MML Electrification: progress updates

[snowball]

Probably off topic strictly speaking - underbridge strengthening near Bedford.

Drivers advised to plan ahead as work begins on £1.5m Bedfordshire bridge strengthening scheme

A £1.5 million programme to strengthen a railway bridge in Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire (pictured) will get underway this month to improve reliability for passengers.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

A £1.5 million programme to strengthen a railway bridge in Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire (pictured) will get underway this month to improve reliability for passengers.

Over the next five months, Network Rail engineers will repair and strengthen the steel girders, bridge deck and improve drainage and guttering on the structure which carries the Midland Main Line over the B530 Ampthill Road.

Reinforcing this important bridge which millions of rail passengers rely on each year when travelling between Luton and Bedford and further afield, will offer more reliable, on time journeys and mean that less maintenance work is needed for the next decade.

As part of the work, the B530 Ampthill Road will be closed to keep drivers and pedestrians safe on:

11pm Saturday 18 until 7am Sunday 19 March
11pm Saturday 25 until 7am Sunday 26 March
4pm Saturday 1 until 5am Monday 3 April
11pm Saturday 15 until 7am Sunday 16 April
11pm Saturday 22 until 7am Sunday 23 April
11pm Saturday 29 until 7am Sunday 30 April
6am Monday 8 May until 5pm Friday 14 July

A signed diversion will be in place via A6 Wixams Bypass, Wilstead Bypass, Ampthill to Mauden Bypass and Hazelwood Lane. Drivers should check their route with One.Network before setting off.

 

[Mollman]

What’s the reason for the new installations of portals between Radlett and St. Albans? Is this just to replace failing/at risk of failing headspans?

The ones replaced/to be replaced (headspans) are leaning over slightly I’ve noticed.

Guessing part of the upgrade to permit use at 125mph

 

[Edvid]

What’s the reason for the new installations of portals between Radlett and St. Albans? Is this just to replace failing/at risk of failing headspans?

The ones replaced/to be replaced (headspans) are leaning over slightly I’ve noticed.

Yes, I believe so. That particular stream of works is labelled OLE Cubed (see post #5341).

 

[adamedwards]

What’s the reason for the new installations of portals between Radlett and St. Albans? Is this just to replace failing/at risk of failing headspans?

The ones replaced/to be replaced (headspans) are leaning over slightly I’ve noticed.

Is this at the junction where trains cross fast to slow? If so, a location where dewirement is more likely, so I assume being reinforced to be more reliable as part of the power upgrade and to allow for 125mph electrics.

 

[Edvid]

There are no fast-slow line crossovers on that particular stretch. Unless I'm mistaken the OLE Cubed works are required regardless of the 125mph fast line OLE mods.

 

[bluelagoon8951]

Wires are authorised to Wigston South jn, the pictures above show them installed about 3 miles north of Kettering. AIUI Masts are in at Harborough and piles in along most of the route, but I'm not sure exactly what the construction progress is yet.
@59CosG95, @PJM can you shed any light?

i now work as an on board host on the MML, which means 5 days a week i go up and down the MML. i can't tell exactly how far everything is but i can give some rough estimations. masts have not yet reached kibworth, wires have (i believe but may be incorrect) not yet reached market harborough.

edit: re. masts there are none *inside* kibworth and re. wires earth wires are there, but no others.

https://twitter.com/TheDudemaster/status/1636672213775523841?t=yPIPBl8AUsMvXzx89tLU9Q&s=19

"MML wiring at risk". does anyone have a subscription to this magazine? can we get some more info on this?

 

[John R]

i now work as an on board host on the MML, which means 5 days a week i go up and down the MML. i can't tell exactly how far everything is but i can give some rough estimations. masts have not yet reached kibworth, wires have (i believe but may be incorrect) not yet reached market harborough.

edit: re. masts there are none *inside* kibworth and re. wires earth wires are there, but no others.

https://twitter.com/TheDudemaster/status/1636672213775523841?t=yPIPBl8AUsMvXzx89tLU9Q&s=19

"MML wiring at risk". does anyone have a subscription to this magazine? can we get some more info on this?

