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MML Electrification: progress updates

59CosG95

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The presentation (in PDF form) from the recent 'NR + public' meetings at places north of Mkt Harboro' has been published on NR's website.

It also gives locations of work compounds and substations (compounds in yellow, substations in pink):
  • One at East Langton (where there'll also be a substation; East Langton ATS if memory serves),
  • One at Kibworth Harcourt (Wistow Rd; no substation), and
  • One at South Wigston (either side of Blaby Rd Overbridge; compound to the north, substation (South Wigston SATS) to the south).
Timescales are also given for the next phases of the work:
  • Ground Trial Holes: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 29/10/22;
  • Compound Setup & Road Rail Access Point (RRAP) install: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 27/10/22;
  • Vegetation Management: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 6/6/23;
  • Piling: planned to run from October 2022 to August 2023;
  • Steel installation (assuming main steel & small part steel): planned to run from November 2022 to September 2023;
  • Wiring: planned to run from January 2023 to December 2023; and
  • Adjustments & Assurance: planned to run from February 2023 to January 2024.
 

Attachments

  • Midland-Main-Line-presentation.pdf
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Flying Phil

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Thanks for posting 59CosG95, it would seem to be quite a rapid section to build, but it is virtually plain twin track throughout with few bridges.
 

WAO

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The map on page 3 suggests the new limit of wiring will be Wigston South junction, which makes sense.
There's a pale blue marked track (P7 of NR brief) North of Wigston Jns that suggests the limit of wiring is actually beyond the junctions.

I wonder whether trackwork is planned, there or elsewhere?

WAO
 

GRALISTAIR

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There's a pale blue marked track (P7 of NR brief) North of Wigston Jns that suggests the limit of wiring is actually beyond the junctions.

I wonder whether trackwork is planned, there or elsewhere?

WAO
Given that elsewhere we have seen plans to go all the way to Syston, that would make sense.
 

Flying Phil

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Meanwhile, a bit further North on the Midland Main Line, there appears to be work going on where the line crosses the brook just to the South of the Station where the new GCR bridge has been built.
It looks like there are temporary plastic mat dams either side of the bridge and three large pipes, with pumps, to take the water from one side to the other?
DSC01912.JPG
 

AndyW33

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Indeed. And without going too much into speculative territory would need rolling programme of electrification Sheffield to Donny followed by Sheffield to Leeds followed by Sheffield to York followed by Nottingham to Sheffield then the bit in the middle via Toton. Then and only then can the 810s be cascaded.
Have I missed an announcement? Why would electrification north of Sheffield affect the cascading of 810s? I'm all in favour of electrifying Sheffield to Moorthorpe to connect with the Doncaster-Leeds line, and Sheffield to Doncaster to connect with the ECML, but EMR no longer runs trains on either route. The Sheffield-Doncaster-York service only ran once a week at best and has been dropped from recent timetables, and Sheffield-Leeds were advertised ECS journeys which ran to get HSTs to or from their maintenance depot at Neville Hill. Now the HSTs are gone, the Leeds journeys are also gone. On the other hand, there is a St Pancras-Nottingham-Lincoln service which will presumably use 810s....
 

yorkie

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Just a gentle reminder this is a non-speculative infrastructure thread to discuss progress updates.

If anyone wishes to discuss possible rolling stock implications, please create a new thread (if there isn't one already) in the speculative discussion area.

Many thanks :)
 

snowball

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NR press release


Better facilities are now available for passengers at Market Harborough station, as Network Rail unveils the brand-new toilet block and waiting room today (Friday 22 July).

The new nine-seat waiting room now provides passengers with a comfortable space to wait for their train and enjoy a drink from the water fountain. A five-cubicle toilet block is also now available for rail users, complete with an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.
 

themiller

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From #5531
The new nine-seat waiting room now provides passengers with a comfortable space to wait for their train and enjoy a drink from the water fountain. A five-cubicle toilet block is also now available for rail users, complete with an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.

Are the folks of Market Harborough particularly incontinent? Is there an over provision of toilets or an under provision of waiting room seats?
 

swt_passenger

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From #5531
The new nine-seat waiting room now provides passengers with a comfortable space to wait for their train and enjoy a drink from the water fountain. A five-cubicle toilet block is also now available for rail users, complete with an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.

Are the folks of Market Harborough particularly incontinent? Is there an over provision of toilets or an under provision of waiting room seats?
I‘m really surprised NR’s usual exaggerated style of PR didn’t announce that as 14 seats… :D
 

Wolfie

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From #5531
The new nine-seat waiting room now provides passengers with a comfortable space to wait for their train and enjoy a drink from the water fountain. A five-cubicle toilet block is also now available for rail users, complete with an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.

Are the folks of Market Harborough particularly incontinent? Is there an over provision of toilets or an under provision of waiting room seats?
Five toilet cubicles.... Two male, two female and one disabled???
 

Flying Phil

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To be fair there are two other waiting rooms mid-way along on each platform, together with two or three little shelters....
 

