East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[Scotrail314209]

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

I believe they are right now as prior to Covid it was two an hour at 57 and 27 from Central and the same from Barrhead I believe.

The two trains still run but the XX:27 departure from Central carries onto Kilmarnock while the XX:28 from Barrhead comes from Kilmarnock.

 

[snowball]

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

Where else do the diagrams of units on Barrhead services take them?

 

[N1]

Where else do the diagrams of units on Barrhead services take them?

Nowhere else, just one train shuttling between Central and Barrhead all day.

 

[snowball]

Nowhere else, just one train shuttling between Central and Barrhead all day.

So what was @zwk500 getting at?

I suppose electrification will at least free up a diesel unit to contribute to Levenmouth pending the arrival of BEMUs.

 

[najaB]

I suppose electrification will at least free up a diesel unit to contribute to Levenmouth pending the arrival of BEMUs.

Exactly. Instead of a diesel unit spending half(ish) its route under the wires, those services can be operated by an EMU throughout and the unit cascaded somewhere else.

 

[drb61]

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.

When BEMUs arrive, would the batteries have sufficient range to operate the Kilmarnock services beyond Barrhead (assuming Kilmarnock won't be wired by then)? Come to think of that what about Girvan services beyond Ayr? If they could be operated by BEMUS, Girvan services could revert to using the more direct route via Kilwinning and essentially be an extension of the Glasgow - Ayr diagrams as in the pre-electrification era.

 

[najaB]

When BEMUs arrive, would the batteries have sufficient range to operate the Kilmarnock services beyond Barrhead (assuming Kilmarnock won't be wired by then)? Come to think of that what about Girvan services beyond Ayr?

Probably, yes. Especially if they have a short section of wire at the Girvan end to allow them to recharge a bit.

 

[snowball]

Exactly. Instead of a diesel unit spending half(ish) its route under the wires, those services can be operated by an EMU throughout and the unit cascaded somewhere else.

Thanks for the explanation. Muirhouse looks to be only about a fifth of the way from Glasgow Central to Barrhead, so not one of the most striking examples in the country of running under the wires.

 

[najaB]

Thanks for the explanation. Muirhouse looks to be only about a fifth of the way from Glasgow Central to Barrhead, so not one of the most striking examples in the country of running under the wires.

No, it's not. But the principle still applies.

 

[Falcon1200]

Instead of a diesel unit spending half(ish) its route under the wires

Muirhouse looks to be only about a fifth of the way from Glasgow Central to Barrhead, so not one of the most striking examples in the country of running under the wires.

Indeed, but of course once East Kilbride is wired too the electrification will eliminate a good amount more diesel operation. But the Barrhead locals really do need to be separate from the Kilmarnock service, half the current trains to the latter presently serve every lamp post and are therefore slow, and not at equally-spaced intervals from Glasgow.

 

[kylemore]

Indeed, but of course once East Kilbride is wired too the electrification will eliminate a good amount more diesel operation. But the Barrhead locals really do need to be separate from the Kilmarnock service, half the current trains to the latter presently serve every lamp post and are therefore slow, and not at equally-spaced intervals from Glasgow.

Yes rail between Kilmarnock and Glasgow is now looking very poor compared to the motorway express bus operation since the X76 is going back up to every 20 mins. Only one rail departure an hour compares in journey time with the coach. As you say time to separate the Barrhead locals from the Kilmarnock (and beyond) services if Scotrail is serious about their offering, particularly if they want to avoid the adverse publicity of expensive electrification with hardly any electric trains using it!

 

[sannox]

Yes rail between Kilmarnock and Glasgow is now looking very poor compared to the motorway express bus operation since the X76 is going back up to every 20 mins. Only one rail departure an hour compares in journey time with the coach. As you say time to separate the Barrhead locals from the Kilmarnock (and beyond) services if Scotrail is serious about their offering, particularly if they want to avoid the adverse publicity of expensive electrification with hardly any electric trains using it!

Kilmarnock's train service has been slow for a while, even pre-covid. Trains are busier with customers from intermediate stops really and it's difficult to see how Scotrail speeds it up without increasing non-stoppers towards Kilmarnock.

