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East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

MadMac

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So what was added? Something to do with signalling?
Basically, it introduced another “section” between Busby and Busby Junction on the Down (towards Glasgow) line only. Before it was there, a Glasgow-bound train couldn’t leave Busby unless the line was clear to Busby Junction.
 
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Dr Hoo

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Giffnock is in the double track area?
Yes, but it was still on a 'long block'. Without the additional signal, but after the East Kilbride-Busby section had the additional loop near Hairmyres you would have had the bizarre situation of East Kilbride being able to send trains down faster than they could be passed through the double track section.

It also helped in the evening when there were a couple of Busby short workings to balance loads across sets and get a 'second peak run' out of one diagram.

There was some very shrewd operations planning back in the day. :)
 

snowball

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Has there been any visible recent work except to Nithsdale Road bridge and Pollokshaws viaduct? Are any masts or foundations being done towards Barrhead?
 

JModulo

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Has there been any visible recent work except to Nithsdale Road bridge and Pollokshaws viaduct? Are any masts or foundations being done towards Barrhead?
Yes. Can't tell you exactly where but on passing tonight piling seems to be complete/in progress till past Priesthill (heading towards Barrhead).
 

Southsider

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Has there been any visible recent work except to Nithsdale Road bridge and Pollokshaws viaduct? Are any masts or foundations being done towards Barrhead?
Has work started on the viaduct? There was no sign of any when I passed a week or so back.
 
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Has work started on the viaduct? There was no sign of any when I passed a week or so back.
It seems that the work done on the Pollokshaws Viaduct was some form of assessment of the structure. Whether this work was done for the electrification project or business as usual infrastructure management is not known.

Meanwhile, the Cartcraigs Road overbridge has been demolished. When I was there, I spoke to a local family. In their opinion the galvanised palisade fencing looks too industrial for a residential neighbourhood with many trees. It is a pity that Glasgow Council did not insist on green coloured fencing as a condition of the planning approval.

Cartcraigs Road bridge demolished.jpgCartcraigs Road bridge rubble.jpg
 

najaB

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In their opinion the galvanised palisade fencing looks too industrial for a residential neighbourhood with many trees. It is a pity that Glasgow Council did not insist on green coloured fencing as a condition of the planning approval.
Give it six months and the bushes will likely have grown up around and through it.
 

sannox

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Is this the one that has an alternative route nearby and won’t need replaced?

There is an alternative road bridge on Kennishead Road which is 20m south. Cartcraigs Road was also completely removed with no replacement further towards Glasgow.
 

snowball

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I've just discovered this tweet from the Tory shadow Scottish transport minister from Friday:


MSP meets SPL Powerlines to discuss the electrification of the EK and Barrhead rail line​

Central Scotland MSP and Shadow Minister for Transport, Graham Simpson visited SPL Powerlines at their compound in Nitshill to discuss the electrification of the East Kilbride and Barrhead to Glasgow rail line.

He met with Lee Pounder, SPL Regional Director and David Boyce, Head of Project Communications at Network Rail, who updated him on the works before providing a tour of the compound.

Mr Simpson was also shown a practical demonstration of the process for piling and erecting pylons along the line.

SPL Powerlines confirmed the Barrhead to Glasgow line, which is due to be fully electrified by December 2023, is progressing well.

The team also briefed Mr Simpson on when work is expected to start on the East Kilbride rail line – which was due to be fully electrified and dualled.

However, late last year the Scottish Government announced this will be electrified but no longer dualled in its entirety.

Mr Simpson was pleased to see the Barrhead section of the project moving at pace but remains disappointed that the East Kilbride route has been downgraded.

MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson said: “It was good to hear that the team at SPL are making good progress with the electrification of the Barrhead line and great to see the work which goes into completing a project like this.

“This is an exciting development which will help reduce local emission levels but also make the service more reliable for local residents.

“It was also useful to hear about their plans for the East Kilbride leg of the route. I will continue to call on the SNP to rethink their short-sighted decision to scrap dualling the line in its entirety.

