Midland Main Line Electrification

[geoff]

I had to go to Corby this morning so I nipped up to the Cottingham Road bridge to check on developments there. The pictures tell the story.

There is a blockade of the Midland Mainline between Bedford and Leicester over the weekend of the 25/26 this month along with the closure of the A6003 at Storefield, just north of Kettering which suggests a second attempt at installing the new bridge span across the A6003 may be in hand. There is also talk of work at Wellingborough in connection with the new bridge construction adjacent to Mill Road bridge just north of Wellingborough station.

 

Geoff

 

New junction signal installed at the end of the platform at Corby to replace the existing one standing in the way of the re-instated down line. 08:59 Tuesday 14 February 2017.

New track panel installed ready to form the re-instated down line north of the Cottingham Road bridge at Corby station. In the distance a new crossover can be seen which will permit access to the line to the Tube works which branches off the up line at the south end of the platform at Corby station. 08:57 Tuesday 14 February 2017.

[geoff]

Signalling work is also taking place just north of Kettering station where the existing signal bridge is being replaced and where also there has been significant removal of line side vegetation and tree growth.

 

Geoff

 

 

 

A new signal bridge has been erected just on the up (station) side of the existing bridge. This site is between the General Hospital and Northfield Avenue, Kettering. As the photo shows the new bridge affords greater clearance both vertically and laterally in readiniess for the forthcoming electrification of the line. Thursday 16 February 2017.

 

 

 

The embankment parallel to Northfield Avenue, Kettering showing significant vegetation clearance and tree felling has taken place in preparation for the second track on the line to Corby and the forthcoming electrification. Thursday 16 February 2017.

[jamie92208]

it's good to see some real progress.  Is anything happening between Kettering and Bedford.

 

Jamie

[RANGERS]

it's good to see some real progress.  Is anything happening between Kettering and Bedford.

 

Jamie

 

The new crossings south of Kettering Station are laid out ready to slew into position during the blockade on 24th-26th Feb, similarly the track north of the Station and Kettering North Junction are also due to be slewed and plumbed in that weekend.

 

There's little activity between Kettering and Bedford apart from the new bridge at Wellingborough but all the other bridgeworks were completed along that stretch before the electrification was paused.

 

There seems to be a resignation at EMT that the next franchise will be for diesel based trains and take it to the mid 2020s by which time electrification may, or most likely may not have happened.

[Dava]

Service quality on the MML is severely challenged by train reliability/failures , cancellations, passenger demand, outdated infrastructure & signalling. We experience late, unpredictable trains, overcrowding & poor communications especially StP Int. Yesterday was.a case in point with a failed train at Dore causing disproportionate delays and crowding on morning trains down the line.

 

The Midlands cities needs electrification and new trains more than we need HS2 at some point in the future benefiting only Nottingham/Derby in a way which can be delivered more economically and quickly by MML. It is and will remain a core high-density business commuter route. Frankly we have been lied to and let down repeatedly by politicians on this. Sounds familiar?

 

Dava

[RANGERS]

I

Service quality on the MML is severely challenged by train reliability/failures , cancellations, passenger demand, outdated infrastructure & signalling. We experience late, unpredictable trains, overcrowding & poor communications especially StP Int. Yesterday was.a case in point with a failed train at Dore causing disproportionate delays and crowding on morning trains down the line.

The Midlands cities needs electrification and new trains more than we need HS2 at some point in the future benefiting only Nottingham/Derby in a way which can be delivered more economically and quickly by MML. It is and will remain a core high-density business commuter route. Frankly we have been lied to and let down repeatedly by politicians on this. Sounds familiar?

Dava

I travel the route daily so I see first hand the problems but in fairness to EMT, the reliability is as good as the best of all the other routes I travel, communication is pretty hopeless and such is the high utilisation of the stock that even a minor problem can have widespread implications.

 

If electrification is the answer, we wont see improvement until 2022 at best, at least As far as North of Kettering is concerned, and even that's optimistic. A diesel based franchise from 2018/ 19 would at least offer some improvement before then, maybe 2020 would be realistic to deliver these by the time the next franchise spec' is announced.

