Scottish Electrification updates & discussion

[najaB]

The two (modern) bridges over the line through the town both appear to be single-track, so full redoubling looks unlikely and also unnecessary.

However, redoubling of at least part of the route is a worthwhile project in itself.

 

[Clansman]

However, redoubling of at least part of the route is a worthwhile project in itself.

I agree.
There are some pivotal points along the line where partial redoubling would be beneficial. Bridge of Earn and Newburgh come to mind.

 

[Altnabreac]

Final structure to be installed for EGIP at Niddry Castle, Winchburgh.
http://www.egip.info/news/2017/02/niddry-castle-is-bridge-to-edinburgh-glasgow-electrification

 

[PaxVobiscum]

A couple of pics recently on RailScot of the new bridge at Shotts station: pic 1 and pic 2

Looks like the bridge itself won't take all that long now considering the old one only came down in January.

 

[Southsider]

A couple of pics recently on RailScot of the new bridge at Shotts station: pic 1 and pic 2

Looks like the bridge itself won't take all that long now considering the old one only came down in January.

Some more pictures on Twitter. It does seem to be progressing well.

https://mobile.twitter.com/shottslineelec?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

 

[QueensCurve]

That would be ideal, but it's unlikely - you'd be looking at a completely new viaduct and a multi-week (month?) closure of the line.

It doesn't form as big an operational constraint as does Usan-Montrose since it's a low speed section of line and pretty much all trains stop at Perth anyway.

Might you in fact be able to increase capacity by increasing the entry and exit speeds to the single track so as to get trains through quicker.

 

[QueensCurve]

Is it just me or would the abutments across the river need to be extended or replaced to take a double track deck?

Out in the river are piers not abutments.

 

[najaB]

Might you in fact be able to increase capacity by increasing the entry and exit speeds to the single track so as to get trains through quicker.

I believe that was being looked at, as well as extending the double track back to the old Princes Street station.

 

[route:oxford]

You're better off getting Perth out the way first, using Gleneagles as the terminating point, then by the time Dunblane to Gleneagles comes around you won't have to bus passengers any further than Perth. Although that doesn't solve the potential capacity issue at Dunblane unless Intercity trains are halted at Stirling.

Given that Gleneagles was recently upgraded and remodelled with a £3.9M new access road along with bus/coach turning circle and direct access to A9 slip roads. Gleneagles is likely to be the best option.

(Note that both Google and Bing maps don't appear to reflect the comprehensive changes.)

 

[Clansman]

Given that Gleneagles was recently upgraded and remodelled with a £3.9M new access road along with bus/coach turning circle and direct access to A9 slip roads. Gleneagles is likely to be the best option.

(Note that both Google and Bing maps don't appear to reflect the comprehensive changes.)

I reckon it would be anyway. The improvements made for the 2014 Ryder Cup will definitely come in handy, when the time comes for Perth to be finally refurbed.

Google Earth has a timeline feature which allows you to look through all the time periods where each location was photographed. I posted one of Gleneagles which shows the refurbished station.

Edit: I'll just attach it.

 

[mcmad]

But Gleneagles doesn't have a turnback facility for trains. Not sure if Auchterarder is still in use and the crossover at Hilton box is no use as it'd be too close to the possession.

The Fasts will turn at Stirling (although Stirling Council is doing their level best to make the area around the station almost impossible to get a bus into and the locals will run onto Dunblane/Alloa as per current.

 

[Liam]

I know it would take ages due to line speed along the Forth, but could they run Glasgow-Aberdeen services via Alloa and Dunfermline?

 

[najaB]

But Gleneagles doesn't have a turnback facility for trains.

Yet. If they decide that it's needed, a crossover wouldn't be beyond the realm of the possible.

 

[Railsigns]

Yet. If they decide that it's needed, a crossover wouldn't be beyond the realm of the possible.

It would be a lot easier to turn them back at Auchterarder.

On a previous occasional when all trains were being turned back at Gleneagles (because of flood damage to the north), single line working with train staff was temporarily implemented between Blackford and Gleneagles.

 

[najaB]

It would be a lot easier to turn them back at Auchterarder.

Fair enough. I was just pointing out that "They can't do X because Y doesn't exist." is rarely a true barrier (unless Y would be prohibitively expensive to implement).

 

[92002]

I know it would take ages due to line speed along the Forth, but could they run Glasgow-Aberdeen services via Alloa and Dunfermline?

Probably easier to send the Aberdeen services from Glasgow via the Forth Bridge to Dundee and extend the Dunblane services to Auchterarder for a bus to Perth. Turning the Inverness services at Perth. With a bus to Auchterarder for onwards to Glasgow/Edinburgh.

