Scottish Electrification updates & discussion

[sannox]

EK is going to be a lengthy project, even though it is essential, because the route has always been a single track. To create a double track dynamic loop of a useful length will be a major undertaking. I hope that the work begins asap in CP6, but I don't expect it to be completed in that period.

The creation of the second EK platform is badly needed to allow better reliability and reduce layover times at Central. Modern flats built might impinge on the space available though and make it more difficult than it needed to be.

Would extending the Hairmyres Loop through the station not create enough capacity for 4tph? It's 6 mins between Busby and Hairmyres allowing for Thorntonhall stop. Probably less with electrics.

The line is certainly bursting at the seams at peak, a peak at the dwell times at Crossmyloof (which has a pretty poor peak service given demand) shows that. 2J03 is 6 car, regularly takes 2 minutes and can leave folk on platform.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/major-stirling-alloa-upgrade-work-set-to-begin/

Engineers will be working around-the-clock for the next four weeks to deliver a multi-million-pound upgrade to prepare the Alloa line for electrification.

Hundreds of engineers will work over 16,000 hours as they install the overhead power equipment needed to introduce electric services on the route – delivering more seats for customers on quieter, greener trains.

The work, which is part of a Scottish Government-funded programme to electrify lines throughout the central belt, will take place from Saturday, March 17, until Monday, April 16.

A replacement bus service will operate between Alloa and Stirling during this period to help minimise disruption for passengers while we deliver this vital investment in Scotland’s railway.

Over the four weeks, engineers will be working from Stirling to Alloa along the six miles of the route, installing 261 masts, and supporting cantilevers, and stringing overhead power cables.

The project is part of the wider programme to electrify the lines linking Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Once complete, the electrification of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa lines will mean:

• Many services will be operated by electric class 385 trains, which will offer a better experience and reduce some journey times from Stirling to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
• More seats on services between Alloa, Dunblane, Bridge of Allan, Stirling and Edinburgh.
• Less noise and better air quality for those who live and work near the railway.

Paul Reilly, Network Rail programme manager, said: “Electrification will transform travel across the central belt of Scotland and is part of our commitment to delivering the best railway Scotland has ever had.

“Our engineers will be working around-the-clock to complete this complex programme as quickly as possible.

“We understand the inconvenience these works will cause to some passengers and residents and we are working hard to keep disruption to a minimum.

“We are encouraging customers to leave extra time for travel, and plan journeys in advance. All train and bus times are available at www.scotrail.co.uk/alloaworks as well as on the ScotRail app.”

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I wish the Scottish Government could take over the DfT - what an enlightened attitude.

QUOTE[ Once complete, the electrification of the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa lines will mean:

• Many services will be operated by electric class 385 trains, which will offer a better experience and reduce some journey times from (edited) X TO Y .
• More seats on services between x y z. (edited)
• Less noise and better air quality for those who live and work near the railway. ] END modified QUOTE

 

[InOban]

Presumably all the structures were built to accommodate electrification when the line was reopened. So the only risk is finding locations where the ground will not support a piled foundation.

 

[mcmad]

If you're referring to the SAK line then no, there was a project to lower track and reconstruct bridges ahead of the electrification project. Of course now the standards have changed then some of the work will have to be reassessed/redone to meet the new standards.

 

[Altnabreac]

If you're referring to the SAK line then no, there was a project to lower track and reconstruct bridges ahead of the electrification project. Of course now the standards have changed then some of the work will have to be reassessed/redone to meet the new standards.

Technically SAK was a reopening of a mothballed freight line (as opposed to a fully closed one) to passenger traffic so they were able to cut a few corners like retaining some of the level crossings. Suspect if it were being proposed today you'd not get away with keeping the Level Crossings, at the very least Waterside and Cambus would have to go.

 

[Class 170101]

I suppose the only thing that might accelerate it is if there's demand for an electrified diversionary route between Carlisle and Glasgow. But I'm struggling to think of anything that might prompt such demand. Even Lamington was a once in a blue moon event.

I fear with climate change and the fact that NR do not seem to know their infrastructure as well as they should that incidents like Lamington will happen more frequently than we and NR think they will.

 

[benbristow]

I don't think so. East Kilbride is a far busier line using 10-12 156s during the peak. What you would get are some 158s (Shotts is a mix of 158 and 156, EK is purely 156) which may have been required as scenic stock but I don't know if that scheme is still alive.

