Midland Main Line Electrification

[geoff]

A new year and a new junction. This is the last day of the blockades and 'normal' service resumes tomorrow, Wednesday 2 January 2019. It is a little disappointing to see the new up slow looks not to be going further on for a while. Whether that is down to the continuing work on the new bridge across the line to the Stanton Gate development or whether it is because the slow line platforms have to be rebuilt or something else I do not know.

 

Geoff

 

fullsizeoutput_545f by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

The new junctions at Wellingborough North between the fast lines and the down slow.

fullsizeoutput_545e by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

The current end of the new up slow serving as a head shunt for the Finedon Road Sidings exit road.

fullsizeoutput_545c by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

The juntion between what will become the up Slow and the down slow eventually with a new 'traffic light' signal to control it.

In the distance, just in front of Mill Road bridge, is the new buffer stop on the end of the new up slow which has been slewed away from the current active slow line. this suggests that the up slow is not going further in the immediate future and this part is forming a head shunt for the exit road from Finedon Road Sidings.

fullsizeoutput_545b by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

Both slow lines almost ready although what will be the up slow is set to be the exit road from Finedon Road Sidings for the time being. The old exit road has been slewed across to the left.

fullsizeoutput_545a by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

Finedon Road Sidings, ( Wellingborough Up Tc Gbrf ) have been connected to the new up slow it would seem.

Just one picture from the work south of Wellingborough Station where the line crosses the Irthlingborough Road near the former Morris Motors foundry site.

fullsizeoutput_5444 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

Work is on hold over the New Year at the Irthlingborough Road ( Morris Motors ) bridge Wellingborough.

[RANGERS]

The truncation of the new up-slow may be down to there being no separate platform for the up line. I understand platform 3 at Wellingborough is to be bi-directional so it’s possible that, at least initially, there will only be a single slow line through the station. A similar arrangement exists at Corby and although theres two tracks, the down line exists there with no platform, it’s used by only a handful of services and I’ve never seen a down train passing with anything on the up line.

[phil-b259]

The truncation of the new up-slow may be down to there being no separate platform for the up line. I understand platform 3 at Wellingborough is to be bi-directional so it’s possible that, at least initially, there will only be a single slow line through the station. A similar arrangement exists at Corby and although theres two tracks, the down line exists there with no platform, it’s used by only a handful of services and I’ve never seen a down train passing with anything on the up line.

Wellingborough used to have 4 platforms before BR rationalisation based on the old photos I have seen on the internet. Unsurprisingly the cost of a new fully acessable footbridge span plus rehabilitation of the remnants of the old platform is not considered value for money these days.

[RANGERS]

Wellingborough used to have 4 platforms before BR rationalisation based on the old photos I have seen on the internet. Unsurprisingly the cost of a new fully acessable footbridge span plus rehabilitation of the remnants of the old platform is not considered value for money these days.

It did, well five to be exact, the current slow line platform is actually only half the length of the up fast on the opposite side of the island. The other half had the face inset at the south end to accommodate a bay for the Rushden branch trains. The track there was lifted in the 60s I think it was.

 

Im not certain whether there was a further bay on the West side for the London Rd and Northampton trains.

[Edwin_m]

The fourth platform at Wellingborough is still there in the undergrowth I think.  There is a housing development going on beyond it, and I wonder if the platform work is delayed by that for some reason.  Otherwise, is there any sign of pointwork to the south of the station that might mark the southern end of a single line? 

[geoff]

The fourth platform at Wellingborough is still there in the undergrowth I think.  There is a housing development going on beyond it, and I wonder if the platform work is delayed by that for some reason.  Otherwise, is there any sign of pointwork to the south of the station that might mark the southern end of a single line? 

 

The fourth platform on the up slow side is still there. I do not recall the Northampton push pull using a bay on the up slow, indeed I think it only ever used the down slow platform, but I stand to be corrected on that. I am not aware of any paintwork at the south end of the station. The new up slow cannot yet pass under the new road bridge for Stanton Cross as there is scaffolding still in place blocking the alignment. There was some time ago an advert for the Stanton Cross development featuring a new station building on the up slow side with an extended footbridge and strangely a Virgin Pendolino I believe.

 

Geoff

[Dava]

Geoff,

 

You deserve our thanks for documenting & explaining the radical Wellingborough remodelling over the festive period. Very interesting & you relate it well to the historical features. What plans are there for the MR roundhouse, if you know?

 

Dava

[geoff]

Geoff,

 

You deserve our thanks for documenting & explaining the radical Wellingborough remodelling over the festive period. Very interesting & you relate it well to the historical features. What plans are there for the MR roundhouse, if you know?

 

Dava

 

Thank you for your kind words Dava. The remaining roundhouse has been in use as a warehouse in the past but I do not know what the future holds for it though.

