29th December

All quiet today with absolutely nothing going on.  Very little to report as all the focus of the work over Christmas was inaccessible.  The next big development will be the track laying in February.  It is now just over 25 weeks to commissioning if all goes well.  However I did take two pictures while I was there.  First shows some concrete ramps that have been installed next to the embankment retaining wall.  I wonder if these will form part of  a permanent access to the viaduct for maintenence.

This shot shows the underside of the viaduct now that the scaffolding boards have been removed.  There are two drain pipes in this section which I am guessing will be connected to a drainage system which will take run off to the reed bed ponds nearby.

Boxing Day and work continues apace.

I managed to find a bit of time to visit the west side of the work site where the work to install the new Hitchin North junction has continued all over Christmas taking advantage of the shutdown.  There were a lot of construction workers in evidence and quite a lot of equipment stretching all the way along the embankment from the Grove Road bridge to the start of the viaduct.  It certainly looked as if the junction was in place.  Unfortunately there are no immediate vantage points from which to photograph.   I took a number from the back of the scrapyard and some from Bury Mead Road.  I will edit these and put them up tonight.  Family commitments require my presence now unfortunately!

This a shot of the finished link between the ECML and the viaduct.  The River Hiz was running quite high and I was only just able to get under the bridge.  The Bury Mead Springs area was very sodden which is not surprising really.

Not a great location to take a picture, this shows the general area of activity from the edge of the sewage treatment works.

Looking back from the Springs, a mobile crane lowers a length of rail onto the link.

 Two more shots of the same machine from the higher ground looking through the viaduct piers.

 Here it is moving another length of rail into position.

 Rail dropped into place guided by a colleague.

 I had wondered if was rail mounted but this shot shows it was running on caterpillar tracks.

 This picture was taken from Bury Mead Road across the sewage works. 

 Looking a bit closer, this certainly looks like newly laid track.

 This final shot shows workers standing on top of the River Hiz underbridge.  The guard rail that can just be made out behind the two workers on the left is on the Great Northern three arch side of the bridge in Cadwell Lane.  The more modest Midland Railway single arch is protected by scaffolding just visible bottom left.   By the time I left the crane was moving rail onto the viaduct itself.

Sunday 16th and Wednesday 19th December

Today's very brief visit was a bit of an anticlimax after last Monday's site visit.  However there was something to report.   The ballasting of the viaduct had moved on to nearly the end.  The supported embankment between the viaduct and the mainline look a bit nearer completion.  During the week a lot of materials were moved on to the former Bedford embankment.  These were visible on the Grove Road bridge along with some temporary lighting, probably in advance of the Christmas shutdown.

First picture shows the link between the viaduct and the mainline. The edging is almost finished.

A digger can be seen on top of the ballast heap, possibly preparing the location of the new junction.

 From the same spot a shot of the viaduct.  The digger I saw on top on Monday has moved to the start of the final two sections.

 And the same digger from the far side of the scrapyard.  A large heap of ballast is to the right of the crane.  Two red hoppers which can be seen to the left are presumably used to move the ballast up on to the viaduct.

 The light started to fade when I took this shot next to the dead tree by the scrapyard.  The large blister is for a signal and the cabinet to hold the control equipment.  A gap has been left in the fencing to allow this to be installed.

 The light was too bad to take any more pictures after this one.  This shows one of the expansion gaps I mentioned in the previous report.  Whilst I was on the viaduct, I noticed four large concrete pads on the higher ground which were not visible from ground level..  These were put in to support the crane when lifting sections of viaduct into place.  These will be removed later when the site is tidied up.

 This will be the focus of the work over Christmas, the future location of Hitchin North Junction.   On Wednesday 19th, the work on the link seems to have moved on again with the scaffolding gone. 

 A closer look reveals the ballasting digger has moved on to the link.

And looking to the right, the rollers seen on the embankment during the ballasting work there are now here.  Just below the drainage pipe is the level of the former Bedford line.  This has been vital in moving materials and plant onto this area of the worksite.  This week has again seen a lot of machinery and workers moving along what was a double track width embankment.

