East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[AMD]

Network Rail finds new home for historic footbridge

Network Rail has found a permanent new home for an historic footbridge removed from the railway in Glasgow’s southside last month.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Network Rail has found a permanent new home for an historic footbridge removed from the railway in Glasgow’s southside last month.

The 146-year old icon formerly connected Darnley Road and Moray Place at Strathbungo and will now take pride of place within Caledonian Railway’s unique Brechin station.

Work is ongoing to replace the bridge as part of the Glasgow to Barrhead electrification project – a Scottish Government investment to decarbonise passenger services across Scotland’s Railway by 2035.

Efforts were made over several months to rehome the footbridge and the railway columns that once supported Susie’s Store on Nithsdale Road, which was demolished as part of the project.

Key stakeholders and Network Rail explored several options to try to keep the footbridge in Glasgow but could not find a suitable location.

It was then released for tender where contact was made with Caledonian Railway, a volunteer-run charity that restores, maintains and operates a heritage railway in Angus.

The charity intends to use the columns to develop ramp access to Caledonian Railway’s Brechin station and provide much improved facilities for visitors. The footbridge will be installed as part of the restoration and improvement work at the station.

 

[OB23Gone]

I am surprised that it is not necessary to remove the temporary utility diversion bridge before the new wiring goes live.

The temporary utilities bridge is to be removed after the last Saturday night Sunday morning service has gone through ie 11th / 12th Feb

 

[Rick1984]

Good they found a home for the bridge

 

[OB23Gone]

The temporary utilities bridge is to be removed after the last Saturday night Sunday morning service has gone through ie 11th / 12th Feb

Some pictures after the Utilities Conduit had been lifted out in one piece. The Safety fencing unfortunately is still restricting some views

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2023 ==

Some pictures after the Utilities Conduit had been lifted out in one piece. The Safety fencing unfortunately is still restricting some views

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[Southsider]

Some pictures after the Utilities Conduit had been lifted out in one piece. The Safety fencing unfortunately is still restricting some views

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2023 ==


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Good to see that happening, not much visible progress elsewhere on the line.

 

[380101]

Piling has started on the East Kilbride line this week. Spotted them from Busby Junction to half way towards Thornliebank today whilst working a couple of EK services.

 

[OB23Gone]

Piling has started on the East Kilbride line this week. Spotted them from Busby Junction to half way towards Thornliebank today whilst working a couple of EK services.

What's the chances of first driver training run or service run being run by 380101 on 380101!

 

[380101]

What's the chances of first driver training run or service run being run by 380101 on 380101!

Ha! Canae see that happening to be fair. Will probably be Glasgow drivers that do any test runs. Can't see us getting many training runs over it either given we sign the route and 380s at my depot. Probably just get the diagram at book on and told to get on with it!

 

[gingertom]

Ha! Canae see that happening to be fair. Will probably be Glasgow drivers that do any test runs. Can't see us getting many training runs over it either given we sign the route and 380s at my depot. Probably just get the diagram at book on and told to get on with it!

I was going to ask the question! You sign the route, you sign the traction which is currently used and that which is used elsewhere on electrified routes. What happens when the wires go live? Do you get any familiarisation over the route with it's new traction or are you simply expected to turn up and go and it all goes swimmingly well?

 

[MadMac]

I was going to ask the question! You sign the route, you sign the traction which is currently used and that which is used elsewhere on electrified routes. What happens when the wires go live? Do you get any familiarisation over the route with it's new traction or are you simply expected to turn up and go and it all goes swimmingly well?

If nothing else, there would presumably need to be some familiarisation with the location of any neutral sections.

 

[route101]

Piling has started on the East Kilbride line this week. Spotted them from Busby Junction to half way towards Thornliebank today whilst working a couple of EK services.

Interesting, first proper sign of work on this branch.

 

[nlogax]

Only noticed this morning that masts have made it beyond Barrhead station down to the pointwork at the start of the single track section. They've probably been there a few weeks but first time I've seen them.

 

[380101]

Demolition of the Barrhead signalbox has now started. Roof and 1 upper gable and the front have been taken off. Lever frame along with the block shelf have been removed for future installation in the Glasgow Central museum.

 

[FS-2-11]

Some pictures after the Utilities Conduit had been lifted out in one piece. The Safety fencing unfortunately is still restricting some views

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2023 ==


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What's the code on the mast plates? I can't quite make it out but it looks like a single character. K? I thought they used ELR codes now.

 

[59CosG95]

What's the code on the mast plates? I can't quite make it out but it looks like a single character. K? I thought they used ELR codes now.

It varies based upon the Region's choice; the Scotland Region (Scotland's Railway) clearly favours the old style with "route code/kilometrage/number in kilometrage".
Wales & Western tend to use "ELR/kilometrage to three decimal places/nearest track" e.g. MLN/123.456/DM.
The East Midlands Route (within Eastern) also uses this north of Bedford.
The main TransPennine corridor uses a hybrid of these, with the "route code" matching the ELR.

 

[Albaman]

What's the code on the mast plates? I can't quite make it out but it looks like a single character. K? I thought they used ELR codes now.

At Giffnock and Clarkston stations at one place at each station, there are painted marks on the plaform with "KB" then two numbers so it looks like "KB" will be the code for the East Kilbride line.

 

[Scotrail88]

Are we still on for Dec 23 electric to Barrhead?
Seems like a lot of infrastructure works and training required.

Do drivers on Barrhead - GLC already sign electric traction aswell as 156?

 

[snowball]

Are we still on for Dec 23 electric to Barrhead?
Seems like a lot of infrastructure works and training required.

Do drivers on Barrhead - GLC already sign electric traction aswell as 156?

All the public sources I've seen still say Dec 23.

Could those who live in the area give the rest of us an estimate of what proportion of the stk's have been done?

Edit: Meanwhile, yet another call by an MSP for double tracking to EK.

MSP urges next First Minister to reassess plans to dual East Kilbride rail line

Transport Scotland's sudden announcement of a U-turn on track dualling caused anger among local residents and politicians

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Tory MSP for Central Scotland Graham Simpson is urging Scotland's next First Minister to reconsider plans to dual the East Kilbride rail line in its entirety.

A commitment to fully dual and electrify the rail line between East Kilbride and Busby was made by the SNP in their ‘Decarbonisation Action Plan’ from 2021.

However, later that year the Scottish Government announced that this proposal was being scrapped. Instead, they said “electrification of single track infrastructure was the most suitable and cost effective way forward”.

Transport Scotland's sudden announcement of a U-turn on track dualling caused anger among local residents and politicians.

Mr Simpson’s call comes as SNP representatives look to replace Nicola Sturgeon as party leader and First Minister.

Three candidates – Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan – are seeking the top job in Scottish politics.

Mr Simpson says there is a fresh opportunity to revisited the decision made in relation to the East Kilbride rail project after Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP government scrapped dualling plans.

He added that this, and other potential transport projects like the Clyde Metro, must be a top priority for any of the trio seeking to become the next First Minister if they’re hoping to encourage model shift in the town.

Conservative MSP Graham Simpson said: “The election of a new SNP leader and ultimately First Minister offers a fresh opportunity to revisit the East Kilbride rail project.

“Under Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP took the detrimental decision to scrap plans to dual the line all the way to Glasgow – leaving local residents without a reliable and more frequent service.

“I will be pushing on behalf of constituents in East Kilbride and the wider region to ensure, whoever emerges as the winner of the SNP’s leadership contest, that this issue is at the top of their priority list.

“The SNP Government may be changing the incumbent of Bute House, but that only increases my determination to ensure locals have a transport network they deserve.

“For too long the needs of transport users in Lanarkshire have been neglected by Nicola Sturgeon and that attitude cannot continue under Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes or Ash Regan.”

The Scottish Government previously said dualling was “considered” in the business case development process, but deemed not “financially viable” due to “prohibitive costs”.

They added that the line will have “greater resilience” through improvements to signalling and the addition of new ‘loops’ at Hairmyres.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said:“The Scottish Government is committed to decarbonising the East Kilbride and Barrhead routes and preparatory work has already been under taken ahead of construction.

 

[ScotTrains]

Looks like more of Barrhead signal box has been removed. It's a shame they couldn't have kept it and somehow repurposed it.

 

[380101]

Are we still on for Dec 23 electric to Barrhead?
Seems like a lot of infrastructure works and training required.

Do drivers on Barrhead - GLC already sign electric traction aswell as 156?

Most of the drivers on that route, apart from Dumfries and Stranraer crews, sign electric units.

