East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[sannox]

The issue with Clarkston is improving the bridge whilst tying the levels in to the surrounding. Not impossible but expensive.

 

[snowball]

I would have thought the B767 was crying out to be realigned onto a new bridge built clear of the old one.

 

[Taunton]

And I’d say that it is ridiculous for Transport Scotland to prioritise less travel as a way to meet its targets. They’re called Transport Scotland for a reason, not Stay-at-home-in-your-pants Scotland.

Quite right. They seem to be joining Transport for London in continuing to dig into their constituents' pockets for more and more money while providing less and less with it, just spending the funds on themselves in an ever-increasing internal bureaucracy.

 

[InOban]

Travel is a product of the number of people and the distance, so the aim is to reduce the distance, and change the mode (foot, bicycle etc). The role of transport Scotland is to facilitate the journeys people feel they need to make, not to encourage journeys.

 

[Southsider]

I would have thought the B767 was crying out to be realigned onto a new bridge built clear of the old one.

It is. Has been the site of several accidents including a fatality a few years back. The railway gains nothing from a realignment so I guess the local authority would be asked to make a contribution but they aren’t flush with cash.
On a pedantic point, glad to see you call it the B767 aka Clarkston Road. The misnomer Stamperland Crecent belongs to the row of sandstone houses to the north of the community halls and car park. Google maps needs to be amended.

 

[MadMac]

It is. Has been the site of several accidents including a fatality a few years back. The railway gains nothing from a realignment so I guess the local authority would be asked to make a contribution but they aren’t flush with cash.
On a pedantic point, glad to see you call it the B767 aka Clarkston Road. The misnomer Stamperland Crecent belongs to the row of sandstone houses to the north of the community halls and car park. Google maps needs to be amended.

The station was, of course, Clarkston & Stamperland at one point.

 

[Taunton]

It is. Has been the site of several accidents including a fatality a few years back. The railway gains nothing from a realignment so I guess the local authority would be asked to make a contribution but they aren’t flush with cash.

Isn't this just the sort of thing that Transport for Scotland's public funds are for ...?

 

[snowball]

Isn't this just the sort of thing that Transport for Scotland's public funds are for ...?

Well it's certainly not a trunk road. I assume there's some mechanism for a contribution to local road schemes.

 

[Southsider]

The station was, of course, Clarkston & Stamperland at one point.

Indeed it was and, to satisfy my pedancy (is that a word?) I’ve just checked Apple Maps and they name the road correctly!

 

[Ex-controller]

Isn't this just the sort of thing that Transport for Scotland's public funds are for ...?

It would strictly speaking be the responsibility of the local authority, East Renfrewshire Council, which as it happens is the wealthiest authority per capita in Scotland, so if they’re skint were in bother!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Feb 2022 ==

Travel is a product of the number of people and the distance, so the aim is to reduce the distance, and change the mode (foot, bicycle etc). The role of transport Scotland is to facilitate the journeys people feel they need to make, not to encourage journeys.

They should at least facilitate journeys, not actively discourage them. Nor should they be trying to use nudges to induce behaviour change. People should get to choose whether they travel or not.

Making it your priority to ‘encourage less travel’ is counter to that and is in many ways quite a sad indictment of them.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

I don't believe the earthworks (as distinct from bridges) ever were laid out for two tracks. I looked at the OS large scale maps months ago, to inform a post in this thread, and the slopes came close to the track.

I think it's a bit premature to claim that this is what happened. We only have MadMac's "personal opinions" in #606 to base this on.

Same comment applies. Whether or not a historian or an enthusiast, they would surely have checked the situation before announcing redoubling as part of the scheme.

The earthworks look single width from LIDAR surveys, which are available on the NLS website. Here's the cutting south east of Thorntonhall -

 

[MadMac]

The earthworks look single width from LIDAR surveys, which are available on the NLS website. Here's the cutting south east of Thorntonhall -

View attachment 110324

I commuted on it for 17 years: it’s not built for double from Busby-Hairmyres. Beyond Hairmyres, bridges are modern and built for double track.

 

[snowball]

I commuted on it for 17 years: it’s not built for double from Busby-Hairmyres.

