The Anonymous Widower

Are Murphy Group Playing A Long Game?

This news release on the Murphy Group web site is entitled Murphy Wins £60M+ London Overground Electrification Project.

Given, that it was known to be a difficult project, I don’t think I am alone in thinking that Murphy’s contract price was good value for London Overground.

Since then, progress has not been at a fast pace and some challenging problems seem to have emerged, but on whole professional commentators in magazines like Modern Railways an Rail Engineer have been broadly praising of the way the work is being done and what has so far been finished.

The troubles on the Holloway Road Bridge, which is not in Murphy’s contract, that I wrote about in Did The Project Management Go Wrong On The Holloway Road Bridge?, can’t have helped either.

I do wonder though, if the Murphy Group could be a beneficiary of the successful electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBlin).

This Google Map shows the area between Gospel Oak and Kentish Town stations.

Murphy Group’s Site In Kentish Town

Note.

• Gospel Oak station in the top left, where the GOBlin meets the North London Line.
• The Midland Main Line curves across the bottom of the map, with Kentish Town station, just off the bottom right corner.
• There is another rail line (Tottenham North Curve ?) connecting the GOBlin to the Midland Main Line, that is current used by freight trains.

Between all these lines is a massive builders yard, which is the home of the Murphy Group.

In some ways giving the Murphy Group, the contract for the GOBlin upgrade and electrification, is like giving your local builder, the job of upgrading your house.

The Murphy Group have even accessed some parts of the work, by putting gates in the security fence between the railway and their yard.

This map from carto.metro.free.fr, shows the railway lines in the are.

Lines Between Gospel Oak And Kentish Town

It shows how at times in the past, the rail connections from this area, were some of the most comprehensive in London.

There are already plans for some of the railways in the area.

• The Tottenham North Curve from Carlton Road Junction to Junction Road Junction is being electrified, so that electric-hauled freight trains can run between Barking and the Midland Main Line.
• Passenger services could be introduced on the Tottenham North Curve to create a second route across North London, linking Barking and Acton via West Hampstead Thameslink and the Dudding Hill Line.
• Could we even see a re-opened Highgate Road station?

I have a feeling, that all this, together with London’s enormous need for new housing will see the Murphy Group site developed, in a manner that is best for London. And the Murphy Group!

Consider.

• The development will have very good transport links.
• A reopened Highgate Road station, would be in the middle of the development.
• The development site is occupied by largely one company.
• The site is well-connected to railways for the transport of building materials and spoil.
• The site could be developed gradually, as the Murphy Group released the space.

Probably, the biggest problem would be finding the Murphy Group a new site.

It will be very interesting to see what happens on this very valuable site!

November 17, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Development, GOBlin Electrification, Gospel Oak And Barking Line, Gospel Oak Station