Ayr: 156 and 380 (385 sometime soon)
Glasgow Central: 380, 385, 318, 320, 156
Shields: 380, 385, 318,320, 156
Corkerhill: 380,385, 318, 320, 156

 

[Frankton Junct]

I would expect it to rewild without any assistance.

In the trees behind the cleared area is self sown Rhododendron ponticum which has become an invasive species in the west of Scotland. Last Summer, the Pollok Country Park organised a group of volunteers to grub out these plants. I don't know if the specimens behind the cleared area are on railway land or just over the boundary in the park. Either way, it seems likely that they will seed the cleared ground.

I am not opposed to all rhododendrons - there is a great display in the park in the Spring and early Summer - just this species. In fact, many of the tourists to the west of Scotland visit the many rhododendron gardens along our coastline and islands.

What's the code on the mast plates? I can't quite make it out but it looks like a single character. K? I thought they used ELR codes now.

Yes, it is 'K'. 'K' for Kilmarnock, perhaps?

 

[59CosG95]

In the trees behind the cleared area is self sown Rhododendron ponticum which has become an invasive species in the west of Scotland. Last Summer, the Pollok Country Park organised a group of volunteers to grub out these plants. I don't know if the specimens behind the cleared area are on railway land or just over the boundary in the park. Either way, it seems likely that they will seed the cleared ground.

I am not opposed to all rhododendrons - there is a great display in the park in the Spring and early Summer - just this species. In fact, many of the tourists to the west of Scotland visit the many rhododendron gardens along our coastline and islands.



Yes, it is 'K'. 'K' for Kilmarnock, perhaps?

Not the first route 'K' was proposed for either!
It was originally proposed (back in BR days) for Reading - Newbury - Cogload Jn - Exeter - Plymouth - Penzance; in this case, 'K' for Kernow.
Of course, the short section that did get wired of the B&H used its ELR (BHL), so 'K' got freed up.

 

[Glaswegian]

Not the first route 'K' was proposed for either!
It was originally proposed (back in BR days) for Reading - Newbury - Cogload Jn - Exeter - Plymouth - Penzance; in this case, 'K' for Kernow.
Of course, the short section that did get wired of the B&H used its ELR (BHL), so 'K' got freed up.

As far as I can see, the basis for these codes is that the main routes radiating from London are coded alphabetically anticlockwise from northeast to southeast and the main routes radiating from Glasgow are coded alphabetically clockwise from northwest to southwest, in both cases with gaps. If the letters appear to stand for anything, that is at least partly coincidental.

 

[92002]

Are we still on for Dec 23 electric to Barrhead?
Seems like a lot of infrastructure works and training required.

Do drivers on Barrhead - GLC already sign electric traction aswell as 156?

With most of the masts now in place and cantilevers installed a start has been nade from the Glasgow end to install wires.

So Decrmber 2023 would seem to be a suitable starting date. Assuming that there is no new feeder station to be installed for the Barrhead line. Power can come from the existing OHL feeders.

 

[pdeaves]

Of course, the short section that did get wired of the B&H used its ELR (BHL), so 'K' got freed up.

A little aside. Whilst that is true, OLE codes are not necessarily unique so it makes no difference if a route hundreds of miles away is 'freed up'. Both could have been 'K'.

 

[nlogax]

Looks like more of Barrhead signal box has been removed. It's a shame they couldn't have kept it and somehow repurposed it.

Disappearing bit by bit. View right now

 

[kylemore]

Are there any plans to increase the Barrrhead to Central stoppers to pre covid levels?

Otherwise it appears to my admittedly amateur mind that there will be hardly any electric trains using this expensive infrastructure.

 

[najaB]

Are there any plans to increase the Barrrhead to Central stoppers to pre covid levels?

Otherwise it appears to my admittedly amateur mind that there will be hardly any electric trains using this expensive infrastructure.

There might not be many, but it's one more step towards elimination of diesel trains from the SPT rail network.

 

[Falcon1200]

Are there any plans to increase the Barrrhead to Central stoppers to pre covid levels?

One would hope so, along with the many other Covid service reductions, but there appear to be no proposals so far (except between Glasgow Queen St and Edinburgh on Saturdays...)

Otherwise it appears to my admittedly amateur mind that there will be hardly any electric trains using this expensive infrastructure.

One train per hour each way!

 

[zwk500]

Otherwise it appears to my admittedly amateur mind that there will be hardly any electric trains using this expensive infrastructure.

But an important thing is that it allows the removal of diesels from under other expensive electric infrastructure.