East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[s55823ewj]

The roadworksscotland.org website has now changed, suggesting different bridge works at Clarkston.

1. It no longer says that Strawhill Road will be closed for 4 years, instead there is an 11 working day closure starting between 15/03 and 14/06/2025 for 'extending structure parapets'.

2. The original notice for the Clarkston Road/Stamperland Crescent bridge is still present, but there's a new second notice, suggesting a 41 working day closure beginning between 31/03 and 29/06/2025 for removal and replacement of structure parapet.

3. There's also a notice for the area 'adjacent to roof car park entrance', by Busby Road, suggesting intermittent traffic management for 95 working days beginning 11/01 - 11/04 2025 for facilitating siting of a crane for railway footbridge replacement works.

4. Down at Busby, there's a notice for closure of Glenville Gate overnight intermittently for 'craneage operations during works to renew railway footbridge'. Expected start between 26/09 and 25/12/2024.

5. a. Surveys on East Kilbride Road/A727 for 4 working days overnight in advance of bridge renewal works.
b. High Impact works at East Kilbride Road/A727 for 156 working days beginning 23/9 to 22/12/24 to facilitate replacement of railway footbridge.
c. Road closure for 39 working days for removal and replacement of railway underbridge. Starting between 10/3 to 9/6/25

6. I think someone may have mentioned this further up, but there's a notice for the closure of the Westerton Lane bridge and a neighbouring bit of road for 173 working days to 'facilitate demolition of structure deck and installation of a replacement deck and new parapets, along with associated tie ins'. Starts 01/08 - 16/09/2024. Traffic management at EK Road/Station Road junction to facilitate safe access for crane deliveries and demolition works - 8 working days starting between 24/09 and 23/12/2024

7. Peel Road (Thorntonhall) closed starting 14/09 - 13/12/2024 for 25 working days overnight to extend the height of parapet walls.

 

[snowball]

The roadworksscotland.org website has now changed, suggesting different bridge works at Clarkston.

Thank you for the information and welcome to the forum. I will update the bridge list in #1826 some time soon.

Edit: have now done.

 

[james73]

Some Hairmyres ( Old ) Station on run up to Electrification in pictures. Didn't appreciate how much foreshortening Telephoto Lens doe's compared to Google Earth View which makes the distance look so much further. Hope these help for envisioning the works to be carried out

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jun 2024 ==

East Kilbride New Station Building Ground Works

Great pictures.

I'm still not sure why they don't just double-track all the way to EK, add a second platform and install a double pair of crossovers just before the station. Another example of penny wise, pound foolish?

 

[MadMac]

Great pictures.

I'm still not sure why they don't just double-track all the way to EK, add a second platform and install a double pair of crossovers just before the station. Another example of penny wise, pound foolish?

Simple answer is that it never was double: that presents a whole different set of engineering and indeed, financial challenges as opposed to “redoubling“.

 

[james73]

Simple answer is that it never was double: that presents a whole different set of engineering and indeed, financial challenges as opposed to “redoubling“.

I meant double track it all the way from Hairmyres to EK.

 

[92002]

I meant double track it all the way from Hairmyres to EK.

Double track the whole branch would be even better. However where do you suggest the money to do it comes from? There's no good finance fairy, even with a new national government

 

[james73]

Double track the whole branch would be even better. However where do you suggest the money to do it comes from? There's no good finance fairy, even with a new national government

This never seems to be a question when new infrastructure projects are required for the south-east.

Indeed, when these projects invariably overrun to the tune of £BNs, they always seem to be able to find the money from somewhere for it....

 

[GLC]

This never seems to be a question when new infrastructure projects are required for the south-east.

Indeed, when these projects invariably overrun to the tune of £BNs, they always seem to be able to find the money from somewhere for it....

The Scottish Government is legally obligated to run a balanced budget, as part of the terms of devolution. It can only borrow money for certain Capex projects, and only up to £500 million in total (if I remember correctly), in a given year.

Spending more money on rail in Scotland means directly spending less on another area of the Scottish Goverment’s remit.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The Scottish Government is legally obligated to run a balanced budget, as part of the terms of devolution. It can only borrow money for certain Capex projects, and only up to £500 million in total (if I remember correctly), in a given year.

