East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[snowball]

I know the Fife route is, but I thought borders was supposed to be continuous?

No, only a fraction of the line will be wired. Initially it was only going to be from Tweedbank to the south end of Bowshank tunnel. They now also propose to also do a short length at the northern end, from the existing wires at Newcraighall to Sheriffhall Mains, not far north of the bridge under the City Bypass. There's a thread about it here.

Doesn't seem like it would be the hardest line ever to do in full.

The point is not to do everything that's easy. The point is to do no more than necessary, at least at first, then do another line.

Power supply closer to Edinburgh is the issue (NatGrid long lead time) so the plan is to electrify the southern end and bridge the gap with battery till the Edinburgh area power supply gets enhanced so wires could be powered.

I don't think it's true that waiting for enhancement to power supplies at the Edinburgh end is the issue. The current "six-pack" contract for six feeder stations includes one at Currie, one at Portobello and one at Tweedbank, all of which will be in place long before the BEMUs are delivered. Then I think no more feeder stations will be required around Edinburgh for the foreseeable future.

As I've said several times, running a line with BEMUs requires roughly as much power supplies as running it with EMUs. Each train draws power for less of the time, but draws more of it, to charge the batteries as well as move the train.

 

[92002]

No, only a fraction of the line will be wired. Initially it was only going to be from Tweedbank to the south end of Bowshank tunnel. They now also propose to also do a short length at the northern end, from the existing wires at Newcraighall to Sheriffhall Mains, not far north of the bridge under the City Bypass. There's a thread about it here.


The point is not to do everything that's easy. The point is to do no more than necessary, at least at first, then do another line.


I don't think it's true that waiting for enhancement to power supplies at the Edinburgh end is the issue. The current "six-pack" contract for six feeder stations includes one at Currie, one at Portobello and one at Tweedbank, all of which will be in place long before the BEMUs are delivered. Then I think no more feeder stations will be required around Edinburgh for the foreseeable future.

As I've said several times, running a line with BEMUs requires roughly as much power supplies as running it with EMUs. Each train draws power for less of the time, but draws more of it, to charge the batteries as well as move the train.

When the line to Tweedbank was rebuilt it was built to electrification clearances.

So it's an easy fix to string up wires and insert piles for masts

 

[hwl]

No, only a fraction of the line will be wired. Initially it was only going to be from Tweedbank to the south end of Bowshank tunnel. They now also propose to also do a short length at the northern end, from the existing wires at Newcraighall to Sheriffhall Mains, not far north of the bridge under the City Bypass. There's a thread about it here.


The point is not to do everything that's easy. The point is to do no more than necessary, at least at first, then do another line.


I don't think it's true that waiting for enhancement to power supplies at the Edinburgh end is the issue. The current "six-pack" contract for six feeder stations includes one at Currie, one at Portobello and one at Tweedbank, all of which will be in place long before the BEMUs are delivered. Then I think no more feeder stations will be required around Edinburgh for the foreseeable future.

As I've said several times, running a line with BEMUs requires roughly as much power supplies as running it with EMUs. Each train draws power for less of the time, but draws more of it, to charge the batteries as well as move the train.

Tweekbank feeder can be energised far sooner than the others.

 

[snowball]

Tweekbank feeder can be energised far sooner than the others.

That's interesting to know, According to page 16 of this they were supposed to be commissioned by Aug 2023 (Currie), June 2024 (Tweedbank) and Nov 2024 (Portobello).

 

[james73]

WIRES NOW IN THRU STATION TO LIMIT

Nice phoaties. Is it just me but is modern day catenary a whole lot uglier than the older stuff?

 

[Frankton Junct]

Isn't the purpose of an overrun to prevent dewirement in the event of a train being wrongly routed?

I've been wondering what the next electrification in that area will be (accepting that it probably won't be for several years). Would it be Barrhead to Kilmarnock or Kilmarnock to Barassie? The latter might require a new feeder station at Kilmarnock, which is not in the current contract for six sites, but which would be needed for the eventual decarbonisation of Kilmarnock to Carlisle. You could argue that Barrhead to Kilmarnock should not be a high priority, as when BEMUs finally arrive, they will enable Glasgow-Kilmarnock services, turning round at Kilmarnock, to be operated from the Glasgow-Barrhead wires.

The next electrification will be Busby Junction to East Kilbride.

 

[McRhu]

Nice phoaties. Is it just me but is modern day catenary a whole lot uglier than the older stuff?

It is horribly ugly: it's not just you. I suppose it's very functional, but then again, that was why the original 317s looked the way they did.

