East Coast Mainline Blockade for Werrington Junction diveunder

[Crun]

10/07/2020 views of work on the dive-under on the East Coast Main Line:

 

Edited July 10, 2020 by Crun

[Donington Road]

7 hours ago, Crun said:

10/07/2020 views of work on the dive-under on the East Coast Main Line:

 

 

Nice photo Chris.

Marholm Brook looks quite tranquil now to how it looked back in December.

 

 

 

I think it is safe to say that all the drainage work has been completed around Marholm Brook. All photos courtesy of my roving reporter friend.

The fencing has been removed from the right side of the footpath along the industrial estate with some of it moved back towards Marholm Brook, behind the white building,

 

 

The pumps and pipework are being loaded up and taken off-hire.

 

The only discharge pipe left in operation is probably waste water from the site.

[Donington Road]

All the spoil has been taken out of the wide-way overnight on Saturday and we can now see in to the bottom of the hole.

 

 

 

[Crun]

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Crun

[Richard E]

Had a little trip out today. Car needed MOT renewing so it went to the main dealers yesterday. I had to go back today to return the tools they left on the back seat! As they are in Werrington it seemed wrong to not take a look.

 

So this time round I started at Lincoln Road. There seems to be a bit of activity at the new Glinton Junction site with a crane there but I didn't walk up there. At Lincoln Road the 'pond' mentioned in the last few posts is a bit fuller.

 

 

The existing bridge wing walls have been cut back further and the northern approach where the new line will cut through is getting a bigger hole. they are still nibbling away at the concrete pillars cast recently.

 

 

 

Not a lot to see under the A15 although they were staking out the line of the new footpath and bringing in hardcore for its base. Quite why the chap in the picture was bagging some escapes me unless it was for some sort of sampling for quality.

 

 

 

I did have a look from Hurn Road footbridge but most of the big machinery has gone and there isn't much to see.

 

Moving on the the southern end of the site work seems to have been stepped up. They are tidying up the western side south of the footbridge.

 

 

Then looking at the wideway it is busy there. Spoil is being stored right the way down to the site of the new junction with gravel and soil being segregated. There also appears to be a new works access via a temporary crossing.

 

 

 

The big hole in the wideway is getting ever larger too with a slope down to the level of the concrete platform developing. It also looks as if the side walls have been cast in a couple of places.

 

 

 

From the look of the sheet piling that job has now been completed.

 

 

And, finally, whilst I was there the unmistakable sound of an HST caught my attention, unfortunately I wasn't in an ideal position to catch it but I did get the tail end of the set, a pair of EMR power cars (43423 on the back) on Virgin stock, an ECS working I presume. Frustratingly I cannot find it on RTT although that is probably me!

 

 

As an aside there was a gentleman with a camera waiting on the Hurn Road bridge when I was there who kept looking anxiously at his phone so I presume it is this HST working he was waiting for.

[jonny777]

9 minutes ago, Richard E said:

Had a little trip out today. Car needed MOT renewing so it went to the main dealers yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<snip>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to appear pedantic, but I thought the government had extended MOTs by 6 months because of coronavirus. Mine was due in June, but the website now says it runs out in December so I have not bothered. 

 

Have the rules changed again? Will I get my 'collar felt' if I venture out onto the Queen's Highway? 

[Richard E]

11 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

 

Sorry to appear pedantic, but I thought the government had extended MOTs by 6 months because of coronavirus. Mine was due in June, but the website now says it runs out in December so I have not bothered. 

 

Have the rules changed again? Will I get my 'collar felt' if I venture out onto the Queen's Highway? 

 

Yes, they have, the concession was withdrawn about a fortnight ago. If the MOT expires between 30th March 2020 and 31st July 2020 it is extended, on or after 1st August it no longer extends. Mine expires (expired) on 1st August so I had to get it done. And my tax is due on 1st August as well so I had no option.

 

If you are shown as having an extended MOT then you are fine until the 'new' expiry date.

 

As I get the MOT free on this car, thanks to a promotion the dealership ran about 18 months ago, and my classic is MOT exempt it makes no odds to me other than being a little frustrating that I missed out.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Richard E

[jonny777]

7 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

Yes, they have, the concession was withdrawn about a fortnight ago. If the MOT expires between 30th March 2020 and 31st July 2020 it is extended, on or after 1st August it no longer extends. Mine expires (expired) on 1st August so I had to get it done. And my tax is due on 1st August as well so I had no option.

 

If you are shown as having an extended MOT then you are fine until the 'new' expiry date.

 

As I get the MOT free on this car, thanks to a promotion the dealership ran about 18 months ago, and my classic is MOT exempt it makes no odds to me other than being a little frustrating that I missed out.

 

Thanks. I had not realised that. 

 

I have not seen much publicity surrounding these announcements. 