Spending more money on rail in Scotland means directly spending less on another area of the Scottish Goverment’s remit.

Absolutely at there are far more important needs in Scotland currently on basics that are missing even a diesel railway is better than no railway.

 

[najaB]

This never seems to be a question when new infrastructure projects are required for the south-east.

Not sure that's true. Look at things like proposed DLR extensions that have been languishing for years (eg Thamesmead), or the Croxley Rail Link. The latter of which actually saw shovels in the dirt before being indefinitely postponed due to a lack of cash.

 

[sannox]

c. Road closure for 39 working days for removal and replacement of railway underbridge. Starting between 10/3 to 9/6/25

What bridge is this that's being replaced?

 

[snowball]

What bridge is this that's being replaced?

The bridge carrying the EK branch over A727 EK Road near Busby station.

 

[NotATrainspott]

The best way to fund infrastructure improvements is with development, as the two can enable one another. Had East Kilbride been built more recently, then the line may well have been doubled and electrified as part of it given the scale of the town.

If all you want to do is turn more farmland into housing, then Thorntonhall would be your target. You could, fairly easily, join EK with the rest of the Glasgow suburban sprawl. The more you can do in one job or programme of jobs, the cheaper it becomes. E.g. if you know you'll need to build new bridges for the expanded town, you can build these and the approach roads first, so you can more easily just demolish and rebuild the existing bridges.

Alternatively, if you don't want to sprawl onto open land, you need to think of densification. Some of the original housing and town centre facilities are probably up for renewal at some point soon, so you could replace them with newer flats at higher density. If you have a high quality 4tph service to Glasgow Central alongside offering good amounts of space and facilities for the cost, then you'd probably manage to get some people to move down there. Of course, to make it really work and be fair, you'd also need to tax all the other people of EK so that they don't get to benefit when they haven't had to pay for it.

As with other schemes though, I think these would struggle if there's no room for more services at Central. What we're describing here is essentially absorbing the EK line into a more Metro-like rail service, which is almost impossible without dual track all the way.

 

[John R]

What we're describing here is essentially absorbing the EK line into a more Metro-like rail service, which is almost impossible without dual track all the way.

Though TfW is planning to run 4tph on its upper Cardiff Valley lines with a mixture of single and double track on each of the branches.

 

[zwk500]

Though TfW is planning to run 4tph on its upper Cardiff Valley lines with a mixture of single and double track on each of the branches.

For 4tph each way you'd need a maximum transit time through the section of 5/6 minutes (depending on the margins at either end as 60/8 = 7.5). Obviously this requires the sections to be rather short so it'd usually be better overall to put in full double track unless there's a serious obstacle to doing so.

 

[najaB]

Obviously this requires the sections to be rather short so it'd usually be better overall to put in full double track unless there's a serious obstacle to doing so.

Yeah, it would be better to do it that way, but depending on where the stations are you can just do passing loops at the stations since trains are going to stop there anyway.

 

[zwk500]

Yeah, it would be better to do it that way, but depending on where the stations are you can just do passing loops at the stations since trains are going to stop there anyway.

Yes indeed, balanced against the risk to the service if delays start to build.

 

[Bald Rick]

This never seems to be a question when new infrastructure projects are required for the south-east.

Thats not true.

 

[d9009alycidon]

The best way to fund infrastructure improvements is with development, as the two can enable one another. Had East Kilbride been built more recently, then the line may well have been doubled and electrified as part of it given the scale of the town.

If all you want to do is turn more farmland into housing, then Thorntonhall would be your target. You could, fairly easily, join EK with the rest of the Glasgow suburban sprawl. The more you can do in one job or programme of jobs, the cheaper it becomes. E.g. if you know you'll need to build new bridges for the expanded town, you can build these and the approach roads first, so you can more easily just demolish and rebuild the existing bridges.

Alternatively, if you don't want to sprawl onto open land, you need to think of densification. Some of the original housing and town centre facilities are probably up for renewal at some point soon, so you could replace them with newer flats at higher density. If you have a high quality 4tph service to Glasgow Central alongside offering good amounts of space and facilities for the cost, then you'd probably manage to get some people to move down there. Of course, to make it really work and be fair, you'd also need to tax all the other people of EK so that they don't get to benefit when they haven't had to pay for it.

