MML Electrification: progress updates

[PJM]

Press release

Rail upgrades power ahead in the East Midlands this December

This December, Network Rail is investing in the East Midlands’ railway to bring better stations, more reliable journeys and to power ahead with the Midland Main Line electrification scheme.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

I assume that by "Main Street, Market Harborough" it means Main Street, Great Bowden.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

Yes that is the only Main Street in Harborough/Great Bowden.

 

[59CosG95]

Another update to the MMLE Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...ll=52.53842923030069,-0.9883331816925134&z=15

• 2 weekends worth of Vegetation Management is due to be taking place in Kibworth. See screengrab below:

 

[Flying Phil]

There is veg clearance going on now between the Great Bowden Station road(?) bridge and the footbridge in Gt Bowden.

 

[59CosG95]

There is veg clearance going on now between the Great Bowden Station road(?) bridge and the footbridge in Gt Bowden.

That'll be bridges 28F & 28E respectively then. About time it had that to be honest!

Additionally, further north along the line, a planning application has come in to Harborough DC for works relating to O/Bs 24 & 25 (Warners): https://pa2.harborough.gov.uk/onlin...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=RKMND5HWI3S00

Both bridges are to be demolished; the more northern of the 2 bridges, O/B 24, is to be reconstructed, while O/B 25 won't be replaced. O/B 25 will be kept open while O/B 24 is rebuilt.

Note that the application is, at the time of this post, still pending approval.

 

[Flying Phil]

Here are the views to the South and North from Station Road bridge (which is to the North of Harborough Station)


This is the Footbridge a bit further North, which is in the distance in the previous picture.


The views to the South and North from the footbridge - note the preparations for night time work.

 

[59CosG95]

Here are the views to the South and North from Station Road bridge (which is to the North of Harborough Station)
View attachment 124730View attachment 124731

This is the Footbridge a bit further North, which is in the distance in the previous picture.
View attachment 124732

The views to the South and North from the footbridge - note the preparations for night time work.
View attachment 124733View attachment 124734

Great photos @Flying Phil - I think the lights being set up are going to be for the track lowering beneath Main St bridge (SPC3-28D).

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Great photos @Flying Phil - I think the lights being set up are going to be for the track lowering beneath Main St bridge (SPC3-28D).

I wondered what the photos showed on first glance but can now see showing progress on de-vegetation.

 

[PJM]

Thanks for the pics Flying Phil, on a trip north today I counted some more piles, again north of Great Bowden and around the A6 bridge. So, on the up side I counted approximately 30 piles. There was also a lot of vegetation clearance.

 

[59CosG95]

One.network reporting that the closure of Pipewell Rd (SPC3-42, the bridge at Rushton) has been extended by 18 days, to the 23rd of December.

It's also reporting that:

• U/B SPC3-26 (B6047 Melton Rd, East Langton) will have two-way traffic signals to control access to the East Langton Compound from 21/11/22 to 31/05/24;
• F/B SPC3-18 (Grammar School Footbridge, Kibworth Harcourt) will be closed from 19/12/22 to 23/12/22;
• O/B SPC3-15 (Wistow Rd, Kibworth Harcourt) will have two-way traffic signals to control access to the Wistow Rd Compound from 21/11/22 to 31/05/24;
• O/B SPC3-10 (Station Rd, Great Glen) will be closed from 04/01/23 to 23/07/23.

 

[londonmidland]

I got sent this, which shows upcoming vegetation works and tree removals around the Wigston area.

For anyone with good railway knowledge, does anyone know the exact areas the works will be happening, given the mileage shown?

 

[zwk500]

I got sent this, which shows upcoming vegetation works and tree removals around the Wigston area.

For anyone with good railway knowledge, does anyone know the exact areas the works will be happening, given the mileage shown?

WNS mileages

Engineer's Line References: WNS

www.railwaycodes.org.uk

Just west of Narborough to South Wigston, I think.

 

[59CosG95]

WNS mileages

Engineer's Line References: WNS

www.railwaycodes.org.uk

Just west of Narborough to South Wigston, I think.

As much as I want that to be enabling works for an extension of the wires from South Wigston to Nuneaton, I think it's just a coincidence.

