High Marnham Test Track

High Marnham Test Track
Legend
 Robin Hood Line
Shirebrook Junction
Wellbeck Colliery
Clipstone Junction
Thoresby Colliery
 Thoresby Colliery Junction
Signal Box
 
 Start of test track
 A614 
 A616 
Bevercotes Colliery
 Boughton Brake Tunnel
 A6075 
 Bevercotes Branchline
 A1 
Network Rail
Rail Innovation &
Development Centre
 RSSB test facility
Former Dukeries Junction
East Coast Main Line
End of test track
High Marnham Power Station
Fledborough Viaduct
over River Trent
 National Cycle Route 647
to Lincoln
 
Thoresby Colliery Junction and signal box. Colliery trains turn left into the siding, while the double-track test track begins straight ahead
"Start of Staff Section" sign on the last signal post marking the start of the unsignalled test track main line.
North limit of clearance on the Bevercotes Colliery Branch section of the test track in 2012, just north of Boughton Brake Tunnel

The High Marnham Test Track is a linear railway test track created in 2009 and centred on Lodge Lane, Tuxford, in Nottinghamshire in the United Kingdom.[1]: 4, 8  It houses Network Rail's Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC),[2]: 1  originally known as the Rail Vehicle Development Centre (RVDC).[3] The main route is approximately 14 miles (23 km) long[3] and rated for speeds up to 75 miles per hour (120 km/h).[4] It is primarily formed of a 10+1⁄2-mile (17 km) former section of the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway running between Thoresby Colliery Junction at the western end, and High Marnham Power Station at the eastern end.[2]: 2 [3] Additionally a 4-mile (6 km) branchline diverges northwards over the Bevercotes Colliery Branch via Boughton Brake Tunnel to Bevercotes.[1]: 4 [2]: 2 

The main test track passes on a bridge directly over the East Coast Main Line, at the location of the former Dukeries Junction interchange station, but without a rail connection being provided.[5] Instead the test track is accessed from the national British railway network via Shirebrook Junction on the Robin Hood Line and the existing line from there to Thoresby Colliery Junction.[1]: 4 [5] Access for trains is protected by an Annett's key under the supervision of an Engineering Technical Officer.[2]: 2  There is no signalling on the line owing to theft and vandalism, including the previous destruction of the Ollerton Colliery signal box.[3]

  1. ^ a b c "Rail Innovation and Development Centre" (PDF). 21 June 2012. Archived from the original (brochure) on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d "Rail Innovation & Development Centre – Site Data" (PDF). Network Rail. 6 August 2010. Archived from the original (presentation) on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d O'Connor, Adam (18 September 2009). "Testing times at High Marnham". Rail Staff. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc-trespassers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Rail Innovation and Development Centre, High Marnham (PDF) (Map). Network Rail. 3 August 2010. Archived from the original (map) on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.