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Cambridge Area Signalling Renewal

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MikeWM

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I assume this belongs in this thread.

...

The seven level crossings set to be upgraded are:

Dimmocks Cote
Waterbeach
Milton Fen
Meldreth Road
Six Mile Bottom
Dullingham and;
Croxton (Norfolk)

Dimmocks Cote seems to have issues more often than not, lost count of the number of times I'v been on a train that's had to go-slow over that in the last few years, so work to improve that doesn't seem a bad idea.

I suppose I can see the point of Waterbeach, though the significantly longer down-time is going to be a pain if you're stuck on the wrong side of the crossing and miss your train as a result (especially on Sundays, where the once-an-hour up and down trains arrive only a few minutes apart).

Milton Fen seems to be massive overkill, I don't see anything wrong with what is already there.

Don't know enough about the others to comment.

Oh, and did anyone else hit the 'download' button on that page, and got a jpg of an arm poking a screen with a stylus? I was expecting more information about the level crossings or something. Why would that jpg have its own specific download button?!?!
 
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dk1

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Dimmocks Cote seems to have issues more often than not, lost count of the number of times I'v been on a train that's had to go-slow over that in the last few years, so work to improve that doesn't seem a bad idea.

I suppose I can see the point of Waterbeach, though the significantly longer down-time is going to be a pain if you're stuck on the wrong side of the crossing and miss your train as a result (especially on Sundays, where the once-an-hour up and down trains arrive only a few minutes apart).

Milton Fen seems to be massive overkill, I don't see anything wrong with what is already there.

Don't know enough about the others to comment.

Oh, and did anyone else hit the 'download' button on that page, and got a jpg of an arm poking a screen with a stylus? I was expecting more information about the level crossings or something. Why would that jpg have its own specific download button?!?!
Croxton has had a 40mph TSR in both directions for around 15 years now. The upgrade should restore the 90mph line speed.
 

Snow1964

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DfT has published a document on Cambridge resignalling
Network rail renewing £194m

Details​

Application to confer powers to compulsorily acquire land and rights in land and take temporary possession in connection with the works required for the re-signalling of the Cambridge Station interlocking area and the upgrade of the relevant level crossings

Transport and Works Act order (TWAO) application documents​

Following the public consultation in 2021, an application for a Transport and Works Act order (TWAO) to authorise Network Rail to compulsorily acquire land, rights in land and take temporary possession of same to facilitate the works required for the re-signalling of the Cambridge station interlocking area and the upgrade of relevant level crossings, has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport on 5 August 2022.


 
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Alarmkid23

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Croxton will block the road for much longer but that’s more than off set by the improvements for rail.
how long do you think tailbacks will be at Croxton? as when we go there to spot we park in the kilvestone estate farm entrance and allow about 2 mins before train is due to pass to arrive at the crossing so we don't miss the amber light or barriers closing. The reason i ask is it take me and dad about 35 mins to get there, How much longer would we need to allow to get parked up before the future MCB-OD closes as tailbacks will be inevitable!
 

dk1

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how long do you think tailbacks will be at Croxton? as when we go there to spot we park in the kilvestone estate farm entrance and allow about 2 mins before train is due to pass to arrive at the crossing so we don't miss the amber light or barriers closing. The reason i ask is it take me and dad about 35 mins to get there, How much longer would we need to allow to get parked up before the future MCB-OD closes as tailbacks will be inevitable!
MCBODs are very efficient & change just before the train approaches the relevant distant/repeater signal. As long as line speed is finally restored, I couldn’t care less if it tails back to Thetford lol.
 

bspahh

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Does this mean that they can turn off the flashing lights at the Ely station level crossing, or will that need to wait for the Ely North stuff?
 

dk1

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Does this mean that they can turn off the flashing lights at the Ely station level crossing, or will that need to wait for the Ely North stuff?
Don’t think that’s part of the resignalling & silly costs involved in altering the crossing controls so expect them to remain for years ahead.
 

Tio Terry

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Cambridge PSB is 40 today.
That brings back some memories!
I can remember all the discussions about the possibility of the IRA throwing a bomb on to the roof from the road, which is why the roof is pitched the way it is. The window which allows the view of the church spire. Hitting the water main outside the box during construction and the resulting "Fountain"! Many more, some best not mentioned! Doesn't seem that long ago to me, but, being retired, nothing seems that long ago.
 

William3000

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The cupboard looks to be staying as Rules of the Plan has what looks like ARS route codes for it for a change from Panel to Workstation based operation.


Same as above.
Is the ‘gas’ the line that runs to the west of the main down line for about 800m from just north of Mill Rd bridge to Coldham’s Lane junction. I would have though that might be useful as I thought a long term plan was to 4 track to Coldham’s Junction if services on the Newmarket Line are increased?
 

a good off

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Which it was before the 1982 resignalling as goods lines were provided from Coldham Lane Jn. The Newmarket branch was also double track until then.
 

