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Scotland's Railway - Potential Enhancement Options

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Highland37

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That's one of the improvements that has taken place, it's also four car all day as opposed to only two car off peak Mondat to Friday.The most recent improvement is six car services in the peak periods.

Good. I must have picked that up wrong.
 
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AndrewE

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The has been a proposal to resite Hairmyers station reported today in the Daily Record, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/new-transport-hub-could-see-21433837 This is a local initiative based on the limited parking at the existing station.
I can't help but wonder whether anyone else lives in the same world as I do, where we suffer traffic congestion, we are being told that less fossil fuels have to be burnt and that more "Active transport" i.e. more use of walking, cycling and public transport is vital if we are to address our health and global warming problems. Why spend railway money to encourage more car use?
 

59CosG95

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I can't help but wonder whether anyone else lives in the same world as I do, where we suffer traffic congestion, we are being told that less fossil fuels have to be burnt and that more "Active transport" i.e. more use of walking, cycling and public transport is vital if we are to address our health and global warming problems. Why spend railway money to encourage more car use?
In this world where many people drive to reach their nearest train station (for example, if they live in an area poorly served by buses), increased provision for parking should surely be a driver (pun absolutely intended) for people to park their cars and train it into the city, rather than driving all the way. The new car park may also include bike spaces.
 

AndrewE

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In this world where many people drive to reach their nearest train station (for example, if they live in an area poorly served by buses), increased provision for parking should surely be a driver (pun absolutely intended) for people to park their cars and train it into the city, rather than driving all the way. The new car park may also include bike spaces.
But as I see it that just encourages more car use today and entrenches it for the future. Better to put the money into good cycle parking, pedestrian access or maybe even use it for better feeder bus services. Change has to start somewhere, but this is just steaming on regardless down the same blind alley.
 

och aye

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Highlights from the Scottish budget announced today:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/publication/2020/02/scottish-budget-2020-21/documents/scottish-budget-2020-21/scottish-budget-2020-21/govscot:document/scottish-budget-2020-21.pdf

Rail Services priorities

Scotland’s rail network is key to helping deliver a low carbon economy and decarbonising transport in Scotland. We will continue our significant investment in Scotland’s railways to support a safe and high-performing railway through the delivery of new and better services, new and refurbished trains, and substantial improvements to the infrastructure to increase capacity and reliability.

In 2020-21 we will:
  • publish an action plan to decarbonise Scotland’s railways by 2035, focusing on electrification, supported by development and testing of alternative technologies including procurement of battery electric trains and development of hydrogen powered trains;
  • continue to press the UK Government for full devolution of powers over both track and train so we can run Scotland’s railways in a way which best meets Scotland’s needs;yenhance the passenger experience with the completion of Glasgow’s Queen Street station, creating a 21st-century space with longer platforms and greener, faster trains;
  • develop infrastructure improvements on key routes including Aberdeen to Inverness, the Highland Main Line, the Far North Line and the West Highland Line;
  • progress schemes such as Levenmouth and Aberdeen to Central belt, bringing even more rail improvements to passengers communities and businesses;
  • continue developing future projects for the period 2019 to 2024 and beyond;
  • continue the introduction of 26 refurbished High Speed Trains to operate on inter-city routes, with 40 per cent more seats on those routes;
  • support redevelopments planned for Aberdeen, Inverness and Stirling stations and the delivery of new stations at Kintore, Dalcross, Reston and East Linton; and
  • encourage freight modal shift to rail through our work with businesses and the logistics industry.
 

380101

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Strange , thought EK was going to 4 car all day .

Suspect it's all to do with convenience. Saves us having to split the set and run ECS to Corkerhill and then back in in the afternoon to couple back up for the evening peak.

Although it would be better utilised on the EKs all day instead.
 

BRX

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But as I see it that just encourages more car use today and entrenches it for the future. Better to put the money into good cycle parking, pedestrian access or maybe even use it for better feeder bus services. Change has to start somewhere, but this is just steaming on regardless down the same blind alley.
I agree with you in principle.
Don't know enough about hairmyres to judge whether a large proportion of the people driving to the station could actually get a bus instead. If so, it doesn't seem great to encourage more of the same.
 

