & central government to reach a positive conclusion before they decide to terminate the Implementation Agreement for their own scheme, so the delayed award date will offer them some breathing room if needed.

In the meantime, possessions for track/OLE/signalling works to deliver the new layout are booked for several May/June weekends, followed by a Christmas possession for commissioning.

Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 20 March 2025, 6:30pm - Start video at 0:14:47 - Bedford Borough Council streaming

Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 20 March 2025, 6:30pm - Start video at 0:14:47 - Bedford Borough Council streaming

bedford.public-i.tv

[* Jo Branson-Budd will take his role as lead council officer for the scheme next month]