East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[MadMac]

An extra platform doesn‘t really add much, but the extended Hairmyres loop does. They’ve been running a half-hourly service since 1990-ish when the current loop was put in and an additional signal section was put at Giffnock to stop morning peak services getting held at Busby. They could just about run a 15 minute service with the new configuration.

 

[MalkieB]

EK platform looks like a fraction of it's former length?

 

[MadMac]

EK platform looks like a fraction of its former length?

Although I can see your thinking from the pictures, it’s actually been extended! I presume the intention is to ensure that it fully accommodates a six-car. Hairmyres couldn’t fully accommodate a 1st Generation six car.

 

[OB23Gone]

Although I can see your thinking from the pictures, it’s actually been extended! I presume the intention is to ensure that it fully accommodates a six-car. Hairmyres couldn’t fully accommodate a 1st Generation six car.

Probably telephoto lens foreshortening effect

 

[Southsider]

Although I can see your thinking from the pictures, it’s actually been extended! I presume the intention is to ensure that it fully accommodates a six-car. Hairmyres couldn’t fully accommodate a 1st Generation six car.

There have been minor extensions elsewhere (e.g. Giffnock) presumably to accommodate a six car 380/385 throughout the route.

 

[sannox]

For what it is worth, the railway can't come back soon enough. The last week has been awful traffic wise and the 6 is utterly unreliable at the moment.

 

[s55823ewj]

New planning application at Clarkston station for path to the Goods Yard car park. Notably the path goes underneath the footbridge before meeting the car park.

https://ercbuildingstandards.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/buildingstandards/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=ST3YHQGPJWB00

2025/0140/TP
Change of use of adjacent land to become railway operational land with construction of footpath between platform 2 of Clarkston Station and the car park
Clarkston Railway Station 35 Busby Road Clarkston Glasgow East Renfrewshire G76 7BN

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The footbridge itself will also be closed 14 April to 2 May for electrification works

tellmescotland

tellmescotland.gov.uk

Location: CLARKSTON STATION FOOTBRIDGE, CLARKSTON (between Clarkston Toll and Clarkston Goods Yard Car Park) Restriction: FOOTBRIDGE CLOSURE – No Pedestrian access permitted. Anticipated Duration: 3 WEEKS, FROM MONDAY 14TH APRIL UNTIL FRIDAY 2 ND MAY 2025 Reason for Closure: IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE SAFE OPERATION OF NETWORK RAIL ELECTRIFICATION WORKS Alternative Route: AS INDICATED ON THE PLAN

 

[Southsider]

Despite the wind and rain last night the new footbridge at Clarkston has been lifted into place.

 

[apjsco]

Despite the wind and rain last night the new footbridge at Clarkston has been lifted into place.

Excellent news....am I right in thinking this is the last major infrastructure change milestone of the project?

I also echo the previous comment about the impact of all the current disruption: I live in Forrres Avenue and the loss of the footbridge to Giffnock is a real pain along along with the nightmare traffic..and having to walk to and from Williamwood (to get one an overcrowded train) in the horrible rain yesterday really brought it home. Looking on the bright side, there is only a few more weeks before the new Giffnock station footbridge opens followed by the reinstatement of trains on the EK line.

 

[MadMac]

Excellent news....am I right in thinking this is the last major infrastructure change milestone of the project?

In terms of “public-facing” things, probably. Do we know if the Hairmyres loop has been physically extended yet? Any signalling changes would presumably come along once they’re “wheels-free” in the area.

When is the line scheduled to reopen?

 

[mcmad]

Hairmyres loop extension was one of the first track items completed in the blockade.

 

[OB23Gone]

In terms of “public-facing” things, probably. Do we know if the Hairmyres loop has been physically extended yet? Any signalling changes would presumably come along once they’re “wheels-free” in the area.

When is the line scheduled to reopen?

Yes extension is complete. Is now actually fully wired as of a couple of days ago

 

[InvHst]

380s will be used on the route no plans for 385s as yet

 

[Southsider]

In terms of “public-facing” things, probably. Do we know if the Hairmyres loop has been physically extended yet? Any signalling changes would presumably come along once they’re “wheels-free” in the area.

When is the line scheduled to reopen?

Thornliebank Road bridge still to be reinstated.

