lmsforever Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Glad I don't have to go into Bedford nowadays it will a massive car park! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I've got to drive into Bedford tomorrow, is it really that bad? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted March 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2019 It was announced yesterday on BBC News that the MML will be electrified the 12 miles north to Market Harbro', as suggested on here this may be because of the power feed from there. I don't recall any over bridges between there until Leicester though I may be wrong, so it would not be expensive to electrify that section though some of the Signalling is pretty old. Just do it while Grayling's busy with other matters! Dava 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 57 minutes ago, Dava said: It was announced yesterday on BBC News that the MML will be electrified the 12 miles north to Market Harbro', as suggested on here this may be because of the power feed from there. I don't recall any over bridges between there until Leicester though I may be wrong, so it would not be expensive to electrify that section though some of the Signalling is pretty old. Just do it while Grayling's busy with other matters! Dava I thought it was just being considered - is this definite? The search on the BBC website seems to be useless - top news hit for "Market Harborough Railway Electrification" is a story about Wakefield market. If going on to Leicester station the bridge at the south end of the platforms could be a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 It kind of opens up the general idea of incremental extensions. Leicester seems an obvious next destination, followed by Nottingham and Derby. Beyond that might be a bit more long term if they end up with a load of bi-modes. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Pity its not going to Sheffield would have made sense but DAFT don't think that way do they ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejames Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 not sure if 'definate' I cannot for some reason post the link but https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2019/03/05-welcome-for-extension-of-midland.html regards 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 3 hours ago, Dava said: It was announced yesterday on BBC News that the MML will be electrified the 12 miles north to Market Harbro', as suggested on here this may be because of the power feed from there. I don't recall any over bridges between there until Leicester though I may be wrong, so it would not be expensive to electrify that section though some of the Signalling is pretty old. Just do it while Grayling's busy with other matters! Dava They may have said that, but that is not what has actually been authorised. The Transport Minister has merely authorised the detailed design of such an electrification extension, following which a further appraisal will be made of the business case based on much firmer implementation costs. It is very clear from the CP6 settlement, approved by the ORR a month or two ago, that enhancements between April 2019 and March 2024, will consist of three categories. 1. Implementation Funded (c£8 billion): Those already authorised in CP5 which need to be completed in CP6, plus a few minor schemes to improve reliability or for the extension of the digital railway programme. 2. Unfunded: Those not yet authorised for which an individual business case must be produced, and which must then compete for funds from The Treasury, in competition with hospitals, defence, power stations etc etc..... 3. Funded Design & Development (c.£1 billion): allowed for progressing the designs of prioritised schemes to a state where costs prediction are much more reliable, to then be progressed as per (2) above. Broadly, HMG has abandoned any pretence at a national railway (or a transport) strategy, and has instead decided to ensure that NR focuses on improving the performance reliability of the existing network, and of reducing forward maintenance and renewal costs (by allowing ORR to assume a very significant increase in the budgets for maintenance and renewals). This ignores continuing growth predictions, and places railway enhancement investment in the same category as short term stock investors. In one way, the stance has some logic, given the budget and time overruns on GWIP, where authority was granted long before the project was adequately understood in detail, especially given the innovative designs and methodology it proposed. So in one way, the industry shot itself in the foot, leaving the door wide open to this approach. But the government, or at least Mr Failing, is overusing the alleged capabilities of bi-mode and the possibilities of hydrogen power, as an excuse to do virtually nothing. In the case of MML electrification throughout, I do not foresee any breakthrough for some time. This is especially true because, when one takes out the incremental line speed improvements already in hand and those extra works possible without electrification, and negates the possibility of running at greater than 125 mph until in-cab signalling reaches the MML, the overall time saving averages just 1 (one) minute with electrification per se (according to the DfT) between London and Derby/Sheffield. I don't know how true that is, but that is the number they keep repeating. 1 2 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted March 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2019 Good luck to the MML, I hope farce being played out on the GWML isn’t repeated there’s the fact that the city of Bedford can be inconvienced by a bridge closure for several months against a village of Steventon which cannot have a bridge closed at any cost, theres the way the wires can be taken on from Market Harboro to the point of supply as against the wires stopping half mile short of Chippenham and being fed by cable from the point of supply two miles west. theres how all the electric suburban sets have to terminate at Didcot because work on the ten miles to Oxford is in suspension. