Next station to be built/reopened in Scotland

[och aye]

Now that Balgray has opened, what do we think the next new station(s) will be built/reopened in Scotland?

Winchburgh seems the most obvious one. After that, I'm not sure, perhaps Clackmannan and Kincardine, if something gets done at the former Logannet power station?

 

[Transilien]

What about Grangemouth? It seems to be a very simple idea that could be implemented quickly. IMO, a proper rail link to Edinburgh Airport that allows most trains heading west from the city to stop right at the terminal should be the next big project.

 

[Farigiraf]

It's pretty much guaranteed to be Winchburgh, being the only one that's actually funded. The next most likely, I'd say probably one of Newburgh, Abernethy or Bridge of Earn. Halbeath P&R station is also a possibility although the train would be slower and less frequent than the bus so I don't see the point (though they said that about Portway too). Bonnybridge could also be revived at some point.

I don't really think it's the climate for full new lines at the moment, the easier ones in Scotland have been mostly done so you're left with the fairly inconvenient to implement schemes such as Alloa-Dunfermline, Aberdeen-Peterhead/Fraserburgh or even Tweedbank-Hawick. Neither of them connecting more than 50,000 people to the railway, for probably at least a billion pounds each. A major housing development may put them higher up the priority list. Would be great but won't happen for a long time.

What about Grangemouth? It seems to be a very simple idea that could be implemented quickly

Theoretically the most likely new line, but a lot of logistics to sort out with that one, must be hard to implement given that it's a busy bit of railway. Best chance is an extension of the Glasgow-Falkirk (via Cumbernauld) service but without an Edinburgh link the business case wouldn't be too strong. Grangemouth is also a very low density town so any station location wouldn't be useful for at least half the population, since if you already have to drive to the station you may as well park at Polmont/Linlithgow.

 

[waverley47]

It's pretty much guaranteed to be Winchburgh, being the only one that's actually funded

Winchburgh 2028/2029, or a reopened Inverkip [nee IBM] 2029/2030.

One of Bridge of Earn, Abernethy or Newburgh seem likely for about 2033, depending on how various things go.

After that, Cove and Newtonhill as a pair, probably as part of the just transition money that we expect to start trickling into Aberdeen in the next few years.

Realistically, the next one probably should be Bonnybridge, but that's five years out at a minimum. If the local authority decide they want it, then there's services that can slot in an extra slot, its in the middle of a nice big built up area, and its technically feasible.

There are a couple of marginal business case ones that slot into this same category; technically feasible and lacking sponsors, but these have a more questionable value for money. Mossend, Elderslie, Cumnock, Mauchline, Dysart, and Cambus all fall here.



Mossend and Elderslie are both short distances from stations in either direction and are on busy lines, so maybe it's just not worth the bother for any new passengers they'd draw versus just shifting travel patterns.

Cumnock and Mauchline really need a solid 1tph to work, which means doubling the service from Kilmarnock through to Dumfries, which is expensive, and needs more, newer units to really attract punters.

Cambus you could build tomorrow, but there are space issues for where you put the car park, and it's bang in the middle of a maze of bonded warehouses and I'm not sure HMRC would really want to move.

Dysart you could also build tomorrow, it gets a nice even 2tph service, but there's nowhere obvious to build it without knocking down a few houses.



Grangemouth has been discussed to death, and neither it, nor Dunfermline - Alloa, are reopening this side of 2035.

 

[Bill57p9]

Cumnock and Mauchline really need a solid 1tph to work, which means doubling the service from Kilmarnock through to Dumfries, which is expensive, and needs more, newer units to really attract punters.

Units can be (and are) reversed at New Cumnock (although not in passenger service) therefore Cumnock and Mauchline could have an hourly service with 1 additional unit extending one of the Glasgow to Kilmarnock services to Mauchline, Auchinleck and Cumnock. Upgrading New Cumnock to allow passenger reversals would offer further catchment to extended services and the train is much faster than the bus in this part of the world.

I do agree that the GSW 156s are in need of replacement, though the route remains busy between Glasgow and Kilmarnock and Dumfries and Carlisle.

 

[waverley47]

Units can be (and are) reversed at New Cumnock (although not in passenger service) therefore Cumnock and Mauchline could have an hourly service with 1 additional unit

1 additional diagram is unfortunately the problem there, the 156 fleet is a bit stretched in Scotland at the moment.

Once the new units come in, the great reshuffle should mean Aberdeen and the GSW get the 170s, and the 158s go to the WHL and Inverness.

 

[Bill57p9]

1 additional diagram is unfortunately the problem there, the 156 fleet is a bit stretched in Scotland at the moment.

Once the new units come in, the great reshuffle should mean Aberdeen and the GSW get the 170s, and the 158s go to the WHL and Inverness.

Thanks - Did ScotRail hand back or cascade 156s after the completion of East Kilbride and Barrhead electrification? EK consumed something like 9 diagrams (3 of 3 units each).

 

[Cach17]

Winchburgh 2028/2029, or a reopened Inverkip [nee IBM] 2029/2030.

There's already a station called Inverkip just down the line from IBM. If IBM reopened It'd probably be called Spango Valley.

 

[Class15]

1 additional diagram is unfortunately the problem there, the 156 fleet is a bit stretched in Scotland at the moment.

Whatever happened to the 156 Brodies were selling off?

 

[Strathclyder]

Whatever happened to the 156 Brodies were selling off?

I assume you're referring to 156478? Northern have now got that one, they recieved it after ScotRail's lease expired in (I believe) late 2023.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Today at 03:12 ==

Winchburgh 2028/2029, or a reopened Inverkip [nee IBM] 2029/2030.

The latter's reopening I thought was dependent on the redevelopment plans for the former IBM site getting the go-ahead. I haven't heard much of anything in that respect for some time now.

 

[EMU303]

The latter's reopening I thought was dependent on the redevelopment plans for the former IBM site getting the go-ahead. I haven't heard much of anything in that respect for some time now.

Originally proposed for housing but I think that was rejected. Latest plan is for a data centre, if that were to get the go ahead it would perhaps employ too few people to make a reopening of the station sensible.