As with other schemes though, I think these would struggle if there's no room for more services at Central. What we're describing here is essentially absorbing the EK line into a more Metro-like rail service, which is almost impossible without dual track all the way.

Had East Kilbride been built more recently there probably wouldn't be a line to electrify, let's not forget how close the line came to closing in the 1960s. The development of the town was a major lever in persuading the government to block the closure.

 

[sannox]

The bridge carrying the EK branch over A727 EK Road near Busby station.

Thanks, had forgotten that was being done. Does look like it needed some TLC.

 

[snowball]

Thanks, had forgotten that was being done. Does look like it needed some TLC.

It was discussed upthread in January, pages 61-2, posts #1830-#1857. Some people seemed to think it would not be included but its condition looks dreadful and it's obviously easier to replace it before the wires are up.

 

[sannox]

It was discussed upthread in January, pages 61-2, posts #1830-#1857. Some people seemed to think it would not be included but its condition looks dreadful and it's obviously easier to replace it before the wires are up.

Thanks.

Interestingly Google Maps catches the changes recently made to the vegetation on approach to the bridge.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kMt75NcrAERmRBot5 - Post-Removal

https://maps.app.goo.gl/y3HYqrn1T5XbtQCWA - Pre-Removal

Interesting how much more visible it's made the corner and bridge!

 

[snowball]

Press release

Electrification project lays firm foundations at new Hairmyres station

Work to install the foundations of a new footbridge at the relocated Hairmyres station has begun.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Work to install the foundations of a new footbridge at the relocated Hairmyres station has begun.

Network Rail and contractor AmcoGiffen will be carrying out piling works over the next two weeks (11 to 25 July) as part of the East Kilbride Enhancements project.

Engineers will use a 58-tonne piling rig to drive 24 steel pile foundations to depths of between 2m to 5m to support the new footbridge and lifts.

When complete, the footbridge and lifts will provide step free access to the two platforms for passengers.

A double tracked section of the route will run between the platforms to help keep trains running on time.

Paul Reilly, Network Rail’s senior programme manager for the station works, said: “The piling marks an important and exciting stage in the delivery of the project, as it’s a critical step in then allowing the installation of an accessible footbridge at the new Hairmyres station.

“Once the foundations are in place, we can start to focus on the construction of the lift towers and bridge deck, as well as the framework for the new station building which people will see emerging from the site over the coming months.

“When the construction of Hairmyres station is complete by summer 2025, it will provide a modern and accessible environment for passengers; whilst the electrification of the East Kilbride to Glasgow line will help encourage more people to switch from cars to rail and generate an even greener railway.”

The station works are part of a wider £140 million Scottish Government investment to decarbonise passengers services across Scotland’s Railway.

The new Hairmyres station is located about 600m west of its current location.

As well as activity at Hairmyres, work at East Kilbride station to extend the existing platform by 51m finished in May. This allowed the buffer stop there to be relocated so that construction of the new building can take place.

The rebuild of two bridges on the route completed in the spring, with work underway on two more at Thornliebank Road and Westerton Lane near Busby station.

Over 160 steel foundations have been installed along the track to provide the base for new overhead masts which will support the overhead power cables.

The East Kilbride Enhancement project is scheduled to complete in December 2025.

 

[OB23Gone]

Some picture updates from Thur 11 July 2024 Should much more stuff in come Mon 22 July after the 3 day Possession

 

[snowball]

Some picture updates from Thur 11 July 2024 Should much more stuff in come Mon 22 July after the 3 day Possession

Great pictures, thank you. I've updated #1826 to show completion of Burnfield Rd bridge.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Some picture updates from Thur 11 July 2024 Should much more stuff in come Mon 22 July after the 3 day Possession

Great pictures, thank you. I've updated #1826 to show completion of Burnfield Rd bridge.

I concur. I will go back to #1826 but it may not be a bad idea to repost it here upthread so we can all be reminded please.

 

[snowball]

I concur. I will go back to #1826 but it may not be a bad idea to repost it here upthread so we can all be reminded please.