 

 

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Richard E said:

 

 

 

And, finally, whilst I was there the unmistakable sound of an HST caught my attention, unfortunately I wasn't in an ideal position to catch it but I did get the tail end of the set, a pair of EMR power cars (43423 on the back) on Virgin stock, an ECS working I presume. Frustratingly I cannot find it on RTT although that is probably me!

 

 

As an aside there was a gentleman with a camera waiting on the Hurn Road bridge when I was there who kept looking anxiously at his phone so I presume it is this HST working he was waiting for.

Hi Richard

Is the EXIF detail for the photo correct?

If so it should show up at Werrington Jn at that time.

The only one I can find is 5Z43 EMT ecs move from (*Neville Hill/) Nottingham to Peterborough and is listed as an HST but it is exactly 1 hour later.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J10150/2020-07-14/detailed

Formed of 43484+43423 which fits.

 

*Neville Hill to Notts portion cancelled.

 

 

[Richard E]

Unfortunately my camera was an hour out as I hadn't corrected it for BST (now done). I've now confirmed elsewhere it was Nottingham to Peterborough via Neville Hill. I think it is the route that was confusing me as I wasn't looking for that point of origin.

 

Thanks for the info.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Richard E

[Donington Road]

Hive of activity in the wide-way today.

Excavating to a deeper level has now reached Cock Lane footbridge.  A temporary crossing which was laid each night using the boards which are on the far side of the Stamford lines, to facilitate removal of spoil from the days workings.  These can no longer be used now the wide-way is at a much deeper level than the sheet piling.  The only egress now is further south, crossing the Stamford lines and into the industrial estate.

 

 

The temporary crossing was where the slope of hardcore is adjacent to the Up Stamford.

 

 

Plenty of work going on constructing the walls atop of the piling.  I am presuming the rebar on top of the third section in will be the tie in for the start of the steel cross beams which hold it altogether. I've added a link to the Network Rail animation of the dive-under at the bottom of the page for those who have not seen it.

 

 

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/east-coast/east-coast-upgrade/werrington-grade-separation/

 

[Donington Road]

Other goings on at Cock Lane.

On the east side next to Benedict Square a temporary concrete footpath has been laid to the left of the digger and the newly laid tarmac footpath is about to be closed (and dug up?) to allow drainage to be put in for rain water off the footbridge.  This will discharge into Werrington Brook which is just beyond the fence posts in the second photo.

The same proceedure is going to be done on the west side of the footbridge.  Bit of an oversight in planning me thinks.

 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Donington Road
don't know left from right :-)

[Donington Road]

In the Lincoln Road/Hurn Road area a little more progress since Richard's photographs yesterday.

The 'pond' has now had a sump dug and water is being pumped out, crossing over Lincoln Road and into the undergrowth at Hurn Road.

From my experience of the area, the water is probably in a loop and finding its way back to the sump.

 

Excavations around the piling at Lincoln Road continue to get deeper.

 

The sub base of the new footpath from the new Hurn Road road junction is continuing to progess towards and under the A15 bridge.  Not sure if this will have rubberised top layer similar to the bridleway along the new Hurn Road for the one horse that passess along here daily.

 

 

 

Gravel boards being installed to hold back the embankment on the west side of the A15 road bridge.

The studs on top of the retaining wall will probably be for securing the high fencing that will separate pedestrians from the railway.

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

I am sure there is an obvious answer, but why do they cover the rebar at the top of the concrete piles and then laboriously uncover the rebar, rather than just putting less concrete in initially?

And a big thank you to all those who are posting progress photos. It is a long way from my area but it is fascinating to see the project develop.

Jonathan

[chris p bacon]

51 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

I am sure there is an obvious answer, but why do they cover the rebar at the top of the concrete piles and then laboriously uncover the rebar, rather than just putting less concrete in initially?

 

I haven't a lot of pile experience but you have to fill the bore to the top to guard against 'slump'.  Also filling to the top stops soil from dropping in and contaminating and from water pooling on the top and weakening the concrete.

The concrete also protects the rebar from being bent while the soil is dug away.

[TravisM]

As a local Peterborough resident, I’d like to take a trip up there to have a look as they seem to have made a lot of progress.  Can I ask, can you park close by without issue?  I’m disabled and find walking difficult at the best of times.

 

Thanks in advance 

[melmerby]

38 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

 

I haven't a lot of pile experience but you have to fill the bore to the top to guard against 'slump'.  Also filling to the top stops soil from dropping in and contaminating and from water pooling on the top and weakening the concrete.

The concrete also protects the rebar from being bent while the soil is dug away.

OK

Why not just make the soil level lower and leave the rebar sticking out the top?

[Donington Road]

2 minutes ago, jools1959 said:

As a local Peterborough resident, I’d like to take a trip up there to have a look as they seem to have made a lot of progress.  Can I ask, can you park close by without issue?  I’m disabled and find walking difficult at the best of times.

 

Thanks in advance 

 

There are places to park nearby.

