Glasgow Queen Street refurbishment and remodelling

[PHILIPE]

I'm rather surprised if the effectively new Airdrie-Bathgate route isn't cleared for all possible types of stock. Or is the problem for 170s actually on the older section between Airdrie and Glasgow?

Traction knowledge for Depots with route knowledge as has already been pointed out.. Also, Traction is now only shown for routes over which they are intended. They can be cleared, however, later if a TOC would like them to be cleared and they are within gauge.

 

[me123]

If Scot-rail.co.uk is to be believed, there is no clearance between Airdrie and Bellgrove Junction.

 

[najaB]

I'm rather surprised if the effectively new Airdrie-Bathgate route isn't cleared for all possible types of stock.

I'd be surprised if 170s actually fouled any structures on the route, but why go to the effort of proving clearance for stock that you don't intend to operate over it?

 

[gsnedders]

The Falkirk High services are not running for the benefit of Edinburgh to Glasgow passengers, they are running purely to maintain connectivity between the intermediate stations. In terms of the overall plan, there should have been no impact on E-G passengers who should already be using the route via Airdrie (or a service from Central). There is no need to enhance capacity on the route via Airdrie when the purpose of the service is for passengers at Croy, Falkirk High, Linlithgow and Polmont.

Hmm. Taking a random set of trains around now, the Falkirk High services are timetabled at 68 minutes, limited-stop A-B services are also 68 minutes, and stopping A-B 71 minutes. Glasgow to Edinburgh passengers therefore get the quickest journey in the late evening and on Sunday by going via Falkirk High. (This certainly matches what the situation was when I went from Partick to Waverley on Sunday; quicker to change at Queen Street onto Falkirk High train.)

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Pictures of the Queen Street High Level Tunnel! work on https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGQS and some of Queen Street platform work on RailScot (latest) if anyone is interested.

 

[Railsigns]

I wish everyone would refer to this tunnel by its correct name - Queen Street High Level Tunnel!

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Thanks for that, Railsigns, and apologies.
I stand corrected, and shall henceforth use the correct name on condition that everyone also agrees to call the other end of the line Edingburgh as per Sectional Appendix

OK it only does that some of the time.

 

[Railsigns]

Oh dear! That's bad.

(I've seen Tweedbank printed as Tweedlebank in the W.O.N.)

 

[adrock1976]

I wish everyone would refer to this tunnel by its correct name - Queen Street High Level Tunnel!

I thought that the proper name of the structure was called Cowlairs Tunnel, due to the gradient being called Cowlairs Incline.

 

[edwin_m]

I've seen Tweedbank printed as Tweedlebank in the W.O.N.

That's just Tweedle-dumb.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I thought that the proper name of the structure was called Cowlairs Tunnel, due to the gradient being called Cowlairs Incline.

So I believed, but it's Queen Street High Level Tunnel in all the Network Rail bumph. It's quite far south of Cowlairs anyway - Sighthill would be more accurate but there used to be another tunnel nearby (from Buchanan Street) and the temptation to add in an extra 'h' would be too strong (have you seen the place?)

More pictures on RailScot today, but not so far from Network Rail Twitter.

EDIT: They must be watching
https://twitter.com/hashtag/QSTunnel?src=hash

2 views of the station throat:
https://www.railscot.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=54749
https://www.railscot.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=54753

 

[adrock1976]

So I believed, but it's Queen Street High Level Tunnel in all the Network Rail bumph. It's quite far south of Cowlairs anyway - Sighthill would be more accurate but there used to be another tunnel nearby (from Buchanan Street) and the temptation to add in an extra 'h' would be too strong (have you seen the place?).

More pictures on RailScot today, but not so far from Network Rail Twitter.

Many thanks for clarifying that.

Regarding the last part of the first paragraph - when I first relocated to Scotland, my first flat was in Fountainwell Square from 1997/8 to 2001. As I was on the top floor, I had problems with dampness seeping through, plus I got broken into one time I was away (before there was a concierge service). I could not escape quick enough when the chance arose.

 

[Markos72]

We've always called it Queen Street tunnel in all the years I've worked on the railway.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Short teaser video of the work in progress at Queen Street this morning:
https://vimeo.com/163075893

Longer edited version to follow.

