East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[WesternBiker]

The problem is that that it can regrow from surprisingly small pieces - a stem as little as a couple of centimetres long is enough to regenerate a whole new plant. Often times the only way to deal with it is to remove every trace that you can see and then take the soil away and pass it through an incinerator to kill anything still alive in it.

Indeed - it is incredibly invasive and the rhizomes (the enlarged roots from which it grows) can go down 10ft. Eradication with herbicide normally takes 2-4 years. In Japan, it's controlled by an aphid-like bug and a fungal disease.

That all said, not only is it not harmful to humans, the young shoots are edible - a sort of lemony rhubarb taste, and in Japan and Vietnam young stems are prepared a bit like asparagus. And packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Best not to try eating one that's been treated with herbicide, though...

 

[adrock1976]

Indeed - it is incredibly invasive and the rhizomes (the enlarged roots from which it grows) can go down 10ft. Eradication with herbicide normally takes 2-4 years. In Japan, it's controlled by an aphid-like bug and a fungal disease.

That all said, not only is it not harmful to humans, the young shoots are edible - a sort of lemony rhubarb taste, and in Japan and Vietnam young stems are prepared a bit like asparagus. And packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Best not to try eating one that's been treated with herbicide, though...

Regarding removing/eliminating Japanese Knotweed, does Agent Orange (that the USA used in the Vietnam invasion/conflict) help to do so?

I am sure I read somewhere a long time ago that it is (or was) used to eradicate knotweed.

 

[och aye]

Regarding removing/eliminating Japanese Knotweed, does Agent Orange (that the USA used in the Vietnam invasion/conflict) help to do so?

I am sure I read somewhere a long time ago that it is (or was) used to eradicate knotweed.

Perhaps we can look forward to the sight of B52 Stratofortress' delivering their payload of Agent Orange over the EK route!

 

[themiller]

Regarding removing/eliminating Japanese Knotweed, does Agent Orange (that the USA used in the Vietnam invasion/conflict) help to do so? I am sure I read somewhere a long time ago that it is (or was) used to eradicate knotweed.

Agent orange or 2-4-5T used to be the active ingredient in SBK brushwood killer. It was banned several years ago and the active ingredient is now nowhere near as good.

 

[InOban]

There are two ways of eliminating it. Usually high-strength glyphosate (roundup) is injected into the stems at the right time of year - there's no point in just spraying it on the leaves. The most recent way is to use a generator - put one electrode into the ground among the roots and stick the other into each and every stem. The current boils the stem and roots! Sounds like fun and very satisfying.

 

[Class 170101]

There are two ways of eliminating it. Usually high-strength glyphosate (roundup) is injected into the stems at the right time of year - there's no point in just spraying it on the leaves. The most recent way is to use a generator - put one electrode into the ground among the roots and stick the other into each and every stem. The current boils the stem and roots! Sounds like fun and very satisfying.

Thats shocking

 

[nlogax]

There are two ways of eliminating it. Usually high-strength glyphosate (roundup) is injected into the stems at the right time of year - there's no point in just spraying it on the leaves. The most recent way is to use a generator - put one electrode into the ground among the roots and stick the other into each and every stem. The current boils the stem and roots! Sounds like fun and very satisfying.

That has to be pretty time consuming. Where on the network are the worst concentrations of knotweed?

Back on topic..as of this evening there was zero sign of any changes or works at Barrhead.

 

[Southsider]

A little bit of progress, the twin track cantilevers I mentioned above now have ‘stovepipes’ fitted.

 

[Rick1984]

I noticed the arms on the mast are currently at 90° to there final position. Do they just swing round when it comes to wiring?

 

[59CosG95]

I noticed the arms on the mast are currently at 90° to there final position. Do they just swing round when it comes to wiring?

That's exactly what they do.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Box closes in just over a month.

Scotrail is advertising that on Saturday 29th October and Sunday 30th October engineering work is taking place between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock / Dumfries, closing all lines.

On Saturday, here will be no rail replacement buses.
On Sunday, buses will replace rains between Glasgow Central and Barrhead / Kilmarnock. and between Glasgow Central and Dumfries.

It appears that the route to East Kilbride will be open (although there is a RMT strike on Saturday, anyway).

Perhaps the route will be closed for commissioning work on the Barrhead re-signalling?

