MML Electrification: progress updates

[Hairy Bear]

Also, and this might have been covered within the previous 188 pages, but lost in the mists of time, will there be automatic power changeover for 810s around Market Harborough, or has that been dropped since the electrification show is now rolling on towards Wigston?

We were told some while back that it was to be done manually due to the continued changing limits of electrification.
No balises were to be provided.

 

[Mollman]

We were told some while back that it was to be done manually due to the continued changing limits of electrification.
No balises were to be provided.

What you need is someone to produce a balise that can easily be mover as the limit of electrification moves.

 

[zwk500]

What you need is someone to produce a balise that can easily be mover as the limit of electrification moves.

It's not the ballsed itself that's the problem but the continual movement and need to update all systems and documentation.

 

[WAO]

Thank you for all these photos. I have this crazy vision of all this happening under BR. Cascaded class 86s are heading trains of MK2 stock and being taken off at Kettering with class 47s hauling the trains on to the north!

I believe that 86229 was named "Sir John Betjeman" at St Pancras on 24/06/1983 before heading a special to Bedford. It was supposed to be held at Euston but he refused to be associated with BR's previous destruction of the Arch.

Ditto thanks for the photos.

WAO

 

[chorx18]

My observations form a return trip yesterday:

Wigston Jn - Market Harborough: Evidence of recent lineside de-vegetation. Of course, this may be nothing to do with electrification and just routine work.

Market Harborough - Glendon Jn: Masts up for most of this section, apart from maybe 3 gaps. 1 gap had piles awaiting masts. Most of the sections with masts had at least an earth wire installed.

 

[The exile]

I believe that 86229 was named "Sir John Betjeman" at St Pancras on 24/06/1983 before heading a special to Bedford. It was supposed to be held at Euston but he refused to be associated with BR's previous destruction of the Arch.

Ditto thanks for the photos.

WAO

Not to mention diversions into St Pancras using electrics to Bedford in (?) 1991.

 

[59CosG95]

My observations form a return trip yesterday:

Wigston Jn - Market Harborough: Evidence of recent lineside de-vegetation. Of course, this may be nothing to do with electrification and just routine work.

Market Harborough - Glendon Jn: Masts up for most of this section, apart from maybe 3 gaps. 1 gap had piles awaiting masts. Most of the sections with masts had at least an earth wire installed.

Seems fairly up to date!
The gaps that I can think of are:

1. a sizeable one around Braybrooke ATFS, as I think there'll be track lowering at the bridge (SPC3-34) there, along with work to install the neutral section (which requires a more accurate and careful setup than the other parts of the route). At the eastern end, piles have gone in, but only east of the other bridge in the vicinity (SPC3-35, which is being rebuilt).
2. A slightly smaller, but still sizeable gap through the centre of Desborough, likely also for track lowering. AFAIK the bridges through there are only having their parapets altered rather than being fully rebuilt.
3. The smallest gap - between bridges SPC3-43 (a green footbridge) and SPC3-44 (an already rebuilt bridleway bridge) in Rushton.

If memory serves, there are a couple of outstanding bits in the Rushton/Kettering North Junction area, but the majority of steelwork to Mkt H is now in.

 

[Flying Phil]

I was out and about today and the 25kV trackside part of the Braybrooke supply site is now connected to the main transformer site - and as 59CosG says there are no piles or masts along that stretch.

Also there is a long gap through Desborough


The new bridge at Rushton is in place but not expected to open for road traffic until December.

 

[PJM]

I was out and about today and the 25kV trackside part of the Braybrooke supply site is now connected to the main transformer site - and as 59CosG says there are no piles or masts along that stretch.
View attachment 120827
Also there is a long gap through Desborough
View attachment 120828

The new bridge at Rushton is in place but not expected to open for road traffic until December.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Sep 2022 ==

I was out and about today and the 25kV trackside part of the Braybrooke supply site is now connected to the main transformer site - and as 59CosG says there are no piles or masts along that stretch.
View attachment 120827
Also there is a long gap through Desborough
View attachment 120828

The new bridge at Rushton is in place but not expected to open for road traffic until December.
View attachment 120830

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Sep 2022 ==

I was out and about today and the 25kV trackside part of the Braybrooke supply site is now connected to the main transformer site - and as 59CosG says there are no piles or masts along that stretch.
View attachment 120827
Also there is a long gap through Desborough
View attachment 120828

The new bridge at Rushton is in place but not expected to open for road traffic until December.
View attachment 120830

Nice shots FlyingPhil, I have that picture of Rushton Bridge, I will try and get round to the other side where I should be able to get a closer shot. I couldn`t see whether the road was in place?