 

[route:oxford]

I wish everyone would refer to this tunnel by its correct name - Queen Street High Level Tunnel!

Surely if we are going to call it by "the correct name", we would be calling it by it's 3 constituent names...

Bell’s Park Tunnel(272 yards)
Asylum Tunnel (292 yards)
Broomhill Tunnel (476 yards)

Which predominantly cover the Cowlairs Incline.

From the RCHAMS site, with further credit within content.

The entry to Queen Street High Level Station for railway traffic is through a tunnel 1040 yards long on an inclined plane of about twice that length with an ascending gradient of 1 in 44 to Cowlairs Station, where a steam-operated winding engine originally existed until 1968 although the machinery was scrapped in 1909. The tunnel, built by Marshall & Co., consisted of three parts, Bell’s Park 272 yards, Asylum 292 yards and Broomhill 476 yards.

These works were constructed in 1840–42 by the Edinburgh & Glasgow under the direction of Miller, at the

end of a line he had engineered almost level. The incline was too steep to be worked by the locomotives of the day and each train had to be assisted by rope haulage and controlled by a special brake wagon when descending. By the end of 1841 the tunnel was white-washed and gas lit and, on Miller’s authorisation, was opened to the public on New Year’s Day 1842 for the benefit of the Paisley Relief Fund and workmen injured on the railway.

The rope haulage system, similar to that on the earlier Liverpool & Manchester, was in the form of an endless

cable operated by a winding engine in a special building at the top of the incline. Trains were connected to the rope as they left Queen Street Station and cast off the connection at the top. This inconvenient method of

working lasted from 1842 to 1908, when banking engines took over.

As a train began to leave the station there was a momentary pause for the rope to be attached. This allowed many a late arriving passenger a few moments more to catch the train!

R Paxton and J Shipway 2007

Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission of Thomas Telford Publishers.

 

[Railsigns]

Surely if we are going to call it by "the correct name", we would be calling it by it's [sic] 3 constituent names...

Bell’s Park Tunnel(272 yards)
Asylum Tunnel (292 yards)
Broomhill Tunnel (476 yards)

The correct name for present-day operational purposes is the one stated in the current Sectional Appendix and displayed on the workstation screens at Edinburgh Signalling Centre:

Historical names are a different matter.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Short teaser video of the work in progress at Queen Street this morning:
https://vimeo.com/163075893

Longer edited version to follow.

I counted 6 mechanical diggers and 2 spoil trains - they are cracking on.

 

[Altnabreac]

I had a wee gander at Cowlairs for myself, and for all we are being told that the Cowlairs Tunnel works are separate from EGIP there are a number of overlaps becoming evident apart from any EGIP work being undertaken in the station itself.

During the period of the closure it seems there are two overbridges for the chop downhill from Cowlairs South junction - OB 123 (Fountainwells footpath which used to provide access to the Shighthill (sorry, Freudian slip ) flats from Keppochhill Road) and OB 121 (Gourlay Street). A depot has been established at the side of the line where one of the high flats used to be and this will provide at grade access to the line and the tunnel from the top end.

The Fountainwells bridge will be replaced eventually according to the notice (photo below) but the Gourlay Street one will be replaced by a pipe bridge according to www.egip.info:


There's a picture of the depot already on the Railscot news section.

I see the news articles about reopening Philpstoun and Park Farm bridges refer to them as the 57th and 58th out of 61 structures to be completed as part of EGIP.

Thr Drumgrew bridge reopening article also refers to it as the 59th structure of 61.

Assuming that Gourlay Street and Fountainwell are 60 and 61 it seems that the Pipe Bridge at Gourlay Street is the last structures work needed before the line can be fully electrified.

 

[cl19]

Wonder why they are using wooden sleepers and what appears to be jointed track as opposed to CWR and concrete? I'm sure someone with more civils knowledge than me will advise!

 

[route:oxford]

The correct name for present-day operational purposes is the one stated in the current Sectional Appendix and displayed on the workstation screens at Edinburgh Signalling Centre:

Historical names are a different matter.

So, with a courier (or fixed widith) font...

