Midland Main Line, 125 mph from 8 December 2013

[eastwestdivide]

Don't know about Loughborough, but there was a lot of new footbridge work (big green ones) going on between Leicester and Bedford (possibly elsewhere too), and I think some minor road bridge work as well, earlier this week.
And what's going on at the foot crossing S of Loughborough where the link line to the GC is?
Get your photos now before electrification really gets going!

 

[asylumxl]

I also note some new OHLE structures north of Borehamwood and a few other places I've already forgotten. Anyone in the know able to say whether they are just renewals or if some OHLE is being upgraded for 125mph EMU running in the future? (To pedants, I am aware Borehamwood is not 125mph).

 

[Edvid]

Looks like several headspans near Borehamwood are being replaced by portals. Previous recent OHLE changes were related to platform alterations and the conversion to an autotransformer system, so I'd also like the know what the purpose of these new structures is.

By the way, are all those TSRs still plonked on the fast lines south of Sharnbrook? Also, given another TSR in its vicinity, when will Cricklewood South Jn be renewed?

 

[Bald Rick]

TSRs are still on. Cricklewood S is in the plan, about 3 years off I think.

 

[shinkansen1966]

According to this EMT press release...
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk...-Trains-Prepares-for-Launch-of-New-Timetable/
... there will be further improvements in 2014. Does anyone know what these "further improvements to journey times" will be ?

 

[43074]

According to this EMT press release...
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk...-Trains-Prepares-for-Launch-of-New-Timetable/
... there will be further improvements in 2014. Does anyone know what these "further improvements to journey times" will be ?

Sub two-hours between London and Sheffield was the aim IIRC, but I don't know specifically where on the route these improvements will be.

Don't forget further improvements will be possible when work around Derby & Leicester is complete in a few years time, and further forward when the route is electrified.

 

[Mugby]

According to this EMT press release...
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk...-Trains-Prepares-for-Launch-of-New-Timetable/
... there will be further improvements in 2014. Does anyone know what these "further improvements to journey times" will be ?

David Horne, the Managing Director says "Faster journey times are vital for economic growth"

I wish he felt the same about Sundays!

 

[cambsy]

Been looking at real time trains, noticed out of St Pancras that trains are loosing one to two minutes out to Bedford on what i think are the 125 mph stretches, does this mean that there are TSR's in force stopping 125 mph from being reached out to Bedford and on other stretches.

 

[tbtc]

David Horne, the Managing Director says "Faster journey times are vital for economic growth"

True.

Though I don't see the "why are we spending huge sums of money so that businessmen can save a couple of minutes between Leicester and London" complaints that we'd get if this were HS2!

 

[t o m]

some big green sections of footbridge ramps are appearing in the yard outside Loughborough Station, look like DDA compliant gradient, quite wide (3/4m) with double yellow handrails. My guess this is a transit location for works elsewhere.

Is this to replace where the footpath crosses the 4 track MML about 500m south of Loughborough Station?

And what's going on at the foot crossing S of Loughborough where the link line to the GC is?

They are replacing Allsopp's crossing with a bridge. It is going to be a ramped bridge, as opposed to steps, as I believe it is a bridleway. That's why it is taking much longer.

They've recently put a new footbridge in to replace a foot crossing near Great Bowden. Cooks Lane crossing near Kilby Bridge was recently replaced with a footbridge too. There has also been the bridges rebuilt in Kibworth.

 

[Bald Rick]

Don't forget further improvements will be possible when work around Derby & Leicester is complete in a few years time, and further forward when the route is electrified.

or backward depending which trains are used...

 

[louis97]

Been looking at real time trains, noticed out of St Pancras that trains are loosing one to two minutes out to Bedford on what i think are the 125 mph stretches, does this mean that there are TSR's in force stopping 125 mph from being reached out to Bedford and on other stretches.