 

[MadMac]

Thornliebank Road bridge still to be reinstated.

Good point, thanks. Pictures suggest that they were well on with it some months ago, surely it must be close to completion?

 

[OB23Gone]

Good point, thanks. Pictures suggest that they were well on with it some months ago, surely it must be close to completion?

Actual bridge has been completed for many weeks now. Story moved their site cabins away from site at least 3 weeks ago. As per the normal it is All About Reconnecting the multiple services. Once they are all in work can commence on surfacing the roadway

 

[s55823ewj]

Also the Redwood Drive works to provide better access. Hairmyres Station is also still mostly a construction site - no sign of the car parks yet. Don't know what progress is like at Westerton Lane as well.

 

[OB23Gone]

Wiring installation between 25-28 March 2025. From the start of the Old Hairmyres Loop through Old and New Hairmyres Stations & Thorntonhall to almost half way to Busby. Some of the team had an enforced break as the SPL Zeck Wiring Unit, see pic 10 in #2368, had to return to the Compound to pick up more cabling. The last 2 pictures are an attempt to show configuration of wires coming through the bridge

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EK Wiring

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Fantastic set of photos- thanks.

 

[Albaman]

Many thanks to OB 23 for taking the trouble to record the progress on the East Kilbride electrification.

In previous electrification schemes, for example Ayrshire or Airdrie - Bathgate - Edinburgh, each mast had an earth wire attached to the traction return rail and attached to the mast would be the return conductor which was fixed to the mast with an insulator. The return conductor cable would have a connection to the traction return rail by a " red " bond. Also, at set distances , there would be a booster transformer and , as is visible at the Eglinton Street Feeder Station, the return conductor would have a connection there as well as the live feeding wires.

In more recent schemes, the masts are connected by , what I assume to be , an earth wire , though, to be pedantic, a few masts near Crossmyloof, have an earth wire direct to the traction return rail. At set distances, there are black covered wires that link the earth wire to the traction return rail but there appear to be no booster transformers and where there are " red" bonds leading from the traction return rail, for example on the East KIlbride branch near to Busby Junction, it is not obvious where any onward connection leads. ( I have noticed this on "red" bonds on the electrified routes from Glasgow Queen Street too .)

Apologies for this somewhat lengthy post and if some of the terminology is inaccurate , but any explanation would be appreciated.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Actual bridge has been completed for many weeks now. Story moved their site cabins away from site at least 3 weeks ago. As per the normal it is All About Reconnecting the multiple services. Once they are all in work can commence on surfacing the roadway

The public notice states that their plan is to complete re-diversion of utilities and removal of the temporary pedestrian bridge in May and reinstatement of the roadway in June.

The photo attached shows the new bridge looking from Thornliebank towards Pollokshaws.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

each mast had an earth wire attached to the traction return rail

do you mean at ground level? Like a short little connection from the base of the metal structure to the rails. My understanding is that this is actually so that the mast is, in its own right, connected to the return rail. If something goes wrong on the mast and the live wires starts touching the mast, the current takes the low resistance path through the mast, into the rail and back to it's source in the substation whereupon the circuit breaker should judge that suddenly high level of current as a fault and open. This is not just for the OLE masts of course but any adjacent metal structure.

and attached to the mast would be the return conductor which was fixed to the mast with an insulator. The return conductor cable would have a connection to the traction return rail by a " red " bond.

I think red bonds are only used to connect the rails to a substation. They're the last connection in the whole bonding system where much of the negative current in that section will be travelling (especially if there's a shortcircuit fault). I don't think the bond between RC and running rail has a special colour. Apparently where booster transformers are present, the RC only has one bond with the running rails at a point mid-way between booster transformers.

At set distances, there are black covered wires that link the earth wire to the traction return rail but there appear to be no booster transformers

My understanding of earth wires, is that they take the place of the traction return rails for fault conditions. So if a short circuit occurs - instead of the fault current flowing through the rails, lineside metal structures are instead only connected to the earthwire. The reason for this arrangement is apparently something to do with jointless track circuits. That being said, earthwires are connected to the rails at crossbond locations.

(A crossbond location is where all adjacent traction return rails are connected together so as to lower the impedance of the negative side of the circuit. That is to say, current can return using a large cross section of material and by many possible paths. Crossbonds are apparently every 400m and co-locates with designated earthing points - which are indicated by a little yellow sign saying DEP).