 

Short of a miracle or a serious windfall to the treasury coffers, full electrification is at least one more full franchise away.

[geoff]

The new crossings south of Kettering Station are laid out ready to slew into position during the blockade on 24th-26th Feb, similarly the track north of the Station and Kettering North Junction are also due to be slewed and plumbed in that weekend.

 

There's little activity between Kettering and Bedford apart from the new bridge at Wellingborough but all the other bridgeworks were completed along that stretch before the electrification was paused.

 

There seems to be a resignation at EMT that the next franchise will be for diesel based trains and take it to the mid 2020s by which time electrification may, or most likely may not have happened.

 

Just a few pictures to show the state of play around Kettering post the blockade. I haven't yet managed to spot any new crossovers south of the station, there may not be a 'lineside' vantage point to photograph from. 

 

Geoff

 

February 26 2017, day 2 of a blockade between Bedford and Leicester. The new crossover from the new down slow to the up main has been connected and the old one disconnected which will eventually permit the continuation of the down slow re-instatement at Kettering North Junction.

The new slow line facing crossover just north of Kettering Station. Wednesday 1 March 2017.

222002 takes the new crossover north of Kettering Station with  the 11:00 departure from Kettering to Corby. Wednesday 1 March 2017.

The up slow home with the feather lit for the new crossover just north of Kettering station. 11:19 Saturday 4 March 2017.

222010 brings the 1P34, 11:16 departure from Corby along the up slow toward the Rothwell Road bridge at Kettering, under the watchful eye of the telecoms mast at the Western Power Distribution depot on Robinson Way, on time on Saturday 4 March 2017.

222010 prepares to take the new crossover just north of Kettering station to use platform 2 with the 1P34, 11:16 departure from Corby on time for arrival at Kettering at 11:25 to form the 11:26 service to St Pancras International. Saturday 4 March 2017.

Edited March 5, 2017 by geoff

[Peter Kazmierczak]

The MML has always been the "Cinderella Line" compared to the WCML, ECML and GWML, even from the days of the LMS. The NE/SW route received new HSTs before the MML got their second-hand ones a year later.....

[£1.38]

The MML has always been the "Cinderella Line" compared to the WCML, ECML and GWML, even from the days of the LMS. The NE/SW route received new HSTs before the MML got their second-hand ones a year later.....

Looking at the history of the line, every major place north of Leicester is only really served by a loop or a branch line. The original main line missed every intermediate place of any significance apart from Chesterfield. Derby is really only on a main line from Leeds to Birmingham, whilst connections to Nottingham have always been devious. I suspect it will always be a Cinderella line, unfortunately.

[Mike Riley]

Looking at the history of the line, every major place north of Leicester is only really served by a loop or a branch line. The original main line missed every intermediate place of any significance apart from Chesterfield. Derby is really only on a main line from Leeds to Birmingham, whilst connections to Nottingham have always been devious. I suspect it will always be a Cinderella line, unfortunately.

 

Looking at the history of the line, Derby was on a route from London to Manchester and Derby to Glasgow.  When I was young living in Derbyshire we were well served by the former Midland routes.

 

Mike

[geoff]

Not strictly to do with Electrification of the Midland Mainline although the Harpers Brook (Oakley) viaduct is looking very smart after its makeover but here are some pictures from Monday 6 March 2017.

 

Geoff

222101 brings 1P49, the 14:16 departure from Corby to St Pancras International across the Harpers Brook (Oakley) viaduct on time on Monday 6 March 2017.

67024 heads across the Harpers Brook (Oakley) viaduct at the head of 7X21, the late running 12:15 Old Dalby to Wembley Eur Frt Ops Cntre at 14:32 on Monday 6 March 2017. The train is made up of translator vans and  new Crossrail Units.

