Recent content by MadMac

The Motherwell feeder also fed the North electrics via a cable to the Sunnyside area. The need to replace the cable was a factor in the decision to electrify Mossend-Gartsherrie.

Yes, the main line was part of Glasgow Suburban Electrification II in 1962. The Hamilton Circle wasn’t done until 1974.

There was a daytime Crewe-Perth working which stopped at Motherwell mid-afternoon. During the daytime WCML closure, it was diverted via the G&SW and terminated at Glasgow Central with a connecting service to Perth (usually a DMU) via the Rutherglen & Coatbridge line. One of our number here...

It looks like they’ve, to all intents and purposes, closed the box. The plan I saw a couple of weeks back shows south of Girvan becoming a long single line with a small new box at Stranraer, new station near the A77 bridge and part of the Harbour station staying so that you could stick a train...

Suspect it’s this one down towards the Neilston end.

I‘m told that all sorts of ideas are being looked at including possible freight facilities at Girvan and the old Stranraer Town site. I would imagine that things will become much clearer once the Stranraer station situation is decided.

The Cathcart Circle was operated by DMUs in the run up to the electrics starting, and it was a type of service they weren’t really intended for or suited to.

I have a recollection of reading that there’s a large diesel tank under the pier which makes any alterations/demolition challenging. Hadn’t heard anything about the Glenwhilly distant (last operational semaphore distant on NR in Scotland) being replaced. Glenwhilly loop was out of action for...

Seen one in the flesh at Dundee, and pictures of one at Perth.

You’re essentially talking about a resignalling as the expertise to alter those 1970s interlockings is for the most part retired, six feet under or both, but I’m happy to quote if asked, and my number would be in that ballpark, as the saying goes. 1785446146 I believe the crossovers are now...

The 1979 Rutherglen station had a “Train Approaching“ illuminated indicator fitted in the waiting room for trains coming from the Cambuslang direction. The circuitry was very much a pile of ands/ifs/buts due to the number of directions a train could approach from.

Never heard of them being on the Bathgate service before, but Railcar confirms that 143s were there in the early days. The 14x units were essentially banned on Scottish Region subsequent to this due to issues with operation of certain track circuits.

Something similar happened north of Inverness leading to the Radio Block system where the existing tablet system communicated via radio prior to the introduction of RETB several years later.

Didn’t something like this happen in the relatively recent past which turned out to be construction work above drilling into the tunnel?

I think the ”signalling“ component will be replacement of the audio frequency track circuits which are incompatible with electrification. This will also necessitate installation of insulated joints.