Plenty of TSRs still in place (SourcepenTrainTimes)

Up Direction

Cricklewood South – 30/50mph
Radlett to Elstree – 110mph
Harpenden Junction to Napsbury HABD – 100mph
Harlington to Luton North – 110mph
Sharnbrook Junction to Harlington – 110mph
South of Wellingborough Station – 80mph
Wingfield Tunnel to Ambergate Junction – 50mph
Clay Cross North to Clay Cross Tunnel – 80mph

Down Direction

Elstree to Radlett – 110mph
Napsbury HABD – Harpenden Junction – 95mph
Leagrave Junction to Harlington – 110mph
Harlington to Elstow Siding – 110mph
Harrowden Junction to Kettering – 100mph
Elstow Siding – Sharnbrook Junction – 110mph
Sharnbrook Junction – 110mph
Wellingborough Station – 65mph

 

[snowball]

They are replacing Allsopp's crossing with a bridge. It is going to be a ramped bridge, as opposed to steps, as I believe it is a bridal way.

I'm having fun trying to imagine what a bridal way is like ... maybe you mean a bridleway!

 

[O L Leigh]

Has there been a delay? There's a lot of new speed boards around Leicester still covered up.

O L Leigh

 

[t o m]

I'm having fun trying to imagine what a bridal way is like ... maybe you mean a bridleway!

Oh dear, not sure if I could even blame auto correct for that.

 

[LowLevel]

Has there been a delay? There's a lot of new speed boards around Leicester still covered up.

O L Leigh

There has indeed. NR haven't completed the infrastructure work required for all the higher speeds but some of the new restrictions are already published, hence all the TSRs and covered up boards.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Sheffield Star story on the faster trains here: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/faster-trains-get-on-track-for-sheffield-1-6305866

... The upgrade means trains are now able to run at 125 mph on parts of the Midland Main Line for the first time, shaving valuable minutes off journey times.

It means that the fastest journey time from Sheffield to London will now be reduced by six minutes to two hours, whilst the average journey time will be cut by seven minutes...

Doesn't tell you much new, other than the fact that they're publicising it.

 

[asylumxl]

Quite disappointed (but not surprised) that while the line now officially has 125mph sections, they are in fact not ready for use, from the TSRs I can see anyway.

I'm welcome to being corrected though. If this still is the case does anyone have an estimated date for removal of the TSRs? The dates listed for the current TSRs are open ended.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Well it appears that the TSRs aren't necessarily a problem for maintaining the end-to-end timetable - realtimetrains has today's 1058 from St Pancras arriving in Sheffield a minute early at 1257 (well 56 and three quarters but I haven't got a 3/4 key), so under the magic 2 hour mark.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C60448/2013/12/10/advanced

but perhaps a problem on the stretches S of Leicester - that train was mostly 1-2 late from St Albans as far as Derby, right time by Belper and early due to allowances after Chesterfield.

Better still, the 1358 from St Pancras was recorded as right time at every station stop and early into Sheffield at 1555 and a half, nicely under the 2 hours
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C60471/2013/12/10/advanced

 

[shinkansen1966]

Well it appears that the TSRs aren't necessarily a problem for maintaining the end-to-end timetable

So the new improved Midland Main Line timings are currently being achieved with the existing 110 mph general line speeds ?

 

[eastwestdivide]

So the new improved Midland Main Line timings are currently being achieved with the existing 110 mph general line speeds ?

That and luck I suspect. Some of those "2-hour" trains didn't make it on time according to realtimetrains today. Some only made it thanks to allowances.

In fact, I'm not sure if so many of those long-distance TSRs are still in force. Have a look at
http://www.opentraintimes.com/network_info/tsr?routegroup=EM
- I can see a bunch that ended around last weekend. Very hard to make sense of that list. Is there a way of filtering to just current ones?

for example:

Sharnbrook Jn and Luton North Jn
Up Fast
50mi 51ch to 31mi 16ch
110
0700 on Sun 24 November 2013 to 0930 on Sun 08 December 2013

i.e. ending last weekend, when the timetables changed over.

 

[LBSCR Times]

There will also be padding to allow for slower FCC services.

NR regulation policy is that late running EMT services get preference over on time FCC services, to enable a minimum delay to EMT services departing St.Pancras.

