MML Electrification: progress updates

[InTheEastMids]

Hi swt
I suspect when the approval for electrification was only to Mkt Hbro, the idea was to go sufficiently past the station to allow the cross over to be used if required.
However, now the approval is to Leicester (well - Wigston so far), I think the wires will go live all the way from Kettering to Wigston at the same time. There are a lot of masts and cantilevers etc all the way to Kibworth, and now beyond.

Looking at your photo (thanks) it appears the final portal is between the 2nd and 3rd drain cover between the lines. Comparing with Bing satellite pictures (which show them more clearly than Google) suggests the wires would have run out at this point, which is about 300 m North of the more southerly crossovers.

52.485701, -0.907781
https://www.bing.com/maps/?cp=52.485605~-0.9077&lvl=19.7&style=a#
So, subject to signalling etc, it is at least *theoretically* possible to reverse an electric train on the down line North of the station.
Not sure why you'd want to in normal ops. Somebody here may know whether and why this was envisaged, but if it's just speculation then probably best to take that to a new thread.

Back on topic, there are some blue/green cables have appeared, apparently linking the catenary wires to the steelwork. Earthing I assume?

 

[Flying Phil]

When there was a full block to the South of Harborough, trains from Leicester came in on Platform 2 then returned North after going over the crossover. They could also come into platform 1 having used the cross over, so we did have both platforms in use at the same time. I suspect a similar process could be used if there was a block North of Harborough.

 

[59CosG95]

I probably need to check a map then, thanks. So basically those heavy duty gantries usually denoting the end of a wire run have been there a while, (from a time when they were the limit), but we‘re now going to see masts appearing southwards coming from a construction compound further north?

Not quite; although there is a construction compound at East Langton, it's mainly for the Auto-Transformer Site being built there. The compound at Rushton (well-established now) is still being used as the main point where piles/masts/SPS etc is stored prior to installation. I recently saw masts numbered "SPC3/148.xxx" there, and that kilometrage range tallies up with the Newton Harcourt area. AIUI that compound is the closest to the A14.

We will eventually see masts coming north of the existing gantry at 134.100km (the previous limit of wiring), popping up either side of bridge SPC3-28F (where @Flying Phil's photos were taken from) and northwards from there to where they begin again south of bridges SPC3-28 ("Chaters Bridge") and SPC3-27F (the A6 Harborough Bypass).

 

[swt_passenger]

Not quite; although there is a construction compound at East Langton, it's mainly for the Auto-Transformer Site being built there. The compound at Rushton (well-established now) is still being used as the main point where piles/masts/SPS etc is stored prior to installation. I recently saw masts numbered "SPC3/148.xxx" there, and that kilometrage range tallies up with the Newton Harcourt area. AIUI that compound is the closest to the A14.

We will eventually see masts coming north of the existing gantry at 134.100km (the previous limit of wiring), popping up either side of bridge SPC3-28F (where @Flying Phil's photos were taken from) and northwards from there to where they begin again south of bridges SPC3-28 ("Chaters Bridge") and SPC3-27F (the A6 Harborough Bypass).

Thanks for adding the extra detail.

 

[edwin_m]

So, subject to signalling etc, it is at least *theoretically* possible to reverse an electric train on the down line North of the station.
Not sure why you'd want to in normal ops. Somebody here may know whether and why this was envisaged, but if it's just speculation then probably best to take that to a new thread.

Not in normal ops but when there's a closure between MH and Leicester, they could run the EMU service to MH instead of Corby, terminating by shunting northwards over the crossovers and returning to the Up platform. Diverted bi-modes would call at Corby. I don't think there's enough wire north of the signals to do that currently, which is a shame because there's a lot of reason for that closure at present!

 

[Smoggy]

And perhaps the Thameslink Core from City Thameslink northward as well?

ISTR that there are neutral sections in the Canal Tunnels separating the MML & ECML supplies; I imagine everything north of those neutrals remains under York's jurisdiction.

Derby ECR currently controls from City Thamesink through to Corby. Midland Road TSC is the boundary with York ECR still controlling the sections after the Neutrals towards Belle Isle.
Napsbury TSC and Radlett TSS are due into service this Sunday evening which will then see Sandridge Road TSC and Radlett Cabin decommissioned, with also the new Neutral Section at East Hyde commissioned.

 

[PJM]

Piles of piles at the small compound north of Market Harborough station. Bound for Great Bowden?

 

[59CosG95]

Derby ECR currently controls from City Thamesink through to Corby. Midland Road TSC is the boundary with York ECR still controlling the sections after the Neutrals towards Belle Isle.
Napsbury TSC and Radlett TSS are due into service this Sunday evening which will then see Sandridge Road TSC and Radlett Cabin decommissioned, with also the new Neutral Section at East Hyde commissioned.

Thanks for clarifying - thought Midland Rd would be the Derby/York electrical frontier.

The June Sectional Appendix for LNE needs to catch up though! All the MML & TL Core sheets still list York ECR.

