Donington Road

1 hour ago, Richard E said:

And, to complement the video from Donington Road, here is my passenger viewpoint effort - straight from the camera, no pretty bits and pieces and just of the run through from Marholm Jn to Glinton Jn.

 

 

Great video Richard. You had much better lighting conditions from that side of the coach on the outward journey.  I laughed at the comment "is that it? ", now who could that have been?

Three years in the making and all that interest you have taken and it's all dismissed in a second.

58 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

FTFY ...

OK, OK, I'll grant you an exclusive pass to the private viewing platform Morgan Sindall are installing for me next week.

1 hour ago, Richard E said:

And a special treat - a cab view of the run under the ECML yesterday courtesy of LNER.

Thank you for posting that Richard.  Lot of heads on the A15, brave souls.  Caught Mrs Trackside ECML videoing us from Lincoln Road.

56 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Re-instatement of the M&GN line?

Dream scenario.

51 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Seeing the video shows you just how gentle the convergence with the Werrington Jn. line actually is compared to how it looks when photographed from way back.

Coming back the other way over the ladder at Glinton Junction was so smooth you couldn't feel any movement.  The only indication it is there are all the lineside boxes.

The only way to avoid the squished up view of telephoto lenses would be to allow us me access to that nice tarmaced area adjacent to Glinton Junction.

14 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Does this mean that we now have to issue redundancy notices to our intrepid reporters?

Serious, an enormous thank you to all the regulars who have kept up up to date on the project.

Should there be an RMWeb award of some kind for such achievements?

Jonathan

Perhaps we will be put out to grass like those horses at Hurn Road before going off to the knackers yard.

Meanwhile, I'll take the redundancy money for a better video camera.

Thank you for the recognition Jonathan.  I must say from my point of view it has been a pleasure being out and about to keep everyone up to date with what has been an excellent project in our back yard.  Thanks also go to everyone here who has followed this thread, joined in numerous conversations with expert knowledge and observations, humorous anecdotes and other trivia.  I must say I have learned a lot more about railway workings and operations and above all constructional engineering from following this thread and engaging with those contractors around the site.  As they say, you are never to old to learn.

It might not be the best video in the world but it was taking part in the event that counted.
I, along with Richard Elms and Trackside ECML were privilaged to be invited by LNER to be on the first official passenger train to traverse the Werrington dive under in both directions.
We had known about this event for awhile and LNER explicitly asked all invitees not to reveal any details on social media until after the event had taken place.  As you can image it has been hard to resist joining in with all the speculation that has abounded in recent posts.

13 hours ago, Shed said:

 

 

This mean it is open then?

It is officially open for business as of 9th December 2021.

1 hour ago, Crun said:

Yes, 1H03 used it at 14:44 today.
 

Oh dear, whether intentional or not, Hull Trains have usurped another operator whose service was to be the first passenger train through the dive under.  I think someone may be on the naughty step tomorrow trying to explain why it was routed that way.

I don't put my Trains Around Werrington Junction videos on here as they are a bit off topic to the subject under discussion.

But on the latest one I have done there are a couple of clips mid way through the video of freight using the new lines at Glinton Junction to Lincoln Road on Tuesday if anyone is interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQB4DHBxbQw

Just a few additions to todays photos from Crun.

The wide way has been cleared of rubbish and is being checked over.

The entrance the the dive under access from Hurn Road has gained some Armco and the north side bank of Brook Drain has been given a haircut.

The topsoil in the centre of the field is being transported to the old car park, from where topsoil was taken to cover the old haul road last week, which is behind it.

Some of the topsoil was also being taken to cover the old haul road that runs alonside the new Hurn Road.

A larger expandable version of this image can be downloaded from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vNLWcEeCJUfS2vKdl3sFt0_W67A0ckU-/view?usp=sharing

Concrete barriers were being removed from the top of the railway embankment adjacent to the Hurn Road entrance.

The gap were the concrete barriers are being removed so that the green fencing can be completed.  It is a bit odd that the railway is not secured while trains are now running on the new line.

A larger downloadable image can be had from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18mxjzNGtjNZdpjR0f_oZhnzyFYBgMSjL/view?usp=sharing

.....and finally, our friendly security chap was doing a spot of gardening around his office.  At least he has not been left out in the open with just a chair like his colleague was at Stirling Way.

Trackside ECML went to Lincoln Road about 3:00pm to check if the sleepers and red flags had been removed while I went home frozen.  He saw nothing and went home then five minutes later this happened!

Totally unexpected.

The first train going north 66726. 4E21 1120 Felixstowe South Gbrf to Tinsley Yard Gbrf caught by Andrew Winch at 15:05.

The second train to use the dive under 66065, 456N 1127 Bow Depot to Heck Plasmor P S approaching from Marholm Junction.

5 hours ago, Richard E said:

Cock Lane footbridge is now displaying its bridge number.

 

 

In addition to the two (plastic?) plates shown glued on the public side of the bridge span, which I don't see surviving for very long there is one on the concrete parapet railway side which should survive for much longer.

5 hours ago, Richard E said:

 

 

 

And finally, just for Mick, we have a marker post at the Marholm Junction end of the dive under. I couldn't quite make out the one in the far distance ...

 

I couldn't see either, my hands were too cold to be changing lenses.

There are new signs, mile markers as we now know along the Down Stamford.

5 hours ago, Zomboid said:

They look like mileposts to me, but (the 'I' and 'III' would refer to quarter miles), but then what they've actually installed there or where the zero would be doesn't stack up particularly.

