West Lothian Stations Reopening (speculation)

[SoloSR334022]

So what I was thinking was a branch off the Edinburgh to Bathgate line, towards Broxburn and a station off the A89 somewhere around Blyth Road, then the curves up, under the Edinburgh to Bathgate line and M8 and tunneling or remaining above ground (if possible) to a station at Craigshill (underground if the tunneling option is picked.), and then in definitely in a tunnel for an underground station somewhere under the Centre or within the vicinity.

Obviously their are bigger priorities but I do think it would be interesting to see what you lot come up with.

 

[ShadowKnight]

It would be alot more feasible if they built such a line when Livingston itself was being built. Alas Livingston is a car centric town.
Is there the demand for such a service?
I don't know. I think it's more likely if some sort of business model to attract the coach loads of long distance shoppers to switch to the train would work.

 

[SoloSR334022]

It makes me wonder how much such a project would cost? And if such a station was opened would it enable Livingston North or South to be closed? Or would Livingston be fine with 3 train stations.

 

[N1]

The number of tunnels you are talking would be multiple billions.

Slightly cheaper in my opinion would be a branch just before Livingston South, cross Linhouse water and then parallel-ish the A899 and then turning for a surface station where the old Bank of Scotland building is currently, just south of ASDA. You would lose a lot of trees.

Would never happen, as said above, Livingston just has a too low population density, with too much car centric design for this ever to work, all stations are and will be effectively Park & Ride. The only draw into the centre would be a station near the designer outlet, but its no Bicester Village.

 

[SoloSR334022]

The number of tunnels you are talking would be multiple billions.

Slightly cheaper in my opinion would be a branch just before Livingston South, cross Linhouse water and then parallel-ish the A899 and then turning for a surface station where the old Bank of Scotland building is currently, just south of ASDA. You would lose a lot of trees.

Would never happen, as said above, Livingston just has a too low population density, with too much car centric design for this ever to work, all stations are and will be effectively Park & Ride. The only draw into the centre would be a station near the designer outlet, but its no Bicester Village.

Well the feasibility of your idea would definitely work if they ever decided to create such a station, although it's a bit of a dead end and in quite close proximity to Livingston South (although beggars can't be choosers.), and I know whilst very much a fantasy an underground station would enable, maybe an eventual expansion to a station at Whitburn.

 

[N1]

Well the feasibility of your idea would definitely work if they ever decided to create such a station, although it's a bit of a dead end and in quite close proximity to Livingston South (although beggars can't be choosers.), and I know whilst very much a fantasy an underground station would enable, maybe an eventual expansion to a station at Whitburn.

I could, in a quite a few years time, see people promoting a short branch from after Bathgate to Whitburn, depending on how much housing gets built there. Although the station wouldn't be as well placed as in Leven.

 

[SoloSR334022]

Gonna change this to a West Lothian stations reopening speculation thread, will expand the conversation a bit

For Whitburn a station off Baillie Street or the B7066 could work although I'm not to sure of an alignment after that? Timetabling shouldn't be much of a problem as the short runs to Bathgate can be extended, stick the line on a half hour frequency, makes Bathgate to Edinburgh every 15 mins and a station at Whitburn would also eliminate the need for a bus link, hopefully saving some council funding.

 

[Kingston Dan]

Suspect you'd need the Almond Chord for the capacity improvements to accommodate these services. And if you're going to build a branch off the Bathgate line to a Livingston Central station you might as well extend it south to join the Shotts line and run a circular service and give the inner Edinburgh stations on the Shotts line a decent frequency they need to increase ridership.

 

[waverley47]

I think the best case against this is very simple:

Where is the capacity coming from to serve such a station?

Be it in Livingston and on a branch from the Shotts, or A2B lines, or in Whitburn, any services would be an out-and-back shuttle from Waverley. In order to be viable you'd need 2tph, and either way you're sending an extra 2tph in each direction through Haymarket.

Realistically, why would you send 2tph into Waverley on such a shuttle, when you could use the platforms and paths to run a longer distance service somewhere more valuable?

 

[SoloSR334022]

Suspect you'd need the Almond Chord for the capacity improvements to accommodate these services. And if you're going to build a branch off the Bathgate line to a Livingston Central station you might as well extend it south to join the Shotts line and run a circular service and give the inner Edinburgh stations on the Shotts line a decent frequency they need to increase ridership.

What is the Almond Chord? It's not a project I know a lot about.