For Cock Lane footbridge park in Benedict Square as near the entrance to Dukesmead as possible, which is off the Werrington Parkway (A15), look out for the Car Superstore building.  Access to the footbridge is via a footpath to the right side of the entrance to Dukesmead.  The footbridge has both stairs and ramps for wheelchair access.  The sides of the ramps are 1.5 metres high if you want to see over them and 1.8 meters high on the span of the bridge.

For Lincoln Road/Hurn Road park in Davids Close just off Davids Lane at the A15 end of Werrington.  Turn into Davids Close then turn right at the end and you will see a blue cycleway sign to Glinton.  It is a short footpath up to the temporary footbridge.

For Hurn Road/Lincoln Road, from the Glinton roundabout coming towards Peterborough on the A15 turn left after half a mile off the Werrington Parkway then turn right and there is parking on the road near the site entrance at the foot of Lincoln Road.

The new Hurn Road to the west of the A15 is accessible by turning left just before the Glinton roundabout in what is now a combined junction with Waterworks Lane.  Unfortunately there is no parking along Hurn Road until you reach Hurn Road footbridge.  There is still work to be seen from there but very little compared to the other areas.. It is still worth a visit but be aware that the footbridge there is stairs only.

[Donington Road]

4 minutes ago, melmerby said:

OK

Why not just make the soil level lower and leave the rebar sticking out the top?

 

There is no soil at pile height.  A substantial hard core bed (3 feet or more) is first laid down to provide stability for the piling machine

The piling machine (weight 150 tons) has to travel backwards and forwards over the new piles as it bores holes for each new pile.  The piles are not done sequentially.  One pile is done on the left side of the bridge then one at 180° on the right.  Then back to the left side leaving one space, then the right and so on and so on.  The piling machine then ends up sitting on top of some of these new piles to do the infilling. and finally escaping from its confined space.

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

Many thanks for the explanations.

It sounds like soldering! Only in that case it is about expansion and contraction of the metal.

Jonathan

[Richard E]

14 hours ago, Donington Road said:

Other goings on at Cock Lane.

On the east side next to Benedict Square a temporary concrete footpath has been laid to the right of the digger and the newly laid tarmac footpath is about to be closed (and dug up?) to allow drainage to be put in for rain water off the footbridge.  This will discharge into Werrington Brook which is just beyond the fence posts in the second photo.

The same proceedure is going to be done on the west side of the footbridge.  Bit of an oversight in planning me thinks.

 

When I was up there they were laying the footpath base. It wasn't obvious what was going on. Crun, in his last video, showed the removal of the temporary boarding on the fence by the brook.

 

15 hours ago, Donington Road said:

Excavating to a deeper level has now reached Cock Lane footbridge.  A temporary crossing which was laid each night using the boards which are on the far side of the Stamford lines, to facilitate removal of spoil from the days workings.  These can no longer be used now the wide-way is at a much deeper level than the sheet piling.  The only egress now is further south, crossing the Stamford lines and into the industrial estate.

 

The temporary crossing was where the slope of hardcore is adjacent to the Up Stamford.

 

I remarked on the new temporary crossing which I'd spotted whilst on my visit although it was hidden by the OHLE structure in at least one of my pictures.

[jamie92208]

11 hours ago, Donington Road said:

 

There is no soil at pile height.  A substantial hard core bed (3 feet or more) is first laid down to provide stability for the piling machine

The piling machine (weight 150 tons) has to travel backwards and forwards over the new piles as it bores holes for each new pile.  The piles are not done sequentially.  One pile is done on the left side of the bridge then one at 180° on the right.  Then back to the left side leaving one space, then the right and so on and so on.  The piling machine then ends up sitting on top of some of these new piles to do the infilling. and finally escaping from its confined space.

 

 

I seem to remember  many years ago, I knew a guy who was working on the Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow, that he explained the process. The first piles are done leaving gaps then they bore a circular hole for the pile in between that alsontakes a bitbout of the piles that have been bored first, thus when the new one is cast it all interlocks.

 

Jamie

[Crun]

A question from elsewhere:

 

"On RTT I see there are engineers trains to Werrington Jn. starting this Saturday 18th July.
Saturday the 8th August there are no passenger trains between Spalding and Peterborough so can it be assumed this is the weekend when the connection from the Joint Line to the dive under line ( ? Glinton Junction ) will be installed?"

[Donington Road]

18 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

I remarked on the new temporary crossing which I'd spotted whilst on my visit although it was hidden by the OHLE structure in at least one of my pictures.

 

It was laid over the weekend on 6th/7th June.

Photo taken 10th June.

 

[Donington Road]

33 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I seem to remember  many years ago, I knew a guy who was working on the Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow, that he explained the process. The first piles are done leaving gaps then they bore a circular hole for the pile in between that alsontakes a bitbout of the piles that have been bored first, thus when the new one is cast it all interlocks.

 

Jamie

 

I have not seen that with the piling on this site Jamie.

All the piles have been independent of each other, although very close with only a small gap.