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks PJM - sorry that there are repeated words and pictures for some reason. I have tried to edit the post and it won't let me do that so I have sent a report to admin....possibly! I suspect I have inadvertently overloaded the system...Oooops!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I was out and about today and the 25kV trackside part of the Braybrooke supply site is now connected to the main transformer site - and as 59CosG says there are no piles or masts along that stretch.
View attachment 120827
Also there is a long gap through Desborough
View attachment 120828

The new bridge at Rushton is in place but not expected to open for road traffic until December.
View attachment 120830

Thanks for the update. Great pics. BTW I had to edit my post so it looks like there may be a software glitch.

 

[Alfie1014]

I believe that 86229 was named "Sir John Betjeman" at St Pancras on 24/06/1983 before heading a special to Bedford. It was supposed to be held at Euston but he refused to be associated with BR's previous destruction of the Arch.

Ditto thanks for the photos.

WAO

Here is the special train at Pancras waiting to depart. I was lucky enough to be able to travel on it.

 

[baz962]

We were told some while back that it was to be done manually due to the continued changing limits of electrification.
No balises were to be provided.

I wonder how soon the first ADD will be

 

[Richard Scott]

View attachment 120849
Here is the special train at Pancras waiting to depart. I was lucky enough to be able to travel on it.

Looks like wires are really high judging by the pantograph?

 

[snowball]

Looks like wires are really high judging by the pantograph?

Common sense to make them high in the station given how high the roof is.

 

[Richard Scott]

Common sense to make them high in the station given how high the roof is.

Agreed, I just didn't realise they were that high. Remember having an 87 out of there in early 90s when diverted when Euston was closed.

 

[43066]

View attachment 120849
Here is the special train at Pancras waiting to depart. I was lucky enough to be able to travel on it.

Blimey it has changed a bit…

 

[John Webb]

A view of Napsbury taken this afternoon (17th Sept):


The far (North) end of the site has been tidied up and they are part-way through erecting a fence around the substation. The connecting wires remain coiled up for the time being.

 

[59CosG95]

Did another small trip to Mkt H'boro' and beyond this afternoon. Images on the big camera will follow tomorrow, but here are the phone shots now.


The first item of note that I've seen is that the existing access point sign at U/B SPC3-31 (Scotland Rd) now has an addendum drilled onto it. Said addendum says that "from 27th May 2023, this area will be controlled by Derby Electrical Control Room (ECR)". Currently (pun intended) the ECR for the MML is York.

I can also confirm in advance that all cantilevers and earth wires (except those within Mkt H station, and those on the Series 1 booms) are complete between Little Bowden & Great Bowden.

Onwards and westwards - to O/B SPC3-10 - the former bridge by the long-closed Great Glen station. Looks mainly like de-vegetation works that have gone on.


Finally, the compound at Wistow Rd. Not many materials yet, but it's certainly established now.

 

[midland1]

Might be worth taking a few photos now from Great Glen before the wires go up, I only live in Wigston make a change from Kilby Bridge Jn.

 

[59CosG95]

Might be worth taking a few photos now from Great Glen before the wires go up, I only live in Wigston make a change from Kilby Bridge Jn.

Absolutely - get your photos in while you can!

Back down in Kettering, meanwhile, the Earth Wire on the DF side appears to have been extended north. I'm not 100% sure where it starts or ends, but it's certainly up around where it crosses the A4300. And at Rushton, west of the new Bridge 42, 4 previously erected STCs (Single Track Cantilevers) sandwiching the previously erected signal gantry have actually been removed, although the piles seem to have stayed. Perhaps it's a late design change to cater for the potential (haha) upgrade to an Autotransformer system? (Makes sense to swap the physical masts out now before the wires are run/energised. I'll keep an eye on this)

 

[PJM]

Did another small trip to Mkt H'boro' and beyond this afternoon. Images on the big camera will follow tomorrow, but here are the phone shots now.