Brissle Girl

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The picture of the “comfortable space” 9 seat waiting room must be the most uninviting image I’ve ever seen of such a facility. NR media had better not branch out into estate agency.
 

ohgoditsjames

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For the country that invented the rail industry, it's embarrassing that in 2022 we still have major cities the size of Sheffield and Nottingham that don't have a single electrified line, it simply wouldn't happen in countries like Germany.
 

Roast Veg

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For the country that invented the rail industry, it's embarrassing that in 2022 we still have major cities the size of Sheffield and Nottingham that don't have a single electrified line, it simply wouldn't happen in countries like Germany.
There's an argument to be made that it's precisely because we invented the thing, and thus bear the technical debt of its original construction, that we continue to struggle with controlling the cost of upgrades to this day.
 

59CosG95

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20220723_160853.jpg
Rushton (bridge SPC3/42) this afternoon.
Civils contractor Story has now joined SPL on site.
Towards Desborough (and in D'boro' itself) lots of utility upgrade/diversion work (mainly gas) has been taking place. My guess is that this utility work is in advance of the bridge works taking place there.

Additionally, the first cantilevers have started to be hung around Rushton - one on the southern DM SSA by the compound (122.590/DM), 3 on the TCM (twin cantilever mast) pair north of that (122.641/DM+UM; the DM out of running cantilever has yet to go in), and both on the DM TCM north of that pair (122.695/DM; the UM mast has none at present).
 
Last edited:

InOban

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There's an argument to be made that it's precisely because we invented the thing, and thus bear the technical debt of its original construction, that we continue to struggle with controlling the cost of upgrades to this day.
We also suffer from the fact that our railway network was built by competing private companies leading to duplication. I believe most countries on the continent built their railways as national projects.
 

Nottingham59

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I've been thinking about my local MML Grid Supply Point at Ratcliffe-on-Soar. I understand from previous posts that the grid connection (due to be located just next to the railway south of the A453 bridge) has been ordered from National Grid.

I know these are very expensive items with long lead times.

Does anyone know what capacity has been specified? e.g. Has it been sized to supply 4x810 per hour on the MML? Does it include the 4/5tph between Nottingham and Derby (currently diesel but could be bi-mode in future)? Did the calculations include the prospect of electric freight routes? And the prospect of electo-diesels like the Class 93 and 99, so that all freight could in principle be electric traction? And will it also have capacity to also supply HS2 trains which will be passing through or close by here?*

* According to the IRP, which of course should be treated as gospel.
 

WAO

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The normal Grid transformer for an ATFS is 2 x 40 MVA, though this can be stretched to 88MVA. The largest pre-AT feeders have a 2 x 26.5MVA transformer. The precise rating depends on whether it is naturally cooled or force cooled. The transformers actually belong to the Grid. They can be very expensive - one single installation for HS2 coming in at £92.5M!

The neighbouring MML ATFS's are to be quite close to you, at Braybrooke and Chesterfield, so you won't see a stalled 810 very often!

WAO
 

Nicholas Lewis

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The presentation (in PDF form) from the recent 'NR + public' meetings at places north of Mkt Harboro' has been published on NR's website.

It also gives locations of work compounds and substations (compounds in yellow, substations in pink):
  • One at East Langton (where there'll also be a substation; East Langton ATS if memory serves),
  • One at Kibworth Harcourt (Wistow Rd; no substation), and
  • One at South Wigston (either side of Blaby Rd Overbridge; compound to the north, substation (South Wigston SATS) to the south).
Timescales are also given for the next phases of the work:
  • Ground Trial Holes: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 29/10/22;
  • Compound Setup & Road Rail Access Point (RRAP) install: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 27/10/22;
  • Vegetation Management: started 15/7/22, planned to run to 6/6/23;
  • Piling: planned to run from October 2022 to August 2023;
  • Steel installation (assuming main steel & small part steel): planned to run from November 2022 to September 2023;
  • Wiring: planned to run from January 2023 to December 2023; and
  • Adjustments & Assurance: planned to run from February 2023 to January 2024.
Should be ready for energisation and testing by Q1/24 then.

Also took a look at the latest Infrastructure & Projects Authority dataset for DfT for this project and it has this entry

The Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 21/22-Q4 is Amber. Continued challenge on delivery costs to reduce the cost per km rate from £3.1m to £2.5m (or better), and to ensure that the electrification of the route to Sheffield and Nottingham is appropriately integrated with the enhancements needed to enable HS2 services to operate on the midland mainline.

Baseline Whole Life Cost is 1468.00 (£m). This is primarily due to the following factors: The current capital cost estimate remains at £1.5b . Network Rail have been set a target to reduce the capital costs to £1.2bn. This will be delivered through challenges to standards, delivery methodology, access arrangements and challenging in-direct costs.
 

zwk500

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We also suffer from the fact that our railway network was built by competing private companies leading to duplication. I believe most countries on the continent built their railways as national projects.
We also didn't have to rebuild the whole thing from scratch after 1945.
 

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