 

[zwk500]

As much as I want that to be enabling works for an extension of the wires from South Wigston to Nuneaton, I think it's just a coincidence.

I agree. There were also tree clearance works at Sheffield last week (my cousin complained about the loss of screening), so I think it's taking advantage of winter when the vegetation is easier to handle and things aren't nesting to deal with problem areas.
There might be some overrun at South Wigston Junction, but I'd be very surprised if they got as far as Narborough.

 

[38Cto15E]

I think it is this weekend that EMR trains to St Pancras are going via Melton Mowbray and Manton Jct.

 

[59CosG95]

I think it is this weekend that EMR trains to St Pancras are going via Melton Mowbray and Manton Jct.

It is indeed - I'll be getting a few photos of trains on the divert, and I'll also scope out what's new on the ground between Kettering & Wigston.

 

[londonmidland]

Electrification works visible here, just north of Kettering station, with the ‘dangly’ bits being added to the OLE.

 

[59CosG95]

Electrification works visible here, just north of Kettering station, with the ‘dangly’ bits being added to the OLE.

A very nice day for it too!

Speaking of - the small gap at Rushton (between SPC3-44 & SPC3-43) has now been closed. SPL teams were fitting cantilevers, and other dangly bits to various structures here and elsewhere in the Rushton area.
The missing structures were SPC3/121.973/UM (TTC in picture 1; note the cantilever assemblies next to the mast awaiting installation), SPC3/122.017/DM+UM (MPA Portal in picture 1, with the linesfolk working on it) and STC pair SPC3/122.072/DM+UM (DM cantilever in picture 1, UM mast in picture 2). Note also in Picture 1 the tall mast on the Kettering side of SPC3-44 - this is an ATF Anchor, numbered SPC3/121.918/UM - positioned 5 metres south of 121.923/UM, the TTC just the other side of the bridge. Picture 3 shows detail of this, and picture 4 shows another UM SSA to anchor the ATF; this being numbered SPC3/122.132/UM.




Further west, from the bridge works compound for SPC3-42 to underbridge SPC3-41, the masts are all now gaining ATF insulators. At DEP (Designated Earthing Point) locations, this involves many more insulators being added to allow for ease in the earthing process (picture 5 shows masts SPC3/123.524/DM+UM, which have all these insulators on. Note that the ATF and EW clamps extend towards the track to keep the conductors over NR land).

Back at the LR191 to LR194 signal gantry, the 2 shortened STC pairs (SPC3/122.836/DM+UM and SPC3/122.891/DM+UM) which were removed have been replaced with 2 Portals (122.831 & 122.896) to overcome what I can only assume to be a signal sighting issue (see picture 4). I can't tell yet if the existing piles are to be re-used for ATF purposes, but time will reveal all. Note that in the far background of picture 6, a pair of very tall SSAs can be seen - these will anchor the ATF conductors and bring them down to ground level via cable sealing ends.

 

[WesternBiker]

A very nice day for it too!

Speaking of - the small gap at Rushton (between SPC3-44 & SPC3-43) has now been closed. SPL teams were fitting cantilevers, and other dangly bits to various structures here and elsewhere in the Rushton area.
The missing structures were SPC3/121.973/UM (TTC in picture 1; note the cantilever assemblies next to the mast awaiting installation), SPC3/122.017/DM+UM (MPA Portal in picture 1, with the linesfolk working on it) and STC pair SPC3/122.072/DM+UM (DM cantilever in picture 1, UM mast in picture 2).
View attachment 125051View attachment 125050


More images will be coming...

Further west, from the bridge works compound for SPC3-42 to underbridge SPC3-41, the masts are all now gaining ATF insulators. At DEP (Designated Earthing Point) locations, this involves many more insulators being added to allow for ease in the earthing process (picture 3 shows masts SPC3/123.524/DM+UM, which have all these insulators on. Note that the ATF and EW clamps extend towards the track to keep the conductors over NR land). View attachment 125053

Back at the LR191 to LR194 signal gantry, the 2 shortened STC pairs (SPC3/122.836/DM+UM and SPC3/122.891/DM+UM) which were removed have been replaced with 2 Portals (122.831 & 122.896) to overcome what I can only assume to be a signal sighting issue (see picture 4). I can't tell yet if the existing piles are to be re-used for ATF purposes, but time will reveal all. Note that in the far background of picture 4, a pair of very tall SSAs can be seen - these will anchor the ATF conductors and bring them down to ground level via cable sealing ends.
View attachment 125054

Wow - excellent photographs and good to see steady progress.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wow - excellent photographs and good to see steady progress.

