Photos of embankment construction.

Quick visit to Hillgate to take pictures of the embankment work that I wasn't able to do yesterday.

 First shows the steadily growing embankment.  The existing Cambridge branch is behind.  The farmer's accommodation bridge gives a good indication of the final height of the embankment.

 Slightly further west some chalk has been laid but not to any great height.  Quarry is behind.

Plant lined up in the main compound.

Update 4th August

Finally made the time to visit the site this afternoon.  In the two or so weeks since I was last there the progress has been quite dramatic.  Quite a number of viaduct supports on the west side had either been started or poured leaving only two or three left to finish that part of the project.  It was the same on the east side.  I wasn't able to fully check on what progress had been made on that side because there were a number of people using the car park in Hillgate as an impromptu race track.  I didn't want to hang around while that was going on!   However I could see that more chalk had been transferred from the quarry on Wilbury Hill and the wing walls had been added to the farmer's accommodation bridge.  I noticed earlier in the week that work on the former Bedford branch along side the main line had started.  This is to raise the level to that of the main line and gradually increase it as it passes over the River Hiz bridge to bring it up to the level of the viaduct.

No further sections of viaduct had been installed but side deckings hve been added all the way along.

The last viaduct support on the triangle of  land formed where the main line and Bedford branch parted.  The much taller supports can be seen stretching away on the lower ground.  I counted seven either poured or being prepared where there was only one last time.  Then there is a gap before the first three which are under construction.

Same supports from a slightly different angle looking south towards the scrapyard.

 Moving south a shot back the other way.

Then I attempted to move closer to the scrapyard but the Bury Mead Springs area was more overgrown than ever.  I couldn't reach my usual vantage point by the two dead trees.  You can make out the two viaduct supports number two and three next to the scrapyard.  Better picture from the other side later in the blog.  I will have to take equipment to cut down the nettles etc if I want to get any closer.

 Viaduct support pier number one under construction next to the removed Bedford line bridge.

Turning 180 degrees, numbers two and three.  These are nothing like as tall as the ones further on as they begin to rise significantly to pass over the main line.  Interestingly number two has a raised concrete pad at the base unlike any others.  You can just make out what looks like a bitumen coating to the right.  I suspect this is because the existing embankment will be reprofiled to a shallower angle.  The Bedford embankment was completely removed here to enable the construction of this pier.

 Behind pier one access onto the former Bedford embankment has been created and new security fencing installed along the edge of the main line.

 I think this will be the final viaduct support on the east side before the embankment starts. 

Finally a shot of the ever growing quarry on Wilbury Hill.

And from the west

Quick visit the the west side of the main line.  Got a better shot of the new section of viaduct which makes four in total.  Starting to look really impressive now.  The viaduct support next to the end of the triangle of higher ground has been started.  This will be a lot bigger than the others as will the remaining ones up to the new junction with the main line.

Long shot of the viaduct

Looking across the main line, the new section with more supports waiting.

An East Coast service passes under the new viaduct.

Last two viaduct supports on the higher ground are nearing completion. This is the second one in.

 And the last one.  Behind is the first one on the lower ground.

 Here is a closer shot.  As I said at the beginning, these supports are going to be quite a bit taller.

 Finally a quick shot looking back to the existing end of the viaduct.  Apologies for a lack of an update.  Uploading problems with Blogger, a week's holiday and a family matter have made this difficult.  The latter will I am afraid will impact on my abilty to visit the site over the next few weeks but I will do my best.

News from the east

.......from the east side of the main line that is!  Work to remove chalk from Wilbury Hill has continued and the embankment construction has stepped up a gear.  It appears that a membrane with a level of gravel has been laid over the entire length.  Chalk has been tipped over a larger area although not to any great height yet.  The impact on the hill is quite noticeable though as the first photo shows.  The row of viaduct support piers has extended almost to the edge of the redundant sewage treatment works and another section of viaduct has been lifted into place on this side of the main line.

Chalk removal continues. 

End of future embankment just before the former sewage treatment works.  Membrane and gravel in place.

Line of viaduct supports in the former sewage treatment works.

 And further on meeting up with the new section of viaduct.

 Middle section of the future embankment with chalk laid down. Top right is the farm bridge and top centre is the first section of chalk but with no apparent change from two weeks ago.

Farmer's accommodation underbridge with just the wing walls to be added.  This gives us a good indication of the height of the embankment.

Network Rail timelapse video of viaduct lift

This is the Network Rail timelapse video of the viaduct being lifted into place on 1st July

Viaduct over East Coast Main Line in place

As I suspected, the section of viaduct over the main line was lifted in to place during the night.  I went down at 7am and it was all over by then. There were just a few Network Rail engineers checking the overheads.  You have to take your hat off to Hochtief for the efficient way it was done.  It looks like it fitted perfectly and now appears like it was always there!

 View from Icknield Way footbridge

 Close-up from same location

 Side view from the west

You can see the curve from this angle.

I then took the opportunity to take the footpath that follows the Cambridge line as far as the future junction with the new line.   It was incredibly overgrown because it is not a through path at the moment.  Presumably it will be diverted to pass under the new line via the farmer's accommodation bridge, shown under construction in the next picture.

 A wonderful field of poppies has sprung up in the uncultivated field.  At the public consulation meeting, there was talk that passive provision for a new access road from Stotfold Road to the industrial area might be included.  However judging from the size of this bridge that's not going to happen.

 Embankment construction has started at the point where the two lines will meet.

 A better view of the chalk removal.  A new cliff can be seen developing in the centre

And finally, turning round from the same spot for reference purposes, in the distance a shot of the crane used to lift in the viaduct. 

Latest developments 30th June

Apologies that family and work commitments have resulted in a lack of update last week.  However I was determined to visit at least the viaduct work site this morning because I am convinced that the section over the east coast main line will be lifted into place this weekend.  Last time access was very difficult because nettles and thistles had grown up at an alarming rate.  This week I was pleased to discover that the main route in by the river Hiz from Cadwell Lane had been strimmed.  Unfortunately they had neglected to clear two of my main vantage points behind the scrapyard and at the foot of the higher triangle of ground between the main and former Bedford lines!   The pile drivers were gone from the site which means that this phase is almost certainly complete.  A very large crane was now located in the gas works on the east side of the main line.  I moved up onto the former Bedford embankment and took the following pictures.

 Steel reinforcing on the last pier on the higher ground is being built up. The orange steel section in front will be used to form the round concrete pillar.

 As is the one next to it.

Here you can see the large crane with a section of viaduct attached

 Moving further north, the crane with a First Hull Trains service passing.

 I then moved up on to the Icknield Way footbridge.  You can see the first section of viaduct to the right of the main line with an East Coast service heading north.  The wooden sides protect the walkways on either side.

 Heading east on the Icknield Way I took some long distance shots of the site.  First is the chalk extraction on Wilbury Hill.  Conditional permission was granted on 21st June and it appears that chalk removal has commenced.

Although it is hard to make out, it looks as if chalk is being deposited up by the existing Cambridge line embankment.  If time allows I will take a closer look.  Centre right of the picture is the farm accommodation bridge under construction waiting for the new embankment.

 To the right of the above picture, a membrane has been laid in readiness for the embankment.  The two strange looking trees top centre are actually mobile phone masts at the world renowned Harkness Roses!

 Finally a shot of the main work compound with the chalk removal diggers parked up on the haul road.  A row of dumper trucks can be seen to the right.  If I am right about the viaduct lift, there will be an update tomorrow.