 

Guessing a bit on Google earth, the route is a bit under 2 miles long, so that kind of stacks up if it has a zero at the Peterborough end.

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

I don't think they are mile markers as they don't tie in with any of the current mileages, although they seem to be in miles & quarter miles.

The line to Spalding is counted in miles from London via Werrington Jn. which itself is at 79m 34ch and the Stamford line is miles from Manton Jn. which where the new Marholm Jn. is would be about 19m.

AFAIK A new short chord like this would normally (?)  be measured up or down from one or other of the mileages. e.g. at Marholm or Glinton Jns

3 hours ago, Zomboid said:

The new chord will have an ELR of its own, so no reason why it wouldn't start from zero at Marholm. And the distances do add up if that's the case.

The three signs I photographed are in the northern section.  If there is a one zero marker that would put it somewhere in the entrance to the north portal of the tunnel.  I don't know off hand the exact distance from Marholm Junction to Glinton Junction but it is the region of 1.5 to 1.75 miles.

Can anyone shed any light on what these new signs are?

I have had a look on the Railway Signs http://www.railsigns.uk/ site but cannot see anything that they could be.

Look at all the photos first.

They are triangular in shape so facing both directions.  Also permanently fixed not temporary.  The middle one is obscured by the foliage which leads me to think that they are not that important to the running of trains otherwise I would have expected them to be lineside of the conduit channel.

The far one is 1 - III, the near one is 1 - II ? and the one under the A15 is 1 - I

26 minutes ago, Phil Himsworth said:

Several (many?) pages ago there were some shots from a drone which were striking in how very looooooong the junctions and diveunder approaches are. We get so used to telephoto photos making everything look very short, which has the effect of making the track look far more wiggly than it really is.

This is the post you are referring to Phil.

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/110286-east-coast-mainline-blockade-for-werrington-junction-diveunder/&do=findComment&comment=4573957

48 minutes ago, melmerby said:

 

It's difficult to do otherwise when avoiding diamond crossings and keeping clearance for two way traffic through the junction.

Using a crossover between the up and down lines forces the two turnouts on the down track further apart.

 

Werrington Jn. is the same and even more drawn out:

 

 

 

This shows how a telephoto lens works the other way round and can make the ungainly overhead view above seem rather neat, even though it is far from it in real life.  I suspect Glinton Junction is far neater on the ground than all the views we get from afar.

New update.

The haul road that connected the Hurn Road site to Waterworks Lane alongside the new Hurn Road is being removed.

To the left of the hedge is the A15 dual carraigeway, centre is the new Hurn Road with passing places and the excavator ripping up the haul road.

This is the entrance off Waterworks Lane where the haul road went through the fields to the Hurn Road site.

Looking towards Glinton, this is about half way between the Hurn road site and Waterworks Lane.

The Gas distribution centre is on the left

Nothing has changed at the main site since last week, the bridges are still in place and the topsoil is still in a heap ready to be spread across the field.

On to Hurn Road.  Topsoil is being spread over the severed haul road next to the green fence.  The soil is coming from a pile on what was the old car park next to the bungalow.  All vehicles are now using the new access off Hurn Road to get to and from the dive under area next to the ECML.

On the south side of the dive under embankment Armco fencing has been installed on the Joint Line side and they are presently boring post holes on the dive under side.

Very sad news from you Mike.  Please accept my condolences.  Keep Strong.

Still no changes at the access entrance next to Walton footbridge.

Surprised the local scrotes have not had those cables away, although they do look to be steel rather than copper.

Also spotted were these signs positioned about every 100 yards along the west bank of the new Brook Drain.

Those who do not understand the concept of water and a deep drain probably cannot read either so who are the signs aimed at?

Then there is some Armco which has been installed just west of the Stamford Line.  Unsure whether it will continue along to Cock Lane as there was no sign of further pieces laying around.  There is quite a bit already erected in the background and a length to the right (between the blue bowser and chap in orange) which also protects Brook Drain as well.  Access to the maintenance tunnel is the green area just behind and to the right of the right of the van in the centre.

Someone has been having a clear up.  Can only presume that the rail has been cleared from here to Werrington Junction.  No idea where the temporary crossing has come from.  The one across the main line which joined that one still on the Up Slow (top left) was removed months ago, must have been hiding in the undergrowth.

What is left of the main site viewed from Cock Lane 19th November 2021.

A larger image can be downloaded from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17AhEoOXG--rROmhhwVhMg8JMXdcmOppi/view?usp=sharing

View across the Marholm Brook spillway.

The vehicle exit bridge to the left and the small pedestrian bridge over Marholm Brook that connect with Stirling Way have now been severed.  The entrance bridge (centre) has had the concrete ramps removed from either side and a temporary hardcore ramp is being installed presumably for the dozer to access the field for spreading the topsoil which is still in a mound.

Now for something completely off topic.

Or could it be the start of a new adventure.

There is something happening just north of the Foxcovert Road footbridge and it will 'dive under' the Joint Line.

Looking west from Foxcovert Road, the houses are in the village of Glinton.  The staggered trenches are about 100ft long, 6ft wide and 3ft deep.

Looking in the opposite direction, east, the Joint Line runs across the centre of the photo just beyond the mound of earth behind the red poles.

Peakirk to the left, Foxcovert Road footbridge to the right.

Here is the explanation:

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/contentassets/1d01f1b64baa4aa9803f99c4265813f3/grantham-to-bexwell-pipeline-newsletter-august-2021.pdf

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/environment/new-peterborough-pipelines-proposed-with-area-vulnerable-to-climate-change-3080778

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/about-us/our-strategies-and-plans/new-water-pipelines/