If they're so reguarly connected to the rails, I don't really get the point of earth wires: despite all my "explaining" above - i am no expert and have no professional knowledge of anything railway or electrical engineering - I'm just another interestsd observer.

and where there are " red" bonds leading from the traction return rail, for example on the East KIlbride branch near to Busby Junction, it is not obvious where any onward connection leads.

Typically the connections to the substation that supplies a new OLE project is the last thing to be installed, so the connections might just be lying around waiting for the final tie in. Busby jnc is, i assume, where the branch is going to be powered from. Is there a track sectioning cabin there? I have no idea of the feeding arrangements in the Glasgow area, though I'd be very interested to know

 

[MadMac]

Typically the connections to the substation that supplies a new OLE project is the last thing to be installed, so the connections might just be lying around waiting for the final tie in. Busby jnc is, i assume, where the branch is going to be powered from. Is there a track sectioning cabin there? I have no idea of the feeding arrangements in the Glasgow area, though I'd be very interested to know

It’ll branch off the existing wires to Barrhead, which is fed from Eglinton Street, which I believe was “beefed up” in preparation for the extra load.

 

[59CosG95]

A little follow-up from @OB23Gone's post the other day - look at the OLE mast in the 4th photo here.
I've zoomed in a smidge, and it looks as if there's a first-of-its-kind (in the UK, anyway) type of cantilever registration where the beam of one cantilever extends to a track further away.
I suspect this may be an evaluatory trial of this kind of registration, as the mast they've used is a standard TTC mast, which can easily have its boom fitted at the end of the trial.

 

[zwk500]

A little follow-up from @OB23Gone's post the other day - look at the OLE mast in the 4th photo here.
I've zoomed in a smidge, and it looks as if there's a first-of-its-kind (in the UK, anyway) type of cantilever registration where the beam of one cantilever extends to a track further away.
I suspect this may be an evaluatory trial of this kind of registration, as the mast they've used is a standard TTC mast, which can easily have its boom fitted at the end of the trial.

That's a very interesting development, as it's a much lighter weight design and yet delivers the same benefits as normal TTCs. Presumably it's only suitable for lower speed and sheltered areas, as I imagine the wire furthest from the mast is flexing a fair bit!

 

[John R]

That's a very interesting development, as it's a much lighter weight design and yet delivers the same benefits as normal TTCs. Presumably it's only suitable for lower speed and sheltered areas, as I imagine the wire furthest from the mast is flexing a fair bit!

It's certainly aesthetically much more pleasing too.

 

[Southsider]

Clarkston station footbridge. Like others, I’m surprised they didn’t go for lifts. While there is access, it’s not exactly level.

 

[59CosG95]

That's a very interesting development, as it's a much lighter weight design and yet delivers the same benefits as normal TTCs. Presumably it's only suitable for lower speed and sheltered areas, as I imagine the wire furthest from the mast is flexing a fair bit!

That would be my assumption too. Given that I saw on LinkedIn that EK is trialling the product, I'm sure it'll be extensively monitored once the wires are in service.

Clarkston station footbridge. Like others, I’m surprised they didn’t go for lifts. While there is access, it’s not exactly level.

View attachment 177534

No need for lifts (at this stage) as there is a pre-existing ramp from the Up (southbound) platform to Strawhill Rd, and from the Down (northbound) platform to Busby Rd.

 

[OB23Gone]

That's a very interesting development, as it's a much lighter weight design and yet delivers the same benefits as normal TTCs. Presumably it's only suitable for lower speed and sheltered areas, as I imagine the wire furthest from the mast is flexing a fair bit!

My curisity was awakened by this. Zoomed in on the photo as uploaded unfirtunatley the quality was quite poor, couldn't really make out where the insulators are positioned, poor from my phone camera. So took a trip out with telephoto equiped camera so a good bit more darail available. Here are the results. Ill leave the comments out and will appreciate knowledgeable ones

 

[s55823ewj]

Clarkston station footbridge. Like others, I’m surprised they didn’t go for lifts. While there is access, it’s not exactly level.

On this point, I'm not sure there's space. It looks like the stairs on the north (left) side are very much using all the available space