OK, will do later. Meanwhile, shouldn't "Levernwater" in the caption to photo 4 in #2034 be White Cart Water? Levern Water only seems to go under the Barrhead line.

 

[OB23Gone]

OK, will do later. Meanwhile, shouldn't "Levernwater" in the caption to photo 4 in #2034 be White Cart Water? Levern Water only seems to go under the Barrhead line.

Correct Big Mistake There

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2024 ==

Correct Big Mistake There

A BIG DROP THERE TO THE WHITE CART. Of interest I have googled but been unsuccessful in finding out The Actual Drop. I would be interested to actually know. TIA if anyone can possibly come with it

 

[Southsider]

Good pub the White Cart. Just opposite Busby station.

I was crossing the Giffnock station footbridge today while a 6 car 156 was in. Hard to see why they have lengthened the platform as it would barely allow an extra coach (probably wouldn’t). I wonder if it’s to do with door position once the new footbridge is installed.

 

[snowball]

EAST KILBRIDE LINE OVERBRIDGES
(the first version of this post was posted in Jan 2024 as #1826)

In post #1654 of this thread, @clc mentioned that in post #793 of another thread (https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...updates-discussion.90420/page-27#post-2537819), @Altnabreac listed the overbridges on the route. That list was posted almost 8 years ago, and this post is my attempt to update it.

As the Barrhead line has been completed, I've included only bridges between Busby Junction and EK. Altnabreac had 24 of those; I've found two more that he seems to have missed, numbers 14 and 22 in my list below. However, number 21 was demolished January 2023 and number 16 at Christmas 2023; number 22 was apparently replaced at the same time and number 17 is currently being rebuilt.

The three most important underbridges are also briefly mentioned.

Please post if you find any errors or omissions. I hope to keep the list up to date as work progresses.

**********
********** 12 Jul 2024: In response to a request I have copied this post downthread. FROM TODAY,
********** ONLY THE LATEST COPY IN THE THREAD WILL BE KEPT UP TO DATE (CURRENTLY #2040).
**********

Where a bridge might be known by more than one name (e.g. road name and road number), I've tried to include all I've heard of.

Altnabreac marked five bridges (four on the EK line) with asterisks because he thought they would be difficult: numbers 7, 13, 15 and 17.

I've tried to include the type of each bridge; there are probably errors there. "Modern" means a bridge apparently built in recent decades with a flat soffit (the underside of the deck) in contrast to the arched bridges dating from the original construction of the line. These may require nothing more than raised parapets.

Times in minutes and seconds refer to the time in the video (not mine) in post #1609 at which the bridge can be glimpsed. No times given between Hairmyres and EK as the filmer was not pointing the camera out of the nearest window.

------------------------------------

(Busby Junction 12:30)
(Line is double track from there to just after Busby station)

1. Thornliebank Road B769, 13:20, arched
Roadworks Scotland says deck to be replaced taking 309 working days, starting between April and July 2024. I guess this will include #2 also.

Network Rail press releases 23 Feb 2024 19 Mar 2024. Removal of original bridge due 28-30 Sep 2024. Completion due June 2025. Press release 26 Jul 2024 says this is the largest structure being replaced on the route.

2. Thornliebank Road footbridge, 13:22, steel add-on

(Thornliebank station)

3. Burnfield Road, 15:40, arched
Roadworks Scotland says only parapet modifications required, 10 working days, starting Jul-Oct 2024
A photo posted in this thread shows work completed by 11 Jul 2024

4. Fenwick Road A77, 16:05, possibly an originally arched bridge with road subsequently widened?
Roadworks Scotland says only parapet modifications required, 45 working days, May-Jul 2024.
Now changed to 40 working days, starting between 24 Aug and 23 Nov.

5. Giffnock station footbridge, 16:31, lattice
Roadworks Scotland says 249 working days closure of nearby Forres Avenue starting Jun-Sep 2024. A neighbour update in July 2024 says start in the autumn. Press release Aug 2024

6. Church Road, 18:31, apppears arched when seen from the south but not north
Roadworks Scotland says only parapet works required, 30 working days starting April-June 2024
Reported in this thread 20 May that parapet works have started.
Picture of completed works posted on 9 June.

