East Coast Mainline Blockade for Werrington Junction diveunder

[Crun]

Peterborough rail news in Rail magazine. Work has begun to clear two freight yards ahead of their new use as storage facilities for redundant trains. They are known as Eastfield Yard and Westwood Yard.

[Richard E]

2 hours ago, Crun said:

Peterborough rail news in Rail magazine. Work has begun to clear two freight yards ahead of their new use as storage facilities for redundant trains. They are known as Eastfield Yard and Westwood Yard.

 

Oh dear, more graffiti canvas being brought in then. It won't take long for the stock to have its livery obliterated. It'll probably be exacerbated by the fact that a lot of undergrowth has been cleared between the yards and Bourges Boulevard making any stored stock easily visible from the road.

[Mike Storey]

3 hours ago, Crun said:

Peterborough rail news in Rail magazine. Work has begun to clear two freight yards ahead of their new use as storage facilities for redundant trains. They are known as Eastfield Yard and Westwood Yard.

 

Interesting, as basically that is all they have been used for, for several years now, at least for freight stock.

[BrushVeteran]

3 hours ago, Richard E said:

 

Oh dear, more graffiti canvas being brought in then. It won't take long for the stock to have its livery obliterated. It'll probably be exacerbated by the fact that a lot of undergrowth has been cleared between the yards and Bourges Boulevard making any stored stock easily visible from the road.

If the were to 'wrap' the bodysides in cheap clear vinyl before they go into storage it would actually save quite a fortune in graffiti  removal and repainting when they are needed back in service............or is that too easy!

[96701]

3 hours ago, BrushVeteran said:

If the were to 'wrap' the bodysides in cheap clear vinyl before they go into storage it would actually save quite a fortune in graffiti  removal and repainting when they are needed back in service............or is that too easy!

Why does it need to be clear? Anything that isn't flammable or toxic or difficult to remove will do. I'm sure that if the owners thought it worthwhile, they would have done something like this which has been around for years. https://www.graffiti-guard.net/en/graffiti-protection.html

[Crun]

On 29/12/2020 at 19:18, Crun said:

 

East Coast Upgrade on Twitter: "Now that the first tracks have been re-installed at London King’s Cross, the tamper has ensured they’re correctly aligned and the new ballast is even. We’re using 648 tonnes of new ballast during our #EastCoastUpgrade work to replace the Camden Sewer beneath the tracks here. https://t.co/bgMX5nqebL" / Twitter

East Coast Upgrade on Twitter: "And that’s a wrap! Our major #ChristmasRailWorks at London King’s Cross are complete and a full train service will return in the morning. It’s been a key part of our £1.2bn #EastCoastUpgrade to deliver quicker, more frequent, more reliable journeys https://t.co/X4WAXtQ1G2 https://t.co/ud8oi5WpHl" / Twitter

Edited January 3, 2021 by Crun

[Donington Road]

 

 

[Richard E]

Thanks for the update, from  the numbers on site it looks as if they are just biding their time until the box is in place now.

 

Just a handful from me, they were starting to face the bridge abutments yesterday, it was bitterly cold on site, and I wasn't quite quick enough with the camera when I first arrived to get a picture of these two shovelling water into a bucket!

 

 

Also the pipe at one end of the bridge has been undermined by the sheer volume of water recently. I'm not sure why the large pipe was laid this side as well as it doesn't, at present, seem to have any use.

 

 

It looks as if they are still doing some work in the area of the box reception pit.

 

 

And in the southern ramp. Whilst not visible in this shot there were a couple of workers making a bit of noise building the railings along the top of the piling alongside the final alignment of the Up Stamford.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Richard E

[Donington Road]

Nice photos Richard.  Do keep yourself safe though.

It is nice to see some orange army back on site after their holidays.  It has been rather bleak over christmas without them.

I think the surplus large pipe over Lincoln Road bridge is insurance policy should future demand increase.  You have to remember that the original pipe was laid before Werrington Village expanded in the 70's and there was never any industry apart from the Combex toy factory.

[Crun]

20 hours ago, Donington Road said:

 

 

Lots of activity to look forward to.  I hope they publish plenty of photographs and films. Thanks Mick. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Crun

[Crun]

On 03/01/2021 at 21:06, Crun said:

East Coast Upgrade on Twitter: "And that’s a wrap! Our major #ChristmasRailWorks at London King’s Cross are complete and a full train service will return in the morning. It’s been a key part of our £1.2bn #EastCoastUpgrade to deliver quicker, more frequent, more reliable journeys https://t.co/X4WAXtQ1G2 https://t.co/ud8oi5WpHl" / Twitter

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/1000-workers-deliver-vital-improvements-for-passengers-at-kings-cross-over-christmas-network-rail-reaches-major-milestone-on-gbp-1-2billion-east-coast-upgrade

[jamie92208]

I suppose that the Camden Sewer connects into the Fleet River that runs through the same area.  Someone gets all the cr*p jobs.

 

Jamie

[62613]

Ah, so the existing railway is getting an upgrade; best not tell the anti - HS2 brigade!

[Richard E]

Another picture, from social media (courtesy of LNER), of the box ready for the big push.

 

[PenrithBeacon]

Has the hole for the already been excavated or will they be excavating while pushing?