Not to mention coaches serve more of the residential districts, are more frequent and are often faster end to end. Only traffic issues delaying the buses beyond schedule is the issue.

On the EK/Kilmarnock lines, you hope the evening cuts should be reviewed given leisure travel is still strong.

 

[Southsider]

There are strappings hanging over the parapets of the Cart viaduct beside Pollokshaws West station. Perhaps related to the fitting of OHL brackets?

 

[kylemore]

Kilmarnock's train service has been slow for a while, even pre-covid. Trains are busier with customers from intermediate stops really and it's difficult to see how Scotrail speeds it up without increasing non-stoppers towards Kilmarnock.

Not to mention coaches serve more of the residential districts, are more frequent and are often faster end to end. Only traffic issues delaying the buses beyond schedule is the issue.

On the EK/Kilmarnock lines, you hope the evening cuts should be reviewed given leisure travel is still strong.

Just go back to the pre covid timetable which provided a fast (relatively) train twice an hour while serving the "intermediate" (presumably Kilmaurs/Stewarton/Dunlop) stations as well, with the Barrhead suburban service being operated separately - shortly with electric units - that must have been the intention when this scheme was started.

BTW interesting that you're called "sannox" and my wee thumbnail picture is a painting of the MV Glen Sannox!

 

[Whistler40145]

Does the East Kilbride and Barrhead require a separate feed from the National Grid?

Out of interest, where is the feed for the area around Glasgow Central?

 

[zwk500]

Does the East Kilbride and Barrhead require a separate feed from the National Grid?

Not 100% sure, but unlikely. It's pretty marginal load compared to what's already in demand in central Glasgow

Out of interest, where is the feed for the area around Glasgow Central?

Not 100% sure again, but there's a 400KV substation right alongside the line at Wishaw.

 

[Railsigns]

Out of interest, where is the feed for the area around Glasgow Central?

Eglinton Street.

 

[snowball]

Eglinton Street feeder is being (or has been) beefed up. In addition, the six new feeder stations to be installed in and around the Central Belt in a contract announced last year include one at Ferguslie, which has already been installed, and one at Newton, which is among the five still to go in.

 

[drb61]

Kilmarnock's train service has been slow for a while, even pre-covid. Trains are busier with customers from intermediate stops really and it's difficult to see how Scotrail speeds it up without increasing non-stoppers towards Kilmarnock.

Not to mention coaches serve more of the residential districts, are more frequent and are often faster end to end. Only traffic issues delaying the buses beyond schedule is the issue.

On the EK/Kilmarnock lines, you hope the evening cuts should be reviewed given leisure travel is still strong.

As well as separating Barrhead stoppers from Kilmarnock semi-fasts, it would be good to separate the Kilmarnock terminators from the Carlisle services and have the latter run non-stop Glasgow - Kilmarnock. This would supplement the half-hourly semi-fasts to Kilmarnock with a 2 hourly 'fast' service taking around half an hour. However I appreciate that the single track sections north of Kilmarnock and south of Barrhead currently preclude this.

 

[Whistler40145]

Eglinton Street feeder is being (or has been) beefed up. In addition, the six new feeder stations to be installed in and around the Central Belt in a contract announced last year include one at Ferguslie, which has already been installed, and one at Newton, which is among the five still to go in.

Much appreciated for the replies

 

[73128]

No, it's not. But the principle still applies.

and you avoid a diesel set emitting in Glasgow Central station.

 

[Albaman]

An acquaintance in the Busby/Clarkston area received a letter from Network Rail today advising that piling work ( presumably for OHL masts ) will take place between 18 March and the end of June.

 

[Southsider]

An acquaintance in the Busby/Clarkston area received a letter from Network Rail today advising that piling work ( presumably for OHL masts ) will take place between 18 March and the end of June.

We’ve had the same letter. It states work between Thornliebank and Busby, I guess EK is following as a separate sub-project.
The section they are starting includes the awkward bridges but still no sign of the plans for them.

 

[MadMac]

We’ve had the same letter. It states work between Thornliebank and Busby, I guess EK is following as a separate sub-project.
The section they are starting includes the awkward bridges but still no sign of the plans for them.