 

Geoff

[geoff]

The fourth platform at Wellingborough is still there in the undergrowth I think.  There is a housing development going on beyond it, and I wonder if the platform work is delayed by that for some reason.  Otherwise, is there any sign of pointwork to the south of the station that might mark the southern end of a single line? 

 

Here are a couple of photos showing the slow line platforms at Wellingborough.

 

Geoff

 

45049 6O85 up slow Wellingborough station 15:04 14/8/75 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

45 049 Up coal Wellingborough station slow line. 15:04 14/8/75 f3.5 1/500 135mm

IMG_2673 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

[geoff]

Here is a photo of the new over bridge just north of Wellingborough station. The bridge looks now to be complete but the scaffold remains much as it is in the photo and is blocking the alignment of the new up slow.The photo was taken in May 2017 not long after the main girders were lifted in to position.

 

Geoff

 

IMG_4299 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

The new road bridge to give access to the development to the east of the line blocks the view of Wellingborough Station from the Mill Road bridge.

[jamie92208]

Here is a photo of the new over bridge just north of Wellingborough station. The bridge looks now to be complete but the scaffold remains much as it is in the photo and is blocking the alignment of the new up slow.The photo was taken in May 2017 not long after the main girders were lifted in to position.

 

Geoff

 

IMG_4299 by Geoffrey Robinson, on Flickr

The new road bridge to give access to the development to the east of the line blocks the view of Wellingborough Station from the Mill Road bridge.

There does definitely seem to be clearance for the missing track once the scaffold is removed.

 

Jamie

[Rugd1022]

There's no pointwork on the slow line south of Wellingborough station, it's (currently) plain line from there all the way to Sharnbrook Junction although redoubling is going on in fits and starts in various spots along the route.

[Edwin_m]

There's no pointwork on the slow line south of Wellingborough station, it's (currently) plain line from there all the way to Sharnbrook Junction although redoubling is going on in fits and starts in various spots along the route.

 

So if there's some constraint at Wellingborough that prevents the fourth track being laid, such as the road bridge as mentioned or something to do with the platform or footbridge, then none of the new track between there and Sharnbrook can be used.  This may be why they seem to be concentrating on the new tracks north of Wellingborough.  Unless there is a plan to lay a crossover somewhere there isn't one now, 

Edited January 3, 2019 by Edwin_m

[geoff]

There does definitely seem to be clearance for the missing track once the scaffold is removed.

 

Jamie

 

I agree that once the scaffolding has been removed there will be clearance for the up slow to continue through the bridge and into the station and then onto Bedford. I just thought it strange that the new track has been slewed away from the normal alignment at the existing Mill Road bridge.

 

Geoff

[jamie92208]

I agree that once the scaffolding has been removed there will be clearance for the up slow to continue through the bridge and into the station and then onto Bedford. I just thought it strange that the new track has been slewed away from the normal alignment at the existing Mill Road bridge.

 

Geoff

Looking at your photo of the old Up Slow platform there does seem to be at least one signalling cabinet in the way of the new line. I suppose it will all be come clear in due course.

 

Jamie

[ess1uk]

Think there is still some S&T work to be done and the immunisation for the OLE

[geoff]

Think there is still some S&T work to be done and the immunisation for the OLE

 

From Kettering South junction there are several places where the existing signalling installations are in the alignment of the future up slow. These along with the scaffolding at Wellingborough are all preventing the completion of the track laying. Some are single masts some are cabinets and at least one, in the Ise Valley between Isham and Harrowden Junction, is a signal bridge.

 

Geoff

[Sir TophamHatt]

A bit of a shame as this would have been a perfect opportunity to install some WiFi along the line instead of having to bolt it on at a later stage, with yet more temporary speed restrictions.

[ess1uk]

Why would WiFi need speed restrictions?

[ess1uk]

Love the animations on this page.

Look closely at the OLE

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/lne-and-em/midland-main-line-improvement-programme/

[Chris116]

Love the animations on this page.

Look closely at the OLE

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/lne-and-em/midland-main-line-improvement-programme/

When did overhead electric trains start using two wires like a trolley bus? If Network Rail think the animations are right it is no wonder they are having problems. Edited January 6, 2019 by Chris116

[73c]

Going by the photo's posted here, then according to the animation, they've put up way to many OLE mast's   

[Nick Gough]

And 'upgraded' the line to single track.

[The Stationmaster]

Love the animations on this page.

Look closely at the OLE

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/lne-and-em/midland-main-line-improvement-programme/

 

How very Italian.

[andyb92]

Bedford has now entered the next phase of MML bridge improvements with the closure of Bromham Road bridge just north of the station. Stand by for road diversions and traffic chaos over the next few months....