FtoE

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No mention of improvements to Perth? Are they just going to wait and do a thorough rationalisation? Or wait until it falls down?
It certainly seems to be in a far worse state of repair that Inverness, Aberdeen or Stirling.
 

d9009alycidon

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I agree with you in principle.
Don't know enough about hairmyres to judge whether a large proportion of the people driving to the station could actually get a bus instead. If so, it doesn't seem great to encourage more of the same.

Hairmyers Station Car park is owned and operated by East Kilbride Council, and is slightly unusual in that there is a daily charge of £1, Monday to Saturday - 8am - 6pm (All other times are free), despite this the car park is usually full by the end of the peak and many rail users park in the Hospital Car Park, this results in visitors to the hospital having difficulty finding spaces. There are buses that terminate at Hairmyers but there are next to none from the growing residential areas of Jackton and Eaglesham.
 

47271

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No mention of improvements to Perth? Are they just going to wait and do a thorough rationalisation? Or wait until it falls down?
It certainly seems to be in a far worse state of repair that Inverness, Aberdeen or Stirling.
Item 10 in the opening post of this thread? Or do you mean the Railfuture wish list, which I think we all agree is divorced from reality and wouldn't concern itself with something as practical as the condition of Perth station?
 

FtoE

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Item 10 in the opening post of this thread? Or do you mean the Railfuture wish list, which I think we all agree is divorced from reality and wouldn't concern itself with something as practical as the condition of Perth station?

;) Yes, I meant in the Scottish Budget announcement. Those 3 stations mentioned certainly appear to be in better condition than Perth, but I wonder if they’re saving it for an almost-rebuild?
 

Stopper

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route101

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Hairmyers Station Car park is owned and operated by East Kilbride Council, and is slightly unusual in that there is a daily charge of £1, Monday to Saturday - 8am - 6pm (All other times are free), despite this the car park is usually full by the end of the peak and many rail users park in the Hospital Car Park, this results in visitors to the hospital having difficulty finding spaces. There are buses that terminate at Hairmyers but there are next to none from the growing residential areas of Jackton and Eaglesham.

The buses to the station , dont think many use the 201 tothe station. They changed the terminus of it to the bus stop near the station, used to miss that bus stop . I think there is a peak feeder SPT bus that connects with one train in the morning and one ain evening. Its East Kilbride so most people drive to Hairmyres or EK station.
 

CJSwan

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Kintore, Dalcross, Reston, East Linton and also Winchburgh feel like they have been proposed for donkeys now. Are there any confirmed dates for these?
Kintore is almost complete and looks like it’ll be open for the next timetable change in May
 

InOban

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They've started ground investigation works at East Linton. A few years yet.
 

InOban

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I like that the Far North Line is mentioned. Nothing specific though, just that it will be 'improved'.
As is the WHL. I know that they are working on enhancing the RETB, which has a lot of unused potential since it was digitised. If all their ideas are implemented, trains will be able to exchange tokens on the move, so freight or charter trains will not have to stop in every passing loop. This will be a particular gain for the alumina trains to FW, which often have difficulty getting up the hill from Rannoch towards Corrour. The RETB will also actuate powered points, so that trains will be able to enter and leave loops at a much higher speed.
 

Esker-pades

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As is the WHL. I know that they are working on enhancing the RETB, which has a lot of unused potential since it was digitised. If all their ideas are implemented, trains will be able to exchange tokens on the move, so freight or charter trains will not have to stop in every passing loop. This will be a particular gain for the alumina trains to FW, which often have difficulty getting up the hill from Rannoch towards Corrour. The RETB will also actuate powered points, so that trains will be able to enter and leave loops at a much higher speed.
That will be most welcome.
 

BRX

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Hairmyers Station Car park is owned and operated by East Kilbride Council, and is slightly unusual in that there is a daily charge of £1, Monday to Saturday - 8am - 6pm (All other times are free), despite this the car park is usually full by the end of the peak and many rail users park in the Hospital Car Park, this results in visitors to the hospital having difficulty finding spaces. There are buses that terminate at Hairmyers but there are next to none from the growing residential areas of Jackton and Eaglesham.
You got me curious and looking up Eaglesham on a map. And at bus times.

