East Coast Mainline Blockade for Werrington Junction diveunder

[Richard E]

1 hour ago, Donington Road said:

After capturing one of our resident contributers here in action.

 

 

My good friend Trackside ECML

 

Ah, I did wonder if it was he. If I've got the right person the photo was on my way out, he then followed me back across the footbridge towards Werrington, I was puzzled as to where he had appeared from ...

[Crun]

Dive under and King's Cross feature in the April Modern Railways article on ECML Upgrade.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Crun

[Donington Road]

Network Rail notice of making an access entrance to the west side of Walton footbridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Position of the access the west of the Stamford lines.  I am surprised this access wasn't done earlier in the construction program. The white hatching denotes the area to be opened up.

 

 

 

 

[Richard E]

1 hour ago, Donington Road said:

Network Rail notice of making an access entrance to the west side of Walton footbridge.

 

 

 

 

 

That could be interesting, there are railings to be removed between the pillars of the footbridge to facilitate access. They are there to reduce the hazards presented by bikes coming down the ramp at speed. So it creates a possible issue ...

 

Like you I am surprised they didn't do this sooner although there is an access gateway in the bottom left of the picture I've quoted it doesn't give access to the works. I suppose access via the industrial unit car park wasn't possible either.

[Donington Road]

9 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

That could be interesting, there are railings to be removed between the pillars of the footbridge to facilitate access. They are there to reduce the hazards presented by bikes coming down the ramp at speed. So it creates a possible issue ...

 

Like you I am surprised they didn't do this sooner although there is an access gateway in the bottom left of the picture I've quoted it doesn't give access to the works. I suppose access via the industrial unit car park wasn't possible either.

 

Concur with you about the fence between the pillars.  I seem to remember when the footbridge was built there was no fence and cyclists at speed was a problem.  The bridge was open too, no mesh covering and spikey stuff everywhere.  It used to have concrete coping across the top edges until the local yoof decided to knock it off then it was adorned with triangular steel plates which they had a good try at prising away as well.  Eventually it became the horrible mess it is today.  Quite honestly, it is about life expired IMO.

 

They have and continue to use both access points from the industrial estate car park.  I expect the idea now is to make just the one access point via Wedgewood Way for future maintenance work and close off the two access points from the car park.  I expect there will be new fencing all the way along close to the back of the industrial units.  There was no fencing behind those units before as the open Brook Drain South was the demarcation line.

[Crun]

Saturday 27th February.  Concrete barriers have appeared at Hurn Road bridge:

 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Crun

[Crun]

Saturday 27th February. Views south from Cock Lane bridge:

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Crun

[Donington Road]

4 hours ago, Crun said:

Saturday 27th February.  Concrete barriers have appeared at Hurn Road bridge:

 

 

Rumour has it that the green fencing is too close to the railway and a replacement brick wall is to be built.

[Donington Road]

Not much happening on this dull and dismal day.

The only action seen above ground.

 

The Shotcreting of the piles is advancing and it looks as though the dive under ramp is getting cleaned up ready to install the drainage.

 

The very quiet site. Best to download this image from here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1guJiTqNEb5XJadhs_JyuxmOaHNCUdpJS/view?usp=sharing so it can then be expanded for a better view.

 

With Trackside ECML not having much to photograph of the site today he sent this as a bonus.

The triple headed Leeds to Felixstowe passing at 15.17  This service is very often double or triple headed (only one engine working though).

Edited March 3, 2021 by Donington Road
added link to photo

[Donington Road]

I have added this link to the original site panorama photograph in the above post as the RMweb version is poor quality when downloaded.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1guJiTqNEb5XJadhs_JyuxmOaHNCUdpJS/view?usp=sharing

[Donington Road]

Trackbed progress and brickwork around the new Lincoln Road bridge courtesy of Trackside ECML.

 

 

 

 

Still say the angle of the new bridge piers could have been aligned better to fit the railway.

[Richard E]

That flank wall seems to be fitting in with how I had imagined they would 'join' it all up.

 

Some cracking views from the A15 bridge. I can see that becoming a potential issue especially if/when steam excursions resume - 70mph dual carriageway and people don't really mix ...

[Donington Road]

12 minutes ago, Richard E said:

That flank wall seems to be fitting in with how I had imagined they would 'join' it all up.

