Next Scottish station reopenings before 2030

[och aye]

Following the opening of Reston station, after the following stations which are currently being built:

• Inverness Airport
• East Linton
• Cameron Bridge
• Leven

Will there realistically be any new stations that open this side of 2030 and if so, which ones are most likely to open/reopen?

 

[hexagon789]

Following the opening of Reston station, after the following stations which are currently being built:

• Inverness Airport
• East Linton
• Cameron Bridge
• Leven

Will there realistically be any new stations that open this side of 2030 and if so, which ones are most likely to open/reopen?

I think if there are any more openings this side of 2030 they will be on existing lines. I can't see any new railway line+station re-openings for some time given the present climate.

 

[Starmill]

Realistically, the only ones with good chances of making it by then are Winchburgh and Barrhead South.

The 'best of the rest' are Dysart, Abronhill, Bonnybridge, Cove, Bucksburn, Cambus, Ayr South and Bridge of Earn. The only one not on a current line with passenger service with any kind of shot is Grangemouth.

Personally I rather like the idea of Hurlford, Mauchline and Cumnock, with a reversing siding at Cumnock. However this would need an hourly service through from Glasgow at minimum and in the current climate this is simply not going to be happening before 2030.

 

[lachlan]

Newyonhill and Cove feel like good candidates given the pending electrification and capacity upgrades on the route. IIRC Dunfermline to Glasgow is supposed to be electrified by 2029.

 

[och aye]

Newyonhill and Cove feel like good candidates given the pending electrification and capacity upgrades on the route. IIRC Dunfermline to Glasgow is supposed to be electrified by 2029.

I wonder if plans to reintroduce passenger services between Stirling and Dunfermline, we'd see stations opened/reopened along the route.

 

[Voyager lad]

I wonder if plans to reintroduce passenger services between Stirling and Dunfermline, we'd see stations opened/reopened along the route.

I’d personally hope at a minimum we’d see stations at Clackmannan, Kincardine, a combined station for Valleyfield, Newmills and Torryburn, and possibly a station in Cairneyhill too

 

[McRhu]

Law? And if I could have my bizarrest choice come true: Hawick.

 

[och aye]

Law? And if I could have my bizarrest choice come true: Hawick.

Is there much of a campaign/business case for the station to return at Law?

 

[McRhu]

Is it not now the largest settlement without a station, or right up there on the league table anyway? It comes up regularly. Apart from the freight loops there are still sidings and plenty of space to build and re-lay. I think there are traces of the old platform too.

 

[Tayway]

Is it not now the largest settlement without a station, or right up there on the league table anyway? It comes up regularly. Apart from the freight loops there are still sidings and plenty of space to build and re-lay. I think there are traces of the old platform too.

I think the largest town is technically Renfrew, but good luck trying to serve there without destroying half the town – and once you've done so the bus would likely still be faster!

 

[Falcon1200]

Although the nearby homes are going up at an incredible rate, there is no sign of any work starting on Barrhead South station.

 

[waverley47]

There are currently ScotGov backed, local government studies into six new stations, and an application expected next month for a seventh.

Cove and Newtonhill seem reasonably likely before 2050, as wires will make slotting those stops onto the Aberdeen crossrail possible.

Bonnybridge and Bannockburn also seem reasonably likely, however this requires the Alloa trains to leave slightly earlier (in the 2020 timetable). Expect at least one of these to be sponsored relatively soon.

Barrhead South and Winchburgh have both been approved, however the increase in expected costs mean that ScotGov is expecting to put up a large sum of money for each to match the developer's investment.

The remaining one with an expected proposal is Dysart, as Fife electrification will speed up journey times enough to make this workable, with significantly more slack in the timetable.


Of the rest, Law is unlikely, as you'd be juggling stops on the Lanark trains, which are difficult. Those trains already juggle between fast outer suburban and slower stopping services, and adding in another station which is only servable by these trains seems unlikely. Law also isn't that big a place, and South Lanarkshire council seem to be investing more in bus routes.

Abronhill isn't really big enough to justify the investment, and the park and ride model already has seen Croy station car park increased in size.

Cambus, Culross, Valleyfield, Clackmannan and Kincardine are on hold until you work out what to do with the whole line, but the whole thing would need wired at the same time. Ayr South and Bridge of Earn fall into this category as well, being great spaces, but the priority is wiring and then working out later what you can so with it.

Bucksburn is reasonably possible, but Aberdeen council seems to be dragging its feet a bit with rail infrastructure improvements.

 

[daodao]

Is there any prospect for re-opening a station at Newburgh, on the Perth-Ladybank line?

 

[Mungo Bovey]

I’m quite surprised no-one has mentioned Peterhead and Fraserburgh which are the subject of a current campaign.
The lack of a service to St Andrews continues to astonish me.

 

[Peter0124]

Although the nearby homes are going up at an incredible rate, there is no sign of any work starting on Barrhead South station.

See where the Neilston lines widen out for a short while around there, is that them making room for a potential new island platform?

 

[Falcon1200]

See where the Neilston lines widen out for a short while around there, is that them making room for a potential new island platform?

Unfortunately not, that widening (at Lyoncross) exists from when the line was built ! A station was intended there but never provided, sensibly as there were no houses anywhere near then. The site for the new station is a bit nearer Neilston.

 

[JohnRegular]

I’m quite surprised no-one has mentioned Peterhead and Fraserburgh which are the subject of a current campaign.
The lack of a service to St Andrews continues to astonish me.

No doubt there are plenty who want these stations to reopen, but unlike most of the other stations mentioned in this thread, Peterhead and Fraserburgh would each require many miles of new track to be built which is very unlikely to happen any time soon. Ellon is much more likely, but even so the chances of it reopening before 2030 must be essentially zero.

As an aside, if you walk or cycle the old trackbed from Dyce (now the Formartine & Buchan Way), passive provision has been made for a double track railway under the A90 (AWPR); so you get two short sections of a pair of wide paved paths in between the relatively narrow muddy gravel path that makes up the rest of the route. Quite a contrast!

 

[Wynd]

No doubt there are plenty who want these stations to reopen, but unlike most of the other stations mentioned in this thread, Peterhead and Fraserburgh would each require many miles of new track to be built which is very unlikely to happen any time soon. Ellon is much more likely, but even so the chances of it reopening before 2030 must be essentially zero.

As an aside, if you walk or cycle the old trackbed from Dyce (now the Formartine & Buchan Way), passive provision has been made for a double track railway under the A90 (AWPR); so you get two short sections of a pair of wide paved paths in between the relatively narrow muddy gravel path that makes up the rest of the route. Quite a contrast!

I wouldn’t be so sure. Word is that funding for a new feasibility study, assessing much of what was missed previously, has been approved.

It all of a sudden just became a lot more likely to happen.

 

[waverley47]

I wouldn’t be so sure. Word is that funding for a new feasibility study, assessing much of what was missed previously, has been approved.

It all of a sudden just became a lot more likely to happen.

Watch this space...

 

[och aye]

Given the tight purse strings at the moment, I'd be surprised to see construction of new rail reopenings before 2030 after the Levenmouth project is completed.

 

[waverley47]

Given the tight purse strings at the moment, I'd be surprised to see construction of new rail reopenings before 2030 after the Levenmouth project is completed.

Oh yeah, it's still not happening, but Aberdeen City Council have decided to spend some of their City Deal money on it, which marks a seismic shift from their previously neural-bordering-on-negative stance.

 

[Wynd]

Aberdeen council have decided to do what now? Where did you read this?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Sep 2022 ==

Watch this space...

What are you referring to?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see the likes of Leven and Dunfermline Kincardine Stirling scaled back severely or binned altogether in the current climate as these must surely be the more expensive va items on the shopping list.

 

[waverley47]

Aberdeen council have decided to do what now? Where did you read this?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Sep 2022 ==


What are you referring to?

Oh, I was in fact being sarcastic.

Aberdeen city council have agreed to fund a new feasibility study with some spare change they had lying around* but actual reopening isn't going to happen.

*Source, an email that came across my desk on Monday that was asking for recommendations for someone to do such a study.