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted March 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2019 Just to add to the possible further increments. Clay Cross (or very near it) to Sheffield will be done as part of the HS2 phase 2 works so if the wires had got to Nottingham and Derby there would not be a very big gap left. Also by the time the connection northwards from Sheffield to HS2 gets done the gap from there to Moorthorpe will be quite short. Another plus from HS2 will be in the Long Eaton Toton area so all in all the various gaps will be getting shorter. Whose going to open a book on the wires reaching Leicester before Steventon is sorted..... Jamie 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Just now, jamie92208 said: Just to add to the possible further increments. Clay Cross (or very near it) to Sheffield will be done as part of the HS2 phase 2 works so if the wires had got to Nottingham and Derby there would not be a very big gap left. Also by the time the connection northwards from Sheffield to HS2 gets done the gap from there to Moorthorpe will be quite short. Another plus from HS2 will be in the Long Eaton Toton area so all in all the various gaps will be getting shorter. Whose going to open a book on the wires reaching Leicester before Steventon is sorted..... Jamie All true except that not a lot can happen at Leicester until the planned remodelling work which has gone back a bit further, I believe. That work is also holding up the progression of the East-West freight re-gauging works. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Immunisation work is only going as far as Market Harborough at present. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Wires are up on the Corby section but work is vey patchy all the way down to Bedford. Are NR waiting for all the tracks and signaling to be finished and then hitting the OLE hard after? will the factory train make an appearance? 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 If EMT are to fix up HSTs with accessibility modifications to keep them a while longer, what does this mean for the planned bi modes? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 1 hour ago, ess1uk said: If EMT are to fix up HSTs with accessibility modifications to keep them a while longer, what does this mean for the planned bi modes? It will take a couple of years to procure and build bi-modes so even if ordered tomorrow they wouldn't meet the 2020 accessibilty deadline. And they probably won't be ordered until the replacement franchise is let rather than just multiple extensions of the existing one. I think the plan is to fit the HSTs with most of the accessibility mods but not the powered doors which are the really big cost item. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 Uprights now starting to appear at Wellingborough 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold geoff Posted April 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 10, 2019 I popped out on Monday to see how far the wires had reached. Geoff IMG_6466 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr Oakley (Harpurs Brook) Viaduct with the new catenary suports and wires. IMG_6468 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr The temporary end of the wiring just beyond the Newton Road bridge near the site of Geddington Station. 5 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 North of Bedford last Thursday 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 On 27/03/2019 at 09:09, Edwin_m said: It will take a couple of years to procure and build bi-modes so even if ordered tomorrow they wouldn't meet the 2020 accessibilty deadline. And they probably won't be ordered until the replacement franchise is let rather than just multiple extensions of the existing one. I think the plan is to fit the HSTs with most of the accessibility mods but not the powered doors which are the really big cost item. Wondering if the bi modes will be the same as Anglia? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 1 hour ago, ess1uk said: Wondering if the bi modes will be the same as Anglia? Probably not, as the Anglia ones are only 100mph units. Also they are fairy short in their bi-mode version so the loss of passenger space to the above-floor diesel engines can be counteracted by making the train that bit longer. The maximum length of the MML sets is constrained by platform length so a longer version of the Anglia units would have to sacrifice passenger space to make room for the diesels. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted April 10, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) Most likely yet more Hitachi IET type things. They'll need a lot of engines to out perform the Meridians, the press release claims the new trains will be faster. edit More info here. Edited April 10, 2019 by Nile add quote 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 There is a version of the new electro stars as a bi mode, which raises a interesting question. Would a 110mph electric unit be a better idea for the MML? Time lost due to lower speed Vs better acceleration? Capacity gained Vs the requirements of the 125mph units having the crash zone taking up passenger space? The energy and maintenance costs of the slightly faster running? HS2 taking the longer distance passengers. Or will we just have a train with the 125mph top speed when there could be a better choice for the MML as a whole? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 I'll miss those Merideans - much more comfortable than their cousins at Cross Country. Wonder who will have them? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Trans Pennine? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Reading the excellent posts in this thread you realise that the UK is now completely incapable of completing ,designing, new projects for rail .Every part of projects seem to be suffering ,new rolling stock is built with problems that cannot be rectified, the ole is not able to be built easily and who suffers the passenger with no hope of the promised service ie Gospel Oak line.Why is this happening is it DAFTS fault is it the lack of new engineers emerging from education who knows or is it simply that we have lost our way . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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