 

[QueensCurve]

Fair enough. I was just pointing out that "They can't do X because Y doesn't exist." is rarely a true barrier (unless Y would be prohibitively expensive to implement).

If the will is there they can put in extra infrastructure for planned possessions. Think temporary crossovers for Farnworth Tunnel.

 

[Traveller54]

Perth is going to be the largest infrastructure program since Glasgow Queen Street, so therell have to be a huge investment anyway. A temporary structure at Inveralmond would also go a long way to ensure Inverness passengers are easily connected by bus to Gleneagles and Bridge of Earn. Given the large scale house project at Bertha Park and Muirton, there looks to be future demand for a railway station at Inveralmond in the near future anyway.

A problem with Inveralmond could be the construction of the Cross Tay Link Road, construction scheduled for 2019-22; this will involve a realignment of the dual carriageway north of Inveralmond roundabout, and there could be some lengthy traffic delays during construction. So if Perth station remodelling takes place at the same time, transport to and from a temporary Inveralmond station could get caught up in this as would buses from Dunkeld if they terminate Inverness trains there. Might be better to build a temporary station nearer the City centre, eg at Muirton if there's space, there once was a halt there serving Muirton park on St Johnstone match days.

The best solution may be to wait till the Cross Tay Link Road is complete.

 

[Clansman]

A problem with Inveralmond could be the construction of the Cross Tay Link Road, construction scheduled for 2019-22; this will involve a realignment of the dual carriageway north of Inveralmond roundabout, and there could be some lengthy traffic delays during construction. So if Perth station remodeling takes place at the same time, transport to and from a temporary Inveralmond station could get caught up in this as would buses from Dunkeld if they terminate Inverness trains there. Might be better to build a temporary station nearer the City centre, eg at Muirton if there's space, there once was a halt there serving Muirton park on St Johnstone match days.

The best solution may be to wait till the Cross Tay Link Road is complete.

That would seem obvious to do so indeed, as far as planning goes. In regards to the City Centre, there's literally nowhere to locate a station near it. The closest you'll get to a temporary station in the City Centre is at Princess Street, on the site of the old station - however, this wouldn't work given the wiring and reconstruction of the rail bridge over the Tay.

The only locations which have the sufficient space would be Inveralmond or Muirton. Although as said, Muirton is more than likely to be home to the new stabling depot, so Inveralmond would be the best option, but as you said; best wait until the Cross Tay Link Road is complete. Speculating to the future, there will more than certainly be a demand for Inveralmond to have a railway station in the near future anyway.

 

[QueensCurve]

A problem with Inveralmond could be the construction of the Cross Tay Link Road, construction scheduled for 2019-22;

[Off topic] The slightly odd thing is that the road does not connect with the [former] A85 to Dundee.

 

[Liam]

[Off topic] The slightly odd thing is that the road does not connect with the [former] A85 to Dundee.

There's a hill in the way...

 

[Chris125]

The Rail Engineer has an article concerning EGIP's electrification issues:

EGIP - Electrification Clearance Woes

RSSB advised Rail Engineer that, during the development of GL/RT1210, the energy standards committee, which includes representation from Network Rail, agreed that this standard should reflect the updated BS EN 50122 by specifying the European practice of a 3.5 metre minimum clearance unless an appropriate risk assessment was undertaken.

RSSB also mentioned the extensive consultation exercise for the standard that had attracted over 400 comments and that they understood there to be an industry consensus for this proposal. A senior source in Network Rail, however, commented that removing Annex G was a late change that they had not agreed to and that no one in the company had been consulted. Their view is consistent with the impact assessment for GL/RT1201 not mentioning standing surface clearance and stating that it will retain the use of Annex G.

Furthermore, there was also no assessment of the economic consequences of this decision as required by the TSI implementation strategy. In particular, there does not seem to have been any consideration of a minimum clearance of slightly less than 3.5 metres which, as will be seen, would have significantly reduced the impact of this standards change.

 

[Southsider]

Final structure to be installed for EGIP at Niddry Castle, Winchburgh.
http://www.egip.info/news/2017/02/niddry-castle-is-bridge-to-edinburgh-glasgow-electrification

According to EGIP twitter, the new bridge was installed at the weekend

 

[Carntyne]

According to EGIP twitter, the new bridge was installed at the weekend

Not long until the power goes on now

 

[McRhu]

Apologies for being very briefly off topic but I thought I'd just jump in re. all this talk about infrasructure, electrification and Perth to mention that when I was a boy walking up by Huntingtowerfield there was the remains of an electrified railway at the bleachworks on The Lade; and if I correctly remember, serving the Almondbank Depot. Not 25kv perhaps, but a distant ancestor.

Sorry for the rambling... Nothing new under the sun, etc...