There isn’t much more in the magazine, other than “sources are saying”.

 

[Flying Phil]

I had a quick look about 1/2 mile North of Kettering Station and can confirm that although there are masts, cantilevers booms etc with "stovepipes" and other supports, there are no actual contact wires installed yet. There is still "mast gaps" through Desborough and North of the Braybrooke Supply site.


Going North from Kibworth there was a lot of activity around Wistow. A long train of ballast hoppers.


And the views from the overbridge shows that one track has been lowered....and piles driven!
Looking South towards Kibworth


And North towards Leicester



Sorry but the automerge has struck again!!

 

[zwk500]

Excellent updates, much appreciated!

 

[Merle Haggard]

Travelling on the MML via Manton this afternoon, there were 5 (I think) road/rail vehicles with raised baskets for operators on the (up, I think) direct line to Leicester around Glendon (where the routes actually diverge). Possibly wiring, not sure - might have been final preparations.

 

[PJM]

Nice update @FlyingPhil ! Thanks.

 

[Flying Phil]

I think the work teams on the MML are to be congratulated as they are quietly getting on with the job and keeping the services running for most of the time. It would be interesting to know how the cost per mile is comparing with other electrification projects.

 

[snowball]

"MML wiring at risk". does anyone have a subscription to this magazine? can we get some more info on this?

It's an item on p. 9, facing the report of HS2 rescheduling on p. 8.
[Edit: I originally had the wrong page number here. Thanks to @Peter Sarf for pointing out the error. I've no idea how I came to make it.]

It repeats a lot of stuff we've heard before, including the board meeting in #5987, and says sources have suggested MML electrification may be sacrificed to divert money to HS2. "Asked about the Government's commitment to the MML scheme, the DfT ... did not offer any specific commitment to the scheme. It said the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline would be published 'in due course'."

There's also a feature on pp. 64-5, based on a presentation to the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (date not stated). It says the Wigston limit of the current works was influenced by the spare capacity of the Braybrooke feeder. The target is to have most construction finished for April 2024 for entry into service in 2025, aligning with the introduction of the Aurora fleet.

There's a good deal about the OLE changes south of Bedford.

"Delivering new trains to operate on new or upgraded infrastructure requires Network Rail and EMR to work in partnership. One example of this is the identification of sites for automatic power changeover for the Auroras between electric and diesel modes, including at Wigston, Corby and a location dubbed London Gateway (in the Elstree area)." This seems to contradict #6045.

 

[Meerkat]

and a location dubbed London Gateway (in the Elstree area)

The M1 services very close to the south end of Elstree Tunnel is called London Gateway (aka Scratchwood services).
Won’t the real sign of a delay be a lack of ordering the next power connection (is it Kegworth?)? They need to order that years in advance don’t they?

 

[Verulamius]

Will Derby as the HQ for GBR make a difference to the MML Electrification?

 

[weeklycommuter]

Will Derby as the HQ for GBR make a difference to the MML Electrification?

For Derby to have electric trains to London St Pancras the Midland Mainline will need to have overhead electrification all the way to Sheffield. As Derby has been chosen as the HQ for GBR the Government will be embarrassed again and again by attention being drawn to the absence of overhead electrification at and electric trains to the HQ of GBR if the Midland Mainline is not electrified all the way to Sheffield. As the Government will clearly not be building any part of the originally planned Eastern leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Leeds, including the last remaining section not yet cancelled from Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway, they should really install overhead electrification from Derby to Birmingham and Sheffield to Leeds so the entire Cross Country route Edinburgh-Newcastle-York-Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-Birmingham has overhead electrification.