Piles of piles at the small compound north of Market Harborough station. Bound for Great Bowden?
View attachment 137264

Love that - Piles of Piles! And yes - based on the location and proximity to the Great Bowden Gap, I can't foresee them going anywhere else. The area near Braybrooke ATFS would likely use the existing Braybrooke compound. Only a few bits and bobs left to do within the Wistow Rd compound's reach too vis-a-vis main steel.

Once all this piling's done, I'm expecting lots of activity in the Wigston area (personal speculation ofc).

 

[swt_passenger]

Is Midland Road TSC underground near the junction?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Love that - Piles of Piles!

credit for the first use of that phrase on this forum should go to @LDECRexile who used the phrase for piles of piles at Salwick on the Preston-Blackpool electrification project. I took the shot and that was his comment.

 

[PJM]

credit for the first use of that phrase on this forum should go to @LDECRexile who used the phrase for piles of piles at Salwick on the Preston-Blackpool electrification project. I took the shot and that was his comment.

Excellent!

 

[59CosG95]

credit for the first use of that phrase on this forum should go to @LDECRexile who used the phrase for piles of piles at Salwick on the Preston-Blackpool electrification project. I took the shot and that was his comment.

Credit where credit's due! Looking at the photo again, there's some proper length on those piles - perhaps Great Bowden is a bit of a "ground B**ger" as locations go. Not quite as bad as Manchester - Euxton with all the gravity pads that required (owing to the mine workings), or the Fens, but it looks like there's a much larger non-effective depth. Of course, the long ones could well be for the area near the intersection bridge where the disused Rugby to Stamford (ELR: RSD) line passed underneath.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2023 ==

Press release for this weekend's works: https://www.networkrailmediacentre....e-this-weekend-passengers-urged-to-plan-ahead

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2023 ==

Additionally, the MMLe Map has now published images of planned dates for work on:

• Bridge SPC3-28 (Chaters);
  • 
    ;
• and Bridge SPC3-3 (Taylors Lodge)
  • 

 

[Kneedown]

Gantry uprights, minus cantilevers, now in place approx 95% of the way from Kibworth, to the current limit of piling just shy of milepost 93, between Newton Harcourt and Kilby Bridge Jct.

 

[PJM]

Ready to go! The pile of piles on the move, maybe this weekend?

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks for the pics PJM

 

[59CosG95]

Ready to go! The pile of piles on the move, maybe this weekend?
View attachment 137432View attachment 137433

This weekend has 86m0ch to 92m50ch (just east of East Langton to Newton Harcourt) down as a Contingency Shift.
It also has 83m0ch to 85m0ch (Mkt Hboro Stn to north of the A6) down for this weekend too; truth be told, works started on Tuesday night!
Monday 26th to Thursday 29th is also booked in for this stretch.

 

[zwk500]

Do we know if Kettering-Market Harborough will go live ahead of MH-Wigston or will it be done in one go, given the 810s are still some way off entering service?

 

[snowball]

Do we know if Kettering-Market Harborough will go live ahead of MH-Wigston or will it be done in one go, given the 810s are still some way off entering service?

#5169 suggests that plans to complete Kettering-MH first were dropped when MH-Wigston was added, but is about 14 months old so the thinking may have changed.

 

[zwk500]

#5169 suggests that plans to complete Kettering-MH first were dropped when MH-Wigston was added, but is about 14 months old so the thinking may have changed.

Ta

 

[PJM]

Piles have appeared on the embankment next to Langton Road north of Great Bowden (maybe some of the long ones)?


Also some north of Main Street, Great Bowden.

 

[59CosG95]

Piles have appeared on the embankment next to Langton Road north of Great Bowden (maybe some of the long ones)?
View attachment 137475View attachment 137476

Also some north of Main Street, Great Bowden.
View attachment 137477View attachment 137478

Looking good! Anything to the south?

 

[PJM]

Looking good! Anything to the south?

Nothing so far.

 

[snowball]

Two press releases.
First one is about demolition of "two bridges on West Langton Road".
This is a bit confusing as West Langton Road seems to run eastwards roughly parallel to the line (which is here roughly E-W) on its north side, from a junction with the A6 near to the latter's bridge under the railway. Thus WL Road seems not to cross the railway.

Leicestershire drivers advised to plan ahead as Midland Main Line electrification work continues

Road users in West Langton, Leicestershire are being advised to plan ahead over the week of Monday 19 June until Friday 23 June.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Road users in West Langton, Leicestershire are being advised to plan ahead over the week of Monday 19 June until Friday 23 June.

Network Rail are in the process of electrifying the Midland Main Line from Kettering to Wigston. This will help to create a cleaner, greener electrified railway for passengers travelling along this section of the Midland Main Line in the future.

As part of this work, two bridges on West Langton Road will be demolished to provide clearance for equipment needed for electrification.