“There is still time for the Minister to proceed with the initial plan and provide the town with a future-proof rail network, electrified and dualled all the way to East Kilbride”.
 
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Last week, Network Rail wrote to railway neighbours informing us that they will be working on de-vegetation from Saturday 23rd July until Thursday 28th July between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00 between Crossmyloof and Kennishead. It mentions also level crossing maintenance - although there are no level crossings to maintain!

Network Rail sent us another letter on the same day, informing us of similar work on Saturday 30th July until 4th August between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00 between Dalreoch Junction and Moss Road - which seems to be completely irrelevant to us in the Southside of Glasgow.

Network Rail has closed the Darnley Road - Moray Place pedestrian bridge - they are adding scaffolding that appears to be to enable step free access to the bridge while the Nithsdale Road bridge is closed.
Moray Place 31 Jul 2022.jpg

The north side of the Nithsdale Road bridge:
Nithsdale Road Bridge 31 Jul 2022.jpg
 
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snowball

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Press release


Bridge set for demolition in Glasgow's southside​

Network Rail is removing the bridge on Nithsdale Road as part of the Barrhead to Glasgow electrification project.

Work to demolish the railway bridge on Nithsdale Road, in Glasgow's southside, will begin this weekend.

It’s the latest phase of work within the Barrhead to Glasgow electrification project and is part of wider plans to decarbonise passenger services on Scotland’s railway by 2035.

Significant round the clock activity will include the use of a crane and lorries to remove bridge materials from the site.

The bridge will be raised and re-decked to create the room required to install overhead powerlines beneath the structure.

Nithsdale Road has been closed to traffic since April and will not be accessible to pedestrians during the demolition which will take place over two consecutive weekends (6-8 August & 13-15 August).

Pedestrian access over the railway will be maintained via the nearby footbridge between Moray Place and Darnley Road, with temporary ramps fitted to allow step free access.

Rachael Melody, Senior Sponsor, said “This work is an essential part of the electrification programme that will create a more reliable and greener railway for our passengers and lineside neighbours.

“The weekend closures of this rail line will allow us to complete the works safely and efficiently, and while disruption is expected, we fully appreciate the patience and support of the community during this time.”

Members of the public can get more information by emailing [email protected] or calling the Network Rail helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

This seems to be compatible with the timeline in #590.
 
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Southsider

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Last week, Network Rail wrote to railway neighbours informing us that they will be working on de-vegetation from Saturday 23rd July until Thursday 28th July between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00 between Crossmyloof and Kennishead. It mentions also level crossing maintenance - although there are no level crossings to maintain!

Network Rail sent us another letter on the same day, informing us of similar work on Saturday 30th July until 4th August between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00 between Dalreoch Junction and Moss Road - which seems to be completely irrelevant to us in the Southside of Glasgow.

Network Rail has closed the Darnley Road - Moray Place pedestrian bridge - they are adding scaffolding that appears to be to enable step free access to the bridge while the Nithsdale Road bridge is closed.
View attachment 118511

The north side of the Nithsdale Road bridge:
View attachment 118512
What happens to the footbridge once Nithsdale Road bridge has been reinstated? Will it be demolished? I assume the footbridge that is being replaced is further south.
 
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What happens to the footbridge once Nithsdale Road bridge has been reinstated? Will it be demolished? I assume the footbridge that is being replaced is further south.
The footbridge has reopened to pedestrians with step free access provided by the scaffolding and temporary timber planks. It is the historic footbridge that will be replaced next year. Nithsdale Road Bridge is now closed to pedestrians.

Preparations are underway for the demolition of the road bridge this weekend.

Nithsdale Road Bridge 4 Aug 2022.jpg

EDIT Saturday Morning

Strathbungo Station has been demolished:

Strathbungo Station demolished.jpg

Tree surgeons are on site felling mature trees on Darnley Road to create a gap for a temporary compound beside the railway:

Darnley Road 6 Aug 2022.jpg

I spoke to neighbours who told me that they were not aware of this tree felling. Meanwhile, the former Arnold Clark car dealership couple of hundred metres along the railway remains vacant.