View attachment 120910
The first item of note that I've seen is that the existing access point sign at U/B SPC3-31 (Scotland Rd) now has an addendum drilled onto it. Said addendum says that "from 27th May 2023, this area will be controlled by Derby Electrical Control Room (ECR)". Currently (pun intended) the ECR for the MML is York.

I can also confirm in advance that all cantilevers and earth wires (except those within Mkt H station, and those on the Series 1 booms) are complete between Little Bowden & Great Bowden.

Onwards and westwards - to O/B SPC3-10 - the former bridge by the long-closed Great Glen station. Looks mainly like de-vegetation works that have gone on.
View attachment 120914View attachment 120915View attachment 120916

Finally, the compound at Wistow Rd. Not many materials yet, but it's certainly established now.
View attachment 120917

Retraced your steps today

Did another small trip to Mkt H'boro' and beyond this afternoon. Images on the big camera will follow tomorrow, but here are the phone shots now.

View attachment 120910
The first item of note that I've seen is that the existing access point sign at U/B SPC3-31 (Scotland Rd) now has an addendum drilled onto it. Said addendum says that "from 27th May 2023, this area will be controlled by Derby Electrical Control Room (ECR)". Currently (pun intended) the ECR for the MML is York.

I can also confirm in advance that all cantilevers and earth wires (except those within Mkt H station, and those on the Series 1 booms) are complete between Little Bowden & Great Bowden.

Onwards and westwards - to O/B SPC3-10 - the former bridge by the long-closed Great Glen station. Looks mainly like de-vegetation works that have gone on.
View attachment 120914View attachment 120915View attachment 120916

Finally, the compound at Wistow Rd. Not many materials yet, but it's certainly established now.
View attachment 120917

Retraced your steps today

59CosG95 as you described the compounds are well established and considerable vegetation clearance if compared to google street view!​

 

[59CosG95]

One of my recent pics on Flickr (a shameless plug, I know!): https://flic.kr/p/2nNbi79
This captures the progress at Mkt H'boro' pretty well.

 

[Verulamius]

MML phase 3 (electrification) prioritised today.​

​

The Growth Plan 2022 (HTML)

www.gov.uk

​

Rail​

87. Cambridge South Station


88. Northumberland Line


89. White Rose Station


90. Thorpe Park


91. Transpennine Route Upgrade


92. East West Rail


93. Leeds Station Enhancement


94. Manchester Improvements


95. Midland Main Line Phase 3


96. Northern Powerhouse Rail

 

[WAO]

Presumably 95 MML Phase 3 means all the way to Sheffield, not Route Section 3, Syston to Trent Junction.

WAO

 

[59CosG95]

Presumably 95 MML Phase 3 means all the way to Sheffield, not Route Section 3, Syston to Trent Junction.

WAO

Correct; Phase 3 is indeed the rest of the route.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

One of my recent pics on Flickr (a shameless plug, I know!): https://flic.kr/p/2nNbi79
This captures the progress at Mkt H'boro' pretty well.

A great action shot btw.

 

[PJM]

One of my recent pics on Flickr (a shameless plug, I know!): https://flic.kr/p/2nNbi79
This captures the progress at Mkt H'boro' pretty well.

Nice shot!

 

[Flying Phil]

One of my recent pics on Flickr (a shameless plug, I know!): https://flic.kr/p/2nNbi79
This captures the progress at Mkt H'boro' pretty well.

Nice picture! Thanks for linking.

 

[Snow1964]

Taken from the Growth Fund thread
Item 95 Midland Main line phase 3

Says in the intro that aim is to have all the projects started by end 2023

Electrifying Midland Mainline to Nottingham and Sheffield

The growth plan 2022: transport infrastructure projects identified for acceleration - GOV.UK

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk