Glasgow suburban services rolling stock differences

[dtin]

By Glasgow suburban I mean services on the Arygle, Whifflet or North Clyde lines.

As there are multiple services with different start and end points and different maximum speeds, are different types of EMU preferred for different end to end services?

For example, some Argyle line services terminate at Carstairs, and used to run to Lanark before 2014/15, and part of the route runs on the WCML with a higher speed limit.

Likewise, North Clyde services that run to Edinburgh have to run partially on the Edinburgh-Falkirk-Glasgow line, which has a 90-100mph speed limit.

Are the faster 90mph units like the Class 334 or 318 allocated to the Carstairs/Lanark services and the slower 75mph units like the Class 320, 314 or before that the Class 303 used on the Motherwell, Coatbridge or Larkhall terminating services?

 

[SC318250]

Class 318/320 share diagrams. They are both 90mph units.
They operate North Electric services Balloch to Airdrie but not in passenger service beyond Airdrie, just empty to Bathgate Depot. They also work Milngavie to Springburn.
Argyle line they work all services.

Class 334 tend to operate Helensburgh to Edinburgh and Milngavie to Airdrie/Bathgate services. They also work a couple of argyle line diagrams on Whifflets and a few evening runs to Motherwell/Cumbernauld and Larkhall.

 

[dtin]

Class 318/320 share diagrams. They are both 90mph units.
They operate North Electric services Balloch to Airdrie but not in passenger service beyond Airdrie, just empty to Bathgate Depot. They also work Milngavie to Springburn.
Argyle line they work all services.

Class 334 tend to operate Helensburgh to Edinburgh and Milngavie to Airdrie/Bathgate services. They also work a couple of argyle line diagrams on Whifflets and a few evening runs to Motherwell/Cumbernauld and Larkhall.

The class 320 was originally limited to 75mph, so what happened on the Lanark/Carstairs services before the max speed was increased to 90mph? Also what about Coatbridge Central terminating services, would this just be a 314/320 due to the lower speed limit?

 

[hexagon789]

The class 320 was originally limited to 75mph, so what happened on the Lanark/Carstairs services before the max speed was increased to 90mph? Also what about Coatbridge Central terminating services, would this just be a 314/320 due to the lower speed limit?

Doesn't matter, the North Clyde and Argyle Line services are all timed for 75mph.

 

[Carntyne]

320 units had yaw dampers added in the mid 2010s to upgrade them to 90mph.

 

[Avenger20]

The class 320 was originally limited to 75mph, so what happened on the Lanark/Carstairs services before the max speed was increased to 90mph? Also what about Coatbridge Central terminating services, would this just be a 314/320 due to the lower speed limit?

334s operated Lanark services previously prior to the Airdree to Bathgate reopening.

Back then, they operated as through services to Dalmuir rather than terminating at the High Level platforms.

 

[Falcon1200]

Classes 318, 320, 380 and 385 all work out of Glasgow Central High Level, but I don't believe Class 334 does any longer.

 

[dtin]

320 units had yaw dampers added in the mid 2010s to upgrade them to 90mph.

Yes, I know, but for most of their service life they were restricted to 75 mph. Wasn't it around 2010-11 they were uprated?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2025 ==

Doesn't matter, the North Clyde and Argyle Line services are all timed for 75mph.

I see, I thought services using the Class 318 and 334 would be timed for 90mph. Does having 75mph EMUs on the same line not have an effect on WCML fast services to London/Manchester/Preston etc?

 

[hexagon789]

I see, I thought services using the Class 318 and 334 would be timed for 90mph. Does having 75mph EMUs on the same line not have an effect on WCML fast services to London/Manchester/Preston etc?

They'll be pathed accordingly. As all the units used can run at up to at least 90mph if required, that margin can presumably be used to recoup delays a little, but worth pointing out that there is very limited opportunity to run at 90mph+ down to Motherwell anyway, linespeed is predominantly 75-80 until past Motherwell on the WCML.

The Glasgow Central High Level to Lanark and Edinburgh via Carstairs workings which run past Motherwell down the WCML a fair way are timed for 100mph.

 

[dtin]

They'll be pathed accordingly. As all the units used can run at up to at least 90mph if required, that margin can presumably be used to recoup delays a little, but worth pointing out that there is very limited opportunity to run at 90mph+ down to Motherwell anyway, linespeed is predominantly 75-80 until past Motherwell on the WCML.

The Glasgow Central High Level to Lanark and Edinburgh via Carstairs workings which run past Motherwell down the WCML a fair way are timed for 100mph.

What about when the Lanark services were run through Glasgow Central Low Level towards Dalmuir/Milngavie?

 

[hexagon789]

What about when the Lanark services were run through Glasgow Central Low Level towards Dalmuir/Milngavie?

They were timed at 75mph then.

 

[yorkie]

...North Clyde services that run to Edinburgh have to run partially on the Edinburgh-Falkirk-Glasgow line, which has a 90-100mph speed limit.

That's not the case; the North Clyde Line doesn't go via Falkirk.

Edt: There is a very short common section of track. I don't know how much of that is 90, but given the trains call at Edinburgh Park, there's not going to be any material difference.

I see, I thought services using the Class 318 and 334 would be timed for 90mph. Does having 75mph EMUs on the same line not have an effect on WCML fast services to London/Manchester/Preston etc?

They generally get overtaken at Wishaw anyway.

Even if they were 90mph capable, how many seconds might they save, between stops?

For example, Cambuslang - Uddingston - Glasgow is 90, but given the short distances between stops, would you even reach 90? If you did, the time saving would be miniscule.

 

[Kite159]

That's not the case; the North Clyde Line doesn't go via Falkirk. There is a 4-track section from Haymarket West Jn to Waverley, so they don't even share the same tracks on the short common part of the route.

They share the tracks from Newbridge Junction & even a station at Edinburgh Park. the 4 track section only starts closer to Haymarket when the lines from Fife appear.

The Lanark trains also have the potential to get overtaken when they go via Bellshill, even those from Edinburgh which are nonstop from Motherwell. I don't think ScotRail use the direct WCML section from Motherwell to Uddingston these days

 

[SC318250]

I don't think ScotRail use the direct WCML section from Motherwell to Uddingston these days

There are a few services that run Motherwell to Uddingston and vice versas for route retention purposes.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Mar 2025 ==

Very rare working for a 334 this morning, working Carstairs to Garscadden

 

[dtin]

There are a few services that run Motherwell to Uddingston and vice versas for route retention purposes.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Mar 2025 ==

Very rare working for a 334 this morning, working Carstairs to Garscadden

What usually works this service? The Carstairs services are morning and evening peak only are they not?

 

[SC318250]

What usually works this service? The Carstairs services are morning and evening peak only are they not?

Usually this is a pair of 318 or pair of 320 or a 318/320 combo in the morning before they work to Shields.

The evening one is the same but the units are sometimes switched with ones working from Central High Level, which went to Shields in the morning.

Sometimes the evening one is units off exams. Or sometimes the ecs to Anderson in the evening comes from Yoker CS
Tonight the evening I suspect will either be 318253/320306 from Yoker CS, or another pair off Shields… as cant see 334 operating the evening Carstairs as diagrams finishes at Motherwell Weighs CHS for the evening

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Mar 2025 ==

As expected tonights Anderson to Carstairs will come ecs from Yoker CS… 318253/320306