I work in East Kilbride and take two trains from Paisley to GLC and then GLC to Hairmyres.

It's great in the morning to be able to get on the train and have the choice of like 6/7 or more different carriages.

Sometimes you get lucky and get one of the refurbs with plug sockets ^_^

 

[380101]

I work in East Kilbride and take two trains from Paisley to GLC and then GLC to Hairmyres.

It's great in the morning to be able to get on the train and have the choice of like 6/7 or more different carriages.

Sometimes you get lucky and get one of the refurbs with plug sockets ^_^

The plugs in the refurb 156 units have been isolated and covered up this week due to electrical issues. Seems the cheap refurb programmes being carried out on all units that have went through KBRSpringburn are coming back to bite Abellio hard. Not one project Abellio have committed to in their franchise agreement has been a success.

 

[benbristow]

The plugs in the refurb 156 units have been isolated and covered up this week due to electrical issues. Seems the cheap refurb programmes being carried out on all units that have went through KBRSpringburn are coming back to bite Abellio hard. Not one project Abellio have committed to in their franchise agreement has been a success.

Ugh. I'll have to charge up on the 380 table seat sockets then instead on the Paisley leg

 

[JohnR]

The plugs in the refurb 156 units have been isolated and covered up this week due to electrical issues. Seems the cheap refurb programmes being carried out on all units that have went through KBRSpringburn are coming back to bite Abellio hard. Not one project Abellio have committed to in their franchise agreement has been a success.

Depends on how you define success. I dont know of any engineering projects that have been 100% successful straight from the off.

 

[380101]

Depends on how you define success. I dont know of any engineering projects that have been 100% successful straight from the off.

Uniforms, smartcards, train refurbs, station refurbs etc I could go on but as an employee of said company I can honestly say that nearly everything they've promised has been a let down. Minor faults at stations have taken months to rectify where, when First still had the franchise these where rectified almost straight away. Likewise with fleet maintenance - minor faults are just not getting fixed as quickly anymore.

There is a 380, 380 007, that has been running around for almost 4 months now with a Non-Multi sign on one end so has caused lots of headaches when in yards and at stations as it can only be coupled at one end. First would have had this sorted months ago!

 

[route101]

I work in East Kilbride and take two trains from Paisley to GLC and then GLC to Hairmyres.

It's great in the morning to be able to get on the train and have the choice of like 6/7 or more different carriages.

Sometimes you get lucky and get one of the refurbs with plug sockets ^_^

You are against the flow between Glasgow and East Kilbride . Would be 6 carriages max . The problem is EK line is a branch line , compare it to other big towns like Motherwell ,Paisley have far better services.

 

[JohnR]

Uniforms, smartcards, train refurbs, station refurbs etc I could go on but as an employee of said company I can honestly say that nearly everything they've promised has been a let down. Minor faults at stations have taken months to rectify where, when First still had the franchise these where rectified almost straight away. Likewise with fleet maintenance - minor faults are just not getting fixed as quickly anymore.

There is a 380, 380 007, that has been running around for almost 4 months now with a Non-Multi sign on one end so has caused lots of headaches when in yards and at stations as it can only be coupled at one end. First would have had this sorted months ago!

And yet, 95% of the staff are the same?

 

[380101]

And yet, 95% of the staff are the same?

The staff can only work with the resources they're given and Abellio seem to not be providing them. Abellio have cut alot of departments to the bare bones with 3 rounds of voluntary redundancies since 2015 and jobs not being filled when people retire. Avantix ticket machines were replaced with the cheapest system they could get and Ticket examiners and conductors have major issues with their performance everyday throughout the network. If you ordered uniform items with First you hsd it within 2-3 days; with Abellio it takes weeks, sometimes months.

 

[benbristow]

The plugs in the refurb 156 units have been isolated and covered up this week due to electrical issues. Seems the cheap refurb programmes being carried out on all units that have went through KBRSpringburn are coming back to bite Abellio hard. Not one project Abellio have committed to in their franchise agreement has been a success.

Funny you say that. Just tried to use a plug on one of the units the now. Carriage 52442.

Isn't covered up but unless it's my laptop/charger, doesn't work.

