MML Electrification: progress updates

[Bald Rick]

2011/2 Soham box closed and replaced with a number of auto signals that have reduced the headway between Bury and Chippenham Jn.

I think you mean Kennett ’box; Soham ‘box closed when Cambridge PSB was commissioned in the 80s.

 

[TheBigD]

I think you mean Kennett ’box; Soham ‘box closed when Cambridge PSB was commissioned in the 80s.

Indeed I did.

 

[snowball]

Press release

Leicestershire road closure due to Midland Mainline electrification

Wistow Road in Newton Harcourt is closing today (24 March 2023) from the junction with Kibworth Road. People are being asked to follow the signposted diversions for Station Road.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Wistow Road in Newton Harcourt is closing today (24 March 2023) from the junction with Kibworth Road. People are being asked to follow the signposted diversions for Station Road.

Network Rail is electrifying the Midland Main Line from Kettering to Wigston. All of this work will help to create a cleaner, greener electrified railway for passengers travelling along this section of the Midland Main Line in the future.

Today's road closure, which lasts until December, is linked to work by Network Rail to raise a bridge in Great Glen, Newton Harcourt. Reconstructing the bridge – which allows cars to travel over the railway via Station Road – and raising it by just over half a metre will provide enough room for the overhead line equipment needed to power electric and hybrid trains to eventually pass underneath the bridge.

If I had to identify the roads in question I'd find it very confusing. For example, a section of the Wistow to Kibworth Harcourt road shown on the OS 1:25k map as Wistow Road is shown on a larger scale map as Kibworth Road. However, I'm content to watch from a distance.

 

[PJM]

Press release

Leicestershire road closure due to Midland Mainline electrification

Wistow Road in Newton Harcourt is closing today (24 March 2023) from the junction with Kibworth Road. People are being asked to follow the signposted diversions for Station Road.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

If I had to identify the roads in question I'd find it very confusing. For example, a section of the Wistow to Kibworth Harcourt road shown on the OS 1:25k map as Wistow Road is shown on a larger scale map as Kibworth Road. However, I'm content to watch from a distance.

That is confusing! Has the bridge on Station Road now been rebuilt? Last time I looked Station Road was still closed. The bridge at Wistow Road, Newton Harcourt is obviously completely different.

 

[59CosG95]

That is confusing! Has the bridge on Station Road now been rebuilt? Last time I looked Station Road was still closed. The bridge at Wistow Road, Newton Harcourt is obviously completely different.

I think the bridge at Wistow Rd (SPC3-9) is slightly harder to access based on its location, so it's having to be closed alongside Station Rd (SPC3-10)

The current diversionary route is via Wigston Rd (SPC3-7) so it's safe to say all traffic will be running via there until Station Rd is reopened (IIRC in late July).
I believe Wigston Rd closes in August/September.

 

[PJM]

I think the bridge at Wistow Rd (SPC3-9) is slightly harder to access based on its location, so it's having to be closed alongside Station Rd (SPC3-10)

The current diversionary route is via Wigston Rd (SPC3-7) so it's safe to say all traffic will be running via there until Station Rd is reopened (IIRC in late July).
I believe Wigston Rd closes in August/September.

I see, thanks for that, you are always well informed with your bridge numbers etc. how do you access that information? I can try and be more accurate with my descriptions in future

 

[59CosG95]

I see, thanks for that, you are always well informed with your bridge numbers etc. how do you access that information? I can try and be more accurate with my descriptions in future

Most of the time they're visible on the white "bridge strike" plates (with the red border), saying something like "This is Bridge [insert number here]". Sometimes it's attached to the structure at rail level, or on a post nearby.

E.g. looking north from bridge SPC3-28, you can see that the A6 Market Harborough Bypass to the north has a sign saying "SPC3-27F" to the north of it.

The ABC Railway Guide website also gives an OpenStreetMap list of structures in a given local authority e.g. Leicestershire County Council, however, as the data is open-source it can be a tad tricky to find the right location at times.

 

[PJM]

Many thanks 59CosG95.

 

[Class 170101]

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.

They will need to be if NR want decent access and passengers want trains most of the day.

I think you mean Kennett ’box; Soham ‘box closed when Cambridge PSB was commissioned in the 80s.

and the PSB soon to be updated or itself replaced?

 

[zwk500]

They will need to be if NR want decent access and passengers want trains most of the day.

The ECML's coped without wired diversions for plenty of years.

and the PSB soon to be updated or itself replaced?

Keeps getting proposed then slipping AIUI.

 

[swt_passenger]

Many thanks 59CosG95.

To add to the above reply by @59CosG95 the MML is one of the lines covered in some detail on the railway codes site here:

http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/bridges/mml1.pdf

The railway data centre site also has info in a different format, for your purpose you probably need to search by Engineer’s Line Reference (ELR) ie “SPC3” for the area in question:

RailwayData | Bridges

Data of bridges that interset Network Rail infrastructure.

www.railwaydata.co.uk

 

[Class 170101]

The ECML's coped without wired diversions for plenty of years.