 

[zwk500]

For Derby to have electric trains to London St Pancras the Midland Mainline will need to have overhead electrification all the way to Sheffield. As Derby has been chosen as the HQ for GBR the Government will be embarrassed again and again by attention being drawn to the absence of overhead electrification at and electric trains to the HQ of GBR if the Midland Mainline is not electrified all the way to Sheffield.

EMR are getting bi-modes, there's no need for electrification to be all the way to Sheffield for electric trains to Derby.

As the Government will clearly not be building any part of the originally planned Eastern leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Leeds, including the last remaining section not yet cancelled from Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway, they should really install overhead electrification from Derby to Birmingham and Sheffield to Leeds so the entire Cross Country route Edinburgh-Newcastle-York-Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-Birmingham has overhead electrification.

Crosscountry run beyond Birmingham, you'd need to order/cascade Bi-modes to XC to make wiring Derby-Birmingham worth it. In an ideal world you'd have the MML electrified throughout to Doncaster and Moorthorpe, and could cascade the EMR Bi-modes to XC but that's not going to happen for a long time.

 

[YourMum666]

EMR are getting bi-modes, there's no need for electrification to be all the way to Sheffield for electric trains to Derby.

Crosscountry run beyond Birmingham, you'd need to order/cascade Bi-modes to XC to make wiring Derby-Birmingham worth it. In an ideal world you'd have the MML electrified throughout to Doncaster and Moorthorpe, and could cascade the EMR Bi-modes to XC but that's not going to happen for a long time.

There is need for electrification all the way to sheffield because where do you want the wires to end if they don’t continue on to sheffield after derby

 

[Flying Phil]

In the meantime there are now piles through Desborough!



Also there are masts and cantilevers from the new Braybrooke bridge to the new Feeder station, but still a 1/4 mile gap North to MH.

 

[zwk500]

There is need for electrification all the way to sheffield because where do you want the wires to end if they don’t continue on to sheffield after derby

Etches Park. Pan down and fire up the diesel for the run into Sheffield.

 

[edwin_m]

As we saw from Kwarteng's budget, the markets seem to react very badly to expectations of increased borrowing. Electrification unlike tax cuts for higher earners may have a payback, but that's in the future unlike the increased borrowing costs. So it's unsurprising that a firm grip on total expenditure is being made, whilst the opposition is making hay that the government have lost control of spending.

The reaction may be a bit different if it is borrowing to fund investment in infrastructure that will promote economic growth, rather than tax cuts for the rich, which have little or no benefit for anyone else.

For Derby to have electric trains to London St Pancras the Midland Mainline will need to have overhead electrification all the way to Sheffield. As Derby has been chosen as the HQ for GBR the Government will be embarrassed again and again by attention being drawn to the absence of overhead electrification at and electric trains to the HQ of GBR if the Midland Mainline is not electrified all the way to Sheffield. As the Government will clearly not be building any part of the originally planned Eastern leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Leeds, including the last remaining section not yet cancelled from Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway, they should really install overhead electrification from Derby to Birmingham and Sheffield to Leeds so the entire Cross Country route Edinburgh-Newcastle-York-Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-Birmingham has overhead electrification.

HS2 trains will be electric only so if that section is built and they are to reach Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham, electrification will be needed southwards at least to East Midlands Parkway. That may end up leaving a "Leicester Gap" to Wigston, a term used to describe the situation in the 1980s when semaphore signalling remained between somewhere north of Loughborough and around Sharnbrook.

 

[Kneedown]

and could cascade the EMR Bi-modes to XC but that's not going to happen for a long titime.

EMR Bi modes will not be cascaded anywhere until Syston to Corby, Erewash route from both Trent and Nottingham , via both Radford and Toton, Beighton, and Sheet Stores to Derby via Stenson are electrified, and there are no current proposals to do any of those diversions.

