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East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

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Southsider

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Support for dualling the EK line has been expressed in the Scottish Parliament.


Tory Central Scotland MSP, Graham Simpson, led a members’ business debate following a sudden announcement via Transport Scotland that the line between EK and Busby will no longer be fully dualled - with electrification only.
 
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Meerkat

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"cash being syphoned off to other electrification projects"
Somewhat dramatic representation of events!
 

och aye

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Some of the things politicians say are shameless:

"Additionally, I have raised in the past my desire to see the old East Kilbride to Hamilton line re-opened and it was good to see Graham Simpson MSP agree with me on this.”
How exactly would you connect up to Hamilton given the alignment has pretty much been completely built over and how much more money would it cost?
 

yorkie

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Some of the things politicians say are shameless:


How exactly would you connect up to Hamilton given the alignment has pretty much been completely built over and how much more money would it cost?
Just to be clear, any answer to that would need to be posted in Speculative Discussion, thanks ;)
 

Wynd

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im confident it will be ignored.
May one inquire as to the foundation of said confidence?

Some of us are watching TS very closely in relation to rail projects and cannot help but notice that the enthusiasm for rail is, well, not that enthusiastic.
 

mcmad

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May one inquire as to the foundation of said confidence?

Some of us are watching TS very closely in relation to rail projects and cannot help but notice that the enthusiasm for rail is, well, not that enthusiastic.
TS are having to spend additional millions supporting both Scotrail and Cally Sleeper so funding for Network Rail in general and projects in particular is very limited. Given the focus on decarb anything beyond bare minimum getting the wires up is unlikely to progress even if it means more expensive reworking within a short period of time.
 

Wynd

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TS are having to spend additional millions supporting both Scotrail and Cally Sleeper so funding for Network Rail in general and projects in particular is very limited. Given the focus on decarb anything beyond bare minimum getting the wires up is unlikely to progress even if it means more expensive reworking within a short period of time.
Many thanks for the insight.

Is there anything publicly available to evidence this? I appreciate its common sense that the budget is tight, however transparency on decision making is important.
 

Bald Rick

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May one inquire as to the foundation of said confidence?

Some of us are watching TS very closely in relation to rail projects and cannot help but notice that the enthusiasm for rail is, well, not that enthusiastic.

my post was meant in the context that the line won’t be doubled, at leas5 not before electrification. Not least because electrification is approved and already happening, as you know.
 

clc

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Many thanks for the insight.

Is there anything publicly available to evidence this? I appreciate its common sense that the budget is tight, however transparency on decision making is important.
The recently published Scottish budget shows that the budget for rail franchises has gone from £520m in 2020/2021 to £720m in 2022/2023. The enhancements budget has increased from £207m to £247m over the same period and the renewals budget has decreased from £534m to £427m.
 

Nicholas Lewis

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The recently published Scottish budget shows that the budget for rail franchises has gone from £520m in 2020/2021 to £720m in 2022/2023. The enhancements budget has increased from £207m to £247m over the same period and the renewals budget has decreased from £534m to £427m.
Increased franchise costs presumably acknowledges that fare box revenue will be reduced again in the next FY.
 
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Any updates on work beyond Busby Jn?
There hasn't been visible work on site (not that I have noticed) for weeks. The last time that I walked past the SPL compound off Robslee Drive, Thornliebank, it was locked.

The piling that seems to have been aborted for construction design hasn't resumed either.
For example, two piles that are missing at Pollokshaws West station. The reason they stopped their auger is obvious:

Pollokshaws West cable.jpg
 

MadMac

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There hasn't been visible work on site (not that I have noticed) for weeks. The last time that I walked past the SPL compound off Robslee Drive, Thornliebank, it was locked.

The piling that seems to have been aborted for construction design hasn't resumed either.
For example, two piles that are missing at Pollokshaws West station. The reason they stopped their auger is obvious:

View attachment 108770
Ah, one of those telecomms cables that nobody knew was there.....
 

ld0595

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Ah, one of those telecomms cables that nobody knew was there.....

Having started work in a similar industry a little over three years ago, it surprised me at first how often this happens but it's more common than you'd think.

Many assets were previously installed without properly recording the actual location in as-built documentation. I've been given drawings of what should be the same asset, but some drawings show them in a different location by 20-30m. In one case, we've undertaken a site walkover and found a major electricity line which wasn't shown on any utility maps at all.
 

