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MML Electrification: progress updates

Nottingham59

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it’s already underway.
That's good to hear.

It may have been answered already upthread, but can anyone confirm that it will be possible to electrify Leicester and Nottingham stations, using whatever special measures are needed, without having to lower the track under the station concourse buildings?
 
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GRALISTAIR

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At the very least, they should now be able to start work to design and build the OHLE feeder at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which I understand is often the longest lead time item on all these projects. It will be needed to power both HS2 and the MML.
AIUI, it’s already underway.
Great news. So they are on -site at Braybrooke, design stage for Ratcliffe-on-Soar/Kegworth area and as I understand it that leaves just one more in the Chesterfield area.
 

edwin_m

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That's good to hear.

It may have been answered already upthread, but can anyone confirm that it will be possible to electrify Leicester and Nottingham stations, using whatever special measures are needed, without having to lower the track under the station concourse buildings?
I'm hoping the clearance was provided at Nottingham when it was re-modelled in 2013. The south end of Leicester was also re-modelled recently, and from photos showing a bit of room above a train I think it might not be too bad. If I'm wrong, then they ought to be candidates for insulation and surge arrestors, as in Cardiff.
 

Roast Veg

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I'm hoping the clearance was provided at Nottingham when it was re-modelled in 2013. The south end of Leicester was also re-modelled recently, and from photos showing a bit of room above a train I think it might not be too bad. If I'm wrong, then they ought to be candidates for insulation and surge arrestors, as in Cardiff.
The remodelling at Leicester a few years ago was to get 40mph starts out of platforms 2 and 3. No track lowering or bridge raising happened, and the station building overbridge is a likely candidate for some well insulated interventions as there's no space above or below, from all reports. Another remodelling is due in conjunction with Wigston-Syston grade separation, which might mean that the area is one of the last places to be electrified.
 

snowball

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Another remodelling is due in conjunction with Wigston-Syston grade separation, which might mean that the area is one of the last places to be electrified.
I got the impression the grade separation plan had been dropped. Wasn't there a recent report on additional tracks in the area that said nothing about any possible grade separation?
 

Roast Veg

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I got the impression the grade separation plan had been dropped. Wasn't there a recent report on additional tracks in the area that said nothing about any possible grade separation?
If true, substitue "grade separation" for "capacity enhancement". Something needs to be done, regardless of the solution.
 

ABB125

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I got the impression the grade separation plan had been dropped. Wasn't there a recent report on additional tracks in the area that said nothing about any possible grade separation?
I believe that is correct, as detailed timetable modelling indicated it wasn't necessary. We'll just have to see...

I would hope that the forthcoming capacity enhancements would include passive provision for grade separation
 

Bald Rick

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That's good to hear.

It may have been answered already upthread, but can anyone confirm that it will be possible to electrify Leicester and Nottingham stations, using whatever special measures are needed, without having to lower the track under the station concourse buildings?

It will be possible to electrify, yes; there are viable solutions (and always have been).


design stage for Ratcliffe-on-Soar/Kegworth area

I wouldn’t say ‘design’ stage. What happens is that NR make an application for a Grid connection. Design comes later.
 

Class 170101

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It will be possible to electrify, yes; there are viable solutions (and always have been).




I wouldn’t say ‘design’ stage. What happens is that NR make an application for a Grid connection. Design comes later.

And presumably it will need 'a piece of kit' (I've forgotten its name) to take from all three phases of the grid.
 

edwin_m

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And presumably it will need 'a piece of kit' (I've forgotten its name) to take from all three phases of the grid.
Only the most recent ones on the ECML have the static frequency converters that balance the load off all three Grid phases. I think they only used them because the Grid in the areas concerned couldn't tolerate that amount of phase imbalance from a traditional 25kV feeder, but looking at the number of power lines round Ratcliffe I expect that problem wouldn't arise here.
 

Nottingham59

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'a piece of kit to take from all three phases of the grid
That would be a static frequency converter (SFC), but it's not needed here. The 400kV supply point at Ratcliffe power station can handle thousands of megawatts, so the relatively small load for the railway won't matter if the phases are unbalanced.

BTW it's called a frequency converter because they're much more common in Germany, where the railway uses 16.7Hz single-phase supply, so the SFC converts frequency as well as balancing the phase loads
 

InTheEastMids

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I believe that is correct, as detailed timetable modelling indicated it wasn't necessary. We'll just have to see...

I would hope that the forthcoming capacity enhancements would include passive provision for grade separation
I got the impression the grade separation plan had been dropped. Wasn't there a recent report on additional tracks in the area that said nothing about any possible grade separation?

If true, substitue "grade separation" for "capacity enhancement". Something needs to be done, regardless of the solution.
Google 'Leicester Area Strategic Advice' and the NR pdf will outline the (public) thinking about how capacity challenges would be solved.

The 400kV supply point at Ratcliffe power station can handle thousands of megawatts,
True but the railway supply point was not the power station but a 400 kV OHL between Ratcliffe village and Kegworth. HS2 were planning their substation immediately South of the A453 /Parkway/Kegworth Road junction, so there's potentially a synergy if the HS2 one is still needed
 

AM9

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Google 'Leicester Area Strategic Advice' and the NR pdf will outline the (public) thinking about how capacity challenges would be solved.