Two weeks ago a southbound FCC service (that is a peak service south of the river) was held 7' at Radlett Jct to allow a late running EMT service to precede.
Needless to say, it delayed numerous Southern peak services south of East Croydon.

 

[Edvid]

I also note some new OHLE structures north of Borehamwood and a few other places I've already forgotten. Anyone in the know able to say whether they are just renewals or if some OHLE is being upgraded for 125mph EMU running in the future?

Found these earlier today:

http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/10803739._It_woke_me_in_fear____return_of_rail_racket/
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/12/09/borehamwood-woken-at-2am/

Sounds like renewals to me. My guess is that the foundations in that area aren't as stable as they should be.

 

[asylumxl]

Found these earlier today:

http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/10803739._It_woke_me_in_fear____return_of_rail_racket/
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/12/09/borehamwood-woken-at-2am/

Sounds like renewals to me. My guess is that the foundations in that area aren't as stable as they should be.

Thank you! I can't believe they are complaining about the noise though. There used to be very little in the way of residential properties near the line/station. I'm sure the folks in the (relatively) new flats near the line have moaned, which is quite ironic.

 

[louis97]

So the new improved Midland Main Line timings are currently being achieved with the existing 110 mph general line speeds ?

It always was possible using old line speeds, but with the location of conflicts meant the longer journey times. I saw a train do London to Sheffield in under 2 hours at least 2 years ago having left London late and getting a clear run.

Its worth noting that although there are TSRs in place, there is still improvements even with the current TSRs which I posted further up the thread in place. For example Ampthill Tunnel south of Bedford used to the 100 on a section of 110mph, where as now its 110mph throughout, so no need to slow down.

In fact, I'm not sure if so many of those long-distance TSRs are still in force. Have a look at
http://www.opentraintimes.com/network_info/tsr?routegroup=EM
- I can see a bunch that ended around last weekend. Very hard to make sense of that list. Is there a way of filtering to just current ones?

Have a look at my post further up, that lists all current TSRs in place. Still one or two in place, a lot more shorter ones now though.

 

[LTJ87]

Typically lazy reporting from BBC Nottingham and the Nottingham Post today who not neglected to point out that there is just one train a day from Nottingham to London with a journey time of 91 minutes!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-25301981

 

[cambsy]

Was on the 10.58 am St Pancras to Sheffield on Tuesday 10.12.13, which did it in just under 2 hrs which was pleasantly surprised at, considering number of TSR's on journey, think may have done 125 mph in short stretches but not sure, and once TSR have gone there will be a lot of time in hand.

 

[eastwestdivide]

...
Have a look at my post further up, that lists all current TSRs in place. Still one or two in place, a lot more shorter ones now though.

Yes, I did look, and couldn't make your list tally with the one on opentraintimes. e.g. yours lists Sharnbrook-Harlington and Harlington-Luton as 110mph, while OTT lists Sharnbrook-Luton as 110mph ending last weekend.
I was wondering if your list was still current, or if the OTT list wasn't correct.
Still none the wiser.

Anyone with a stopwatch travelling that way shortly? GPS doesn't seem to work on the 222s.

 

[duffield]

Anyone got any informed speculation about what the fastest times from Nottingham to St. Pancras will be
a) After all remaining planned pre-electrification improvements but before electrification?
b) After electrification?

My guess for b) would be about 1hr 20mins, does this sound achievable?

 

[louis97]

Yes, I did look, and couldn't make your list tally with the one on opentraintimes. e.g. yours lists Sharnbrook-Harlington and Harlington-Luton as 110mph, while OTT lists Sharnbrook-Luton as 110mph ending last weekend.
I was wondering if your list was still current, or if the OTT list wasn't correct.
Still none the wiser.

Anyone with a stopwatch travelling that way shortly? GPS doesn't seem to work on the 222s.

I simplified the list, a lot of the ones I have down to/from Sharnbrook are from Oakley HABD on the list which is just south of Sharnbrook. Sorry should of mentioned that!