Fife Rail Electrification/Decarbonisation

[John R]

Thanks @TrainViation. Will be interesting to see the drone footage too when you can.

 

[TrainViation]

@AMD would I be able to ask if I could use your footage for the Leven line as well in a YouTube video?
It'll be informative of the project and it will help give another angle of the works which I might've failed to cover.
(If given permission I'll credit your YouTube channel and I will also link this forum in the description for the people that are interested.)

 

[AMD]

would I be able to ask if I could use your footage for the Leven line as well in a YouTube video?

Yes, no problem.

I was down to Leven yesterday, and the count is now 80 masts. 8 have gone up in the past few days just east of Earlseat junction; the most easterly mast is just before the two bridges by the main Diageo plant.

 

[TrainViation]

Yes, no problem.

I was down to Leven yesterday, and the count is now 80 masts. 8 have gone up in the past few days just east of Earlseat junction; the most easterly mast is just before the two bridges by the main Diageo plant.

Thank you very much.

Yes I noticed a lot more masts on the straight section just west of Diageo and the random cluster or masts near the junction too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==

Leven video is up!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Thank you very much.

Yes I noticed a lot more masts on the straight section just west of Diageo and the random cluster or masts near the junction too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==

Leven video is up!

Excellent drone video. Thats the longest section of guard rails I've ever seen installed in the UK especially much of it isn't over structures. Im surmising Carmont may have had a part to play in that. There are plenty of trees if they fell over would take the wires out in that section but look outside of NRs boundary.

 

[BorderCollie]

Katie Vollbracht, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail added:

"Electrifying the Fife and Borders lines is a significant step forward in our plans for a better and decarbonised railway for Scotland. We are delivering around 140km of electrification in Fife and the Borders, paving the way for the introduction of battery-electric trains on these routes which will provide more capacity and reliability and cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable journeys.

New battery-electric trains announced for Fife and Borders railway | Transport Scotland

www.transport.gov.scot

 

[TrainViation]

Providing more capacity is ambitious… I hope they do decided to opt for trains bigger than 3 carriages per set, and sometimes even 4+4. Not wanting to get my hopes up though.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Katie Vollbracht, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail added:

"Electrifying the Fife and Borders lines is a significant step forward in our plans for a better and decarbonised railway for Scotland. We are delivering around 140km of electrification in Fife and the Borders, paving the way for the introduction of battery-electric trains on these routes which will provide more capacity and reliability and cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable journeys.

New battery-electric trains announced for Fife and Borders railway | Transport Scotland

www.transport.gov.scot

Assuming the 342m is for electrification that's equating to 2.4m/km but until we see the detail behind it we obviously can't be sure. Anyhow good that its been announced given the Scotland spending review was due to be announced until Dec 25 these particularly projects are clear within the budget as to what timeline that isn't disclosed.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Really great news. Quoted below

New, more reliable trains and the electrification of Fife and Borders railways was announced today by Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
The announcement will see £342 million invested by the Scottish Government, electrifying the lines and procuring 69 new trains, as part of the next stage in modernising Scotland’s Railway.

Confirming the funding in an answer to a written question in Parliament, Ms Hyslop also visited North Queensferry. This rail journey offered the opportunity to see work already well underway to facilitate electric trains for Fife on the Lothian side of the Forth Bridge.
Further electrification work is also underway on the £116m Leven route, which was re-opened last year bringing passenger services back to this part of Fife for the first time in over 50 years.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:

“I am delighted to confirm that the next phase in Scotland’s programme to decarbonise the railway network will involve the electrification of sections of the Fife and Borders railways. This will support the deployment of battery-electric trains across these key routes.
“This latest Scottish Government investment, in excess of £342 million, demonstrates our continuing commitment to making Scotland’s railway even greener, with greater capacity and reliability.

 

[John R]

Assuming the 342m is for electrification that's equating to 2.4m/km but until we see the detail behind it we obviously can't be sure. Anyhow good that its been announced given the Scotland spending review was due to be announced until Dec 25 these particularly projects are clear within the budget as to what timeline that isn't disclosed.