 

[Southsider]

Progress between Cowie and Stirling.
https://twitter.com/timonfrancis/status/977836697546260480?s=21

 

[Mingulay]

The staff can only work with the resources they're given and Abellio seem to not be providing them. Abellio have cut alot of departments to the bare bones with 3 rounds of voluntary redundancies since 2015 and jobs not being filled when people retire. Avantix ticket machines were replaced with the cheapest system they could get and Ticket examiners and conductors have major issues with their performance everyday throughout the network. If you ordered uniform items with First you hsd it within 2-3 days; with Abellio it takes weeks, sometimes months.

I have raised the new ticketing machines with Scotrail and have a letter from the Operations Director suggesting the problems are now resolved now staff are getting used to them! Not sure that was a fully candid response ?

 

[gingertom]

Would extending the Hairmyres Loop through the station not create enough capacity for 4tph? It's 6 mins between Busby and Hairmyres allowing for Thorntonhall stop. Probably less with electrics.

It would certainly help, especially if it could be extended west a bit. Not a task to be undertaken lightly: a new platform would need to be constructed together with an accessible footbridge to reach, and we know they ain't cheap.

 

[marks87]

The creation of the second EK platform is badly needed to allow better reliability and reduce layover times at Central. Modern flats built might impinge on the space available though and make it more difficult than it needed to be.

Looking on Google Earth it seems there's enough space for a double track at the station, but nowhere to then put a second platform.

Could the same goal be achieved by extending the existing platform west, and putting in a passing loop that allows one unit to terminate behind another, without the latter ending up trapped?

 

[Southsider]

Looking on Google Earth it seems there's enough space for a double track at the station, but nowhere to then put a second platform.

Could the same goal be achieved by extending the existing platform west, and putting in a passing loop that allows one unit to terminate behind another, without the latter ending up trapped?

Perhaps create an island platform?

 

[gordonjahn]

Perhaps create an island platform?

Or build a new platform north of the existing single line, a new entrance (and ticket office if they'll still be needed) at the head of the platform on West Mains Road, then demolish the existing platform / ticket office and lose a few parking spaces to put a new line and platform south of the existing one.

Add a deck on the car park to replace lost spaces, but give the new upper deck a gateline and footbridge over to the platform that's not on the car park side (which gives both-platform access for buses too).

Just about feasible without extended closures...?

 

[380101]

I have raised the new ticketing machines with Scotrail and have a letter from the Operations Director suggesting the problems are now resolved now staff are getting used to them! Not sure that was a fully candid response ?

Standard response that avoids answering the question and telling the truth. The mobile ticketing system ScotRail (and other Abellio franchises) adopted is a fujitsu system that uses Samsung mobile technology. The screens on the Samsung mobile devices are suffering badly from "screen burn" and battery issues. Some users report batteries flat after 2-3 hours of light use. The smart readers on gateline barriers dont always read smart cards. Staff have them and personally I'll have issuses at least once a day trying to get through the barriers.

 

[Stopper]

Would extending the Hairmyres loop and changing Busby Jn back to a double-track junction be enough to cope with 4tph?

Also, where is the capacity at Central coming for 2tph extra, and possible some more Kilmarnock services too post electrification? As far as I’m aware the Shotts services aren’t actually going down to the low level.

 

[380101]

Would extending the Hairmyres loop and changing Busby Jn back to a double-track junction be enough to cope with 4tph?

Also, where is the capacity at Central coming for 2tph extra, and possible some more Kilmarnock services too post electrification? As far as I’m aware the Shotts services aren’t actually going down to the low level.

Busby Jn was double tracked back in 2012 when they resignalled the Glasgow south side.

They could in theory double the track from Busby station to Hairmyres loop. New platforms needed at Thorntonhall and Hairmyres, but not sure if it would increase capacity by much.

 

[Stopper]

Busby Jn was double tracked back in 2012 when they resignalled the Glasgow south side.

They could in theory double the track from Busby station to Hairmyres loop. New platforms needed at Thorntonhall and Hairmyres, but not sure if it would increase capacity by much.

Always thought that they could extend the Barrhead stoppers to Kilmarnock to give Kilmarnock 4tph as has been suggested to happen in the future. This would avoid the addition of extra trains on the Kilmarnock part of the line and allow a possible extra 2tph on the EK line once all is electrified and done. However I’m sure I read somewhere that Barrhead’s bay platform was being extended “to take longer electric trains” so I’m unsure of the whole plan for the Glasgow South Western route. Then you have the Stranraer/Dumfries/Carlisle route services to path through, almost certainly still being short diesels.