EDIT: Saturday afternoon

Nithsdale Road Bridge beam.jpg
Nithsdale Road Bridge beam 2.jpg
Nithsdale Road Bridge beam 3.jpg
 
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InOban

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NR are saying that a lot of other track and point work is being carried out while the line is closed.
 
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Often, when a lot of behind the scenes planning and preparatory work is done, huge progress is seen all at once.
This morning, I visited the site and spoke again with a young SPL Powerlines engineer. He told me that there were a few unexpected issues but that the bridge demolition has been completed and they were now clearing plant and track protection off the railway. Yesterday, he told me that this is the biggest weekend for this project, with two bridge demolitions and other work at Nitshill.

Earlier, I noticed that the fibre optic conduit over the temporary bridge had no cables through it and I assumed that there was no fibre over the old bridge. It seems that this assumption was false - the fibre optic team are on site this morning running their replacement service through the temporary conduit.

Another snag is that the owner of a volkswagen van left their van parked on Darnley Road in the coned off section, right where SPL Powerlines need to break through the dyke to form an entrance to their temporary compound. Yesterday, I suggested that they contact Glasgow Council to have it lifted but he thought I was joking - this morning he told me that the PM has contacted the Police to get it removed. The chainsaw gang are back on site felling more mature trees.

This morning:

Nithsdale Road Bridge 7 Aug 22.jpg
 

qpsnapper

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Another picture taken this morning from a different angle, taken from the pedestrian footbridge.
 

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Legolash2o

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I'm hoping I've got the correct bridge. What happening to the blue building above the tracks? Looks like it's now gone if it's the same bridge as the bridges above.
 

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I'm hoping I've got the correct bridge. What happening to the blue building above the tracks? Looks like it's now gone if it's the same bridge as the bridges above.
The blue building was the Strathbungo Station building (station closed in 1960). More recently, it was used by a newsagent/corner shop and then a shop called Suzie's Store. The former newsagent/shopkeeper was on site on Saturday morning looking at the gap - he was warmly greeted by his former customers.

Some neighbours took videos when the building was lifted out but I wasn't present. I understand that the cast iron columns below the building will go to the Glasgow Transport Museum.
 
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haggishunter

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Does this have any connection to why there's been no weekend trains on the Langside side of the Cathcart Circle this weekend or last? It seems to be any excuse to not serve Langside and the stations clockwise backtowards Central, since the actual Cathcart Circle service was withdrawn.

All this talk of a metro and modal shift, yet what is actually being done to the local service is causing negative modal shift, with now only 1 train an hour on a line that is effectively metro-esq in nature vs 4 options in differing directions previously.
 
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NR are saying that a lot of other track and point work is being carried out while the line is closed.
On Sunday afternoon, a team was working on the points in Barrhead where the bi-directional through lines merge into the singled route to Lugton.

Barrhead points work Sun 7 Aug 2022.jpg

Does this have any connection to why there's been no weekend trains on the Langside side of the Cathcart Circle this weekend or last? It seems to be any excuse to not serve Langside and the stations clockwise backtowards Central, since the actual Cathcart Circle service was withdrawn.

All this talk of a metro and modal shift, yet what is actually being done to the local service is causing negative modal shift, with now only 1 train an hour on a line that is effectively metro-esq in nature vs 4 options in differing directions previously.
@LangsideLlama welcome to the forum. Yes, this work is exactly the reason why there were no trains on the western side of the Cathcart Circle this past weekend. If you look at the photo in post #863 below the tenement with the scaffolding, you can see the entrance to the tunnel (actually a bridge) between Pollokshields West station and the junction where the Cathcart Circle meets the Glasgow - Barrhead - Kilmarnock route.

I agree with your frustration that Scotrail has failed to reinstate the full timetable for the Cathcart Circle (read the Summer 2019 timetable) but that belongs in the timetable section of this forum.
 
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qpsnapper

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A quick snap from a Cathcart Circle train this afternoon:
 

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