 

[Kingston Dan]

What is the Almond Chord? It's not a project I know a lot about.

It's a project to create a new chord from the Winchburgh-Dalmeny line southwards on the Fife line (creating a triangular junction) so some E&G line trains can use the less busy Fife lines into Haymarket and Waverley freeing up capacity for services to Bathgate/Shotts/WCML etc through the Haymarket south tunnel.

 

[N1]

Wee diagram here from modern railways: ALMOND CHORD TO BE EXAMINED AGAIN

This is Network Rails Entry Into Service schedule from March 2020 - before Covid changed all of them: Enhancements Delivery Plan Scotland. Now all of the deliveries are simply decarbonisation.

I think the West Lothian new stations schedule is fairly established, most speculation is just on when or if it will be funded.

In my mind it is:

• Build Winchburgh Station
• Build Almond Chord, electrify, build Kirkliston station - enables 4 tph Glasgow-Edinburgh with 2-4tph via Kirkliston
• Deliver 2tph stopping between Edinburgh and Livingston South / West Calder (West Calder slightly favours a new turnback siding)
• Build either Ratho Station or Newbridge P&R site

 

[Falcon1200]

I think the best case against this is very simple:

Where is the capacity coming from to serve such a station?

I would add, how do passengers get to whatever new stations are provided? Unless living within walking distance some other form of transport to the new station(s) is/are required, just as is the case now for Livingston North and South, so what is the justification for the huge spending required?

 

[ShadowKnight]

Regarding Livingston it has similar challenges as Skelmersdale regarding a central rail link. In the end a enhanced bus shuttle from a new headbolt lane station to Skem was developed.

A similar setup of an enhanced bus service between Livingston North, the centre and Livingston South by Lothian Country and/or integrated rail ticketing would be a lower cost proof of concept for a rail link.

 

[SoloSR334022]

Maybe in Livingston's case a 'Centre Shuttle' could be set up i.e Livingston South - The Centre - Livingston North and return?

 

[stevieinselby]

Maybe in Livingston's case a 'Centre Shuttle' could be set up i.e Livingston South - The Centre - Livingston North and return?

There's certainly potential for better connectivity to the stations.
South has an hourly service on the 9, Uphall has a 40-minute service on the 72, and North has a half-hourly service on the 73/74 – none of which are particularly attractive as feeder services.

 

[EMU303]

MSN

Planning permission for a long-delayed railway station in a West Lothian town has been granted by the local council.

Consent for a station in Winchburgh was issued on Monday, October 27, and follows months of work by West Lothian Council, Network Rail, Transport Scotland, SEStran and Winchburgh Developments Ltd.

The station was first promised over a decade ago, before the construction of hundreds of new homes saw the population of what was a village of just a few thousand people increase rapidly.

It is set to be located next to the newly-created town centre, through which a major railway line runs, connecting Edinburgh with Glasgow Queen Street, via Falkirk, and Dunblane, via Stirling.

The plans, which were released in June 2025, include a park and ride and electric vehicle charging points. The platforms will be capable of accommodating trains of up to six carriages in length.

It was forecast at the time that around 625 passengers per day would board services at Winchburgh in 2030.

Although a funding solution for delivering the station is yet to be confirmed, granting of planning permission allows the council to progress a bid for funding, expected to be finalised next month

 

[SoloSR334022]

MSN

Planning permission for a long-delayed railway station in a West Lothian town has been granted by the local council.

Consent for a station in Winchburgh was issued on Monday, October 27, and follows months of work by West Lothian Council, Network Rail, Transport Scotland, SEStran and Winchburgh Developments Ltd.

The station was first promised over a decade ago, before the construction of hundreds of new homes saw the population of what was a village of just a few thousand people increase rapidly.

It is set to be located next to the newly-created town centre, through which a major railway line runs, connecting Edinburgh with Glasgow Queen Street, via Falkirk, and Dunblane, via Stirling.

The plans, which were released in June 2025, include a park and ride and electric vehicle charging points. The platforms will be capable of accommodating trains of up to six carriages in length.

It was forecast at the time that around 625 passengers per day would board services at Winchburgh in 2030.

Although a funding solution for delivering the station is yet to be confirmed, granting of planning permission allows the council to progress a bid for funding, expected to be finalised next month

Ah, great news! It's being ages since I heard something new, glad to see another step towards a new station opened! Just hope it doesn't take another decade...