Hitchin flyover open

[Aictos]

I was on the first, the 1252 ex Moorgate to Letchworth service. There were three trains today all Moorgate to Letchworth. I believe it is the same tomorrow. There were a lot of Network Rail staff on the train and this was apparently the very first EMU to run over it. Only the tracklayer and ballast trains had been over it previously so there were a lot of relieved people that it all went smoothly.

Same here, I was on the train from Hertford and we pulled into Hitchin when a number of press photographers and management got on - before departing from Hitchin the driver made a special announcement before we headed north to tackle the flyover.

It went smoothly although we were held on the flyover for a Cambridge bound service so finally got into Letchworth 10 mins late.

That train was officially the first ever train to use the flyover in passenger service as confirmed by the driver and I'm very proud to have been part of railway history

 

[philjo]

The blog which has followed the construction has an account of today's first train

http://hitchingradeseparation.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/first-day-of-public-service.html

I am pleased to report that the new chord was successfully commissioned today. First Capital Connect ran three trains today, all Moorgate to Letchworth Services. The first was the 1252 followed by the 1352 and the 1452. This pattern will be repeated tomorrow. This is a great achievement to bring the project to completion ahead of the original schedule and under budget, a rare thing with major engineering projects. Congratulations to the Hitchin Alliance comprised of Network Rail and Hochtief. Also to Mabey Bridge, Volker Rail and all the other subcontractors.

I was on the first train along with a number of people from the Hitchin Alliance. No other train apart from the tracklayer and ballast trains had run over the chord so this really was the first proper train to use it. There was some trepidation as to whether the new platform starter signal would work showing the path onto the viaduct. However it duly lit up as the train approached much to the relief of those present. We all crowded onto the train much to the bemusement of those already on it. I heard one passenger say that there are normally only about 6 passengers on it....

 

[jopsuk]

Surely a driver familiarisation run or two had taken place using units before the the first passenger service?

 

[A-driver]

Surely a driver familiarisation run or two had taken place using units before the the first passenger service?

Nope-they sent most of the DIs and DMs to walk it with network rail and then briefed them. Now they are taking about 8 drivers a day on the 3 trains running with one of the DIs to drive so that drivers can road learn it after a short briefing-it will be a long while before all drivers sign the road on their own.

That's why only 3 trains a day will work it for now-would be chaos otherwise with drivers needing the route reset at Hitchin etc if they don't sign it.

 

[swt_passenger]

Network Rail have put up a time-lapse of the build, and various info.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...ervices-start-using-Hitchin-flyover-1db6.aspx

I found this:

"First Capital Connect will run up to three services a day over the flyover, but by December [...] almost 600 trains a week will use the 2km single-track rail link."

How does that number (600) compare to current use of the flat crossing, ie does it give a better idea of the proportion of trains that will run either way? Seems to be about 4 to 5 trains per hour ignoring weekday and Sat/Sun variations...

 

[87015]

Nope-they sent most of the DIs and DMs to walk it with network rail and then briefed them. Now they are taking about 8 drivers a day on the 3 trains running with one of the DIs to drive so that drivers can road learn it after a short briefing-it will be a long while before all drivers sign the road on their own.

That's why only 3 trains a day will work it for now-would be chaos otherwise with drivers needing the route reset at Hitchin etc if they don't sign it.

What a shambles! Is there shenanigans going on regarding RDW or driver shortage which is stopping release for learning it or is it just a matter of really not wanting to spend a single penny? It must be in FCCs interests to get everyone signing it sooner rather than later?

 

[A-driver]

What a shambles! Is there shenanigans going on regarding RDW or driver shortage which is stopping release for learning it or is it just a matter of really not wanting to spend a single penny? It must be in FCCs interests to get everyone signing it sooner rather than later?

Well you can't road learn something until it is built can you?!

Someone needs to sign it without driving it to teach it to the rest don't they?

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Are any trains booked to run over the flyover tomorrow (Saturday) ? It would be my first chance to bash a bit of new track since... I can't remember when !

 

[A-driver]

Are any trains booked to run over the flyover tomorrow (Saturday) ? It would be my first chance to bash a bit of new track since... I can't remember when !

Doubt it as there arnt Letchworth terminators at weekends.

 

[HST Power]

Been a while since this thread was updated, but I will choose to revive it as opposed to making a new one.

I was thinking the other day, when the Flyover is fully operational, what will be the likelihood of being able to capture trains passing over the Flyover at the same time as over services passing below it?

Could turn out be to be an interesting photographic opportunity!

 

[philjo]

A few more trains are using the flyover now - I came over it on Friday on the 16:32 KX-Cambridge Service. It is the 3rd time I have been over the flyover - each time was on that particular service (& each time was on a Friday!)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Been a while since this thread was updated, but I will choose to revive it as opposed to making a new one.

I was thinking the other day, when the Flyover is fully operational, what will be the likelihood of being able to capture trains passing over the Flyover at the same time as over services passing below it?

Could turn out be to be an interesting photographic opportunity!

Best viewpoint would probably be on the Cadwell Crossing footbridge?

 

[HST Power]

Best viewpoint would probably be on the Cadwell Crossing footbridge?

Whereabouts is that? I haven't had a chance to get down there yet - when I get sorted out with a bike I will probably go down there and take a look. It's been some time since I used the walking paths crossing from Letchworth into Hitchin.

 

[philjo]

It takes the Icknield Way footpath over the ECML and is just north of the flyover. (it used the be a foot crossing which was interesting considering the 4 tracks & the curve to the south meaning that crossing from the east you could not see trains coming northbound - you had to rely on the signals!)