 

[92002]

Scotrail is advertising that on Saturday 29th October and Sunday 30th October engineering work is taking place between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock / Dumfries, closing all lines.

On Saturday, here will be no rail replacement buses.
On Sunday, buses will replace rains between Glasgow Central and Barrhead / Kilmarnock. and between Glasgow Central and Dumfries.

It appears that the route to East Kilbride will be open (although there is a RMT strike on Saturday, anyway).

Perhaps the route will be closed for commissioning work on the Barrhead re-signalling?

Barrhead signal box closes on Monday.

 

[Southsider]

There is a planning application in with East Renfrewshire Council to install brackets for OHLE on the viaduct over Salterland Road in Barrhead.

 

[Southsider]

Barrhead signal box closes on Monday.

According to a post on RailScot the closure went ahead as planned.

 

[InOban]

https://twitter.com/railscot/status/1587933162411331584?t=-6cHC0lUKcVWrBgcgya4lQ&s=19

And they've included a final day picture, not mine. I like the exercise bike for quiet times!

 

[Frankton Junct]

This weekend the contractor erected registration arms on many of the stanchions in phase 1 that were erected last year without them. A new concrete foundation was built behind platform 1 at Pollokshaws West station at the location where last year their auger brought a cable to the surface. A cantilever mast and arm are beside the railway south of Crossmyloof platform 1 where one TTC is still to be erected.

At Muirhouse South Junction, the first masts and cantilever arms have been erected. There is a pile of heavy steel components underneath the Nithsdale Road Bridge waiting for erection. Reconstruction of the bridge is continuing - a curved balustrade was built at the north east corner of the bridge and the foundations are under construction for a curved balustrade at the south east corner. Balustrade sections are on site waiting for erection.

 

[route101]

With East Kilbride wiring stated for 2024, will we see any activity on the branch soon?

 

[snowball]

With East Kilbride wiring stated for 2024, will we see any activity on the branch soon?

The Jenny Gilruth article in #939-#940 said work will start next summer, but as I remarked in #941, given the fact that EK seems to be a bigger job than Barrhead, this seems hard to reconcile with the claims that it's on course for completion by the end of 2024, unless they're preparing for a big increase in the rate of work.

 

[380101]

The Jenny Gilruth article in #939-#940 said work will start next summer, but as I remarked in #941, given the fact that EK seems to be a bigger job than Barrhead, this seems hard to reconcile with the claims that it's on course for completion by the end of 2024, unless they're preparing for a big increase in the rate of work.

They have plans for a full blockade of the East Kilbride line to do the work. The consultation they did last year had several different options on how they would do it ranging from evening and full weekend closures over a period of time to full blockades of upto, if I remember correctly, 16 weeks or so.

 

[InOban]

Have they demolished the Barrhead signal box or is it being offered to a heritage centre? How far towards Barrhead has the work reached?

 

[380101]

Have they demolished the Barrhead signal box or is it being offered to a heritage centre? How far towards Barrhead has the work reached?

I believe the lever frame and all the other associated signalling equipment from the 'box is being relocated to the museum area of Glasgow Central to become part of the Glasgow Central experience. Not sure if they've started work on removal/demolition as not driven over the route for a few weeks now.

Last time I was over it they had reached Nitshill with some masts and there was eveidence of ground works and preparation further towards Barrhead.

 

[nlogax]

Have they demolished the Barrhead signal box or is it being offered to a heritage centre? How far towards Barrhead has the work reached?

It was still intact Wednesday last week..

 

[adrock1976]

They have plans for a full blockade of the East Kilbride line to do the work. The consultation they did last year had several different options on how they would do it ranging from evening and full weekend closures over a period of time to full blockades of upto, if I remember correctly, 16 weeks or so.

Are the trickiest sections on the Busby - EK section?

Could wires reach Busby as part of the first phase, then Busby - EK closed while that is being worked on? Replacement buses could run Busby - Thorntonhall - Hairmyres - EK Village (near the station) straight along the A726/727?

 

[Frankton Junct]

Today, SPL Powerlines were on site erecting more registration arms. It seems that they took advantage of the planned strike day to take a daytime possession.

Are the trickiest sections on the Busby - EK section?

Earlier discussion in this thread determined/assumed that it will be necessary to replace the B767 Clarkston Road Bridge at Clarkston Toll and that this will be the most difficult civil engineering on the project.