I’d guess that it’s a case of doing whatever easier stuff they can while someone (hopefully!) is figuring out the more challenging stuff.

 

[Frankton Junct]

There are strappings hanging over the parapets of the Cart viaduct beside Pollokshaws West station. Perhaps related to the fitting of OHL brackets?

That might be the case.

 

[snowball]

I think the picture in #1255 may show the same bit of the viaduct as that in #597 over a year ago, also by @Frankton Junct, which we thought at the time might be the start of work for OLE supports. In the latest picture they seem to have planed off a bit of the face of the stone.

 

[Southsider]

I think the picture in #1255 may show the same bit of the viaduct as that in #597 over a year ago, also by @Frankton Junct, which we thought at the time might be the start of work for OLE supports. In the latest picture they seem to have planed off a bit of the face of the stone.

And there appear to be fixing studs protruding from the surface.

 

[OB23Gone]

I think the picture in #1255 may show the same bit of the viaduct as that in #597 over a year ago, also by @Frankton Junct, which we thought at the time might be the start of work for OLE supports. In the latest picture they seem to have planed off a bit of the face of the stone.

Was talking to an SPL operative on Monday who was saying that 2 Portals are going in on the Bridge and that sanded rectangle wasn't there then. Also the sandstone looks reasonably dry so obviously it looks like a fairly recent addition.
Was then talking to one of the stone masons. He was saying that they were checking the integrity of the steel rods and nuts, any pointing of the stone work would also be done at the same time. They would be in attendance for 12 days at the site and then moving to the Levern Water Viaduct

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Mar 2023 ==

Was talking to an SPL operative on Monday who was saying that 2 Portals are going in on the Bridge and that sanded rectangle wasn't there then. Also the sandstone looks reasonably dry so obviously it looks like a fairly recent addition.
Was then talking to one of the stone masons. He was saying that they were checking the integrity of the steel rods and nuts, any pointing of the stone work would also be done at the same time. They would be in attendance for 12 days at the site and then moving to the Levern Water Viaduct

There is now an identical feature on the other other side of the track

 

[snowball]

Press release

Work start on new Strathbungo footbridge

Project to install new railway footbridge on Glasgow's southside begins.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Project to install new railway footbridge on Glasgow's southside begins.

Network Rail has started a four-month programme of work to construct a new railway footbridge at Strathbungo in Glasgow’s southside.

It’s part of the Glasgow to Barrhead electrification project – a Scottish Government investment to decarbonise passenger services across Scotland’s Railway by 2035.

The new structure, connecting Darnley Road and Moray Place, replaces the former 146-year old footbridge which was recently rehomed with Caledonian Railway.

Approximately 5,000 local residents and businesses were invited by Network Rail in the summer of 2021 to vote for their preferred footbridge design from three different options.

Through positive engagement and feedback from those who responded, the majority chose a bespoke curved design inspired by the former footbridge, with this receiving 85% of the votes cast.

The new steel truss structure will feature a toughened glass parapet to achieve a solid but open look. It will also incorporate elements that are sympathetic to the former one, including the black and white colouring of the new structure and balustrades that will match the railings already in place at Moray Place.

Michelle McCaig, Network Rail’s project manager for the bridge work, said: “This is a significant phase of the overall project, especially given the previous involvement of the community in helping to choose a footbridge for their neighbourhood.

“Over the next three months, the structure will gradually start to emerge and by the summer it’ll reconnect Darnley Road and Moray Place.

“Given the community played such an important part in choosing the design of the new bridge, I’m confident the footbridge will enjoy the same standing as its predecessor.

“We appreciate the inconvenience for residents as we deliver this work and thank them for their continued patience.”

The former footbridge was rehomed last month with Caledonian Railway, a volunteer-run charity that restores, maintains and operates a heritage railway in Angus, and will be installed as part of restoration work at Brechin station.

To allow engineers to safely undertake the footbridge work, a single lane closure is in place on Darnley Road between Sainsbury’s Local and Kildrostan Street from 07 March until 19 June 2023.

 

[Rick1984]

The Kilmarnock service is a joke with one train leaving straight after the other then a huge gap. Obviously as mentioned the d single track will be partly responsible