[Richard E]

2 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said:

Has the hole for the already been excavated or will they be excavating while pushing?

 

From the 16th to 24th of this month they will lift the ECML, dig a trench, push the box into place, fill and cover and then re-lay the ECML over the top. The trench is going to be about 3' wider than the box to minimise disturbance and subsequent settlement to the surrounding ground.

[Phil Himsworth]

17 minutes ago, Richard E said:

Another picture, from social media (courtesy of LNER), of the box ready for the big push.

Despite living absolutely nowhere near I've been following this fascinating thread for ages and I still can't get over the size of the thing that they're going to move. It's absolutely enormous, must weigh many, many tonnes but it moves!

 

I do a different kind of engineering but I am in awe of those who come up with seemingly ridiculous ideas like this and then can make it work.

[Crun]

On 03/01/2021 at 21:06, Crun said:

East Coast Upgrade on Twitter: "And that’s a wrap! Our major #ChristmasRailWorks at London King’s Cross are complete and a full train service will return in the morning. It’s been a key part of our £1.2bn #EastCoastUpgrade to deliver quicker, more frequent, more reliable journeys https://t.co/X4WAXtQ1G2 https://t.co/ud8oi5WpHl" / Twitter

A time lapse video:

https://twitter.com/ECMLupgrade/status/1346909648264323074?s=19

 

[Richard E]

8 minutes ago, Phil Himsworth said:

Despite living absolutely nowhere near I've been following this fascinating thread for ages and I still can't get over the size of the thing that they're going to move. It's absolutely enormous, must weigh many, many tonnes but it moves!

 

I do a different kind of engineering but I am in awe of those who come up with seemingly ridiculous ideas like this and then can make it work.

11,000 tonnes according to the information I've seen. It is also the first curved box push, certainly in the UK if not in Europe.

[Richard E]

An end of week update. Only looked at Lincoln Road though as I've strained a leg muscle so covering any real distance is painful. I was out to go to the dentist as I've had intermittent toothache for a week. The news isn't good, it's coming out on Monday, got antibiotics to take until then ...

 

We were a bit premature thinking the second larger pipe was installed 'just in case' as they are putting the pipework through it today.

 

 

 

Anglian Water are assembling the pipework in situ.

 

 

There has been a little bit of excavation on the alignment for the pipes to join the valve on the north side of the bridge.

 

 

Ballast is still being delivered as well.

 

 

And the bridge abutment wall cladding in brick is moving ahead.

 

 

Finally it looks to me as if the large cranes have moved towards the land bridge across the dive under line.

 

 

 

[Donington Road]

2 hours ago, Richard E said:

An end of week update. Only looked at Lincoln Road though as I've strained a leg muscle so covering any real distance is painful. I was out to go to the dentist as I've had intermittent toothache for a week. The news isn't good, it's coming out on Monday, got antibiotics to take until then ...

 

Sounds as though you are falling to bits Richard.

We cannot afford you to go AWOL at this critical time of the project.

 

2 hours ago, Richard E said:

We were a bit premature thinking the second larger pipe was installed 'just in case' as they are putting the pipework through it today.

 

 

Perhaps it makes sense to put the blue pipe in place then cap it off, perhaps with valves either end.

 

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Donington Road said:

 

 

Perhaps it makes sense to put the blue pipe in place then cap it off, perhaps with valves either end.

 

So presumably the steel pipe is just armour for the plastic pipe due to it's closeness to the surface.

[Donington Road]

Some photos today from Trackside ECML taken from Hurn Road.

 

Plenty of ballast and sand accumulated just north of the dive-under.  Another large heap of ballast int the background at Cock Lane footbridge.

 

Overhead line machinery gathering at the temporary crossing next to Hurn Road footbridge.

 

More heavy machinery gathering at the north ramp of the dive-under.

 

 

Two temporary white buildings have been erected, presumably for the workers to use during the big push that starts at midnight on Friday.

[Donington Road]

More photos from Trackside ECML.

The trackbed from Glinton Junction to Lincoln Road hasn't changed much.

 

The brick facing of the new Lincoln Road bridge is progressing.  Neat brickwork IMO.

 

 

Well, they did cap the blue pipe, but not with what I was expecting.  Perhaps they will bury the valve later.

 

[Richard E]

Not surprised to see the valve on there. I'm guessing a T piece into the one down the side of the bank to the right and the other side of the bridge. They could even slew the pipe over as it seems fairly flexible from what I saw.

 

I'd noticed the white marquee when I was over on Friday but didn't remark on it.

 

Sitting here feeling a bit miserable. Dentist changed appointment to this morning and I'm nursing a sore jaw and cheek at the moment, at least the toothache has gone. Seems I've got rather substantial roots on my teeth ...

 

And to add to the delights I am not allowed alcohol at the moment either as it might cause the wound to bleed.

 

Must try and get out though especially during the blockade if I'm allowed. New filter masks ordered and arrived too.

 

Oh, the box is going to move at 150cm an hour according to the latest Twitter info. It was accompanied by another aerial photo using a slightly wider view. Also the cross-industry review of readiness for the project met today to check on progress, they are ready to start as soon as they are given the go ahead.