True but the railway supply point was not the power station but a 400 kV OHL between Ratcliffe village and Kegworth. HS2 were planning their substation immediately South of the A453 /Parkway/Kegworth Road junction, so there's potentially a synergy if the HS2 one is still needed
That synergy would include the ability to supply the different lines from different phases, e.g. HS2 eastern stub could take one phase, the MML southbound another and the lines to Nottingham/Derby the third, (or any such split that might provide a reasonably balanced load to the grid connection).
 

Hairy Bear

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A good 15+ piles gone in on the down line south of Braybrooke towards the A6 bridge.
Nearby compound ramping up its stockpile. Progress !.
 

edwin_m

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True but the railway supply point was not the power station but a 400 kV OHL between Ratcliffe village and Kegworth. HS2 were planning their substation immediately South of the A453 /Parkway/Kegworth Road junction, so there's potentially a synergy if the HS2 one is still needed
It's still near enough to the multiple lines serving the power station site that the connecting link could be reinforced if necessary. I believe there are traditional feeder stations supplied by a single passing Grid line.
 

petpylon

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It's still near enough to the multiple lines serving the power station site that the connecting link could be reinforced if necessary. I believe there are traditional feeder stations supplied by a single passing Grid line.
Checking on NGCs 2020 published Fault Level Data Table from ETYS2020, the Fault level, and so effectively source impedance at Ratcliffe 400kV is very high - actually the highest in England (50kA RMS break current, about 35GVA) so likely not need SFC, though prob will depend on background harmonic situation. No doubt they will do studies as usual.
 

43066

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It will be possible to electrify, yes; there are viable solutions (and always have been).

Presumably that means biting the bullet and going ahead with an expensive lowering of the sewer(?) under the bridge at Leicester?
 

swt_passenger

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Presumably that means biting the bullet and going ahead with an expensive lowering of the sewer(?) under the bridge at Leicester?
The Kings Cross remodelling advance works included lowering of a sewer, under all the tracks between the station and the tunnels. I’d expect if it can be done there Leicester shouldn’t be that difficult a problem.
 

Bald Rick

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Presumably that means biting the bullet and going ahead with an expensive lowering of the sewer(?) under the bridge at Leicester?

Probably. I’m sure all options will.be considered. Although it’s a billion pound+ project, no doubt with a large risk provision.
 

59CosG95

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Probably. I’m sure all options will.be considered. Although it’s a billion pound+ project, no doubt with a large risk provision.
Does the sewer need replacing or lowering? Camden Sewer was a replacement of an existing asset (at a lower invert level AIUI) with the track at the same level as it was before (again, AIUI). I'm not sure if the same situation applies to Leicester.
 

Bald Rick

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Does the sewer need replacing or lowering? Camden Sewer was a replacement of an existing asset (at a lower invert level AIUI) with the track at the same level as it was before (again, AIUI). I'm not sure if the same situation applies to Leicester.

It is a different situation, yes.
 

swt_passenger

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Does the sewer need replacing or lowering? Camden Sewer was a replacement of an existing asset (at a lower invert level AIUI) with the track at the same level as it was before (again, AIUI). I'm not sure if the same situation applies to Leicester.
The reports earlier this year explained the new track position after remodelling was lower than before, to get rid of a hump between platform ends and tunnels. I’m sure there are pictures in the relevant thread showing the difference when they were part way through the job. Academic point though, if as BaldRick has said it’s different at Leicester.

Ah it’s explained in an online Rail Engineer article, the link is in post #261 here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...mation-and-updates.201659/page-9#post-5017530
 
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Flying Phil

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The Braybrooke Supply site now has another large grey box (transformer?) with two cranes operating. There is also more work levelling off alongside the track.
DSC01123.JPGDSC01122.JPG

There was also some work going on further South, at the Braybrooke No3 site. It is difficult to get a better view here.
DSC01126.JPG

There is also a large new site being prepared at Rushton by SPL. I think this would be where there is a changeover from the Kettering supply to the Braybrooke supply?
DSC01133.JPG
 
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59CosG95

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The Braybrooke Supply site now has another large grey box (transformer?) with two cranes operating. There is also more work levelling off alongside the track.
View attachment 106030View attachment 106032

There was also some work going on further South, at the Braybrooke No3 site. It is difficult to get a better view here.
View attachment 106033

There is also a large new site being prepared at Rushton by SPL. I think this would be where there is a changeover from the Kettering supply to the Braybrooke supply?
View attachment 106034
Looks good Phil! Re "Compound 3", the best way to view that is to reach the footbridge accessed by the bridleway off Newton Rd (located here: 52.45647246838276, -0.8696769892839173 https://goo.gl/maps/1i7ioF1qRkvhWvHCA)

As for Rushton, I suspect that this is a double whammy of replacing the bridge to your right in the picture, while also acting as an access point to work west towards Desborough - there are no access points in the area from what I can recall. Braybrooke Compound 3 is likely to work east towards Desboro'. Looks like SPL need to get some Heras up though...
There is no "supply" as it were from Kettering - the supply change is at Sharnbrook, with Long Meadow Farm (Chalton) feeding either side of the neutral section there until Braybrooke comes online.
 
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Nicholas Lewis

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The Braybrooke Supply site now has another large grey box (transformer?) with two cranes operating. There is also more work levelling off alongside the track.
View attachment 106030View attachment 106032

There was also some work going on further South, at the Braybrooke No3 site. It is difficult to get a better view here.
View attachment 106033

There is also a large new site being prepared at Rushton by SPL. I think this would be where there is a changeover from the Kettering supply to the Braybrooke supply?
View attachment 106034
I would imagine this is a construction staging site for steelwork, fittings and wire rather than permanent infrastructure.
 

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