Site visit part two

This is the continuation of yesterday's report of my visit to the site.

 Looking down on the ECML, a Grand Central service heads north.

 While a minute later another heads south.  You can just see orange clad workers to the right of the bend where the new line will leave the main line.

 Another view south from the viaduct.

 Looking back the other way.  The scaffolding halfway along is where we gained access to the viaduct.

 Here is one of the prepared "blisters" ready to accept the overhead gantry.

 Moving round parallel to the main line, ballasting hasn't reached here yet. The red crane right of centre is being used to pump concrete up onto the supported section of embankment.

 This shot is taken right from the end of the viaduct.  This is the short section of embankment linking the turnout from the main line to the viaduct.  It is retained by the wall seen in previous reports to minimise the size so as not to impact on the adjacent scrapyard. The concrete work here is being put in to keep a train in place in the (very unlikely) event of a derailment.

 This is the future location of Hitchin North junction which will go in during the Christmas possession of the main line.  Soon as this section is ready, sufficient track will be laid to allow the track laying machine to pull off the main line without causing any delay to scheduled services.  The concrete feed pipe is just in front of the construction workers.  Behind them you can clearly see the solum of the former Bedford line.  Further on by the bend, the new points are being made up in ready to be installed over Christmas.
I don't think we fully appreciate the amount of work carried out on our behalf at very unsocial hours by Network Rail.  Most of us tend to complain about the inconvenience it might cause us but a lot of workers won't be at home on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

 Turning around, you can appreciate the gradient of the viaduct.  This last section is just cast concrete at present. Further on the blue waterproof coating is being added.  The dead tree next to the scrapyard that has featured in many previous pictures can be seen to the left with Bury Mead Springs behind.

 Looking down to the right, this is the bridge that carries the main line over the access road to this part of the construction site also seen in many other photos.

 Returning along the viaduct, we are now on the waterproofed section.

 Now we are on the section that has the matting that will protect the waterproofing from the ballast.  Every now and then there is drain that will take the water away to the reed beds.  Between the second and third pallets of slabs, you can just make out metal plates on the sides of the viaduct.  These are expansion joints that feature all the way round.

 Here you can see the end of the ballasted section.  The paving slabs that are stacked up are laid along the edge to help contain the ballast.

From this close up it appears that the ballast has a camber presumably to assist with the tight curve.  I didn't notice this at the time.

 Another look across the main line.

My final shot shows the conservation area where so many previous pictures have been taken from.  On the extreme right is the former Bedford line embankment as it heads towards Ickleford.  Again many thanks to Network Rail for the courtesy shown to me during the visit.

Site visit pictures

Here are a selection of photos I took on my recent visit to the site. I am very grateful to Network Rail for allowing me to do this.  Most are taken from different locations to my normal reports.

 First taken from the ballasted track bed of the new line looking to the junction with the Cambridge branch.  Lengths of track seen on the right are those removed during the recent track renewal and point work.

 A closer look at Hitchin East junction.  New points are in place with a row of concrete sleepers laid out.

 Looking the other way as the lines diverge.  (Well strictly speaking as the lines come together!)

 Moving away a view over the accommodation bridge.  Drainage work can be seen either side of the line.

 Slightly closer to the bridge, the line can be seen curving away to pass behind the factories.

 The east end of the viaduct. It is very low at this point.

 Looking west from the lowest point.  The piers are very short here compared to the west side of the main line although they quickly increase in height as they approach the crossing of the ECML as you can see to the left of the picture.

 Same area taken from the haul road.  Pretty miserable muddy location today!

 This shot taken from the top of the viaduct looking east.  Fully ballasted at this point apart from a small area that can be seen here.  When the track has been laid additional ballast will be added.

 Moving closer to the main line but still looking east.

 Looking towards the new junction from the viaduct.  You can see the embankment passing the Centre 3 office building at the end of Wilbury Way.  However it is starting to blend in now with grass starting to appear on the sides.

Turning round and looking the other way.  The viaduct curves over the main line which can be seen below to the left.  More to follow tomorrow.