Minister provides Midland Main Line electrification update as Network Rail plans next stage of work

The government has said electrification of the rest of the Midland Main Line is expected to be completed early in the next decade.

In the House of Commons on November 21, Neil O’Brien, the Conservative MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Lilian Greenwood, about the project.

Greenwood told him: “The electrification of the remainder of the route to Nottingham and Sheffield via Derby - the Midland Main Line electrification programme - is in development, and currently it is planned to be completed by the early 2030s, subject to business case approvals and wider affordability considerations.”

O’Brien responded by saying it was “marvellous that we now have the electric lines energised up through Market Harborough to Wigston”, but also asked: “Will the Rail Minister meet me to ensure that we avoid any risk that future electrification works lead to a further withdrawal of late and early services to Market Harborough? The last train back from London is already far too early, so we need to avoid the works having any further damaging impact.”

Greenwood said the government was “concerned about the impact of works on services”, adding that Rail Minister Lord Hendy would “welcome the opportunity to visit, alongside Network Rail”.

Currently, the last train from London to Market Harborough leaves St Pancras at 2235, while East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) Class 360s EMUs only travel as far as north as Corby, diverting from the main line north of Kettering.

New Class 810 bi-mode trains are due to enter service in 2025, replacing Class 222 DMUs on services towards Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Network Rail (NR) submitted a Transport and Works Act Order application on November 12 to get permission for the compulsory purchase and temporary use of land between Kettering and Wigston South Junction as part of the electrification programme.

As part of its application, NR said the order will help “provide the facilities necessary to deliver an electrified railway north of Kettering to Market Harborough and upgrading of the existing power supplies south of Bedford Station”.

NR said that by enabling development works to take place, which include access overhead lines for maintenance, reconstruction of bridges and a temporary worksite, it would  allow for the ‘810s’ to use the overhead lines south of Wigston South Junction at the rate of four per hour.