Leicester station road bridge electrification

[ShadowKnight]

It seems that the main bottleneck of the midland mainline electrification is the over road bridge at Leicester station (or nearby I actually don't know) which can't be raised nor the railway lowered without considerable expense that the current government like previous don't see any value in investing in infrastructure outside of London.

Anyway, I presume that physically an overhead wire can fit above but the electrical safety and electromagnetic field clearances preclude this.

Based on this assumption, could a short unpowered section of overhead wire/rail be installed and have to coast through this section?
Perhaps have a policy that any electric unit would have to have two adequately spaced pantographs raised to maintain electrical connection?

If that assumption is correct. Would that be feasible?

Just a thought

 

[jfollows]

From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...progress-updates.110445/page-268#post-7181791

From the posts above I see that Sheffield has complexities. But Leicester, Derby and Nottingham-really? Leicester has the London Road Bridge, but a similar situation in Cardiff was solved with voltage-ontrolled clearance: https://www.networkrailmediacentre....demolition-thanks-to-electric-resistant-paint

 

[swt_passenger]

It seems that the main bottleneck of the midland mainline electrification is the over road bridge at Leicester station (or nearby I actually don't know) which can't be raised nor the railway lowered without considerable expense that the current government like previous don't see any value in investing in infrastructure outside of London.

Your belief is incorrect. This is not a show stopper and this has been noted quite a few times in the main MML wiring thread, eg a Modern Railways magazine article was quoted here:

MML Electrification: progress updates

Nevermind the increased track wear due to the increased weight of lugging a diesel engine and gen set around 100% of time. Sure. And a battery EMU with a diesel range extender only needs a tiny diesel engine (about the size and weight used in a family car), as it can run at full power for the...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[mjr018]

It seems that the main bottleneck of the midland mainline electrification is the over road bridge at Leicester station (or nearby I actually don't know) which can't be raised nor the railway lowered without considerable expense that the current government like previous don't see any value in investing in infrastructure outside of London.

Anyway, I presume that physically an overhead wire can fit above but the electrical safety and electromagnetic field clearances preclude this.

Based on this assumption, could a short unpowered section of overhead wire/rail be installed and have to coast through this section?
Perhaps have a policy that any electric unit would have to have two adequately spaced pantographs raised to maintain electrical connection?

If that assumption is correct. Would that be feasible?

Just a thought

The approval in principal design for this area is complete - track lower using track slab combined with a sewer bridging solution. Voltage clearance control has been used to keep the electrical clearances to the minimum.

 

[Nottingham59]

The approval in principal design for this area is complete - track lower using track slab combined with a sewer bridging solution. Voltage clearance control has been used to keep the electrical clearances to the minimum.

That's good to hear the details. Thank you.

 

[swt_passenger]

The approval in principal design for this area is complete - track lower using track slab combined with a sewer bridging solution. Voltage clearance control has been used to keep the electrical clearances to the minimum.

Welcome. If only you’d been here a year ago, there’s been this long running assumption by quite a few forum members that the Leicester station area was a major problem, despite numerous replies saying the opposite…

 

[Merle Haggard]

The approval in principal design for this area is complete - track lower using track slab combined with a sewer bridging solution. Voltage clearance control has been used to keep the electrical clearances to the minimum.

Is the bridge the one carrying London road and the road level station building? If so, the platforms are quite close to the bridge piers, won't lowering the track there cause problems with platform levels?

 

[edwin_m]

Is the bridge the one carrying London road and the road level station building? If so, the platforms are quite close to the bridge piers, won't lowering the track there cause problems with platform levels?

That part of the platform isn't used, so my guess is that it will be formally taken out of use and fenced off or cut back.

 

[Merle Haggard]

That part of the platform isn't used, so my guess is that it will be formally taken out of use and fenced off or cut back.

Thanks. I can't remember exactly where the 10 car stop is on Platform 3 (the Up main) but I think it's South of the footbridge entrance, near the former 1st cl. lounge. Changed there yesterday should have looked!
I wonder what the reduction of level will be; obviously that determines the slope.

 

[mjr018]

Is the bridge the one carrying London road and the road level station building? If so, the platforms are quite close to the bridge piers, won't lowering the track there cause problems with platform levels?

Yes it is that bridge.

Minimal track lower with a small length of copers removed on the platforms and a small GRP fence on the platform parallel to the track to close off that area. Was tight with stopping positions and allowing for 810 units coupling units together as needed to consider stopping both directions.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Yes it is that bridge.

Minimal track lower with a small length of copers removed on the platforms and a small GRP fence on the platform parallel to the track to close off that area. Was tight with stopping positions and allowing for 810 units coupling units together as needed to consider stopping both directions.

Thanks.
From memory I think it might be possible easily to extend 2 & 3 (only) Northwards a little anyway.