 

[snowball]

Technically off topic but perhaps near enough to post:

Work begins to renew bridges over the Neilston railway line

A Sunday and Monday line closure will be trialled for the first time on Scotland’s Railway as preparatory bridge works get underway on the Neilston branch line.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Work begins to renew bridges over the Neilston railway line

A Sunday and Monday line closure will be trialled for the first time on Scotland’s Railway as preparatory bridge works get underway on the Neilston branch line.

Engineers will replace the abutments and deck of the bridge which connects the Balgray Reservoir footpath to Springfield Road on 13-14 August and 20-21 August.

The bridge is showing signs of deterioration and when the work is complete it will remove a long-standing weight restriction from the structure.

Data has shown that Saturdays are now the most popular day for people to travel, so to reflect this new pattern, the line closure will be in place on the Sunday and Monday instead of on Saturday and Sunday.

Network Rail, ScotRail and contractor AMCOGiffen will publicise the disruption and change to train services to passengers and those who travel regularly.

During the works, while the line is closed to passenger trains, a disused bridge near to Neilston station will also be removed.

A rail-mounted KIROW crane will be used to carry out the work to remove the bridges.

Susan Menmuir, Scheme Project Manager for Network Rail, said: “We understand that diverting the Balgray Reservoir footpath may be inconvenient and we thank the local community in advance for bearing with us whilst we complete this essential work.

“The new bridge will be both stronger and safer and will provide Dams to Darnley visitors with a walking route to Balgray Reservoir for years to come.”

 

[mcmad]

It seems fairly clear that 1 bridge is being renewed and another redundant span being totally removed while the team are there.

 

[snowball]

It seems fairly clear that 1 bridge is being renewed and another redundant span being totally removed while the team are there.

Yes, I've now read it properly and removed the sentence where I said it seemed confused about the number of bridges.

Edit: press release on the end of the closure tomorrow Friday 4th.

According to the commentatary on the video, the electric service, when it starts, will be run by 380s.

Glasgow – Barrhead reopens to passengers following major upgrade works

The Glasgow - Barrhead line will fully reopen to passengers tomorrow morning, Friday 4 August, following a £63.3 million upgrade.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

The Glasgow - Barrhead line will fully reopen to passengers tomorrow morning, Friday 4 August, following a £63.3 million upgrade.

Since June 24, the line has been closed to allow engineers around-the-clock access to prepare the route for electrification as part of a Scottish Government investment to decarbonise the railway.

Over 70,000 hours were worked during the six-week closure and activity included installing 14,400 metres of overhead power cables (contact and catenary) and renewing 130 metres of track.

Bridge parapets were raised in height at Kennishead and Priesthill & Darnley stations to make them safe and compliant for an electrified railway.

A significant amount of work also took place at Barrhead station, with platform 3 extended to accommodate longer four-carriage electric trains. This involved moving the current buffers and rebuilding the access paths.

The old lattice footbridge at Nitshill station, too low to fit the overhead cables underneath, was replaced with a new ramp to platform 2 for services to Barrhead and Kilmarnock. It can now be accessed through a reopened underpass off Nitshill Road.

...

Over the next few months, the team will be carrying out snagging and finishing works to the overhead line equipment, as well as replacing copes and tactile paving at Pollokshaws West station. This will be followed by signalling commissioning and running test trains on the route in the autumn, ahead of the introduction of electric trains from December.

 

[380101]

Noticed today more piles have been driven in on the East Kilbride line between Clarkson and Giffnock on the down line.

 

[nlogax]

Some from this morning now that Barrhead has reopened.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2023 ==

..and yes, they appear to be sandbags. Not sure if they're a temporary measure or if something is expected to grow out of them.

 

[deltic08]

Some from this morning now that Barrhead has reopened.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2023 ==

..and yes, they appear to be sandbags. Not sure if they're a temporary measure or if something is expected to grow out of them.

Not filled with just sand but a mixture of sand, aggregate and cement than goes hard in a matter of weeks as they are rained on and forms a solid wall.

 

[WesternBiker]

Not filled with just sand but a mixture of sand, aggregate and cement than goes hard in a matter of weeks as they are rained on and forms a solid wall.

Indeed - they are common in riverside works these days to form retaining walls. I have seen them reinforced with steel rebar (inserted before they have solidified) to reduce movement and (where there is water flow) to reduce the risk of scour.