Perhaps but that was with Diesel only and now Bi-mode Diesel trains not sure in the climate crisis thats a great idea. However thats where government doesn't seem to have, nor understands, joined up cross department policy.

Keeps getting proposed then slipping AIUI.

Grrr

 

[TheBigD]

and the PSB soon to be updated or itself replaced?

Currently being recontrolled. Current date for the 3 Bury line boxes going in to there is now December 2025.

 

[zwk500]

Perhaps but that was with Diesel only and now Bi-mode Diesel trains not sure in the climate crisis thats a great idea. However thats where government doesn't seem to have, nor understands, joined up cross department policy.

It's not a question of cross-departmental policy but value for money. How often are total blocks of long sections of the MML required during high-traffic hours?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Perhaps but that was with Diesel only and now Bi-mode Diesel trains not sure in the climate crisis thats a great idea. However thats where government doesn't seem to have, nor understands, joined up cross department policy.

Grrr

Roger Ford - Informed Sources Rule 1?

 

[Kneedown]

It's not a question of cross-departmental policy but value for money. How often are total blocks of long sections of the MML required during high-traffic hours?

It doesn't have to be a total block. A rail or signalling defect, or other isolated issue at say, Market Harborough, would cripple the route were it not for the Manton diversion.
The many diversionary possibilities are what gives our route the resilience that means we generally keep at least some trains running during times of disruption.

 

[Class 170101]

Roger Ford - Informed Sources Rule 1?

Will have to remind me I'm afraid

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Roger Ford - Informed Sources Rule 1?

Will have to remind me I'm afraid

Never assume railways are a rational organisation.

 

[Class 170101]

Never assume railways are a rational organisation.

Blame the politicans for that one

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Blame the politicans for that one

 

[snowball]

Blame the politicans for that one

There are enough examples arising from within the railway before you even begin to discuss the influence of politicians.

Roger Ford's other Laws are listed on the Wikipedia page about him.

Roger Ford (journalist) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Roger Ford is a British journalist specialising in rail transport.[1] He is Industry and Technology Editor of the monthly trade and technical magazine Modern Railways, where he is probably best known for his column Informed Sources, noted for its in-depth analysis of railway technical, commercial and policy issues.[2] He is also founding editor of Rail Business Intelligence.[3]

 

[Class 170101]

View attachment 131566

and him / them of course

 

[zwk500]

It doesn't have to be a total block. A rail or signalling defect, or other isolated issue at say, Market Harborough, would cripple the route were it not for the Manton diversion.
The many diversionary possibilities are what gives our route the resilience that means we generally keep at least some trains running during times of disruption.

Bi-Di is better value for money against a single line defect. There are very few routes that actually use diversionary routes, and most of what exist are accidents of history.

Case in point - no diversionary capacity was maintained for HS1. If London-Paris wasn't worth diversionary capacity, why would London-Leicester?

 

[Mag_seven]

Just a reminder that the topic of the thread is MML Electrification Progress Updates.

Thanks

 

[Edvid]

Passed by the sectioning site at East Hyde today and it looks like the cross-track feeders are connected, though I can't say whether or not it's been commissioned.

Country-end cross-track feeder


London-end cross-track feeder


There's now a UKMS portal between them as well (as opposed to the Mk3 portals replacing the failing headspans), but it doesn't look like a neutral section to me; the circuit breaker didn't open or close when my train (a Class 700) passed it. Does that mean Sandridge will remain the boundary between the Borehamwood & Chalton feeds?

 

[59CosG95]

Passed by the sectioning site at East Hyde today and it looks like the cross-track feeders are connected, though I can't say whether or not it's been commissioned.

Country-end cross-track feeder
View attachment 131582

London-end cross-track feeder
View attachment 131583

There's now a UKMS portal between them as well (as opposed to the Mk3 portals replacing the failing headspans), but it doesn't look like a neutral section to me; the circuit breaker didn't open or close when my train (a Class 700) passed it. Does that mean Sandridge will remain the boundary between the Borehamwood & Chalton feeds?
View attachment 131584

I don't believe it's been commissioned yet; once it is, then you'll notice the circuit breakers opening/closing.
Note the in-line insulating rods in the catenary either side of the F+F SICs; they'll become the neutral section cantilevers once the contact wire part of the neutral section is installed.

 

[Edvid]

Ah, I see. If memory serves the neutral section fittings at Borehamwood were all installed in one extended possession (Christmas 2010) so I thought the same would apply here.

 

[Trainben]

The view from the footbridge at Little Bowden last night.

 

[59CosG95]

The view from the footbridge at Little Bowden last night.

That'll be the work for the ATF then. I'd suspect that the ATF insulators atop little stovepipes above the booms will be in by Monday morning.

 

[yorkie]

This thread is for actual updates regarding MML electrification.

Any speculative posts belongs in the Speculative Discussion section please; for example the thread linked below:

If MML electrification gets paused, can the installation teams move straight on to HS2 work then back to the MML?

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/mml-electrification-progress-updates.110445 "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. 13, facing the report of HS2 rescheduling on p. 12. It...

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