That sounds about right, and is certainly at the lower end of the range. But remember that by only doing partial electrification, it’s possible to avoid the complex and thus expensive bits to some extent.

 

[mcmad]

Assuming the 342m is for electrification that's equating to 2.4m/km but until we see the detail behind it we obviously can't be sure. Anyhow good that its been announced given the Scotland spending review was due to be announced until Dec 25 these particularly projects are clear within the budget as to what timeline that isn't disclosed.

The full quote shown by Gralistair above is that the £342 covers the wiring and the 69 new trains but given the costs of the trains are presumably unknown until tenders are received then that could be. There is a Scotsman article (https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...not-until-2031-5304109#disqus-comment-section) hidden behind their paywall which claims the units won't be introduced until 2031 which sounds reasonable but that the split is 28 BEMU and 41 EMU.

 

[TrainViation]

The full quote shown by Gralistair above is that the £342 covers the wiring and the 69 new trains but given the costs of the trains are presumably unknown until tenders are received then that could be. There is a Scotsman article (https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...not-until-2031-5304109#disqus-comment-section) hidden behind their paywall which claims the units won't be introduced until 2031 which sounds reasonable but that the split is 28 BEMU and 41 EMU.

With 2031 being six years away, they've really stuffed up the timings with this wiring and the introduction of BEMUs...
Most likely those wires will sit unused for years, minus the six or so LNER services to Aberdeen, London and Leeds everyday.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

With 2031 being six years away, they've really stuffed up the timings with this wiring and the introduction of BEMUs...
Most likely those wires will sit unused for years, minus the six or so LNER services to Aberdeen, London and Leeds everyday.

In fairness, imho, almost all electrification these days are a bit like that -chicken or egg.

 

[TrainViation]

In fairness, imho, almost all electrification these days are a bit like that -chicken or egg.

Yeah that is true. However I also think it'll be very weird having live wires over my local station, yet the vast majority of services and locos still being diesel...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Yeah that is true. However I also think it'll be very weird having live wires over my local station, yet the vast majority of services and locos still being diesel...

I understand your frustration. But given the choice, I would rather have wires up and have to wait for electric trains than the other way round.

 

[aaronspence]

Id rather the wires go up first then brand new EMUs gathering dust in storage because they can't work the Fife lines, what a strange complaint to make.

 

[TrainViation]

I understand your frustration. But given the choice, I would rather have wires up and have to wait for electric trains than the other way round.

Yes yes I completely agree, I'd 1000% want the wires before the stock. But I think ScotRail should've sent away for new trains FAR earlier than they did. Not complaining at all about the wires, but it will feel a little like a ghost town almost in a metaphorical sense with the wires.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

But I think ScotRail should've sent away for new trains FAR earlier than they did.

cash flow issues.

 

[positron]

Presumably given they have so much wiring to do getting these ones done wayy early for the trains it'll also give them flexibility on where they move the teams next. Obviously the ideal ordering is to do wires that can be used asap but that might not be possible always. By 2031 they could have quite a bit of wiring done.

 

[I'm here now]

That sounds about right, and is certainly at the lower end of the range. But remember that by only doing partial electrification, it’s possible to avoid the complex and thus expensive bits to some extent.

I thought the Borders would be continuous & only the Fife is definitely discontinuous.

 

[themiller]

With 2031 being six years away, they've really stuffed up the timings with this wiring and the introduction of BEMUs...
Most likely those wires will sit unused for years, minus the six or so LNER services to Aberdeen, London and Leeds everyday.

I don’t have any inside into the procurement of these trains but it’s unlikely that all 69 would be delivered in 2031 so a possibility would be that it’s the target date for completion of the contract and that some trains will be delivered sooner.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

cash flow issues.

The trains will be leased they haven't got the cash available for an outright purchase even though that is the more cost effective approach on a cost of debt basis HMT won't allow them to take on the liabilities. So there ought to questions asked in Holyrood why the electrification and train acquisition have got so far out of kilter. This is alos the folly of discontinuous electrification as it now leaves them requiring specialist units. Of course if we had some joined up thinking more Flirts could have been an option off the back of the TfW order. Anyhow the positive is they remain committed to electrification and in spite of the huge spending pressures in Scotland they see public transport as something that is worth of funding.

