Fife Rail Electrification/Decarbonisation

[Korot]

Possibly not that long, because LNER also operates on (parts of) the Fife Circle.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wow. I like to be more positive. Yay- masts going up -hopefully SPS followed by wires. DMUs for now and then BEMUs after trials etc. So about 3 years.

 

[Davester50]

Possibly not that long, because LNER also operates on (parts of) the Fife Circle.

To Leven? That's great news for the town...
And I did mention ScotRail...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2026 ==

Wow. I like to be more positive. Yay- masts going up -hopefully SPS followed by wires. DMUs for now and then BEMUs after trials etc. So about 3 years.

I like to be realistic. And basing stock introductions on both brand new stock in Scotland and rUK, and second hand stock in Scotland, delays are almost likely.
An order announced just before the election purdah, otherwise it'll be a while before the order goes in.

 

[TrainViation]

While all the masts and wires going up, there's still no sign of the things that will use them for a considerable period, and seeing as it's relying on hybrid traction something new for ScotRail to learn about.
We must be at least 3-4 years away from entry in to service and that's without any problems, which even simpler AC/DC EMUs seem to attract large delays.
So how long until we can reasonably expect the first public passenger carrying train to use it?

The BEMUs are due to enter service late 2031, so practically 6 years excluding delays.

 

[Davester50]

The BEMUs are due to enter service late 2031, so practically 6 years excluding delays.

Thanks - that's a wee while yet.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Every rolling stock procurement faces difficult delays especially in the testing and entry into service phases. This will surely be even more troublesome because it's a new method of operation with totally bespoke trains. Nothing tried and tested about a discontinuous system with 20mile long gaps

 

[Falcon1200]

Possibly not that long, because LNER also operates on (parts of) the Fife Circle.

What length of OLE will be available for LNER to use in Fife, and when?

 

[John R]

What length of OLE will be available for LNER to use in Fife, and when?

Just north of Kinghorn to Ladybank is due to be electrified as part of the project.

 

[Falcon1200]

That's a good distance (around 16 miles), certainly worthy of use by LNER.

 

[TrainViation]

That's a good distance (around 16 miles), certainly worthy of use by LNER.

Certainly yes, and allows them to get up to speed quicker after the stop at Kirkcaldy in both directions. And reach the 85mph limit quicker after Markinch. Sadly the OLE doesn’t continue far enough to see the 100mph section between Springfield and Cupar unfortunately.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Aren't LNER also getting trimodes on a similar timescale (battery/diesel/ac)? So they might consider running with the engine off Dalmeny-Kinghorn. Maybe even Ladybank-Perth

 

[John R]

Maybe even Ladybank-Perth

That might upset travellers from Falkirk, Gleneagles and Stirling…

 

[GRALISTAIR]

That might upset travellers from Falkirk, Gleneagles and Stirling…

So Stirling to Perth first?

 

[RiverDon]

And reach the 85mph limit quicker after Markinch.

It's only 80 from Dysart through Markinch to just before Ladybank. The 85 is only for a very short bit before Ladybank when it drops 75 then to 50 round the bend towards Dundee, then 70, then back to 85 for another very short bit, then 100. It's really easy to get from 80 to 85 down the big hill towards Ladybank, no effort required even in a 158!

 

[zwk500]

Aren't LNER also getting trimodes on a similar timescale (battery/diesel/ac)? So they might consider running with the engine off Dalmeny-Kinghorn. Maybe even Ladybank-Perth

That might upset travellers from Falkirk, Gleneagles and Stirling…

So Stirling to Perth first?

In the WTT LNER have 5 services north of Edinburgh.
The 4 Aberdeen services all run via Kirkcaldy and would likely use engines between Aberdeen and Ladybank but probably battery between Kinghorn and Dalmeny.
The 1 Inverness service runs via Stirling as @John R points out and would use engines between Inverness and Stirling then OLE via the existing route.

On both of these the southern lengths of Dundee-Ladybank and Perth-Stirling could be battery if it's desirable to limit diesel mileage as much as possible, or the tri-modes could have a 'blended' power mode all the way through to when they can properly turn the engines off. We don't really know until the trains start running.

 

[BordersBob]

The BEMUs are due to enter service late 2031, so practically 6 years excluding delays.

According to the 'Market Engagement' document, "initial deliveries expected by late 2031", which I think experience shows is not the same as entering service.

 

[Davester50]

According to the 'Market Engagement' document, "initial deliveries expected by late 2031", which I think experience shows is not the same as entering service.

Deliveries and Entry to service are two different things completely, so the wires going up in the photos on the Leven branch (thanks to the posters for them) aren't likely to see use for at least 6 years.
Yes, it's easy to get them up, heck, it's a brand new railway that had wires in mind, and certain bases were in place before the line re-opened.
As a layman, I just don't get it, putting up the wires for the last section to see use first.