 

Some cracking views from the A15 bridge. I can see that becoming a potential issue especially if/when steam excursions resume - 70mph dual carriageway and people don't really mix ...

 

The brickwork is looking good.  You can't tell from the head on view but the front face of the wing wall of the old bridge slopes forward at the base towards the camera, so there is quite a bit of 'cutting in' of the bricks to tie in with the vertical wall of the new bridge.

 

Agree with you about the A15 bridge, its aligning up to become an everyday spot for photographers, but it shouldn't be a problem when they reduce the speed limit to 20mph with a few humps and chicanes thrown in for good measure.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Donington Road said:

 

Still say the angle of the new bridge piers could have been aligned better to fit the railway.

It's to align with the kink you always get when laying Setrack!

[Donington Road]

These cherry pickers were arriving at Cock Lane this afternoon, but I see no cherries.

 

 

 

[Richard E]

Just finished watching the Zoom meeting that has been held about the project. Really a summary of what we have seen in the past but with one or two nice pictures that we haven't yet seen. Unfortunately I was unable to grab any.

 

I'm sure Mick will come up with something as a friend of his was also watching.

 

One or two key points of interest:

 

1. Morgan Sindall will bottom ballast the site but the Network Rail contractor is scheduled for tracklaying through the site from Marholm Junction to Glinton Junction in the first two weeks of July.

 

2. Discussions are ongoing about spoil disposal but some is said to be going to Maxey Quarry. Another disposal site is under negotiation.

 

3. Friction coefficients during the push were much lower than expected to magnitudes of one half to one quarter of calculated loads. This meant that one jack could have coped with the push rather than the 4 provided.

 

4. Only real problem was with the PTFE slide pads which, when wet, kept sticking and jamming instead of sliding and meant more manual intervention was needed.

 

5. It will be ballasted track throughout, no slab track is being used.

 

6. The box has been built with passive provision for OHLE i.e. it is big enough to provide the required clearances for the kit.

 

7. The project, after taking into account the delay for COVID, is on time and is on budget.

[Crun]

Film by Trackside ECML. Trains on the East Coast Main Line in and around Werrington Junction:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EruSPy_NwAo

[Donington Road]

2 hours ago, Richard E said:

Just finished watching the Zoom meeting that has been held about the project. Really a summary of what we have seen in the past but with one or two nice pictures that we haven't yet seen. Unfortunately I was unable to grab any.

 

I'm sure Mick will come up with something as a friend of his was also watching.

 

Nice summary Richard

The main part of the meeting was about the justification of the scheme and the push of the box jack with the animated videos we have all seen before.

I have extracted the question and answer part of the meeting.  The audio is not that brilliant but worth a listen anyway.

Hopefully I should have some screen grabs of things that may be new for tomorrow which my friend is doing.

Recording32.mp3

[Donington Road]

1st of two posts containing the screen grabs taken by Trackside ECML from Thursdays U3a Zoom meeting about the Werrington Upgrade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Donington Road]

2nd post of screenshots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last photo.  The box has been pushed to its final position and the main lines have been re-instated

Edited March 5, 2021 by Donington Road

[Richard E]

The bungalow on Hurn Road marked "Stakeholder Bungalow" belongs to an Aunt of my ex's current partner. The only concession they have had is triple glazing to the back of the property only.

 

At times ornaments and crockery being shaken off shelves has happened.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Richard E

[Crun]

Saturday 6th March. Views from Cock Lane bridge. More railings in evidence looking south:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Crun

[Crun]

Views north from Cock Lane bridge:

 

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Crun

[blackpete]

Chatting to a friend yesterday who works for Network Rail. Told me it is his understanding that when the dive-under opens, passenger services on the Spalding line will reroute to platform 6 at Peterborough. Will be interesting, what with increased passenger services from May on Joint Line

[Richard E]

1 hour ago, blackpete said:

Chatting to a friend yesterday who works for Network Rail. Told me it is his understanding that when the dive-under opens, passenger services on the Spalding line will reroute to platform 6 at Peterborough. Will be interesting, what with increased passenger services from May on Joint Line

 

That implies that all traffic, including the passenger services, will use the Dive Under as platform 6 is on the western side of the station. It would seem illogical to continue to have Spalding traffic, albeit passenger instead of freight, still crossing the ladder across the ECML. Sounds intriguing.