bramling
Veteran Member
It is, however, near Sandridge Road, which IIRC is the official name. I can well imagine no one calls it that, though.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
MML Electrification: progress updates
- Thread starter LNW-GW Joint
- Start date
It is, however, near Sandridge Road, which IIRC is the official name. I can well imagine no one calls it that, though.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
59CosG95
Established Member
Almost certainly for the neutral section (and associated MPTSC/MPATS), yes - specifically to support the cables for the traction power. Personally I'm surprised they didn't go for a spanwire arrangement similar to Ampthill/Long Meadow Farm/Bedford and beyond, but then again there's probably design reasons for that. Not sure if any work's started in the Napsbury area yet - I'm sure our local correspondent @John Webb will be able to keep tabs there.
Went to the signal box briefly this afternoon for some minor work. Didn't notice anything new by the North Orbital Trading estate access point, but on my return the sun was low and shining in my eyes and the traffic was rather heavy and distracting, so wasn't able to see much.
It’s actually closer to, and is accessed from, St Albans Road. Sandridge Road starts (or ends, depending on which way you are looking at it) to the south of the King William IV junction.
Interestingly, anyone who pronounces Sandridge with a short “a” is immediately marked down as a foreigner.
I shall be out on the patch tomorrow and have a look at what has been done.
bramling
Veteran Member
I must admit it’s always the beach version to me, the alternative is horribly pretentious, and I’m not sure the village is *that* special.
As a point of trivia, it’s quite unusual for a 25kV switching station to be named after a road. There’s only a handful of examples.
ABB125
Established Member
Is it "Sändridge" then? Very posh! Or "Sarndridge"?
the latter. I must admit i struggle to say it that way!
ABB125
Established Member
At least it's good practice for pronouncing "Glasgow", "Bath" etc correctly!
Anyway, back on topic, have any of the 3/4 track sections of the line used anything other than pairs of two-track cantilevers (eg: portal frames)?
59CosG95
Established Member
The 3-track sections between Kentish Town & Kettering North Jn have all become 4-track. Portal frames have mainly been used at crossovers (e.g. Bedford North Jn), and at overlaps/mid point anchors, as well as on viaducts.At least it's good practice for pronouncing "Glasgow", "Bath" etc correctly!
Anyway, back on topic, have any of the 3/4 track sections of the line used anything other than pairs of two-track cantilevers (eg: portal frames)?
ABB125
Established Member
Thanks
Small world as my mum and stepdad got hitched in Sandridge church (which I think is actually St Leonard’s church Sandridge). I only ever heard it pronounced “Sarndridge” but then again my stepdad’s family hail from that neck of the woods.
Not particularly relevant to electrification of the MML, but there we go!
59CosG95
Established Member
All this because I got the name of the existing neutral section wrong 
(I remember that the Southern announcements have Sanderstead in the same boat - that area of Surrey is also v v affluent.)
Back on topic, a cursory scroll of the engineering works for next year (got that overused joke out the way) shows that practically every midweek night in January will involve closures between Kettering & Leicester, with Corby diversions. Expect a lot more masts and piles to be installed by the time the Six Nations rolls around!
(I remember that the Southern announcements have Sanderstead in the same boat - that area of Surrey is also v v affluent.)
Back on topic, a cursory scroll of the engineering works for next year (got that overused joke out the way) shows that practically every midweek night in January will involve closures between Kettering & Leicester, with Corby diversions. Expect a lot more masts and piles to be installed by the time the Six Nations rolls around!
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Croydonian here. Yes they are and they do. But it occurs to me all these places with Sand/Sarnd/Saund in them are probably named as such due to the presence in the ground of er.... Sand ?.All this because I got the name of the existing neutral section wrong
(I remember that the Southern announcements have Sanderstead in the same boat - that area of Surrey is also v v affluent.)
Back on topic, a cursory scroll of the engineering works for next year (got that overused joke out the way) shows that practically every midweek night in January will involve closures between Kettering & Leicester, with Corby diversions. Expect a lot more masts and piles to be installed by the time the Six Nations rolls around!
Could any of this be related to the track lowering mentioned in #4784? I would have thought the actual track lower would require a longer closure, but preparatory work perhaps?