From Monday 19 June until Friday 23 June 2023 there will be temporary traffic lights at Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road as well as a temporary speed restriction of 40mph for the duration of the work.

There will also be temporary traffic lights at this location again later in August, with work expected to be completed in early September.

The work has been planned to cause the least amount of disruption to residents and rail passengers, in collaboration with Leicestershire County Council.

The other press release is about work in London, Herts, Beds and Notts:

Significant upgrades on the Midland Main Line this weekend – passengers urged to plan ahead

Passengers travelling to and from London on the Midland Main Line are being urged to plan ahead this weekend as major upgrades get underway.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Passengers travelling to and from London on the Midland Main Line are being urged to plan ahead this weekend as major upgrades get underway.

Engineers will work around the clock to renew signals, the traffic lights of the railway, in West Hampstead in north-west London, and well as upgrading track in Harpenden in Hertfordshire.

There’s also electrification work south of Bedford as part of the Midland Main Line upgrade, which will help to create a cleaner, greener railway for passengers, whilst two new substations at East Hyde, near Luton and Napsbury, near St Albans will allow for more trains to run on this section of the Midland Main Line in the future.

Further north, teams will push ahead with upgrading track between Attenborough and Beeston in Nottinghamshire. All this work will lead to a smoother and more reliable railway for passengers in the region.

These upgrades will mean changes to services between Derby and Nottingham, whilst buses will replace trains Luton and West Hampstead Thameslink on Saturday (17 June) and between Luton and London St. Pancras International on Sunday (18 June).

There will be no East Midlands Railway (EMR) services south of Luton, with buses available across to the East Coast Main Line at Hitchin, where passengers can board a train to London King’s Cross. There will be a reduced EMR service between Nottingham and Luton with extended journey times and buses will replace trains between Derby and Nottingham.

There will be limited Thameslink services between West Hampstead / Kentish Town and London St. Pancras International on Saturday, however there will be no Thameslink services between Luton and London St Pancras International on Sunday.

 

[swt_passenger]

Two press releases.
First one is about demolition of "two bridges on West Langton Road".
This is a bit confusing as West Langton Road seems to run eastwards roughly parallel to the line (which is here roughly E-W) on its north side, from a junction with the A6 near to the latter's bridge under the railway. Thus WL Road seems not to cross the railway.

I wonder if what they’re trying to get at is that traffic management is needed on West Langton Rd, there are two accommodation bridges I can see, across the fields and south of Langton Hall, but neither are accessed by proper roads or decent road junctions.

”Two worksites accessed by temporary junctions on West Langton Rd”, perhaps?

 

[John R]

If the intent is (and I accept that is a very big if given recent statements and positioning from the govt) to keep the current team busy, how long is it before a firm decision is made on the next phase(which I understand would start north of Leicester)?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

If the intent is (and I accept that is a very big if given recent statements and positioning from the govt) to keep the current team busy, how long is it before a firm decision is made on the next phase(which I understand would start north of Leicester)?

Syston to Trent Junction iirc

 

[Edvid]

If the intent is (and I accept that is a very big if given recent statements and positioning from the govt) to keep the current team busy, how long is it before a firm decision is made on the next phase(which I understand would start north of Leicester)?

As things stand NR are aiming for "most construction" of the currently-committed scheme to be done by April 2024 (per post #6073), so I'm guessing a few months prior for a decision on future phases - within the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, I assume.

It's almost 44 months (and counting) since the last RNEP update, and Mark Harper's position on the next one can be summed up as "Maybe Christmas 2023..." (extract from New Civil Engineer, 21 April 2023):

“One of the things we are doing at the moment is working through [RNEP]. It was held up because until we had settled our overall departmental budget and I had settled where we were making those decisions, at the individual project level, people were not able to then work through those individual projects."

“We should be able to set that out in due course, but I would hope to be able to do that relatively early on. I would definitely hope to be able to do it this year, but we need to be able to set out the details so that people know what the plans are."

“That work is under way at an individual project level, now that we have been able to set out the overall budget.”

 

[John Webb]

Two press releases.....<snip>

The other press release is about work in London, Herts, Beds and Notts:

Significant upgrades on the Midland Main Line this weekend – passengers urged to plan ahead

Passengers travelling to and from London on the Midland Main Line are being urged to plan ahead this weekend as major upgrades get underway.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Work very much in progress today at Napsbury:

And while dropping off a repaired signal at the St Albans South box I caught this vehicle being put onto the Down Fast line:

I assume from the large reel that they are replacing some of the contact wire in this area.

 

[adrock1976]

Piles have appeared on the embankment next to Langton Road north of Great Bowden (maybe some of the long ones)?


Also some north of Main Street, Great Bowden.

[SNIPPED IMAGES]

Looking at the images, was this section ever quad track at one point, being as there seems to be the space suggesting so?

 

[Energy]

Work very much in progress today at Napsbury:

Wonder how the series 2 headspans will hold up, older ones have more of a tendency to fall down.