 

[John R]

There is need for electrification all the way to sheffield because where do you want the wires to end if they don’t continue on to sheffield after derby

The wires run out just before Chippenham on the way to Bristol. There’s absolutely no reason the government couldn’t wire as far as Derby and leave the stretch northwards unwired if they don’t want to spend the money going the whole way. (See also: Swansea)

 

[YourMum666]

The wires run out just before Chippenham on the way to Bristol. There’s absolutely no reason the government couldn’t wire as far as Derby and leave the stretch northwards unwired if they don’t want to spend the money going the whole way. (See also: Swansea)

That would cause a lot of outrage, because the MML electrification is one of the few infrastructure developments the north gets , apart from that it is heavily underfunded

 

[zwk500]

That would cause a lot of outrage, because the MML electrification is one of the few infrastructure developments the north gets , apart from that it is heavily underfunded

MML electrification has been on then off the table at quite a few times over the years. There's also TRU.

 

[YourMum666]

MML electrification has been on then off the table at quite a few times over the years. There's also TRU.

now it’s steady and progress is slowly occurring it would be a very bad idea to cancel it

 

[zwk500]

now it’s steady and progress is slowly occurring it would be a very bad idea to cancel it

And yet, they've done exactly that before with cutting back to Kettering before the Market Harborough yo-yo

 

[YourMum666]

And yet, they've done exactly that before with cutting back to Kettering before the Market Harborough yo-yo

i hope it doesn’t get cut back on again

 

[Jozhua]

This thread is getting a bit speculational - I'm surprised there hasn't been a mods' warning.

The Erewash valley line is definitely not part of the current scheme. If I remember correctly it already wasn't part of the scheme even before Grayling cut it back to Kettering/Corby (which later became Market Harborough which ...). It was probably part of an earlier version of the scheme a few decades ago. However it will take several years for wires to get near Sheffield and by the time that happens there may have been changes of policy or of government.

If it's true that balises are not to be provided, that seems odd in relation to the fact that we've just heard in the last few days in the TRU thread that they have been put in at Colton, only to move soonish to Church Fenton.

FYI, there is a thread for this debate I made!

Future Of Erewash Valley/Electrification

Hello, Thought I'd start a new thread branching off of the MML electrification regarding Erewash Valley & how we believe it could best fit in with plans for the rail network in the area? I'll respond to a few people in my next post. Cheers! 1678019492 Would it? Comparatively few MML services...

www.railforums.co.uk

Surely any HS2 wiring would be years away though.

I can't see MML work being scaled back, it would be electorally disastrous for the Tories in the East Midlands and the "north" in general, and whereas HS2 is quite a controversial scheme, MML wiring has wide support.

Exactly, HS2 isn't going to require wiring for a few years yet, so there is no project delivery benefit from this.

That's why, across Whitehall, it's known as the "Dead Hand of the Treasury".

Another factor which should be in its favour is that rail expenditure of this sort is investment, whereas much of the borrowing at the moment is not. So it should come within the Golden Rule, of borrowing only to invest. All that seems to have gone out of the window at the moment...

*The irony of the government having to subsidize energy bills to the cost of a Hinkley Point C every TWO months, rather than...you know spending that money on investing in energy independence.*

Rail investment is a great way to encourage growth and reduce inflation. Crossrail is doing spectacularly. And besides, this scheme will more than pay for itself through better services, reduced maintenance/fuel costs and improved connectivity.

Of course, electrification costs are still elevated beyond what they should be. A significant factor in that is a lack of commitment from government. Another is the fractured industry making it hard for Network Rail to get decent possessions. The prevalence of rather short night-time windows of work has been factored as a large contributing factor to high electrification costs in the UK. I understand the argument that disruption undermines passenger trust, but a little bit of flexibility and clever timetabling could minimise this disruption?

 

[Bald Rick]

EMR Bi modes will not be cascaded anywhere until Syston to Corby, Erewash route from both Trent and Nottingham , via both Radford and Toton, Beighton, and Sheet Stores to Derby via Stenson are electrified, and there are no current proposals to do any of those diversions.

You are making the courageous assumption that the diversionary routes in use today would still be in use ‘tomorrow’ for EMR intercity services in the event that the MML was electrified throughout.