Glasgow Queen Street refurbishment and remodelling

InOban · 25 Jul 2019

That has always been the plan.

RailUK Forums

Ryans · 26 Jul 2019

I am looking to book a trip in October between Glasgow and Dundee with same day return on either Tuesday 8th October or Thursday 10th October.

I'm aware that Scotrail haven't released these advance tickets yet but on the advance tickets page on their website (https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/advance) it seems to suggest at the bottom of the page that advances aren't on sale 16th Sept - 14th Oct Glasgow to Dundee due to Queen street improvement works.

Does anyone know if there will be advances in the future? Also will there be expected disruption to services if they aren't selling advances? I've looked on their website and can only find information about planned engineering works up to September.

InOban · 26 Jul 2019

They're working on lengthening the other two platforms, so they're unavailable.

68000 · 27 Jul 2019

I was away to York earlier in the week noticed that they have started the installation of the glass panels on the steel structure (just seen the earlier posts)

https://twitter.com/sinclair_jerome/status/1154667468423606272

PaxVobiscum · 27 Jul 2019

68000 said:
I was away to York earlier in the week noticed that they have started the installation of the glass panels on the steel structure (just seen the earlier posts)

https://twitter.com/sinclair_jerome/status/1154667468423606272

I beat him to that

(although, on reflection :lol:

his is undoubtably a much better picture).

https://twitter.com/paxvobiscum10/status/1154035209471266818?s=21

PaxVobiscum · 27 Jul 2019

Meanwhile today at Queen Street:

A preview of part of the new concourse:

CptCharlee · 27 Jul 2019

The improvements are going to be great. Actually will feel like a proper terminus. Used to feel so grotty and claustrophobic. Amazed that train shed was covered for so long it was criminal.

PaxVobiscum · 27 Jul 2019

A mercifully short video of snippets from the work at GLQ today. Even more boring than usual but the good news is no commentary - it wouldn’t be audible over the noise of the concrete breaking anyway. :lol:

Seems on target for opening though there’s still a bit to do.

A couple of views of part of the new concourse at the end.

GrimShady · 28 Jul 2019

CptCharlee said:
The improvements are going to be great. Actually will feel like a proper terminus. Used to feel so grotty and claustrophobic. Amazed that train shed was covered for so long it was criminal.

It was after they installed those flaming ticket barriers in 2004.

youngac · 29 Jul 2019

The first train to use the newly extended platforms will be arriving from Eastfield in the next few minutes.

PaxVobiscum · 29 Jul 2019

I did seriously consider going in to see off the first Edinburgh train to use the extended platform 2 at 0526 (the station opens in time for the 0520 Oban at p6) but there’s enthusiasm and there’s obsession :lol:

so I refrained. Far too difficult for me to get in other than by driving and there’s no free parking. If anyone else could be bothered, I take my hat off to them.

EDIT: And someone evidently did:
https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGQS/status/1155837432773992449
Plus a bonus? vertical video of the first 8 coacher departing.

I’ll get a few photos later and bore everyone with them.

PaxVobiscum · 29 Jul 2019

A quickie* from this morning, without commentary:

EDIT: Not so quick now I’m afraid, replaced by a longer edit. The Twitter version is still the short one.

Macwomble · 29 Jul 2019

Thanks @PaxVobiscum for the update.
I noticed the First Class sections were centred. Is this the plan for the 8 car E & G sets? (Apologies if this asked before)

mcmad · 29 Jul 2019

According to Scotrails Twitter feed the plan is for first class to be joined at the middle which seems sensible. given the sets stay as 8 cars throughout, it should hopefully be easier to keep them that way.

PaxVobiscum · 29 Jul 2019

Here’s a few more photos of the extended platforms 2 and 3 today:

Long view:

New buffers by Old Buffer:

Frangible decking:

Strengthened beam and slabtrack over Low Level station:

alangla · 29 Jul 2019

This frangible decking... Does this mean that if something hits the buffers with a reasonable amount of force, then everyone milling about between the barriers and the platform end, as people tend to do in the peak, have to dive out of the way before the ground they’re on gets ripped up? Has this really been thought through properly? Looking at the pics above, the decking seems to be open to the public to walk on.

gsnedders · 29 Jul 2019

alangla said:
This frangible decking... Does this mean that if something hits the buffers with a reasonable amount of force, then everyone milling about between the barriers and the platform end, as people tend to do in the peak, have to dive out of the way before the ground they’re on gets ripped up? Has this really been thought through properly? Looking at the pics above, the decking seems to be open to the public to walk on.