 

[YorkshireBear]

The Rail Engineer has an article concerning EGIP's electrification issues:

EGIP - Electrification Clearance Woes

What a farce this is.... It just gets worse and worse.

 

[najaB]

What a farce this is.... It just gets worse and worse.

That's an interesting read, thanks for posting it.

 

[YorkshireBear]

That's an interesting read, thanks for posting it.

No problem, thought my comment might have been too detailed, thanks for confirming it was just right.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...rgh-glasgow-bridges-ahead-of-electrification/

Network Rail completes Edinburgh-Glasgow bridges ahead of electrification



Network Rail has installed a new footbridge over the railway near Niddry Castle in Winchburgh – the final structure to be replaced – thus clearing the line for the electrification of the railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The footbridge at this location was demolished in late 2015 with the new bridge installed over the weekend being the 60th and final structure to be replaced on the E&G as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).

The bridges have been replaced to create the extra height required over the railway to safely run the cables needed for overhead line electrification and with the E&G route now ‘height cleared’, the next target for the project is to complete the overhead wiring and make the line live – which will be by Easter 2017.

The bridge in Winchburgh was craned into position over the weekend linking Niddry Castle Golf Club with the field opposite to reconnect a popular walking spot for the local community. While not the biggest or most intrusive structure of the 60 bridge clearance works, Niddry Castle is the culmination of 4 year programme of route clearance to height clear in order to safely run OHLE cables.

Kevin McClelland, Network Rail route delivery director for infrastructure projects, said: “Niddry Castle footbridge marks a significant milestone in EGIP as we move towards the final phase of delivering the electrification of the line between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“By the middle of March, Niddry Castle footbridge will once again become a well-worn pathway enjoyed by the local community but for EGIP, it has a much wider significance for the project and an important step towards delivering the electrification of Scotland’s flagship route.

“This has been a major undertaking which has been delivered across seven council areas and necessitated some disruption to both the road and rail network and for lineside communities as work is largely delivered at night to maintain train services during the day.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank residents across the route for their patience while we delivered this massive investment in our infrastructure. We are grateful for their patience and we are confident that the benefits delivered will make it worthwhile as the electrification of the line is a genuinely transformational investment.”

The EGIP is a Scottish Government funded investment to deliver a rolling programme of electrification across the central belt – reducing journey times and increasing capacity on routes by improving the infrastructure to enable faster, greener and more energy efficient trains.

In addition to the 60 structures replaced, the parapet heights at more than 100 bridges have also been raised route-wide.

To date, EGIP has successfully completed the £80m electrification of the Cumbernauld line, the £25m redevelopment of Edinburgh’s Haymarket station and the completion of the new, £41m Edinburgh Gateway train-tram interchange.

 

[snowball]

And after the last bridge, another one (the explanation perhaps being that this one isn't a replacement):

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/crosshill-road-bridgeworks-completed/

Crosshill Road bridgeworks completed

Network Rail has completed work on Crosshill Road in Lenzie to raise the bridge parapet heights in preparation for electrification of the Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line.

The junction on Crosshill Road, at the B812, to the junction of Boghead Road, on the B819, was closed overnight from February 5 to March 1 to enable engineers to carry out work to make the structure compliant with new European safety standards.

The bridge parapet walls needed to be 1.8m tall to ensure the public is a safe distance from the 25k volt electric cables which will be installed under the structure as part of the ongoing Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).

Due to the type of work, and where it has to be undertaken, this project had be done at night when trains were not running to reduce the risk to engineers and minimise the impact on road users. More than 60 structures across the route have been replaced and the parapet heights at more than 100 bridges have been raised during the delivery of the EGIP.

Kevin McClelland, Network Rail route delivery director for infrastructure projects, said: “Creating the right clearances under bridges for electrification and raising parapet heights has been a major undertaking and a vital part of our railway upgrade plan.

“Delivered across seven council areas, it has necessitated some disruption to both the road and rail network and for lineside communities as the work is largely delivered at night to maintain train services during the day.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank residents across the route for their cooperation while we delivered this massive investment in our infrastructure. We are grateful for their patience and we are confident that the benefits delivered will make it worthwhile as the electrification of the line is a genuinely transformational investment.”

A Scottish Government-funded investment, the EGIP programme of electrification across the central belt will deliver reduced journey times and increased capacity on more comfortable, efficient, reliable and greener trains.

To date, EGIP has successfully delivered the £80m electrification of the Cumbernauld line, the £25m redevelopment of Edinburgh’s Haymarket station and completion of the new, £41m Edinburgh Gateway train-tram interchange.

The enlarged parapets look a bit overwhelming, but the bridge wasn't exactly beautiful before. Here it is on Streetview:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.9...4!1sSz93Ity4AcaFh6ckpXkXpA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

No doubt pedestrians are in more danger from road traffic than from the railway.