ECML Aberdeen to Edinburgh section

[herschell]

I was wondering what people thought of how long it'll be before Network Rail gets to electrifying this section of line especially the Montrose-Dundee section?

I would say that I wish they would do it sooner as it is a major line though one other problem I see is the single line track from the bridge where Montrose South signal box used to be to Usan, any ideas how they would solve it?

 

[Nym]

Why would single line be a problem for electrification?

 

[najaB]

I was wondering what people thought of how long it'll be before Network Rail gets to electrifying this section of line especially the Montrose-Dundee section?

I would say that I wish they would do it sooner as it is a major line though one other problem I see is the single line track from the bridge where Montrose South signal box used to be to Usan, any ideas how they would solve it?

As far as Thornton Junction will probably get wired in the relatively near term as I believe there's a concrete aspiration to electrify the Fife circle. Further north than that is probably ten to fifteen years out, as a WAG.

 

[ld0595]

Not for a long time yet. Still got EGIP to go which isn't done til 2016, then I'd reckon it'll be the Fife circle (85 miles) once they have worked out how to wire the Forth Bridge. Then perhaps wiring northwards may happen. Still, that's at least 100 miles if I'm not mistaken. Not for a long time yet.

 

[Altnabreac]

The ordering for Scottish electrification (but not a timetable) was set out in the Scottish Government's Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) a few years back. Edinburgh - Dundee falls in Phase 3 (along with Fife Circle), Dundee - Aberdeen in Phase 4.

We are currently in Phase 1, EGIP followed by Dunblane/Alloa and diversionary routes.

Phase 2 is the other unelectrified west of Scotland commuter routes, Shotts, East Kilbride, Maryhill, Barrhead and Kilmarnock.

Assuming electrification continues at a relatively similar pace to now you're looking at the ECML being done in the late 2020s and early 2030s.

 

[reb0118]

Assuming electrification continues at a relatively similar pace to now you're looking at the ECML being done in the late 2020s and early 2030s.

I always though that the ECM was electrified between 1976 & 1991. At least I hope it was as I have just worked a class 380 on a small part of it yesterday evening.

To go into full pedantry mode - the correct term for the Edinburgh - Aberdeen section is, engineer line reference(ly) speaking, is ECN - East Coast North.

 

[Holmbridge]

I was wondering what people thought of how long it'll be before Network Rail gets to electrifying this section of line especially the Montrose-Dundee section?

This Friday provided Mr Salmond gets a yes majority. He seems to have a magic wallet that is always full to allow him to do anything he is asked to do!

 

[Altnabreac]

I always though that the ECM was electrified between 1976 & 1991. At least I hope it was as I have just worked a class 380 on a small part of it yesterday evening.

To go into full pedantry mode - the correct term for the Edinburgh - Aberdeen section is, engineer line reference(ly) speaking, is ECN - East Coast North.

Hopefully at some point in the 2030s the ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle will be wired properly so the wires don't come down once a week...

:roll:

 

[ainsworth74]

Hopefully at some point in the 2030s the ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle will be wired properly so the wires don't come down once a week...

When is the last time that the wires came down on this stretch of line?

 

[Darandio]

When is the last time that the wires came down on this stretch of line?

Indeed, this apparent weekly occurrence is new to me!

 

[Altnabreac]

You'd need to ask NR for exact numbers but have a look here:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/...ARK CARNE to Jason McCartney re ev sesion.pdf

It's not specifically Newcastle - Edinburgh but Network Rail evidence to the Transport Select committee in June this year listed ECML wiring issues as responsible for 7614 minutes of delay and 88 full or part cancellations (presumably in 2013/14 although dates not specified).

I don't think Network Rail dispute there is an ongoing issue with ECML wiring reliability but suspect there aren't any easy answers or it would have been fixed already.

 

[route:oxford]

I was wondering what people thought of how long it'll be before Network Rail gets to electrifying this section of line especially the Montrose-Dundee section?

I would say that I wish they would do it sooner as it is a major line though one other problem I see is the single line track from the bridge where Montrose South signal box used to be to Usan, any ideas how they would solve it?

I suspect it will be part of a salami electrification process with "easy" wins.

So...

Dunblane-Perth
Perth-Dundee
Dundee-Arbroath
Arbroath-Aberdeen

There are currently Glasgow services diagrammed to all of these destinations and a small number of Edinburgh services routing via Stirling.

Eventually with the in-fill between Edinburgh & Dundee/Perth

I'm looking forward to the day I can board a Pendolino service from Perth to Euston via Stirling & Birmingham.

The only thing is a 9-car Pendolino running from Perth at 7am would abstract a vast amount of income from Scotrail. Even though it would be immensely popular with commuters compared to the usual 4 car 158.

 

[herschell]

I just wish NR wouldn't leave the Aberdeen-Dundee until practically last as if I'm right but not sure if I am, we're always the last to get things like electrification done.

I long for the day when the only HST's up here will be the XC Voyager and Super Voyagers.

 

[Liam]

I just wish NR wouldn't leave the Aberdeen-Dundee until practically last as if I'm right but not sure if I am, we're always the last to get things like electrification done.

I long for the day when the only HST's up here will be the XC Voyager and Super Voyagers.

But there is no point in doing Aberdeen-Dundee without doing the bits linking Dundee to the rest of the electrified network first.

 

[herschell]

true, one solution though maybe costly is if they got another of the electrification trains up here similarly to how their using one on the Great Westren

 

[anme]

The only thing is a 9-car Pendolino running from Perth at 7am would abstract a vast amount of income from Scotrail. Even though it would be immensely popular with commuters compared to the usual 4 car 158.

It would be idiotic not to run the service for this totally artificial reason - the franchises exist to run the rail service, not the other way around.

 

[edwin_m]

It would be idiotic not to run the service for this totally artificial reason - the franchises exist to run the rail service, not the other way around.

It might actually help Scotrail, if they don't have to run a peak working at a time when all their trains are needed. Reducing the fleet size could save more than the revenue lost from one journey, leaving the franchise better off overall.

 

[adewar]

I remember something about this from the early to mid-nineties. Did the local councils not get together and form the Campaign for Rail Electrification Aberdeen To Edinburgh? They might have tried to tack it on the main electrification scheme at the time.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...jUVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YFkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1895,554819

Alastair