Yes. But this is preferable to the historic option (as you see at the end of platforms 4/5 and 6/7 currently) where the buffers go straight to concrete: in that case, a train running (fast) into the buffers will get compressed and potentially telescope as it very quickly reaches something solid. This typically causes sufficient casualties that the frangible decking, even publicly accessible, is considered the lower risk option. The preferred solution, if there's space, is just to have a large overrun.

In reality, TPWS should hopefully prevent any high-speed collision with the buffers, and therefore the buffers are unlikely to significantly move.

InOban · 29 Jul 2019

It is open to the public, as is the similar area at the end of the extended platforms 5 and 6 at Waverley. It is inconceivable that any overshoot would be at anything over a few mph.

swt_passenger · 29 Jul 2019

InOban said:
It is open to the public, as is the similar area at the end of the extended platforms 5 and 6 at Waverley. It is inconceivable that any overshoot would be at anything over a few mph.

Is St Pancras international platforms an example where it’s pretty well hidden? IIRC Brighton has an older version of decked overruns behind the buffers?

Perhaps there’s more around the country that other people can think of?

edwin_m · 29 Jul 2019

Some at Manchester Piccadilly too.

Highlandspring · 29 Jul 2019

They’re friction arresting buffers so any train colliding with them at low speed will stop rapidly albeit with the likelihood of some disturbance to the frangible decking. A high speed collision, as would be the case if a train ran away down the Cowlairs incline for whatever reason, is another matter altogether although as others have said it is an order of magnitude less likely.

alangla · 29 Jul 2019

Fair enough. I guess it is unlikely, though I’m reminded of that pacer at Lime Street in the 1980s and the track machine at Queen Street a couple of years ago, though that did happen when the station was closed. I take it hydraulic buffers as per Central are totally out of the question for new installs?

gsnedders · 29 Jul 2019

alangla said:
Fair enough. I guess it is unlikely, though I’m reminded of that pacer at Lime Street in the 1980s and the track machine at Queen Street a couple of years ago, though that did happen when the station was closed. I take it hydraulic buffers as per Central are totally out of the question for new installs?

AFAIK they're still fine, but they need a lot of space behind the buffers (and unlike pure friction arresting buffers they permanently need the space, so you can't put any decking there), which Queen Street doesn't have. Others will know better, though.

MadMac · 29 Jul 2019

Any plans to extend Platform 1? I think it was talked about years ago.

Highlandspring · 29 Jul 2019

It has already been extended to take a 4 car 23m unit.

MadMac · 29 Jul 2019

Highlandspring said:
It has already been extended to take a 4 car 23m unit.

Ah. Adequate for the Annieslands and the like.

Clansman · 30 Jul 2019

MadMac said:
Any plans to extend Platform 1? I think it was talked about years ago.

Was only planned to be exdended to allow four coaches to fit. IIRC if it was further extended it'd run into the stairs down to the low level before you even managed to get a fifth 23m coach in. I could be wrong though.

GrimShady · 30 Jul 2019

alangla said:
Fair enough. I guess it is unlikely, though I’m reminded of that pacer at Lime Street in the 1980s and the track machine at Queen Street a couple of years ago, though that did happen when the station was closed. I take it hydraulic buffers as per Central are totally out of the question for new installs?

There was one in the late 70s on Platform 6 involving a GUV wagon which was smashed to bits.

d9009alycidon · 30 Jul 2019

I am certain that I have seen a photograph of a class 40 up on the concourse at platform 7, having run away down the bank, can't for the life of me find a reference to it or the original photograph

Highlandspring · 30 Jul 2019

The class 40 had come off Eastfield depot with the loco brakes isolated. No amount of bufferstop TPWS OSS loops would stop something like that these days before it ended up heading for George Square...

Glasgow Queen Street refurbishment and remodelling

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