 

[snowball]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see the likes of Leven and Dunfermline Kincardine Stirling scaled back severely or binned altogether in the current climate as these must surely be the more expensive va items on the shopping list.

Leven is well under construction, all contacts finalised ages ago, too late to change it now.

As far as I know Dunfermline Kincardine Stirling is till a fairly vague future proposal, not yet committed.

 

[Altnabreac]

Realistically, the only ones with good chances of making it by then are Winchburgh and Barrhead South.

The 'best of the rest' are Dysart, Abronhill, Bonnybridge, Cove, Bucksburn, Cambus, Ayr South and Bridge of Earn. The only one not on a current line with passenger service with any kind of shot is Grangemouth.

Personally I rather like the idea of Hurlford, Mauchline and Cumnock, with a reversing siding at Cumnock. However this would need an hourly service through from Glasgow at minimum and in the current climate this is simply not going to be happening before 2030.

I would say that is a pretty accurate list. Agree that Winchburgh and Auchenback are the only Tier 1 candidates.

Some others that might be on the radar in Tier 2 (best of the rest) would be:

• Evanton - population of 1500, timetabling should be possible in Tain services but marginal business case at best. Politically though there may be a need to deliver something else in Hitrans region in 10 years time post Dalcross and Evanton is pretty much it.
• Dundee West - excellent business case with Ninewells hospital and large residential catchment. Political sticking point is the need to to close Invergowrie to make the timetabling work.
• Livingston Interchange - another excellent business case but needs big funding as a 200m platform, long distance station (not much change out of £40m) and political issues if it is a replacement for Kirknewton rather than additional.
• Redheugh - Development lead but if the houses come then it makes sense. My personal preference for a large station with terminating platforms for a suburban service allowing the Tweedbanks to go semi fast is not likely to happen sadly.

Other suggestions that have appeared in feasibilities / council wish lists but look less likely (Tier 3) include Halkirk (closing Scotscalder, Georgemas too difficult politically), Newburgh (single track, timetabling) Greenloaning and Blackford (too small), Woodilee and Westerhill in East Dunbartonshire (too difficult to timetable), Glenboig (difficult site technically), Plains (proximity to Drumgelloch, difficult site) Ravenscraig (lack of services), Belmont (level crossing issues, site tricky, high costs), Thornhill, Eastriggs, Dunragit, Glenluce (small populations, lack of services), Symington, Beattock (difficult to timetable on WCML, lack of local services), Blindwells (ECML tricky to timetable, close to Prestonpans).

 

[Wynd]

Oh, I was in fact being sarcastic.

Aberdeen city council have agreed to fund a new feasibility study with some spare change they had lying around* but actual reopening isn't going to happen.

*Source, an email that came across my desk on Monday that was asking for recommendations for someone to do such a study.

Ok. I’m intrigued. Who do you work for? Who would you recommend to do such a study? And why would you pick that company?

 

[waverley47]

Ok. I’m intrigued. Who do you work for? Who would you recommend to do such a study? And why would you pick that company?

I'm retired now. Obviously I cannot say who sent the email, or whomst I recommended, for confidentiality reasons, but it's not difficult to guess the former.

I used to do consultant work for a couple of the different organisations over the years, most recently the Heriot Watt University department that does this sort of stuff.

Mostly my job was taking an initial proposal for a feasibility study and talking them out of it. Someone would come up with a pretty wacky idea, or some pet project, and their employer or organisation would start phoning around looking for someone to do a study.

Most of the time I'd do an hour or so of reading and looking at maps, and then have a phonecall that basically told them their idea was bonkers, but if they wanted to pay for it anyway, here was an estimated cost and a couple of companies that could do it.

Every so often a big, important, and most importantly, reasonable, study was proposed, and I'd sit down with a bunch of organisations and work out how best to proceed.

Usually this is several millions and a year or so, of some of the most intricate modelling you've ever seen; a study into feasibility is the art of applied group psychology. Several universities have departments capable of modelling these infrastructure projects, as do a couple of private companies across the country, but for something like building a new rail line, as opposed to a bus route or a new motorway junction, you're looking at a consortium of these.