MML Electrification: progress updates

[59CosG95]

Personally, any changes to EMR's regional fleet notwithstanding, I think that Kegworth going offline (from both grid connections) won't be too much of a risk as the 810s will be the only stock drawing power at the outset.
That school of thought may be different for Hasland (Chesterfield area) as the XC fleet will likely be due for renewal soon and they'd have to be pretty ecologically incompetent to not go for at least a bi-modal replacement for the 22x fleet.

 

[Meerkat]

There is no need for an extension lead.
Is there any prospect of any 25kv only services at any point? The locals all go beyond the projected wires anyway AIUI.

 

[zwk500]

There is no need for an extension lead.
Is there any prospect of any 25kv only services at any point? The locals all go beyond the projected wires anyway AIUI.

None under present plans. It will take long enough to wire all the way to Sheffield.

 

[PJM]

Double catenary run north and south of the Rushton compound.



and at the Braybrooke compound.

 

[Edvid]

Travelled to Market Harborough yesterday; not the first time I've had a passenger's view of an ongoing electrification project but it was the first time I noticed particular details with my own eyes, be it the sporadic blue construction earths or the exposed ATF runs (between Kettering and Braybrooke) terminating on the up side.

 

[PJM]

Double catenary through Market Harborough station. I do not think that it was there yesterday.

Looking north.


station.


from the boardwalk by the River Jordan and Welland.

 

[Flying Phil]

At Desborough, the Pipewell bridge is closed for work to be done. There are masts and some cantilevers to the South and North.

There are a couple of masts missing just to the North of the Co-op


At the old A6 bridge there are masts and cantilevers but no stove pipes to the South and North.


There is still a pile and mast "Gap" at the Braybrooke Supply site.

 

[PJM]

At Desborough, the Pipewell bridge is closed for work to be done. There are masts and some cantilevers to the South and North. View attachment 134467View attachment 134468

There are a couple of masts missing just to the North of the Co-op
View attachment 134469

At the old A6 bridge there are masts and cantilevers but no stove pipes to the South and North.
View attachment 134470View attachment 134471

There is still a pile and mast "Gap" at the Braybrooke Supply site.
View attachment 134472View attachment 134473

Nice update, thanks Phil.

 

[Jozhua]

Personally, any changes to EMR's regional fleet notwithstanding, I think that Kegworth going offline (from both grid connections) won't be too much of a risk as the 810s will be the only stock drawing power at the outset.
That school of thought may be different for Hasland (Chesterfield area) as the XC fleet will likely be due for renewal soon and they'd have to be pretty ecologically incompetent to not go for at least a bi-modal replacement for the 22x fleet.

Plus economically incompetent, given how much they already spend on Diesel running under wires...

(Manchester - Brum & York - Edinburgh) - not sure how it is down to Bournemouth though!

 

[59CosG95]

Plus economically incompetent, given how much they already spend on Diesel running under wires...

(Manchester - Brum & York - Edinburgh) - not sure how it is down to Bournemouth though!

Well, AFAIK they run under wires as follows southwest of Brum:
>New Street - Bromsgrove (except Kings Norton - Longbridge)
>Westerleigh Jn - Bristol Parkway - Filton East Curve (not a long way in the grand scheme of things)

And south of Brum:
>New Street - Coventry
>Didcot - Reading (reverse) - Southcote Jn
>Basingstoke - Bournemouth (over 3rd Rail)

They'd have to be profoundly economically/ecologically incompetent not to take bi-modes (or even tri-modes) into account for future traffic, especially with the MML and TRU East wires going up.
One would also hope Reading - Didcot under the wires also becomes Reading - Oxford soon...

Back on topic, has there been any further movement south of Bedford? I know East Hyde is all connected properly now but I don't know how Napsbury's shaping up.

 

[zwk500]

Plus economically incompetent, given how much they already spend on Diesel running under wires...

(Manchester - Brum & York - Edinburgh) - not sure how it is down to Bournemouth though!

Manchester-Brum is around 80 miles, even the 200 of York-Edinburgh doesn't actually cover that much of a XC run to Bristol or Southampton. It'd be economically incompetent to replace perfectly serviceable diesel trains for a functionality you can barely make use of.

 

[Edvid]

Back on topic, has there been any further movement south of Bedford? I know East Hyde is all connected properly now but I don't know how Napsbury's shaping up.

The latest NR MMLe works map has substation work pencilled in for 17/18 June; judging by the mileages it looks like Napsbury (new TSC commissioning), Radlett (old TSC disconnection) and Sandridge (MPTSC disconnection & OHNS removal) are all happening that weekend. Mileages also extend to Borehamwood; not sure if that means anything but could be to do with the feeding length being extended by five or so miles north.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Travelling down from Sheffield today have to say they've made very rapid progress with the Bayebrook to Wigston extension. Looking from down side piling must be 90%+ maybe 50% steelwork up with arms well advanced as well. Im sure NR and its delivery contractor are showing that they can deliver to plan and that will achieve the target cost per route km to give DfT confidence to authorise more sections.