Elecman

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Many assets were previously installed without properly recording the actual location in as-built documentation. I've been given drawings of what should be the same asset, but some drawings show them in a different location by 20-30m. In one case, we've undertaken a site walkover and found a major electricity line which wasn't shown on any utility maps at all.
Missing cables and pipes on Utility Company drawings are very very common, i have cases of utility companies not knowing the location on thier assets that they had only installed less to 2 years previously never mind 20-50 years ago!,
 

InOban

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Presumably because they outsourced the job to another company who further contracted with an actual squad who had their own diggers etc........
 
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On 12th January, Network Rail announced their programme of works to demolish the old Strathbungo station, replace the deck of the Nithsdale Road Bridge and replace the Footbridge:

WorksKey Dates
Surveys and de-vegetation works12 Feb - 21 Feb 2022
Development of Darnley Road Compound and Advanced Works28 March - 1 May 2022
Divert Utilities to Temporary Service Bridge2 May - 29 July 2022
Bridge Superstructure & Store Demolition6-8 August 2022
(Week 19 - 54 hour rail disruptive)
Installation of Bridge Deck Beams13-15 August 2022
(Week 20 - 54 hour rail disruptive)
Construct New Bridge Deck16 Aug to 25 Oct 2022
Utility Diversions onto New Road Bridge26 Oct 2022 - 10 Jan 2023
Remove Temporary Service Bridge14-15 Jan 2023
Completion of Nithsdale Road Bridge20 Jan 2023
Replace Footbridge (13a)Jan 2023 - May 2023

  • Overall Duration on site: 28/03/2022 - 28/05/2023
  • Darnley Road Lane Closure & Footpath Closure: 28/03/2022 - 10/05/2023
  • Moray Place Lane Closure: 30/04/2022 - 20/01/2023 (emergency services and pedestrian access only)
  • Footbridge Closure: 7-9/05/2022 (nightshift) & 16-20/01/2023 (pedestrian access will be maintained across Darnley Road)
  • Nithsdale Road Full Closure: 01/08/2022 - 25/10/2022
  • Closure of Roundabout: 01/08/2022 - 24/10/2022.
Please note that throughout the duration of the works diversion routes will be signposted and pedestrian access will be maintained over footbridge 13a, bridge 13 or both.

Schedule of works Feb 2022 - Jan 2023.JPG
 
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Rick1984

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I did see some persons in yellow coats doing some surveying the before Christmas
 

matchmaker

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Missing cables and pipes on Utility Company drawings are very very common, i have cases of utility companies not knowing the location on thier assets that they had only installed less to 2 years previously never mind 20-50 years ago!,
Very common indeed. I used to work in the construction industry and can well remember on one occasion failing to persuade Scottish Water about the existence of a water meter, despite giving them the serial number, location and even a photograph of it! "It's not on our records so can't exist". :rolleyes:
 

92002

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Very common indeed. I used to work in the construction industry and can well remember on one occasion failing to persuade Scottish Water about the existence of a water meter, despite giving them the serial number, location and even a photograph of it! "It's not on our records so can't exist". :rolleyes:
Of course as part of the site investigation it should be surveyed with a cat scanner.
 

themiller

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Of course as part of the site investigation it should be surveyed with a cat scanner.
A CAT scanner is useful if you know that there’s a service in the area. Accuracy is improved when used in conjunction with a genny but that needs to be connected to the service. Not particularly useful if the service is deep and not expected.
 

92002

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A CAT scanner is useful if you know that there’s a service in the area. Accuracy is improved when used in conjunction with a genny but that needs to be connected to the service. Not particularly useful if the service is deep and not expected.
A cat scanner is a Network Rail requirement for a contractor to work on their sites.

Any deeper scans can be performed by ground penetrating radar. If they think it necrssary.
 

snowball

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RAIL magazine #949 has a couple of sentences on p. 29. It says that "£40M plus" was saved by the decision not to double the single track section.
 

hwl

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Possibly taking a core sample to see what they're trying to fix the metalwork to?
It might be a bit late for that at this stage but better late than never...
Given the historic anti-spread measures on the structure it might be tempting to go for studding through to the other side!
 
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