You can access the footpath in Ickleford or from the Letchworth end at Wilbury hill - it is about a mile to walk down to the crossing.

 

[spuddie]

Took my first trip over the curve on Sunday, totally caught me out as wasn't expecting it to be open yet. Seemed odd to be carrying on past Hitchin towards Peterborough at first but the curve was nice and smooth.

You can get some good views of the curve if you follow the Letchworth Greenway walk, it might be the same place as mentioned above, not sure.

 

[philjo]

I think that the view from the official Greenway route will be from the other side of the Cambridge line round the back of Highfield (as the Greenway route goes through a housing estate & away from the railway in the Wilbury Hill area). It would have a good view from there of the curve approaching Hitchin East junction as you are looking down the hill.
Cadwell crossing is probably best view for the flyover itself, or maybe try the Hitchin Lavender field.

I came over the flyover again last night, this time on a 321. It seems that most trains towards Letchworth that call at Hitchin are now using the flyover as of this week.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Took my first trip over the curve on Sunday, totally caught me out as wasn't expecting it to be open yet. Seemed odd to be carrying on past Hitchin towards Peterborough at first but the curve was nice and smooth.

You can get some good views of the curve if you follow the Letchworth Greenway walk, it might be the same place as mentioned above, not sure.

Does it really add to the journey time at all?

 

[philjo]

Can't say that I really noticed as I was more interested in looking at the flyover!
The distance travelled is further but the train accelerates noticeably faster out of Hitchin & the line speed I think is 60mph on the flyover- the using the flat junction & the sharp curve had a 40mph limit on it. I think it would only add a minute to the journey time.

 

[TheKnightWho]

I'm guessing that if they're still using the current timetable without problems then we won't see any minutes added in December.

 

[philjo]

Came over the flyover again just now. A Hull Trains unit was passing through Hitchin southbound as the doors closed and an EC HST was going through northbound at speed while we were on the flyover itself (so I had a good view of the top of the HST !). So if we had used the flat junction we would have waited at least 3 more minutes at Hitchin - the added journey time I guess is absorbed by not having to wait for the junction to clear.
I'm hoping that in the Dec timetable a couple of the evening peak Cambridge stopper services I use will be speeded up slightly. One train waits at Stevenage for 4 minutes then at Hitchin for another 3 for a couple of EC services to go past.

 

[swt_passenger]

If it is correct, opentraintimes is showing the vast majority of down trains using the flyover from Dec 8th onwards.

Which is exactly as you'd expect given NR's explanation that about 600 trains a week would use it...

 

[causton]

If it is correct, opentraintimes is showing the vast majority of down trains using the flyover from Dec 8th onwards.

Which is exactly as you'd expect given NR's explanation that about 600 trains a week would use it...

As long as the drivers are trained for it I see no reason why not!

 

[t0ffeeman]

I think I see drivers being asked at Hitchin whether they sign the flyover when there would be a delay going via the flat junction. The xx06 being the main culprit as the xx30 ec would be wanting to race through the fast and the xx23 is up its backside on the slow.

 

[Aictos]

Not sure what the drivers do but one I spoke to said they now contact the signaller upon approach to Hitchin to advise they have the route knowledge to go via the flyover.

 

[jopsuk]

If it is correct, opentraintimes is showing the vast majority of down trains using the flyover from Dec 8th onwards.

Which is exactly as you'd expect given NR's explanation that about 600 trains a week would use it...

So that'll include Cambridge Express services?

 

[Ironside]

Not sure what the drivers do but one I spoke to said they now contact the signaller upon approach to Hitchin to advise they have the route knowledge to go via the flyover.

Presumably some drivers have the route knowledge and others don't and this is a fail safe system, ie drivers that announce there knowledge are signalled onto the flyover those that don't wait to go over the flat. This way a signaller wont ever send a train over the flyover with a driver who doesn't have the required route training.

At some point in the near future all drivers who drive that line will be qualified to go over the flyover and then the need to announce knowledge will be discontinued.

Quite a good system if you ask me.

 

[t0ffeeman]

Should be the other way round. This pushes the responsibility (and delay mins) onto the driver rather than the signaller

 

[spuddie]

Does it really add to the journey time at all?

Not by enough to really notice, it does feel longer at first because you feel like your going the wrong way out of Hitchin but then feels like it catches it up over the curve.

It does make me wonder how many people without knowledge of the new flyover have thought they were on the wrong train when leaving Hitchin.

 

[D365]

So that'll include Cambridge Express services?

Apparently not, according to A-driver and others earlier; don't suppose that will have changed?

 

[swt_passenger]

Apparently not, according to A-driver and others earlier; don't suppose that will have changed?

As I say, 'opentraintimes' shows nearly all services over the flyover. (Shown as 'DCF' in the detailed view.)

I've just been down the list again (between anout 0800 and 1600), checking all the Cambridge and Kings Lynn down fast services through Hitchin, (ie those marked PASS) and can find only two that are not shown as DCF.

 

[jopsuk]

unless my calculations are way off, for it to be used by ~600 trains a week would require the Express services? There's 72 (unless I miscount) KGX-CBG trains on weekdays and I make it 25 Letworth and Royston terminators. So weekdays that's 97 trains in service accessing the branch- 485 total. There's less trains each day at the weekends.
So either the ~600 is wrong and it'll be about 2/3 of that number, or the drivers are wrong and the Express services are going up and over.