Though the bridges would allow doubling without electrification.

 

[Southsider]

Still nothing in the local media so hopefully no more descoping than what was already known. A slight worry though is the lack of planning applications regarding future works or is it too early for that?

 

[gingertom]

Still nothing in the local media so hopefully no more descoping than what was already known. A slight worry though is the lack of planning applications regarding future works or is it too early for that?

I think it is a wee bit too early, as they don't seem to have made up their minds exactly what they want.

I'm more concerned there hasn't been a procurement notice yet for rolling stock. BEMUs could be used to reduce emission now, certainly in advance of the wires going up.

 

[och aye]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep an eye out for the "outraged" statements from local MSPs that will no doubt appear in the Daily Record and Evening Times.

As I was saying...

Renewed calls for ministers to explain scrapping of EK rail dualling project

Independent councillor David Watson is calling for Scottish Government ministers to speak at an area committee meeting

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

An East Kilbride councillor is renewing calls for Scottish Government ministers to explain first-hand the decision to side-track plans to dual the town's rail line.


A backlash erupted when a shock announcement via Transport Scotland in October saw the dualling of the line - between EK and Busby - scrapped amidst concerns over cost and future usage of the line.


Now the project will see the electrification of the line only.

 

[najaB]

Indeed it will, but so did the abandonment of the Glasgow and Edinburgh airport links (first thing this government did in relation to transport) and they survived that.

OT, I know, but EARL was a crazy design (flat crossings, in a tunnel, under a runway) and GARL cost a lot for what it delivered. We probably are better off for both of them being cancelled.

 

[John R]

So I went to look on the Transport Scotland website for information about the current electrification projects, to see what it says about the project. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have been updated for at least 5 years. As an example:-

The electrification of the main Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk line is scheduled to be complete during October 2017.

Really, what's the point of having an information site if you can't be bothered to keep it up to date.

Electrification programme | Transport Scotland

www.transport.gov.scot

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Indeed. I am sure more “bang for the buck” can be got elsewhere. I don’t know where and nor do I want to speculate and take the thread off-topic.

 

[snowball]

There's a somewhat more recent press release here, but not a lot of info anywhere that I can see.

Rail electrification programme given the go-ahead | Transport Scotland

www.transport.gov.scot

Rail electrification programme given the go-ahead​

The scheme has been developed by Transport Scotland and Network Rail and will pass through East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire to the south of Glasgow.
Construction work is expected to get underway on the £63 million Barrhead corridor in April 2022 and due to be complete by December 2023. It will support passenger and freight services and will be used as a key diversionary route for cross-border services.
The East Kilbride corridor has recently been given approval for single track electrification infrastructure, and further development work is required to support this.
The projects are being taken forward in the face of the significant financial challenges, and in light of uncertain future demand. By progressing with single track this allows funds to be reallocated to other decarbonisation projects such as Borders electrification.
Further development work is being undertaken to review accessibility across both corridors.
Transport Minister Graeme Dey said:
“I’m pleased that work on the full electrification of the Glasgow to Barrhead railway line is expected to start early next year as this will make a significant difference to passenger and freight services in the future.
“Delivery of the East Kilbride and Barrhead Electrification Project will not only ensure the decarbonisation of two critical corridors on this strategic network but will allow efficiencies to be achieved and disruption minimised for passengers during this period.
“It will also help towards the delivery of our Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan which will see removal of all diesel on passenger services by 2035 through the deployment of existing rolling stock.”

 

[kylemore]

Any more "de-scoping" and they might as well close it altogether - they could present that as a success - "well we told you we wanted people to travel less"!

 

[Southsider]

There's a somewhat more recent press release here, but not a lot of info anywhere that I can see.

Rail electrification programme given the go-ahead | Transport Scotland

www.transport.gov.scot

The most recent mention on the Scottish Government website is a response to a freedom of information question dated 13 December 2021. Despite the title, it appears to confirm full electrification of the existing track layout plus some work on stations.