Sure, it keeps the teams working I suppose, but what else?

 

[mcmad]

The Leven branch is a 'no regrets' while the team are there to do the main line section. You'd have to do a run off anyway so why not just do it all while they are there.

 

[Roger B]

The Leven branch is a 'no regrets' while the team are there to do the main line section. You'd have to do a run off anyway so why not just do it all while they are there.

Just hope that there's no metal theft in the intervening time.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Just hope that there's no metal theft in the intervening time.

Not an issue once thornton feeder is in place, which they'll need in order to test properly. Do OLE components get stolen all that often anyway?

 

[Highlander1]

While all the masts and wires going up, there's still no sign of the things that will use them for a considerable period, and seeing as it's relying on hybrid traction something new for ScotRail to learn about.
We must be at least 3-4 years away from entry in to service and that's without any problems, which even simpler AC/DC EMUs seem to attract large delays.
So how long until we can reasonably expect the first public passenger carrying train to use it?

This has been bought up many times before. It's normal for the infrastructure work to be completed in advance of any new traction. The tender has been issued and is progressing. Why would you have the traction first so you're paying lease and storage fees for traction that can't be used. Also Scotrail aren't the only user of the line. LNER will also be making use of the wires for their 8 services a day on the route

 

[Falcon1200]

Do OLE components get stolen all that often anyway?

I don't recall any actual OLE (ie the wires) being stolen during my years on the railway in Scotland. APC magnets and bus bars were however, although the attempt to steal the latter did not end well for those involved.....

 

[GraphitProjekt]

How do you even steal a busbar! Or was it one of the outside aerial ones you get with SMOS substations.

I did hear of feeder cabling getting stolen on the energisation day of Lostock-Wigan wiring. But that seemed to me an insider job

 

[rower40]

A pre-requisite of electrification will be the immunisation of the signalling. Given the vintage of the signalling equipment in Thornton relay room, it's going to be re-locked to a CBI. The opportunity will be taken to rationalise the signal positions - especially the provision of platform starting signals at Glenrothes with Thornton. This then removes the need for eastbound trains terminating to continue behind signals ET556/ET558 to change ends then come back into the same platform as they've just left.

This was all necessary because the last re-signalling occurred before the station was built.

A similar provision (of platform starting signals in a sensible place) will occur at Ladybank in the Up direction.

 

[TrainViation]

A pre-requisite of electrification will be the immunisation of the signalling. Given the vintage of the signalling equipment in Thornton relay room, it's going to be re-locked to a CBI. The opportunity will be taken to rationalise the signal positions - especially the provision of platform starting signals at Glenrothes with Thornton. This then removes the need for eastbound trains terminating to continue behind signals ET556/ET558 to change ends then come back into the same platform as they've just left.

This was all necessary because the last re-signalling occurred before the station was built.

A similar provision (of platform starting signals in a sensible place) will occur at Ladybank in the Up direction.

Off topic, but the line towards Dundee really needs fully resignaled, as there is a multitude of remaining semaphores beyond Ladybank, with some of them being modern ones but it’s a mix.

 

[MadMac]

A pre-requisite of electrification will be the immunisation of the signalling. Given the vintage of the signalling equipment in Thornton relay room, it's going to be re-locked to a CBI. The opportunity will be taken to rationalise the signal positions - especially the provision of platform starting signals at Glenrothes with Thornton. This then removes the need for eastbound trains terminating to continue behind signals ET556/ET558 to change ends then come back into the same platform as they've just left.

This was all necessary because the last re-signalling occurred before the station was built.

A similar provision (of platform starting signals in a sensible place) will occur at Ladybank in the Up direction.

The track circuits throughout Fife are, for the most part, of a type that are non-immune: the interlockings themselves aren’t a problem, but the expertise to carry out significant alterations to that system is, for the most part, non-existent now (shameless plug: I’m available!).

 

[Davester50]

This has been bought up many times before. It's normal for the infrastructure work to be completed in advance of any new traction. The tender has been issued and is progressing. Why would you have the traction first so you're paying lease and storage fees for traction that can't be used. Also Scotrail aren't the only user of the line.

Six years for infrastructure work before stock even arrives is unusual, no?

LNER will also be making use of the wires for their 8 services a day on the route

Not on the Leven branch.

 

[Carntyne]

The smart money would be on them doing it now to keep the wiring teams busy.

 

[Davester50]

The smart money would be on them doing it now to keep the wiring teams busy.

And that's fair, but it seems odd that they've done the last bit to be used, first.

 

[Carntyne]

And that's fair, but it seems odd that they've done the last bit to be used, first.

They've been working on the busiest bit (Haymarket-Dalmeny) for a few years now. Leven was build ready to be wired, so easy to get done.