Rebuilding Bedford Midland Station for EWR

[MidlandMainlie]

With Bedford Midland station due for a rebuild and East West rail due to call there the station is going to need some major works. I would do it in this order if it is possible:

Phase 1 demolish the existing station buildings and all the platform buildings.

Phase 2 begin building two new through platforms on the the site of the current car park and station building. These would be built for EWR but commissioned and used for terminating Thameslink services initially. EWR services to terminate at St John's temporarily.

Phase 3 rebuild the current platforms 1 and 2 further east for terminating Thameslink trains.

Phase 4 rebuild the current plafrom 2 & 3 island further East so the current track on platform 3 becomes a through line with the new platform 3 as a loop off the Southbound fast line. The current platform 4 is unaltered but becomes a loop off existing through track which becomes a through Northbound fast. (I can't remember which is the up fast and down fast sorry).

Phase 5 new station building and multi story car park to replace lost car parking.

If the aproches from the south are to constrained by Ford End Rd bridge then the whole station would have to move Northwards.

Final layout would be new platforms 1 & 2 for EWR, platforms 3 & 4 for terminating Thameslink and platforms 5 & 6 (currently platform 4) as loops off the fast lines for EMR semi-fast services to Wellingbrough, Kettering and Corby which can be overtaken by nonstop services to Leicester that carry onto Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield on the through lines.

 

[edwin_m]

With Bedford Midland station due for a rebuild and East West rail due to call there the station is going to need some major works. I would do it in this order if it is possible:

Phase 1 demolish the existing station buildings and all the platform buildings.

Phase 2 begin building two new through platforms on the the site of the current car park and station building. These would be built for EWR but commissioned and used for terminating Thameslink services initially. EWR services to terminate at St John's temporarily.

Phase 3 rebuild the current platforms 1 and 2 further east for terminating Thameslink trains.

Phase 4 rebuild the current plafrom 2 & 3 island further East so the current track on platform 3 becomes a through line with the new platform 3 as a loop off the Southbound fast line. The current platform 4 is unaltered but becomes a loop off existing through track which becomes a through Northbound fast. (I can't remember which is the up fast and down fast sorry).

Phase 5 new station building and multi story car park to replace lost car parking.

If the aproches from the south are to constrained by Ford End Rd bridge then the whole station would have to move Northwards.

Final layout would be new platforms 1 & 2 for EWR, platforms 3 & 4 for terminating Thameslink and platforms 5 & 6 (currently platform 4) as loops off the fast lines for EMR semi-fast services to Wellingbrough, Kettering and Corby which can be overtaken by nonstop services to Leicester that carry onto Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield on the through lines.

If the station needs re-building for EWR then I agree with the first part, of building new platforms where the station building is now. But the fast tracks through the station are curved and creating loops would involve much lower speeds for non-stopping trains, or they would have to continue over new river bridges with the southern turnouts on the straight near Kempston Road. There's no timetable benefit in overtaking at Bedford anyway - EMR has fast paths every 15min from St Pancras and a slower one 3min behind two of the fast ones, which can get beyond Wellingborough before it's caught up by the next fast. And if being overtaken on a short loop, a stopping train would have to wait at least 5min to avoid delaying the fast behind it.

 

[JonathanH]

I don't think that two platforms for Thameslink is enough if the Carriage Sidings (including Jowett Sidings) are going to remain in operation. The current service uses all of platforms 1, 2 and 3 for reversal.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

If the station needs re-building for EWR then I agree with the first part, of building new platforms where the station building is now. But the fast tracks through the station are curved and creating loops would involve much lower speeds for non-stopping trains, or they would have to continue over new river bridges with the southern turnouts on the straight near Kempston Road. There's no timetable benefit in overtaking at Bedford anyway - EMR has fast paths every 15min from St Pancras and a slower one 3min behind two of the fast ones, which can get beyond Wellingborough before it's caught up by the next fast. And if being overtaken on a short loop, a stopping train would have to wait at least 5min to avoid delaying the fast behind it.

My idea of fast line platforms on loops was to allow future proofing the MML for extra services by allowing somewhere for non-stop services to overtake.

When the 2tph to Corby start with the 360's then Bedford, Wellingborough will lose their Nothbound services to Leicester and beyond. By introducing platforms on loops from the fast lines at at Bedford then it would allow non-sop services to overtake allowing extra semi-fast services. So the eventual departure timetable from St Pancras could look like this if possible.

00 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

05 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

15 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

20 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester (this would restore a direct service to Leicester for Bedford and the Northamptonshire towns plus I've Leicester a link to Luton airport).

30 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

35 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

45 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

50 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester.

Having platforms on loops at Bedford would allow the Intercity to overtake the semifast that departs 10 mins earlier.

The two extra electric services to Leicester would mean that the 4 Intercity services would become non-stop allowing journey time improvements by removing stops at Market Harbrough.

 

[London Trains]

My idea of fast line platforms on loops was to allow future proofing the MML for extra services by allowing somewhere for non-stop services to overtake.

When the 2tph to Corby start with the 360's then Bedford, Wellingborough will lose their Nothbound services to Leicester and beyond. By introducing platforms on loops from the fast lines at at Bedford then it would allow non-sop services to overtake allowing extra semi-fast services. So the eventual departure timetable from St Pancras could look like this if possible.

