Haymarket to Dalmeny electrification

[Class73ED]

Is there any news on when this work will recommence. A trawl through Scotrail/Network Rail websites has left me non the wiser!

 

[QueensCurve]

Sounds a bit of quality Rail reporting.

Last time I checked Dalmeny was South of the Forth Bridge. Which is provably why the plans stop there for now. Yes the bridge will be a bit of a challenge because of its limited clearance. The main game charger however is Kinghorn tunnel.

Kinghorn Tunnel would require a rebore. It is long overdue in any case.

 

[adrock1976]

Kinghorn Tunnel would require a rebore. It is long overdue in any case.

Would this be similar as to how Farnsworth, Bolton was done in 2015?

 

[snowball]

Would this be similar as to how Farnsworth, Bolton was done in 2015?

It's a bit hypothetical at present as it would be part of a future phase, while the first phase has not yet started on the ground.
Also it's Farnworth with no S.

 

[Starmill]

Be careful what you wish for. A new bore at Farnworth Tunnel was possible while keeping a single track open for the majority of the programme. At Kinghorn it might require a full closure for some time between six and twelve months.

 

[D6130]

Be careful what you wish for. A new bore at Farnworth Tunnel was possible while keeping a single track open for the majority of the programme. At Kinghorn it might require a full closure for some time between six and twelve months.

Just as well there's a diversionary route available then. Rail replacement bus shuttle Kirkcaldy- Thornton for Glenrothes or Cardenden anyone?

 

[najaB]

At Kinghorn it might require a full closure for some time between six and twelve months.

Yes, it will require a full closure, but I doubt it would be for six months, never mind twelve. Farnworth Tunnel took five months and that was working primarily at weekends.

 

[D6130]

Yes, it will require a full closure, but I doubt it would be for six months, never mind twelve. Farnworth Tunnel took five months and that was working primarily at weekends.

Very true....but the geological conditions at Kinghorn are very different to those at Farnsworth.

 

[Starmill]

Just as well there's a diversionary route available then. Rail replacement bus shuttle Kirkcaldy- Thornton for Glenrothes or Cardenden anyone?

Would be painfully slow to use a replacement bus and then the stopping services via Dunfermline City. Probably wouldn't be able to serve Dalgety Bay, Aberdour or Burntisland with trains either.

 

[najaB]

Very true....but the geological conditions at Kinghorn are very different to those at Farnsworth.

Acknowledged. But at Farnworth they had, working at weekends, more or less 50 working days over the five months. A full closure of similar length would give them near enough 200 working days.

 

[Starmill]

Very true....but the geological conditions at Kinghorn are very different to those at Farnsworth.

It was just under eight months at Farnworth, with a handful of days before and after.

 

[najaB]

It was just under eight months at Farnworth, with a handful of days before and after.

Yes, but that project included work outside of the tunnel widening - they had to do track slewing, platform re-alignments and closed a level crossing. The actual tunnel works started in May and were completed by October.

 

[92002]

Very true....but the geological conditions at Kinghorn are very different to those at Farnsworth.

Perhaps a new alignment and bypass the tunnel could be solution. Sure they would not miss a bit of the golf course.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Very true....but the geological conditions at Kinghorn are very different to those at Farnsworth.

Is it complicated by there being a residential road above it, given it's already a fairly shallow tunnel?

 

[najaB]

Perhaps a new alignment and bypass the tunnel could be solution. Sure they would not miss a bit of the golf course.

I believe this has been looked at, the problem is that the line is in a fairly deep cutting and very close to the shore so it wouldn't be easy to find a new alignment that works. I would mean a new station for Kinghorn as well.

 

[Class 170101]

Shame they can't just 3rd Rail for that stretch (and other difficult bits) it surely must be cheaper?

 

[najaB]

Shame they can't just 3rd Rail for that stretch (and other difficult bits) it surely must be cheaper?

Cheaper to buy tri-mode rolling stock for Scotrail, LNER and Cross Country? If anything BEMUs or bi-modes make sense (which is why they are the current solution until the 'difficult bits' get wired).

 

[Starmill]

I believe this has been looked at, the problem is that the line is in a fairly deep cutting and very close to the shore so it wouldn't be easy to find a new alignment that works. I would mean a new station for Kinghorn as well.

So in other words roughly the same scope of works for the Manchester - Preston job as is proposed for Aberdeen - Edinburgh then. Glad to hear you agree!

 

[najaB]

So in other words roughly the same scope of works for the Manchester - Preston job as is proposed for Aberdeen - Edinburgh then. Glad to hear you agree!

If the plan is to realign the tunnel by moving either or both of the portals, then yes. A re-bore using the existing alignment would be considerably less work.

 

[numtot12345]

If Bi-modes are going to be used initially on the Fife Circle due to partial electrification, seems Kinghorn Tunnel won't be a problem in the shorter term; and in terms of full electrification of the Circle, sounds as though there will be time to develop a solution as other bits like wires on the Forth Bridge won't be up for a while yet? Obviously need to start thinking of solutions sooner than later so they are ready to implement.

 

[92002]

If Bi-modes are going to be used initially on the Fife Circle due to partial electrification, seems Kinghorn Tunnel won't be a problem in the shorter term; and in terms of full electrification of the Circle, sounds as though there will be time to develop a solution as other bits like wires on the Forth Bridge won't be up for a while yet? Obviously need to start thinking of solutions sooner than later so they are ready to implement.