I concur. Many thanks to all concerned.

 

[PJM]

Thank you all!

 

[snowball]

Many thanks for those. I was interested to read about the autotransformer provision. Can someone please remind me whether any of the already-wired section of MML is currently equipped with ATF?

 

[59CosG95]

Many thanks for those. I was interested to read about the autotransformer provision. Can someone please remind me whether any of the already-wired section of MML is currently equipped with ATF?

Currently, only the section between Kentish Town SATS (Sectioning Autotransformer Site) & Borehamwood ATFS (Autotransformer Feeder Station) is equipped with ATF. This was done as part of the Thameslink Programme works.

The new TSCs at Napsbury (KO1a), Ampthill (KO1), Bedford (KO1), Irchester (KO1), Harrowden (KO1) and Kettering North (KO1), along with the MPTSCs at East Hyde (KO1a) and Sharnbrook (KO1) are all autotransformer ready. Long Meadow Farm (Chalton) ATFS (also KO1), which came online last Christmas, also has AT capability, and Braybrooke ATFS (KO1a) will have it from the outset.

IMO it makes sense to do all the work, including ATF, right now on the Kettering - South Wigston section as the contractors won't have to come back to retrofit it later, on a section of route without the ability to keep one pair of tracks open.

Further west, the SPL teams were hard at work installing ATF insulators around bridge SPC3-35AA (Braybrooke Bridleway Bridge) - see pictures below.


I arrived around 3pm, just before sunset; at this point, the team had just finished installing their 5th pair of insulators on the TTCs in the area. They started their 6th pair as I left, and are probably complete through there now. They seemed to have missed out the MPA Portal in the area (SPC3/129.070/DM+UM), but they might have returned to it today (11th December).


Trial Holes have also been dug for the northern ATF Anchors on the other side of the footbridge. The existing SSA piles to signify the southern end of the next run of wires, numbered SPC3/129.439/DM+UM, now have holes 5m north, at 129.444km. (The UM hole has Armco Barrier next to it.)


Earlier that day I also checked around Judges Bridge, Desborough (SPC3-38) - piles and Armco Barriers (on the DM side) for the new ATF anchor masts either side of the bridge have gone in now too. There are also 2 pairs either side of SPC3-37F (the A6 Desborough Bypass) but it's impossible to get a snap there unless you're on track!


ATF insulators have also reached Market Harborough, although only around U/B SPC3-31 (Scotland Road), and only on the southern anchors and both TCM pairs. The big monoboom Anchor (the Series 1 Portal) looks to be anchoring the ATF on the DM side - couldn't speak for the UM on this trip.


Update 12/12/22: Trains still running via the Corby route all day today as one of the engineers' trains derailed yesterday.
As of 1445 today, the engineers' trains are all still on site...




(Images show the line block still being in place between Kettering and Wigston Junctions)

 

[Nottingham59]

see pictures below

Thanks for these. Can I ask what is the thing that looks like an angled house drainpipe at the end of the TTC in pic #5? Is it for an Earth wire on the outside track?

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks for these. Can I ask what is the thing that looks like an angled house drainpipe at the end of the TTC in pic #5? Is it for an Earth wire on the outside track?

Yes, this has been asked when they appeared in a photo before, here is the post:

MML Electrification: progress updates

Stove pipes have appeared on the cantilevers in Little Bowden, Market Harborough. Looking north by the footbridge... .....south.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Nottingham59]

they appeared in a photo before

Thank you. I had understood that earlier post was referring to the round pipes, which I think are called "stovepipes". But I see now they seem to do have the same function. (Image from pic #1 above)


Am I right to assume that round ones are used when they are straight, and square ones when there is an offset? (Which has to be secured against rotation forces, I imagine).