00 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

05 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

15 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

20 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester (this would restore a direct service to Leicester for Bedford and the Northamptonshire towns plus I've Leicester a link to Luton airport).

30 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

35 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

45 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

50 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester.

Having platforms on loops at Bedford would allow the Intercity to overtake the semifast that departs 10 mins earlier.

The two extra electric services to Leicester would mean that the 4 Intercity services would become non-stop allowing journey time improvements by removing stops at Market Harbrough.

Very good ideas, but are the paths even available for the new services. Additionally the paths are 3 minutes after the intercity paths, not 5 minutes.

Honestly though, if the paths are available between St Pancras and Bedford, this service pattern could be done without loops at Bedford, with the services crossing to the slows north of Bedford.

However, one problem is that Market Harborough will lose their fast service, so it might be a good idea to call the Nottingham servicee there.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

Very good ideas, but are the paths even available for the new services. Additionally the paths are 3 minutes after the intercity paths, not 5 minutes.

Honestly though, if the paths are available between St Pancras and Bedford, this service pattern could be done without loops at Bedford, with the services crossing to the slows north of Bedford.

However, one problem is that Market Harborough will lose their fast service, so it might be a good idea to call the Nottingham servicee there.

Good points although the it depends on where the EWR services North of Bedford are due to diverge from the MML slows so hopefully there should not be any capacity constants on the slows North of Bedford with EWR, semi-fasts to Wellingborough, Kettering and beyond and freight.

 

[cle]

It should be doable. Anticipated of the newly quadded section is very modest right now... even with freight, the frequency is quite low for a fast, four track railway.

 

[A0]

My idea of fast line platforms on loops was to allow future proofing the MML for extra services by allowing somewhere for non-stop services to overtake.

When the 2tph to Corby start with the 360's then Bedford, Wellingborough will lose their Nothbound services to Leicester and beyond. By introducing platforms on loops from the fast lines at at Bedford then it would allow non-sop services to overtake allowing extra semi-fast services. So the eventual departure timetable from St Pancras could look like this if possible.

00 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

05 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

15 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

20 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester (this would restore a direct service to Leicester for Bedford and the Northamptonshire towns plus I've Leicester a link to Luton airport).

30 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

35 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton airport parkway, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

45 - Intercity to Nottingham with first stop Leicester.

50 - New electric service to Leicester calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering, then calling at Market Harbrough and terminating at Leicester.

Having platforms on loops at Bedford would allow the Intercity to overtake the semifast that departs 10 mins earlier.

The two extra electric services to Leicester would mean that the 4 Intercity services would become non-stop allowing journey time improvements by removing stops at Market Harbrough.

But are there paths an 8 trains hour for EMR coming out of St P ? It means you've got to send 8 into 4 platforms, turn them around and send them back out.

And that's before you factor in Thameslink demands on the fast lines up to Luton.

Bedford station site isn't that big, so enlarging it is going to be challenging whatever they choose to do - ideally you'd want EWR to be on dedicated lines to prevent contention with the Thameslink or EMR services, but I can't see how that's going to work. Have to say I'm surprised they've gone for a route through Bedford in any case, I'd have thought shadowing the south side of the A421 would have been quicker and easier taking in Wixams en route.

It should be doable. Anticipated of the newly quadded section is very modest right now... even with freight, the frequency is quite low for a fast, four track railway.

North of Bedford's not an issue - it's pretty much handled the current demands with 2 tracks. The issue is south of Bedford, particularly if you're sending stuff to / from London which means you're in contention with Thameslink and whilst that's 4tph at Bedford, it becomes 6 tph at Luton and 10tph at St Albans.

 

[edwin_m]

00 - Intercity to Sheffield with first stop Leicester.

05 - Electric service to Corby calling at Luton, Bedford, then switching to the slow lines to call at Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby.

If the electric leaves at 03, which is what I suggested, then it can get beyond Wellingborough without being overtaken. At 05 it messes up a Thameslink path and even if that wasn't a problem, it would need to wait about 10min at Bedford to be overtaken or take the Slows over Sharnbrook. The rest of your suggestion repeats the same error.

 

[mr_jrt]

If everything on the fast lines stops at Bedford then you don't necessarily need loops, though having 4 platforms on the fasts would enable faster approaches to the platforms (as well as overtaking). I can't see squeezing in that many platforms being likely, though.

I'm in agreement about 1 & 1a being expanded to a full 12-car island for EWR, and I think you could reduce Thameslink down to platforms 2 & 3 if you put in a turnback siding or two to the north, or ran all/some north from Bedford to perhaps a new Bedford North/Parkway station, maybe? ...but Bromham Road bridge is a bit of an obstacle, as is the width of the corridor beyond it should you need more tracks.

The fasts would be able to get a island in place by realigning the lines largely within the current footprint, but you would lose the ability to have a through line as Thameslink would be using p3 as a down line and the up fast would now have a platform face on its western side. The footprint required for a fast island is basically the same as having a up fast island, so having a down fast one as well would mean expansion west, which might actually give a straighter alignment, but would mean a chunk of land take to fit in the approaches. I doubt that's a go-er.