Was the length of the tunnel on the screen dictated by the number of characters in "QUEEN STREET HIGH LEVEL TUNNEL" or was it named as such because it fitted rather nicely into the space?

 

[swt_passenger]

Wonder why they are using wooden sleepers and what appears to be jointed track as opposed to CWR and concrete? I'm sure someone with more civils knowledge than me will advise!

Is it definitely finished jointed track, or are they temporary rail clamps? It is sometimes easier to deliver the rail, (or handle it on site), in short lengths for installation, then they can come back later and weld all the joints.

I think wooden sleepers may still be needed in areas where they are intending to fit check rails.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Short teaser video of the work in progress at Queen Street this morning:
https://vimeo.com/163075893

Longer edited version to follow.

Full version (4' 28") now available at https://vimeo.com/163172881


Another instalment posted
I have posted a short (1'38") video update on the progress in the last 5 days at Queen Street https://vimeo.com/163742895

If there is enough interest, I could do this regularly, since there doesn't seem to be anyone else doing it apart from the TV and press releases. The first one attracted a few hundred hits (the telly must have been bad over the weekend ).

How does one embed videos here BTW? Some forums seem to do it automatically.

 

[najaB]

How does one embed videos here BTW? Some forums seem to do it automatically.

It can only be done with YouTube videos as far as I know.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If there is enough interest, I could do this regularly, since there doesn't seem to be anyone else doing it apart from the TV and press releases.

If you make 'em, I'll watch 'em.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

It can only be done with YouTube videos as far as I
know.

Ah well, thanks anyway.

If you make 'em, I'll watch 'em.

That's enough encouragement for me.

UPDATE 21/04/16:
Another video today at https://vimeo.com/164169513

 

[Jonny]

I'm not sure if it will work on this forum, but you could try what's suggested here http://www.phpbb3bbcodes.com/viewtopic.php?t=268 with backup http://archive.is/Qos2W

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Full version (4' 28") now available at https://vimeo.com/163172881

Another instalment posted
I have posted a short (1'38") video update on the progress in the last 5 days at Queen Street https://vimeo.com/163742895

If there is enough interest, I could do this regularly, since there doesn't seem to be anyone else doing it apart from the TV and press releases.

If you make 'em, I'll watch 'em.

+1 from me

That's enough encouragement for me.

UPDATE 21/04/16:
Another video today at https://vimeo.com/164169513

Outstanding.

On the Northwest Electrification threads, LDECRexile (aka Dave) aided by one or two others , myself included occasionally, updates very regularly with photos and videos and is an outstanding resource. Great for the history books too. So you being willing to do it for this project is excellent - please please continue.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I'm not sure if it will work on this forum, but you could try what's suggested here http://www.phpbb3bbcodes.com/viewtopic.php?t=268 with backup http://archive.is/Qos2W

Thanks for that - I'll give it a try:

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/164169513[/vimeo]

Aah - doesn't seem to work. I'll try to find out more about it.

 

[carriageline]

So, with a courier (or fixed widith) font...



Was the length of the tunnel on the screen dictated by the number of characters in "QUEEN STREET HIGH LEVEL TUNNEL" or was it named as such because it fitted rather nicely into the space?

The length of the tunnel is shown by the broken lines, not the blue line (that's the limit of a signal group replacement button) and it goes up a bit further than that.

The indicated tunnel length (AFAIAA) has to be correct, IE marry up to track circuit lengths and signal/point locations

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Queen Street Works videos are now all accessible at the one link: vimeo.com/album/3924767

Previous individual links should still work.

Another update showing the latest progress up to 28th April has been uploaded this morning: https://vimeo.com/164683517

EDIT: new URL (corrected above)
Sorry I posted the wrong version - a small continuity error corrected.

 

[Altnabreac]

Queen Street Works videos are now all accessible at the one link: vimeo.com/album/3924767

Previous individual links should still work.

Another update showing the latest progress up to 28th April has been uploaded this morning: https://vimeo.com/164676386

Thanks for all your videos Pax, very good stuff.

Some new photos available from Network Rail on Twitter as well:
https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGQS

40 days of the project gone. 100 to go.

Very pleasing to see some of the actual track slab foundation going in. Feels like progress is happening.