So the quicker an order was made the better.

Quite long delivery times and customers already waiting.

 

[EastFifer]

Is there any news on when this work will recommence. A trawl through Scotrail/Network Rail websites has left me non the wiser!

Me either! They seem to be prioritising the Barrhead to Kilmarnock route but I wouldn’t be surprised if they just cancelled it altogether. They had their chance to do a huge amount of work during the festive period but that was put on hold and seven months later, we haven’t seen/heard anything.
It’s a shame, as it’s not a particularly challenging route to work on.

 

[snowball]

I don't think it will be cancelled. Scotland's rail decarbonisation policy has been mentioned in too many places. It would be too big a climbdown.

But there has been a terrible shortage of new information since last summer about Fife and Borders, and about ordering rolling stock.

With a bit of luck the upcoming completion to Barrhead will be the opportunity for some announcements. If not, we can hope that the review originally promised for spring this year will be published before the end of the year.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I don't think it will be cancelled. Scotland's rail decarbonisation policy has been mentioned in too many places. It would be too big a climbdown.

But there has been a terrible shortage of new information since last summer about Fife and Borders, and about ordering rolling stock.

With a bit of luck the upcoming completion to Barrhead will be the opportunity for some announcements. If not, we can hope that the review originally promised for spring this year will be published before the end of the year.

Scottish Govt has no ability to borrow so has to live within what Westminster give it. Its also granted higher pay rises than its English counterparts to the day to day budget is also under pressure. In the recent Medium Term Financial Strategy had this to say on capital expenditure

On capital, the funding outlook has worsened since the last MTFS. Total capital funding (excluding Financial Transactions) is expected to fall by around 7% in real terms between 2023-24 and 2027-28. Exacerbated by higher costs, this means that the trajectory of capital spending is more than funding available, with around a 16% gap in 2025-26.

Further on they tell us

The Scottish Government will extend the Capital Spending Review (CSR) and Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) period by one year, taking these to 2026-27, as it will now take longer to deliver the intentions contained within those.

Suggests to me re-phasing has been necessary but will be autumn before they update their plans.

Given Scotrail has seen a poorer recovery of passenger traffic than many English operators and Scottish Govt according Health and Education a high priority I suspect its inevitable we will see some slippage here but no abandonment of longer term goals.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

----- I suspect its inevitable we will see some slippage here but no abandonment of longer term goals.

That is exactly my view too.

 

[clc]

The Infrastructure Investment Plan included “£550 million for decarbonisation of rail infrastructure projects as part of the £1.23 billion worth of investment in major project enhancements.” I believe East Kilbride enhancements was to cost £100 million and Barrhead was £65 million. There should be sufficient funding to deliver the Dalmeny and Fife electrification projects by 2026/27.

 

[JamesT]

Scottish Govt has no ability to borrow so has to live within what Westminster give it. Its also granted higher pay rises than its English counterparts to the day to day budget is also under pressure. In the recent Medium Term Financial Strategy had this to say on capital expenditure

That's not entirely correct, they do have some limited borrowing powers for both capital and resource spending, from the document you linked to:

Under the Fiscal Framework, the Scottish Government can borrow additional capital up to £3 billion cumulatively with an annual limit of £450 million.

 

[snowball]

The Infrastructure Investment Plan included “£550 million for decarbonisation of rail infrastructure projects as part of the £1.23 billion worth of investment in major project enhancements.” I believe East Kilbride enhancements was to cost £100 million and Barrhead was £65 million. There should be sufficient funding to deliver the Dalmeny and Fife electrification projects by 2026/27.

However, that would be a vast slowdown from what was stated only a year ago in the document that started this thread, according to which December 2024 would have seen completion of (i) East Kilbride, (ii) Haymarket - Dalmeny, (iii) Fife and (iv) Borders (all of which were described as "on schedule").

Furthermore, according to the notice that started this thread, also just a year ago, the first phase of the national trains procurement programme would have taken place in 2022-23, consisting of around 120 (minimum 64) EMUs and BEMUs comprising around 550 (minimum 295) vehicles to cover suburban services to connect local communities with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen, with entry to passenger service between 2027 and 2030.

One piece of good news: tracklaying on the Leven branch is getting very close to the end. Piled foundations for masts were done in the autumn for part of the route, in fact I believe pretty much exactly half the route, so maybe the other half will be done soon. It remins to be seen whether masts will follow.

 

[kkong]

the day to day budget is also under pressure.

Their budget is undoubtedly under pressure.

There was mention of this in one of the recent ScotRail board meeting minutes (either March or April), which were posted on ScotRail's "Transparency" page on their website.

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/transparency#aci-cke-2-panel-8

However, both the March and April meeting minutes have since been mysteriously removed from the website...

 

[QueensCurve]

Be careful what you wish for. A new bore at Farnworth Tunnel was possible while keeping a single track open for the majority of the programme. At Kinghorn it might require a full closure for some time between six and twelve months.

Was there not talk of building a more direct route from Inverqueerthing to Markinch? Could a Kinghorn Tunnel rebore be deferred until such a route existed.