https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/15-million-approved-to-develop-options-for-waverley-approaches/
The three infrastructure options being explored are:
- a new chord (Almond chord) with flat junctions at both Winchburgh and Almond
- the Almond chord with a flat Winchburgh Junction and a grade separated Almond Junction
- the Almond chord with grade separated junctions at both Winchburgh and Almond
The work being funded now will include detailed modelling to provide assurance on the performance benefits and help inform which option is most suitable, weighing up costs against the future needs of the railway.
The work will also provide a more detailed understanding of the potential costs of any option being taken forward.
Excellent news. I’m confident that Option 2 will have the best business case.
A flat junction at the Almond end will just create conflicts which are as bad as the existing ones. No point in spending all that money and ending up with that.
The original EGIP scheme included grade separation at the Winchburgh end. However this is very much a luxury that can be avoided.
If you were to move the Winchburgh station to be located on the new Chord then how many trains would actually need to go via the existing route?
In theory none. The 4tph Edinburgh Park stoppers can be replaced with Edinburgh Gateway calls. The 4tph Falkirk High trains can go either route.
So the only limitation on sending all services via Almond Chord is the capacity on the Fife lines and dwell times at Edinburgh Gateway / Haymarket.
It may be that a 2tph residual service via Newbridge makes sense but I can’t imagine it will be more than that.
So you vastly reduce the flat conflicts at:
Newbridge Junction (8 vs 4 tph becomes 0-2 vs 4)
Haymarket East Junction (12 vs 3 tph becomes 4-6 vs 3 tph).
Overall this will allow a number of potential extra services:
4tph becomes 6tph Edinburgh - Bathgate
4tph becomes 6tph Edinburgh - Falkirk High
2tph becomes 3tph Edinburgh - Shotts