67024 heads across the Little Oakley to Great Oakley Road at the head of 7X21, the late running 12:15 Old Dalby to Wembley Eur Frt Ops Cntre at 14:32 on Monday 6 March 2017. The train is made up of translator vans and  new Crossrail Units. The track leading off to the right on the other side of the bridge led to the unloading station for the long dismantled aerial ropeway which brought iron ore quarried near Rothwell to Corby for the steelworks. Following the road through the bridge will take you past the site of the former Geddington stationn now just a couple of houses and a significant depot for the construction of the second track between Kettering and Corby.

[ess1uk]

Anything else happened recently?

[Diamond Gaz]

Video from Network Rail showing the recent Barford Bridge replacment on the Kettering - Corby section, is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjCP5onAzMg

[melmerby]

Looking at the history of the line, Derby was on a route from London to Manchester and Derby to Glasgow.  When I was young living in Derbyshire we were well served by the former Midland routes.

 

Mike

Derby was first served in 1839 from a junction on the London & Birmingham railway at Hampton in Arden north through Whitacre/Tamworth/BoT with the Birmingham & Derby Junction and then onto Nottingham from Derby by the Midland Counties railway (also 1839)

The other connexions came afterwards

 

Keith

[jamie92208]

Derby was first served in 1839 from a junction on the London & Birmingham railway at Hampton in Arden north through Whitacre/Tamworth/BoT with the Birmingham & Derby Junction and then onto Nottingham from Derby by the Midland Counties railway (also 1839)

The other connexions came afterwards

 

Keith

 

IIRC the next one was the North Midland to Leeds, that avoided most large towns so as to keep the gradients and engineering down, typical George Stephenson.  Just two tunnels, Clay Cross and the one near Walton, both on watersheds.  The North Midland then amalgamated with the Birmingham and Derby and Midland Counties to form the Midland Railway and thus became the only large company in England that didn't serve London directly.

 

Jamie

[ess1uk]

What's happening at Market Harborough?

Looks like the old up side yard is being cleared?

[Hobby]

Derby is really only on a main line from Leeds to Birmingham 

 

Bristol surely? It was the old Midland main line down to Bristol, hence the "up" line is northbound to Derby!

Edited March 21, 2017 by Hobby

[melmerby]

Bristol surely? It was the old Midland main line down to Bristol, hence the "up" line is northbound to Derby!

Having acquired the broad gauge Bristol & Gloucester (an associate of the Bristol & Exeter) from under the noses of the Brunellian club* in 1845 along with the Birmingham & Gloucester the MR were quickly becoming a "large" railway group but without, as yet, a London line!

 

*That is a "what might have been"

If the B&G had stayed as part of the GW fold, a broad gauge line from Gloucester to Birmingham would likely have been built (to Snow Hill) and the map of railways in the Midlands could have been very different.

 

Keith

[Hairy Bear Digital]

What's happening at Market Harborough?

Looks like the old up side yard is being cleared?

That would be the start of £30m+ project of minor straightening of the line, platform lengthening and new car park project.But nothing to do with electrification

Oh and it's the Down side actually! .

Edited March 21, 2017 by Hairy Bear Digital

[ess1uk]

That would be the start of £30m+ project of minor straightening of the line, platform lengthening and new car park project.But nothing to do with electrification

Oh and it's the Down side actually! .

it definitely says UP Sidings on the access gate and in my Quail.

 

i take it the sidings will go and the building too?

[Hairy Bear Digital]

it definitely says UP Sidings on the access gate and in my Quail.

 

i take it the sidings will go and the building too?

 

Then you are referring to the up side with the shed. Apart from platform lengthening , not aware of any plans for the upside.

[37079]

Then you are referring to the up side with the shed. Apart from platform lengthening , not aware of any plans for the upside.

 

I understand that the plan is for the new car park to go on the up side.

 

Mike

[ess1uk]

Have all the overbridges now been lifted to allow the wires to fit under?

[Edwin_m]

There's also been a lot of tree cutting on the Down side north of Market Harborough, on the side of the formation where the tracks will eventually be.

[RANGERS]

Have all the overbridges now been lifted to allow the wires to fit under?

Not quite, there's one at Corby South which hasn't been touched, not sure what the plan for that is, an Cottingham Rd bridge at Corby is to be replaced to allow access to the sidings.