The B769 Thornliebank Road Bridge adjacent to Thornliebank Station looks to be tight too. This bridge is on the frequent 57/57A bus routes. There are many utility services over the bridge and a GRM-R transmitter. Judge for yourself:

 

[snowball]

Earlier discussion in this thread determined/assumed that it will be necessary to replace the B767 Clarkston Road Bridge at Clarkston Toll and that this will be the most difficult civil engineering on the project.

My impression is that there's a lot we still don't know about which bridges require what works on the EK branch. I've read the whole thread and haven't seen enough information to convince me that the B767 is necessarily the most difficult. I've said more than once that the obvious solution there is to realign the road onto a new bridge, but I don't know whether that's what will happen.

 

[Southsider]

Today, SPL Powerlines were on site erecting more registration arms. It seems that they took advantage of the planned strike day to take a daytime possession.


Earlier discussion in this thread determined/assumed that it will be necessary to replace the B767 Clarkston Road Bridge at Clarkston Toll and that this will be the most difficult civil engineering on the project.

The B769 Thornliebank Road Bridge adjacent to Thornliebank Station looks to be tight too. This bridge is on the frequent 57/57A bus routes. There are many utility services over the bridge and a GRM-R transmitter. Judge for yourself:
View attachment 123422

The problem with many of the bridges on this route is that the pantograph will foul the arched section. I wonder if this could be removed and a flat deck installed between the original abutments.

 

[snowball]

Press release with video clip about an upgraded feeder station near Glasgow Central, presumably the one at Eglinton Street mentioned in #880. The exact location is not mentioned while, confusingly, references to Ferguslie are thrown in.

Scotland’s Railway powering on with feeder station upgrades

Scotland’s Railway is working to deliver the next in a series of enhancements to the power supply supporting our electrified railway network.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Scotland’s Railway is working to deliver the next in a series of enhancements to the power supply supporting our electrified railway network.

As part of a £120m Scottish Government investment to add resilience and capacity into the network, Network Rail and SPL engineers are introducing a new modular feeder station and upgrading a key track section cabinet (which helps regulate the power supply) near Glasgow Central station.

This is a crucial part of work to upgrade and reconfigure our power supplies to support the increased demand that will be created by the introduction of electric trains on the lines between Glasgow and Barrhead and East Kilbride.

Alice Wilson, scheme project manager for traction power at Network Rail, said: “The £120m Scottish Government investment to upgrade the electric power supply into the rail network is key to helping us meet our target to decarbonise Scotland’s Railway by 2035.

“This work will power the cleaner, greener electric trains on the Glasgow- Barrhead and East Kilbride lines in the coming years. This directly supports decarbonising passenger services on Scotland’s Railway by 2035 and delivering the modal shift required for Scotland to reach Net Zero.

“Working on Glasgow’s electrified rail network is always challenging but our industry partners have worked with us to plan, design and deliver the work in a way that reduces risk, minimises disruption and helps us to move forward with our plans to decarbonise the network.”

The installation of the substation will be delivered without disruption to passenger and freight services.

 

[59CosG95]

Press release with video clip about an upgraded feeder station near Glasgow Central, presumably the one at Eglinton Street mentioned in #880. The exact location is not mentioned while, confusingly, references to Ferguslie are thrown in.

Scotland’s Railway powering on with feeder station upgrades

Scotland’s Railway is working to deliver the next in a series of enhancements to the power supply supporting our electrified railway network.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

It is indeed Eglinton Street - interestingly, the main name plaque seems to have had the "eglinton" part redacted, but the "high voltage substation" one beneath it still seems to have it unblurred.
Also interesting to note that the 2014 extension of this has been taken away for reconfiguration and redeployment elsewhere - which might account for any potential gaps in the TSCs listed so far.

 

[Southsider]

Piling work on the Larkfield Curve started on 8th Oct.
Story machines working from Darrnley Rd. RAP (Rapid Access Point) Compound. Draw back is Giant Hogweed is slowing progress

Please excuse my ignorance - what is the benefit of wiring Larkfield Curve?

 

[ld0595]

Please excuse my ignorance - what is the benefit of wiring Larkfield Curve?

It's useful as a diversionary route. I've gone over it once before on a service to EK. Got out as far as Polmadie before reversing and going over the curve because the main route was closed for engineering works.