TheBigD

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Some slippage in the dates for the resignalling/recontrol...

Bury line signalboxes now expected to close Xmas 2025.
Recontrol of the Ely area now expected Easter 2024.
Recontrol of Cambridge south now expected Xmas 2024.
Ely-Norwich line recontrol now expected Easter 2025.
 

MikeWM

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Some slippage in the dates for the resignalling/recontrol...

Bury line signalboxes now expected to close Xmas 2025.
Recontrol of the Ely area now expected Easter 2024.
Recontrol of Cambridge south now expected Xmas 2024.
Ely-Norwich line recontrol now expected Easter 2025.

Presumably this means a couple more years of weekend closures of lines south and/or north of Cambridge, like the ones we've had the last couple of months, and for the rest of this month.

Is there any information publically available when these closures are likely to happen? It would be rather good to know a vague outline.
 

MikeWM

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I suppose I can see the point of Waterbeach, though the significantly longer down-time is going to be a pain if you're stuck on the wrong side of the crossing and miss your train as a result (especially on Sundays, where the once-an-hour up and down trains arrive only a few minutes apart).

Having been at Waterbeach yesterday, I think this is rather worse than I thought.

The Stansted-Norwich passes at x57.5, the Birmingham-Stansted at x02, the Stansted-Birmingham at x05, then the London service stops at x06 and the Kings Lynn service at x11.

Not a problem when the barriers are only down for seconds as currently, but if they are down for 2-3 minutes per train once they become full-barrier, you'll probably have to get there 15 minutes early to guarantee getting the London service if coming from the Waterbeach side, and 20 minutes early (!) to guarantee getting the Lynn service if coming from the Clayhithe side. That's... rather rubbish.
 

fenman35

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I thought Waterbeach station was due to move north near the new town development so not a permanent problem
 

MikeWM

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I thought Waterbeach station was due to move north near the new town development so not a permanent problem

This is the plan, yes - probably they should leave the level crossing work until then, then. It'll still be a pain for cars though - it's not a very busy road but it isn't quiet either.
 

Icky Qualms

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That brings back some memories!
I can remember all the discussions about the possibility of the IRA throwing a bomb on to the roof from the road, which is why the roof is pitched the way it is. The window which allows the view of the church spire. Hitting the water main outside the box during construction and the resulting "Fountain"! Many more, some best not mentioned! Doesn't seem that long ago to me, but, being retired, nothing seems that long ago.
Thinking about what Network Rail will do with the current signal box when the project is completed

Maybe they will move some office staff there out of London
 

Tio Terry

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Thinking about what Network Rail will do with the current signal box when the project is completed

Maybe they will move some office staff there out of London
Well, at a guess, the current ground floor equipment room (Signalling) and first floor equipment room (Telecpmms) will still have quite a lot of operational kit in them, so it's just the operating floor that's likely to become vacant.

Maybe a few Hot Desks for staff who don't actually need to travel up to London every day?
 

Alarmkid23

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MCBODs are very efficient & change just before the train approaches the relevant distant/repeater signal. As long as line speed is finally restored, I couldn’t care less if it tails back to Thetford lol.
will the croxton MCB-OD lower when the trains passing Eccles Road station? and in the other direction Lower as the train pulls into thetford station?
 

LowLevel

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will the croxton MCB-OD lower when the trains passing Eccles Road station? and in the other direction Lower as the train pulls into thetford station?
I very much doubt it'll lower when the train is passing Eccles Road. Maybe just after Harling Road.
 

dk1

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will the croxton MCB-OD lower when the trains passing Eccles Road station? and in the other direction Lower as the train pulls into thetford station?

No of course not. They do it just in time for trains to get the distant so down the least amount of time possible. Did you mean Harling Road?
 

apinnard

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You can take it home as a rabbit hutch. There is still Three Horse Shoes for an exciting day out :)

King’s Dyke box is also a joy to behold. Even more so now the old A605 is closed and the only road access is via locked gates. The use of Mr Sheen furniture polish lids to block off the now disused barrier up and down controls being the best budget saving measure I’ve seen in a while.
 

mr_moo

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Does this have any implications for Cambridge South?
Yep!
Our main comissioning is Xmas 2024. Initially we were expecting the new signalling to come online at Xmas 2023 then do layout changes on the new system but it just means that we do minor layout changes on the old system (which does mean a few temporary track circuit changes which we otherwise wouldn't have needed to do) and switch on the new layout in it's entirey at Christmas 2024.

All the S&C will be installed before the Christmas block and will be secured out of use, which is actually slightly easier on the old (geographical interlocking) system than the new (Alstom's SmartIO) system.

Previously, with the Cambridge resignalling scheme's main change in Xmas 23 and ours at Xmas 24, we were working on (mostly) separate (but still linked of course) documenation stes and designs. However, now for Xmas 24 we're having to combine both sets of our work into one overall comissiong plan, so it's a bit more complex for both projects in terms of design, and we need to work togther closely, which we are of course doing.
 
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