I can see that in the morning there are buses from Eaglesham to Hairmyres station only every hour, a few extra in the peak.
But assuming people are going into Glasgow, there are also buses from Eaglesham either right into to town, or with a change onto the train at Clarkston. Looks like effectively every half hour or so.

That's not a great frequency - but we are comparing it to driving to Hairmyres, to pick up a half hourly service there. Looks like driving to Hairmyres, parking and getting on the train is not really going to be any quicker than taking a bus from Eaglesham.

I know that Eaglesham was just one example. But, I wonder how many of the people that currently drive and park at Hairmyres really don't have any alternative option that would involve leaving the car at home?

Moving the station to somewhere where it can have a large and convenient car park does seem to be something that will only encourage more people to drive. Whereas perhaps the investment could be put into increasing bus frequency (along with raising car parking charges). As far as the hospital car park is concerned, aren't there ways of discouraging commuters using it? Would a maximum stay length of, say, 6 hours make it unusable for commuters but also work for hospital visitors?
 

d9009alycidon

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I can tell you as a former inhabitant of Eaglesham that the 44A First Bus service is very unreliable, takes nearly 55 mins to the city centre and has steadily become less frequent over the years. The local bus to East Kilbride is worse, I happily never relied on either, and would always drive or take the train from Busby or Hairnyers.
 

MadMac

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The buses to the station ,don't think many use the 201 to the station. They changed the terminus of it to the bus stop near the station, used to miss that bus stop . I think there is a peak feeder SPT bus that connects with one train in the morning and one in evening. Its East Kilbride so most people drive to Hairmyres or EK station.

There used to be the "Interlink" buses that connected with the express services - one ran from Greenhills to Hairmyres, I think something similar ran from St. Leonards/Calderwood.
 

route101

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There used to be the "Interlink" buses that connected with the express services - one ran from Greenhills to Hairmyres, I think something similar ran from St. Leonards/Calderwood.

Now the 399 , now op by McGills i seen it was actualy wellloaded . Only bus that sorta connects with EK stn is the 13 bus on hourly freq.
 

route101

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I can tell you as a former inhabitant of Eaglesham that the 44A First Bus service is very unreliable, takes nearly 55 mins to the city centre and has steadily become less frequent over the years. The local bus to East Kilbride is worse, I happily never relied on either, and would always drive or take the train from Busby or Hairnyers.

Every half hour during day and hourly at night bit like the 31that i use. It used to have a nightbus .
 

Class 170101

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The RETB will also actuate powered points, so that trains will be able to enter and leave loops at a much higher speed.

But presumably this needs infrastructure from the signalling centre to actually control the points? Or can points now be controlled reliably by 'radio'? I thought RETB and moving over points slowly as now was a way of minimising physical infrastructure on the WHL, Cambrian, East Suffolk and Far North Lines when it was installed.
 

InOban

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If you can control and monitor domestic equipment by smartphone, you can surely do the same with S&C.
 

Maxfly

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As is the WHL. I know that they are working on enhancing the RETB, which has a lot of unused potential since it was digitised. If all their ideas are implemented, trains will be able to exchange tokens on the move, so freight or charter trains will not have to stop in every passing loop. This will be a particular gain for the alumina trains to FW, which often have difficulty getting up the hill from Rannoch towards Corrour. The RETB will also actuate powered points, so that trains will be able to enter and leave loops at a much higher speed.

Token exchanges on the move won’t/cannot happen. Multiple/super long sections tokens would likely be what your thinking of where a train could in theory be given a Crianlarich - Fort William token and it would clear behind the train as they loop cleared each Token Exchange Point on the way.
 

InOban

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I was only repeating what I have been told by people in the know.
 

Maxfly

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I was only repeating what I have been told by people in the know.
Aye, sure it was just slight misunderstanding/way it was explained. Tokens are not allowed to be done on the move anymore, can’t remember the year it was stamped down on (15-20 years ago maybe longer?!) but train should be at a stand when exchanging/returning/issuing tokens.
Other things not visible to the outside like speeding up of token transfers will be of great use too, time cut by about 2/3 compared to current durations (voice comms not included in these times).
A lot of work to implement the full list of available improvements, fingers crossed most if not all go ahead. FNL will be the testing ground.
 
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