 

[adamedwards]

So is the logic that Barrhead goes electric with longer trains in December with East Kilbride subject to bus replacement and extended engineering works to get the wires done rapidly on that line too? December 2024 completion or sooner? (Apologies if this is already answered on an early page I have missed.)

 

[Frankton Junct]

So is the logic that Barrhead goes electric with longer trains in December with East Kilbride subject to bus replacement and extended engineering works to get the wires done rapidly on that line too? December 2024 completion or sooner? (Apologies if this is already answered on an early page I have missed.)

It won't be longer trains on the Barrhead stopper. A 3 or 4 car 380 will replace the 4 car 156.

If they want to make fullest use of the electrification, they need to reinstate the pre-Covid timetable of two Barrhead stoppers per hour with the Kilmarnock trains running non-stop between Glasgow Central and Barrhead.

A December 2024 completion of the East Kilbride electricifation looks unlikely given the civils we expect are required.

 

[kaysha]

Was there ever a definitive answer as to what was needed in regards to the road bridge at Clarkston toll?

 

[snowball]

A December 2024 completion of the East Kilbride electricifation looks unlikely given the civils we expect are required.

However, that remains the only published completion date we have. (That's in the last two years - before that, Barrhead was quoted as May 2023 and EK as May 2024!)

Was there ever a definitive answer as to what was needed in regards to the road bridge at Clarkston toll?

As far as I'm aware there's no information in the public domain about what work will be done there or for any other bridge.

 

[InOban]

AIR that no detailed planning application has been submitted for the new and relocated Hairmyres Station?

 

[MadMac]

However, that remains the only published completion date we have. (That's in the last two years - before that, Barrhead was quoted as May 2023 and EK as May 2024!)

As far as I'm aware there's no information in the public domain about what work will be done there or for any other bridge.

IIRC we touched on this a few weeks ago and as you say, no sign of any definitive info regarding the heavier works on the branch. There were some rumblings elsewhere of a blockade starting post-Christmas: I can categorically state that anyone seriously considering a blockade of the EK line in the winter months is utterly out of their mind…..

 

[snowball]

There were some rumblings elsewhere of a blockade starting post-Christmas: I can categorically state that anyone seriously considering a blockade of the EK line in the winter months is utterly out of their mind…..

Somewhere, possibly back in this thread, I've seen it stated that there will be a blockade of around a month in summer 2024.

 

[nlogax]

Not filled with just sand but a mixture of sand, aggregate and cement than goes hard in a matter of weeks as they are rained on and forms a solid wall.

Indeed - they are common in riverside works these days to form retaining walls. I have seen them reinforced with steel rebar (inserted before they have solidified) to reduce movement and (where there is water flow) to reduce the risk of scour.

Cheers both. Haven't encountered this at a station before now. It'll be interesting to see how these fare over time.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Indeed - they are common in riverside works these days to form retaining walls. I have seen them reinforced with steel rebar (inserted before they have solidified) to reduce movement and (where there is water flow) to reduce the risk of scour.

Also improves tensile strength. Concrete is fantastic in compression but not in tension. Stell is great in tension.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Here are some photographs of the stations at Kennishead, Priesthill & Darnley, Nitshill and Barrhead.

It seems that the bricks used for the new pillars at Barrhead were selected to match the modern station and lift tower. This does not match the stone walls of the embankment. It is a pity that they did not remove the buddlea when they were on site.

There is still a hood over what appears to be a new banner repeater at the approach to Barrhead from Kilmarnock, confirming that there is still signalling work to be completed.

The new dry concrete bags were used in the construction of the new ramp to platform 2 at Nitshill too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Aug 2023 ==

The other images... Nitshill

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Aug 2023 ==

The other images... Priesthill & Darnley

 

[GRALISTAIR]

What a fantastic set of photographs. Thank you for sharing

 

[McRhu]

Cheers both. Haven't encountered this at a station before now. It'll be interesting to see how these fare over time.

As pioneered by Concrete Bag McAlpine

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Aug 2023 ==

Yes, excellent series of photos @Frankton Junct. Thank you.

 

[Rick1984]

I noticed the space between the yellow lines on the bay and adjacent platform is very narrow towards the opposite end from buffer

 

[alxndr]

Is it just a trick of the camera or is the slope at Nitshill pretty steep?

 

[380101]

I noticed the space between the yellow lines on the bay and adjacent platform is very narrow towards the opposite end from buffer

The platform narrows quite a bit towards the ramp between the bay and platform 2. It always did, but the fresh tarmac and yellow lines make it more noticeable.

 

[snowball]

No rumours of going live yet?