 

[swt_passenger]

Thank you. I had understood that earlier post was referring to the round pipes, which I think are called "stovepipes". But I see now they seem to do have the same function. (Image from pic #1 above)

View attachment 125141
Am I right to assume that round ones are used when they are straight, and square ones when there is an offset? (Which has to be secured against rotation forces, I imagine).

I asked a similar question, the answer was that it wasn’t consistent, some projects used round for everything, and some square for everything…

MML Electrification: progress updates

Stove pipes have appeared on the cantilevers in Little Bowden, Market Harborough. Looking north by the footbridge... .....south.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[zwk500]

I asked a similar question, the answer was that it wasn’t consistent, some projects used round for everything, and some square for everything…

MML Electrification: progress updates

Stove pipes have appeared on the cantilevers in Little Bowden, Market Harborough. Looking north by the footbridge... .....south.

www.railforums.co.uk

There's almost certainly an element of 'these were the ones the supplier had in stock' to the choice.

 

[59CosG95]

There's almost certainly an element of 'these were the ones the supplier had in stock' to the choice.

A lot of them would be "desginer's preference" - so whoever designed the OLE layouts/cross-sections would have allocated different pipe types for different situations.
AFAICT, the straight cylindrical pipes are used for Earth Wires and ATF Insulators, the straight square pipes are used for cantilevers, and the "cranked" square pipes are used for EWs as well when a cranked pipe is needed (e.g. to maintain signal sighting around a curve).

North of Market Harborough over the weekend:
Track lowering in evidence beneath Main St, Gt Bowden (Bridge SPC3-28D); photos taken from footbridge SPC3-28E.
This was when works were still on schedule and one of the works trains hadn't derailed...

Alongside the lowering of the Up Main, new track drainage was installed in the "6-foot" between the Dn Main & Up Main. Follow-up works are taking place this week to get it back to linespeed - although the strikes might affect this somewhat.
Further lowering works are to take place this weekend (again, strikes depending) - all the details are on the MMLE Map.

Outside Mkt Hboro, piles have now been installed either side of bridge SPC3-28: 2 pairs to the north (up to SPC3-27F - the A6 Harboro' Bypass), and 4 pairs to the south (up to signals LR221/LR223).

Note that the southernmost DM pile hasn't been fully hammered down yet. Also, this seems to me like the start of the next tension length after the one immediately north of Market Harborough - which hasn't been started on yet AIUI owing to the track lowering work.

 

[Merle Haggard]

A question about bridges like that for the M.H.by-pass, possibly due to not being well-informed.

Someone I know is a retired bridge engineer. When I saw him recently he said that some of the bridge rebuilds / new bridges he'd P.M.'d on un-electrified lines had been future proofed in the sense that they were built to clear O.L.E. but subsequent E.U. legislation required a larger clearance and they therefore would need rebuilding again. Have any bridges on the MML fell foul of this?

 

[59CosG95]

A question about bridges like that for the M.H.by-pass, possibly due to not being well-informed.

Someone I know is a retired bridge engineer. When I saw him recently he said that some of the bridge rebuilds / new bridges he'd P.M.'d on un-electrified lines had been future proofed in the sense that they were built to clear O.L.E. but subsequent E.U. legislation required a larger clearance and they therefore would need rebuilding again. Have any bridges on the MML fell foul of this?

I don't believe any of the rebuilds on the MML have - certainly nothing east of M.H. The bypass has more than enough room.
The new footbridge north of the bypass (SPC3-27EA) looks to be alright too.

Speaking of...there are 3 pile pairs (2 of which are complete) between bridge 27EA & 27F. The DM pile nearest 27F has only had its trial hole dug.
The pile pair nearest bridge 27EA have been confirmed (by virtue of the kilometrage being written on the inside of the rails) as SPC3/136.263/DM+UM.


North of bridge 27EA, there's a pile pair (confirmed to be SPC3/136.306/DM+UM) which looks as if it will carry a portal for a mid-point anchor. (The piles have 6 bolts to take an adapter plate to fit the masts.)
Then, after signals LR222/LR224, there's a UM TTC pile, then the 84.75 milepost, then 7 more UM TTC piles before the 85MP. (All 8 TTC piles have their adapter plates on.)