 

[zwk500]

Travelling down from Sheffield today have to say they've made very rapid progress with the Bayebrook to Wigston extension. Looking from down side piling must be 90%+ maybe 50% steelwork up with arms well advanced as well.

This is excellent news, thanks for the update.

Im sure NR and its delivery contractor are showing that they can deliver to plan and that will achieve the target cost per route km to give DfT confidence to authorise more sections.

I imagine it will take more than 1 delivery to convince the treasury to unlock the pursestrings.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This is excellent news, thanks for the update.

I imagine it will take more than 1 delivery to convince the treasury to unlock the pursestrings.

Probably so but reinforces the argument to keep a performing team together to jump over Leicester and heading North towards Kegworth FS.

 

[zwk500]

Probably so but reinforces the argument to keep a performing team together to jump over Leicester and heading North towards Kegworth FS.

If only the DfT were so logical. They'll run a competitive tender and choose the lowest bid.

 

[Flying Phil]

There is still a pile and mast "Gap" past the Braybrooke Supply site, but work is being done on the roadway alongside the line.

 

[59CosG95]

There is still a pile and mast "Gap" past the Braybrooke Supply site, but work is being done on the roadway alongside the line.
View attachment 135411View attachment 135412

Looks like they're making the access road there a bit stronger/smoother as the new CWNS (Carrier Wire Neutral Section) that will separate the north and south feeds from Braybrooke ATFS is going up west of the bridge. There'll be a lot of Anchor Portals going up and the access to the Neutral Section will need to be maintained at all times.
Meanwhile in the fenced-off feeder station compound, the ground has been dug up for the new concrete bunds for the Auto-Transformers themselves; these are necessary to prevent any environmental issues should the transformers (God forbid!) leak their oil. See my marked up screenshot below:

 

[ricoblade]

If only the DfT were so logical. They'll run a competitive tender and choose the lowest bid.

As someone who works in bidding (not in rail) that is sooooo true across multiple departments (currently yes, MOD that is you, going to tender for something that is already working with a good team).

 

[380DC]

Looks like they're making the access road there a bit stronger/smoother as the new CWNS (Carrier Wire Neutral Section) that will separate the north and south feeds from Braybrooke ATFS is going up west of the bridge. There'll be a lot of Anchor Portals going up and the access to the Neutral Section will need to be maintained at all times.
Meanwhile in the fenced-off feeder station compound, the ground has been dug up for the new concrete bunds for the Auto-Transformers themselves; these are necessary to prevent any environmental issues should the transformers (God forbid!) leak their oil. See my marked up screenshot below:
View attachment 135423

I believe it's going to be an AFNS as opposed to a CWNS, so less portals required

 

[59CosG95]

I believe it's going to be an AFNS as opposed to a CWNS, so less portals required

So an in-line one like most other Neutral Sections then?

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought the line speed was such that a CWNS was mandated by the current standards, as we discussed a few weeks ago.

 

[59CosG95]

I thought the line speed was such that a CWNS was mandated by the current standards, as we discussed a few weeks ago.

So did I, unless there's been a hard-tack back to old standards.

 

[380DC]

I thought the line speed was such that a CWNS was mandated by the current standards, as we discussed a few weeks ago.

You're correct - CWNS are generally used with linespeeds above 100mph, however NR have requested an AFNS here. Can't remember the exact reason unfortunately

 

[59CosG95]

You're correct - CWNS are generally used with linespeeds above 100mph, however NR have requested an AFNS here. Can't remember the exact reason unfortunately

Something to do with the bridge nearby, or the ground conditions perhaps?

A bumper weekend just gone!
6-foot drainage installed through SPC3-28D (Main St, Gt Bowden): https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cent...Rt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Ancillary Wiring (EW & ATF) installation works near East Langton (looks more like West Langton from the shots): https://www.linkedin.com/posts/spl-...rG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

113 Masts & 14 Booms in over this weekend: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam...Vb?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

 

[PJM]

Looking north from the bridge at Main Street, Great Bowden. It looks to me as the track has been lowered?


south.

 

[59CosG95]

Looking north from the bridge at Main Street, Great Bowden. It looks to me as the track has been lowered?
View attachment 135667View attachment 135668

south.
View attachment 135669

It has now been lowered, yes - the drainage in the 6-foot (between the DM & UM) was the last piece of the puzzle.

 

[Edvid]

What looks like the first issue of an internal MMLe newsletter (dated May 2023) is available to view on the issuu platform.

 

[PJM]

It has now been lowered, yes - the drainage in the 6-foot (between the DM & UM) was the last piece of the puzzle.

Ah, the drainage was what I was looking for, obviously now covered with ballast.

So this is where the 113 masts and 14 booms are! Looking north from the bridge on Warwick Road north of Kibworth.




and south towards Kibworth.



... masts are now in place as far north as Station Road and probably further. Will check how far asap.

 

[muddythefish]

Ah, the drainage was what I was looking for, obviously now covered with ballast.

So this is where the 113 masts and 14 booms are! Looking north from the bridge on Warwick Road north of Kibworth.

Thanks for the picture. I assume the MML used to be 4 tracks there?