(Bridge over Neilston line, 19:12)

7. Clarkston Road B767 (shown as Stamperland Crescent on some maps), 19:54, arched
Roadworks Scotland had two entries, one of which said 1044 working days required, starting between Jul 2020 and Jul 2025!! The continued existence of this entry was probably a mistake and it was removed by late August. There were reports in mid-March 2024 that the bridge will need only parapet works and track lowering. In July 2024 the second notice says a closure of 41 working days starting in April to June 2025 to remove and replace the parapet.

8. Clarkston Toll footbridge, 19:57, flat steel deck

9. Clarkston station footbridge, 20:22 - 21:30, lattice
Roadworks Scotland shows 95 working days of intermittent traffic management on nearby Busby Road to place a crane, starting Jan-May 2025

10. Strawhill Road footbridge, 21:46, steel add-on. Following the change to the item below, perhaps this will remain.

11. Strawhill Road, 21:49, arched
Roadworks Scotland previously showed 1044 working days refurb/reconstruction starting between Jul 2020 and Jul 2025. On 1 Jul 2024 it shows a closure of 11 working days to extend parapets, starting some time between 15 March 2025 and 14 June 2025.

(Not an overbridge but the biggest structure on the line is the viaduct over White Cart Water, 22:27. Photos taken 11 Jul 2024, posted in #2034, show brackets attached for overhead line supports.)

(Not an overbridge but Roadworks Scotland shows a 39 working days road closure to replace the deck of the bridge over East Kilbride Road A727, starting between 10 March and 6 June 2025, with traffic management for 156 working days, starting between 23 Sep and 22 Dec 2024)

12. Busby station footbridge, 23:15, lattice, to be replaced. Closures of nearby Glenville Gate required for crane operations at times within a 129 working day window starting between 26 Sep and 25 Dec 2024. Press release 26 Jul 2024 says removal of old bridge will be 28-30 Sep 2024.

(line becomes single track just after station)

13. Westerton Lane, 25:06, arched
Official number is 032.
Roadworks Scotland shows 173 working days closure to replace deck starting Aug-Sep 2024
Press release 18 Jul 2024 says work is in progress; press release 26 Jul 2024 says old deck to be removed 28-30 Sep (and calls it Westerton Crescent in apparent error). Link to planning application (not yet approved) posted in this thread 28 Jul 2024.

14. Access bridge for Busby 275 kV substation, 25:33, arched
(substation is a National Grid facility, not used to feed the railway)
No information seen on what works are required if any
Official name is Easterton Avenue and number is 031.

15. Peel Road, 26:31, arched
Closed overnight for 25 working days to extend parapets, starting between 14 Sep and 13 Dec 2024. However a post by Railsigns on 12 Aug says the bridge is to be reconstructed.

(Thorntonhall station)

Press release 7 Dec 2023 on bridges 16, 17 and 22

16. Thornton Farm accommodation overbridge (demolished Christmas 2023, no replacement proposed; called Bridge 9 in a tweet), 28:31, not arched

17. Thornton Road (reconstructed on existing abutments Dec 2023-April 2024; I think it was mistakenly called Thorntonhall Road in #1818), 29:04, arched. Reopened 22 April 2024. Press release

18. A726 Glasgow Southern Orbital, 29:11, modern

19. Millbrae accommodation overbridge, 29:29, arched

(Proposed western end of extension of Hairmyres loop appears to be here)

20. Redwood Drive, 29:39, modern

21. Bypassed road (Barbana Road?), 29:42 (demolished Jan 2023, no replacement proposed)

(proposed relocated Hairmyres station)

22. Eaglesham Court footbridge, 30:12 (replaced Christmas 2023; Roadworks Scotland says footpath closed for 49 working days. New bridge reported completed 1 March 2024; press release 4 March)

(existing Hairmyres station)

23. Tennant Avenue footbridge
(the existing Hairmyres passing loop starts immediately after this bridge)

24. Queensway A726, modern

25. Kirktonholme Road, modern
(the existing Hairmyres passing loop ends immediately before this bridge)

26. Strathfillan Road, modern

(East Kilbride station)