Scrapping the electrification and dualling of the East Kilbride to Glasgow rail line: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

www.gov.scot

Thank you for your recent request and I welcome your support for the recently announced substantial investment in upgrades to the East Kilbride line. I can confirm that the decision to proceed with the preferred electrification and station upgrade option was arrived at following an extensive joint railway industry business case development process in line with Scottish Government appraisal guidance.

It was decided that progressing with the full electrification of the mixed double and single-track infrastructure was the preferred option after analysis of the different costs and benefits set out in the Outline Business Case (OBC), which took full account of the anticipated demand for rail services on this corridor.

 

[numtot12345]

The most recent mention on the Scottish Government website is a response to a freedom of information question dated 13 December 2021. Despite the title, it appears to confirm full electrification of the existing track layout plus some work on stations.

Scrapping the electrification and dualling of the East Kilbride to Glasgow rail line: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

www.gov.scot

How extensive was the business development process? Did it include any organisations outwith the Rail Industry? I'm not sure specifically how much public/wider stakeholder engagement needs to happen during this point, however it feels as though they've gone away and made a decision on it without consulting more widely.

One would imagine if wider stakeholders were consulted they would have shouted loudly to keep the full double tracking of it, hence why it's come relatively out of the blue the descoping of it.

In saying that, the wider stakeholders could have shouted all they wanted during a consultation however the Minsiters/decision makers probably would have come to the same conclusion given what we are learning about the amount of work required, available budget, and shifting of approach in funding projects related to impacts of Covid.

 

[najaB]

One would imagine if wider stakeholders were consulted they would have shouted loudly to keep the full double tracking of it, hence why it's come relatively out of the blue the descoping of it.

Are there any other railway stakeholders outside of Scotrail? Does any freight or any other TOCs go that way, I didn't think there were any?

 

[sannox]

Are there any other railway stakeholders outside of Scotrail? Does any freight or any other TOCs go that way, I didn't think there were any?

Freight ceased in the 1990s I think. Used to be a printing works at Hairmyres.

 

[matchmaker]

Freight ceased in the 1990s I think. Used to be a printing works at Hairmyres.

Yes, Radio Times.

 

[takno]

How extensive was the business development process? Did it include any organisations outwith the Rail Industry? I'm not sure specifically how much public/wider stakeholder engagement needs to happen during this point, however it feels as though they've gone away and made a decision on it without consulting more widely.

One would imagine if wider stakeholders were consulted they would have shouted loudly to keep the full double tracking of it, hence why it's come relatively out of the blue the descoping of it.

In saying that, the wider stakeholders could have shouted all they wanted during a consultation however the Minsiters/decision makers probably would have come to the same conclusion given what we are learning about the amount of work required, available budget, and shifting of approach in funding projects related to impacts of Covid.

I think it's a bit of a case of careful what you wish for in terms of consultation. By the time all relevant stakeholders have had their say, the majority of schemes are 3 years late, and have grown dozens of costly but pointless additional limbs.

 

[92002]

I think it's a bit of a case of careful what you wish for in terms of consultation. By the time all relevant stakeholders have had their say, the majority of schemes are 3 years late, and have grown dozens of costly but pointless additional limbs.

The bottom line is the existing line will be electrified fully without any second track but with stations rebuild and lengthened for larger trains. So however you package it its progress. With the new electric trains contributing significantly to climate change. As promised at the recent conference in Glasgow.

The second track was to be added to increase services but current numbers don't point to the need for that.

East Kilbride has a significant numbers of passengers already. Matched to the line to Kilmarnock and eventually further south that's a massive improvement for passengers and removal of the aging diesel trains from the system. Carrying on South from Kilmarnock to Carlisle will also release more trains and a diversionary route to Carlisle and the South.

A lesson that their cousins South of Gretna have yet to grasp.

 

[snowball]

I think it's more important for now for Scotland to get on with its electrification programme and show up the UK government. They can come back and double the end of the branch later if needed.

 

[najaB]

I think it's more important for now for Scotland to get on with its electrification programme and show up the UK government. They can come back and double the end of the branch later if needed.

I agree it's important for Scotland to push ahead with electrification, but because it's the best thing for Scotland. Any "showing up" of the UK government would just be a happy by-product.