 

[SamCam]

I thought the Borders would be continuous & only the Fife is definitely discontinuous.

The Scotsman article states that the middle bit of the borders line won't be electrified - only the sections north of Shaw fair and south of Stow will get wires.

 

[och aye]

The Scotsman article states that the middle bit of the borders line won't be electrified - only the sections north of Shaw fair and south of Stow will get wires.

This article in The Herald has two maps of the areas that will be electrified.

Fife and Borders railway set for £342m investment for new trains and electric lines

More than £340 million is to be invested into the Fife and Borders railway as part of plans to upgrade trains and electrify the lines.

www.heraldscotland.com

 

[I'm here now]

The Scotsman article states that the middle bit of the borders line won't be electrified - only the sections north of Shaw fair and south of Stow will get wires.

This article in The Herald has two maps of the areas that will be electrified.

Fife and Borders railway set for £342m investment for new trains and electric lines

More than £340 million is to be invested into the Fife and Borders railway as part of plans to upgrade trains and electrify the lines.

www.heraldscotland.com

View attachment 187945View attachment 187946

Thanks - good bit of clarification. Shame it’s not continuous down the Borders.

 

[Snow1964]

The full quote shown by Gralistair above is that the £342 covers the wiring and the 69 new trains but given the costs of the trains are presumably unknown until tenders are received then that could be. There is a Scotsman article (https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...not-until-2031-5304109#disqus-comment-section) hidden behind their paywall which claims the units won't be introduced until 2031 which sounds reasonable but that the split is 28 BEMU and 41 EMU.

This was the advance notice issued 2 months ago, the 28 BEMU and 41 EMU is anticipated core quantity, but might be more via options.

It is anticipated that under a Manufacturing and Supply Agreement (MSA) the core order will be for approximately 69 units, potentially comprising around 41 EMUs and 28 BEMUs. There may also be a requirement for additional option orders, although this will be clarified as part of any Contract Notice.

View Notice - Public Contracts Scotland

www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

Now they seem to have agreed on two partial electrifications in the 2 months since issuing the rolling stock notice (which could argue is more like at least 4 routes, if Cardenden, Ladybank, Leven, Tweedbank are seen as routes), would suggest they need more BEMUs.
Additionally there are also some other lines that are currently DMU operated but which could switch to BEMUs. So maybe the EMU and BEMU ratio will change to more BEMUs, or some of the additional vehicles will happen. There is about 330 vehicles of classes 318, 320, 156, 158 in Scotland, so even a simple one for one replacement suggests 69 trains of nearly 5 vehicles.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Sep 2025 ==

I don’t have any inside into the procurement of these trains but it’s unlikely that all 69 would be delivered in 2031 so a possibility would be that it’s the target date for completion of the contract and that some trains will be delivered sooner.

There is going to be some economics to this, if they pick an existing design ( eg TfW Flirts) then could be earlier, probably nearer 3 years as don't need development and testing (which can be extra 2-3 years

In reality there is going to be a financial equation, is it cheaper to lease new trains early as possible, vs the cost of maintaining and possibly heavy overhauls of old fleet

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Thanks - good bit of clarification. Shame it’s not continuous down the Borders.

You would have thought that the rebuilding of the line would have been to 25kV specification but given the Northern limit, at the South end, is Bowbank Tnl maybe not. That leaves c10km to recharge the batteries although energy demand on an Edinburgh journey will be reduced compared to Tweedbank direction. Of course they will specify what they want to achieve in BEMU specification but I wonder how much spare capacity the batteries need to retain to deal with operational issues.

 

[Waverleystu]

Why Ladybank and nothing north of it? Wouldn’t Dundee be in the plans for electrification by that date?

 

[John R]

Why Ladybank and nothing north of it? Wouldn’t Dundee be in the plans for electrification by that date?

The BEMUs will be able to reach Dundee and indeed Perth on battery from Ladybank. So it’s a sensible end point for a discontinuous scheme. Further north will be a future project, aimed more at the longer distance services. You can’t fund everything at once.

 

[AMD]

Was down to Leven yesterday, the mast count is up to 96 now.