Apart from anything else, the GEML is a 'working museum' of the history of British Railway Overhead Electrification. It was originally constructed as a 1500V DC system from Liverpool Street to Shenfield opened in 1949 and extended to Chelmsford and Southend Victoria in June and December 1956 respectively. Substantial conversion to a completely revolutionary (at the time) 6.25Kv AC system followed in 1960, with further substantial work needed to upgrade the power to the standard 25Kv AC in the late 1970's. In recent times there have been further works involving new gantries (Swiss Railways design?) also, simple catenary replacing compound. Additionally, there's a new neutral section (why?) introduced near Kelvedon.
Surely, all of the above 'amendments' have caused inherent weaknesses to the original infrastructure over time? If not, why don't other routes both in the UK and abroad suffer 'sagging wires' and the like?
Possibly a new discussion topic: Why wasn't the Great Eastern left alone as a DC Overhead network with subsequent few possible AC changeover points say, north of Colchester on the Norwich Line and-or entering the North London Line? (This seems to have been the norm in France in times both past and present.)
Surely, all of the above 'amendments' have caused inherent weaknesses to the original infrastructure over time? If not, why don't other routes both in the UK and abroad suffer 'sagging wires' and the like?
Possibly a new discussion topic: Why wasn't the Great Eastern left alone as a DC Overhead network with subsequent few possible AC changeover points say, north of Colchester on the Norwich Line and-or entering the North London Line? (This seems to have been the norm in France in times both past and present.)