 

[route101]

Ah i thought i was imagining Busby Junction was doubled , didnt realise it had been doubled .

 

[385001]

Midcalder Junction work taking place this Easter weekend.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....tone-targetted-on-shotts-electrification-work

Monday 26 Mar 2018

Major Easter milestone targetted on Shotts electrification work
Network Rail engineers will work around-the-clock this Easter to deliver more than £2m of investment on the Shotts Line Electrification project.
In addition to the redevelopment of Livingston South station, the closure of the West Coast Main Line through Carstairs has created a four day window of opportunity to progress the ‘tie-in’ of the new and existing overhead line electrification (OHLE) at Midcalder Junction.

35 staff will work around 900 hours between Saturday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 3, solely on the tie-in of Midcalder Junction which will see 36 metal stanchions and other steelwork erected and multiple cables and wires run.

The new overhead line sections will be supported by two switches and earthed and bonded before section proving and energisation in advance of the reintroduction of services through the junction on the Carstairs line on Tuesday morning

With the tie-in already completed at the western side of the project at Holytown Junction, the completion of the Midcalder junction section will signal a massive step forward for the project having addressed two of the most complex and challenging elements of the electrification.

Brian Mallon, Network Rail programme manager for the Shotts Line Electrification project, said: “While we appreciate that closing lines is never convenient, we have scheduled this work in such a way as to minimise disruption over the Easter holiday period when fewer people are travelling.

“With the lines closed as part of the UK wide programme of Bank Holiday works, it gives us the chance to undertake a range of additional works on the electrification programme and focus on completing the complex challenge of wiring and energising Midcalder Junction.

“We will also take the opportunity to do as much work as we possibly can all across the Shotts Line during the closure, to maximise progress and reduce the need for further disruption.

“We appreciate the cooperation of the local community and thank them for their patience as we deliver this massive investment to upgrade the railway.”

Across Britain, more than 15,000 railway staff will be out delivering £118m-worth of investment at more than 400 locations as part of Network Rail’s long-term plan to create more reliable infrastructure and improved facilities for passengers.

Mark Carne, chief executive at Network Rail, said: “This Easter, thousands of rail workers will be working round the clock to deliver crucial upgrades to the rail network as part of the £50bn Railway Upgrade Plan.

“This huge investment programme will provide faster, better services and help relieve over-crowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain’s railways.

“While most of the network is open for business as usual, some routes are heavily affected and so we strongly advise passengers to plan ahead this Easter.”

A breakdown of how some journeys will be affected can be found by visiting nationalrail.co.uk/Easter and following #EasterBHWorks on Twitter.

 

[Class 170101]

It would certainly help, especially if it could be extended west a bit. Not a task to be undertaken lightly: a new platform would need to be constructed together with an accessible footbridge to reach, and we know they ain't cheap.

Looking on Google Earth it seems there's enough space for a double track at the station, but nowhere to then put a second platform.

Could the same goal be achieved by extending the existing platform west, and putting in a passing loop that allows one unit to terminate behind another, without the latter ending up trapped?

Perhaps create an island platform?

Why not just lengthen the existing platform and extend the loop to finish part way along it as has been done on a GW branch? (I forget which one) No lifts or ramps required.

 

[47271]

Standard response that avoids answering the question and telling the truth. The mobile ticketing system ScotRail (and other Abellio franchises) adopted is a fujitsu system that uses Samsung mobile technology. The screens on the Samsung mobile devices are suffering badly from "screen burn" and battery issues. Some users report batteries flat after 2-3 hours of light use. The smart readers on gateline barriers dont always read smart cards. Staff have them and personally I'll have issuses at least once a day trying to get through the barriers.

I buy on board from conductors two or three days per week.

My experience is that contactless payment fails more readily that the old swipes because of a loss of mobile signal, but then we keep trying and succeed, the printers are more reliable and less likely to jam now, and the new tickets are far less likely to fail in barriers than before. It may be that the Samsungs run out of battery faster and suffer screen burn but this doesn't impact me as a passenger in the same way as a jammed printer or dud ticket.

I'm no cheerleader for Abellio but I'd say that the new machines are generally a marginal improvement on the old ones.

If I was looking for a cause for complaint on present performance then this wouldn't be top of my list of priorities by any means...

Oh, and we're massively off topic by the way, I thought that I was posting to the Scotrail thread until I saw the heading flash up as I saved.