24
CHRISTMAS
Finishing off the fourth track Between Bedford and Kettering
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part from the electrification of the section of route from London St. Pancras to Bedford in the late 1970s, the Midland main line has had few upgrades of any significance throughout its existence, until the current major MML Upgrade which is now well underway.
A major part of the MML Upgrade is the extension of electrification of the route further north. This has been something of a stop-go policy, inasmuch as plans to electrify the line as far as Sheffield were ‘paused’ by the government in 2015 amid concerns over the escalating costs and programme on the Great Western main line electrification scheme. After re-evaluation of electrification investment generally, the MML Upgrade was reauthorised in 2017 and included electrifiation as far as Corby - it is now in full swing. Once the electrification and capacity upgrade of the Midland main line is complete, it will have seen the installation of 23km of new track, improvements at stations, including lengthening several platforms by up to 58 metres, and significant work to around 49 structures, including the reconstruction of more than 25 bridges. This means that, in late 2020, improved services will run between Corby, Kettering and London, with up to 50 per cent more seats during peak times between Corby and Bedford. Electrification from Bedford to Kettering, and of the branch to Corby, is due for completion by late 2020. In March, the Department for Transport confirmed that it had instructed Network Rail to design a 15-kilometre extension of this electrification to Market Harborough, as this is likely to be the most costeffective way of connecting to the nearby Braybrooke feeder station. A decision on the construction of this extension awaits a full business-case assessment. In addition to the electrification itself, the Upgrade includes route capacity improvements, speed increases, station enhancements at Bedford,
Rail Engineer | Issue 181 | Jan/Feb 2020
Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby and Market Harborough and the removal of bottlenecks. Additionally, the signalling between Bedford and Kettering is being upgraded to an axle-counter system. One major contributor to the route capacity has been the provision of a fourth track between Kettering and Sharnbrook Junction, a few miles north of Bedford. Completion of this fourth track was the primary objective of a major route closure for nine days over the recent Christmas and New Year period.
An extra track Passengers were advised, through major publicity by Network Rail and East Midlands Railway, that the route would be closed from the night of Christmas Eve until the morning of Thursday 2 January, with rail replacement bus services between Bedford and Market Harborough and Corby. The existing track layout between Kettering and Sharnbrook Junction consisted of Up and Down Fast lines and a ‘Down Slow’ line, which is actually
MARK PHILLIPS
signalled so that it can be used for reversible working when needed. The new fourth track being provided between approximately the 70 and 56 mileposts is designated as the ‘Up Slow’ and is signalled for use in that direction only. The original three lines retain their existing operating characteristics. Apart from the normal requirement to raise or modify bridges and other structures to provide the capacity for the fourth line and clearance for the overhead wires, an additional feature has been the need to reposition several signals. These were mainly signals which controlled the existing Down Slow line but whose signal posts or gantry supports were obstructing the part of the formation physically needed for the fourth track. New gantries were required at these locations to accommodate the disrupted signal heads. Where possible, the new signals for the new fourth track were incorporated into these new gantries, although some additional stand-alone signal posts were required.
Sharnbrook tunnel, where the Slow lines diverge from the Fast.