59CosG95
Established Member
Perhaps - I've noticed that the 9th of Jan (a Sunday) has an all-day closure between Kettering & Leicester, so that might be it...
contrex
Member
I was unfortunate enough to marry someone from Riddlesdown.
Flying Phil
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 1,931
I popped along to the Braybrooke Electrical Supply point and there were no sign of any masts in either direction yet. There seemed to be some more bits added to the transformers. I don't know if there is any change around Desborough.
PJM
Member
First, many thanks for all the detailed and informative posts!
This is north of platform 2 Market Harborough station on 30 Dec, some piles and a nice yellow marker stick!
There is a gap heading north then a further 4 or 5 piles.
On 1 Jan taken from the footbridge in Little Bowden.
This is north of platform 2 Market Harborough station on 30 Dec, some piles and a nice yellow marker stick!
There is a gap heading north then a further 4 or 5 piles.
On 1 Jan taken from the footbridge in Little Bowden.
Flying Phil
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 1,931
Well spotted PJM......they are not visible from my usual position on the ground at the Lt Bowden bridge!
PJM
Member
Flying Phil I know that spot exactly, great when a Cemex train comes thundering past!
InTheEastMids
Member
- Joined
- 31 Jan 2016
- Messages
- 733
The piles that @PJM pictured from the Little Bowden footbridge (which connects Braybrooke Road and Glebe Road if you're not local) have now received the galvanised plates that I guess masts will shortly be bolted to.
Seems like plenty is going on during this set of (mostly) overnight works (dates and times of work near Harborough are in the picture posted by @Trainben in #4687)
MR's article hinting at wires North of MHR:
www.modernrailways.com
The relevant part of the article (which will be copyright) but fair use should allow the following small cut and paste:
For some reason, my browser could see it without a pay-wall.
WAO
MML wires may soon reach Wigston
TRANSPORT SECRETARY Grant Shapps announced investment of £249 million in the Midland main line on 18 November as he published the Integrated Rail Plan.
www.modernrailways.com
The relevant part of the article (which will be copyright) but fair use should allow the following small cut and paste:
For some reason, my browser could see it without a pay-wall.
WAO
Last edited by a moderator:
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 31,439
Not visible for me I’m afraid, it needs a subscription. But the magazine article was mentioned a couple of weeks ago in this thread. (Post #4769)MR's article hinting at wires North of MHR:
MML wires may soon reach Wigston
TRANSPORT SECRETARY Grant Shapps announced investment of £249 million in the Midland main line on 18 November as he published the Integrated Rail Plan.
WAO
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Yes, and having looked at my map it makes a lot of sense if true.
1) Nice and steady incremental electrification.
2) A bit less diesel mileage
3) Gets it past the treasury
4) Keeps teams occupied while (one assumes Leicester area remodeling takes place)
5) Well, well, well within the power capability of the Braybrooke Grid feeder
<speculation on> I hope when they do to Leicester they do to Glen Parva Jct while they are at with a nice overlap to make easier to eventually go to Nuneaton </speculation off>
Last edited:
59CosG95
Established Member
Noel Dolphin on LinkedIn: I visited the GB Railfreight & Tarmac Wellingborough depot this week, and…
I visited the GB Railfreight & Tarmac Wellingborough depot this week, and what a beautiful day it was for it. I visited with SPL POWERLINES UK HOLDING LIMITED,…
Furrer + Frey's Noel Dolphin has visited Wellingboro' Yard in advance of electrifying the yard...
we will learn how committed the DfT is to extending the wires when the feeder stations north of Braybrook get authorised and contracts let. The long lead time tasks.
AIUI, the application for a connection to the National Grid for Kegworth has been made.
Who is the authorising body for this request? Is it solely a National Grid decision?
edwin_m
Veteran Member
Presumably National Grid will do what they are asked, but will send the bill to Network Rail.
Presumably also the two organisations have had discussions to establish where the best place would be so that bill is as small as possible, and also about timescales. HS2 will also have been involved, certainly for Kegworth and probably for the Chesterfield one as well, considering that for at least some of the time that was part of the HS2 Sheffield link rather than the MML electrification.