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Aberdeen - Inverness £170m Upgrade

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Highland37

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It is a great document and I have had quite a thorough read. Always a problem when people who know what they are doing meet with politicians.

Seems a bit harsh. If you read the register of interests and the transcript, the politicians show quite a lot of knowledge on this issues.
 
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47271

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Good news, but will this work as soon as 2018 if the route hasn't been doubled, I thought that extra stops between Aberdeen and Inverurie rely on having the line capacity to accomodate them?

I like the idea of Kintore station having been 'mothballed', a very gentle way of describing its complete obliteration!

£12m to build a small, basic station. It puts the current huffing and puffing over the profits earned by Abellio Scotrail into some sort of perspective.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/f...f-from-mothballed-aberdeenshire-train-station

Revealed: When the first trains could set off from new Aberdeenshire train station


A north-east station gets ‘full steam ahead’ after local authority agrees to help bridge £1.2m funding gap.

The multi-million pound plan to re-open mothballed Kintore station has secured 50% funding from the Scottish Stations fund meaning councillors are “optimistic” that the first trains could pull up in 2018.

The total estimated value of the project is £12.2m now has £6.1m secured by the Scottish Stations Fund bid.

Councillor Richard Thomson, chairman of the Policy and Resource Committee welcomed the news and added:

“I have heard of two similar funds awarded to other Scottish stations that received 60% funding, so this has set some precedent that we should also receive an extra 10% funding. This is a figure of £600,000 or £700,000 that we and Nestrans now do not need to find.”

Aberdeenshire council Policy and Resource committee agreed to bridge the remaining gap of £1.9m, which will not include the project’s £3.5m contingency or “optimism bias”.

Councillor for Central Buchan Norman Smith said: “We are all very much looking forward to this station; it will help relieve congestion on the roads network.”

Adding to this Councillor Karen Clark said: “Let’s use our ‘optimism bias’ on this project and be very optimistic that it will complete on time and on budget.”
 

Railsigns

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The proposed Kintore station will be on a new site about half a mile north of the former station.
 

clc

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Forecast of the timetable changes for the Aberdeen – Inverness line between now and December 2019

On the basis of the current Aberdeen – Inverness Project timescales, the forecast timetable changes are:

• Dec 2018: There will be additional Elgin to Inverness local services. When these additional services are combined with the Aberdeen to Inverness services this will provide an hourly service between Elgin and Inverness.

• Dec 2018: We are currently reviewing how to maximise available rolling stock in the provision of Aberdeen to Inverurie services.

• May 2019: An amended timetable will be in operation to accommodate the infrastructure works in the vicinity of Inverurie. These are still to be designed but this is likely to include a half hourly service between Aberdeen and Kintore however this is on the proviso that the new station at Kintore will be complete. As part of the amended timetable for the planned works, Inverness to Aberdeen services will terminate at Insch.

• Dec 2019: An all-day half hourly service between Inverurie and Aberdeen will run. One train each hour will run through to Montrose, providing an Aberdeen cross rail service. There will be up to 4 trains per hour operating between Inverurie and Aberdeen in the peaks.

http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Rural...ail_Further_Follow_up_letter_to_REC_Cttee.pdf
 

47271

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Oh dear, here we go again...

Fears costs of Aberdeen-Inverness rail upgrade have ballooned to £330million

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/f...ss-rail-upgrade-have-ballooned-to-330million/

The cost of rail upgrades between Aberdeen and Inverness could have ballooned to £330million.

An expert report has said the price-tag of the project could have almost doubled from £170million.

Local MSP Alexander Burnett said the analysis – produced by Ernst and Young (EY) – showed the price of the upgrade work was “spiralling out of control”.

But the Scottish Government said the figures from the accounting firm were the “subject of an ongoing challenge” by the administration.

The infrastructure improvements are designed to allow for a half-hourly commuter service between Aberdeen and Inverurie, as well as additional peak services between Moray and Inverness.

Aberdeenshire West MSP Mr Burnett said: “This is an eye-watering and alarming increase in the estimated cost of the project, which according to the EY analysis has almost doubled to £330million.

“Transport Scotland may be disputing the figure, but there are serious questions to be answered here, not least why Network Rail appears to have provided very short notice of cost increases.

“If the project was on budget as recently as March 2016, then that begs the question of what has happened since then?”

A series of improvements are being carried out on the track, with engineers tasked with double-tracking the 16 miles of line between the Granite City and Inverurie.

In addition, the works include a brand new station at Forres and extensions to platforms at Insch and Elgin to accommodate longer trains.

Signalling systems are also be upgraded.

The EY report into the works suggests that the project will now cost £330million, or the equivalent of £280million in 2012/13 prices.

Mr Burnett added: “These rail improvements are long overdue and will be welcomed by many passengers, but the cost cannot be allowed to simply spiral out of control without explanation.

“The Transport Minister does not have his troubles to seek at the moment, but this is another issue that he needs to get a grip on – and fast.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said they had “repeatedly” argued for control of Network Rail – the body responsible for managing rail infrastructure in the UK – to be devolved.

She added: “Scottish Ministers and indeed passengers up and down the country quite rightly have high expectations of our railway.

“At the heart of our £5billion programme of improvements is an underlying need to provide best value for the public purse while delivering a first class service.

“This includes the Aberdeen to Inverness improvements, for which the increased costs and programme are subject to ongoing challenge by Transport Scotland.”
 

najaB

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It would be interesting to see why E&Y's estimate of costs is so much higher than what' been quoted previously.
 

me123

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It suggests to me that there will be a timetable where Insch-Kintore will be withdrawn for works. (Inverness-Insch, with a shuttle from Aberdeen to Kintyre). However, there's not a lot of detail on that. It could be a short period of time. We shall have to wait and see. There's not enough information to say for certain.
 

Bodiddly

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What a surprise this is (not). £170m to carry out all the work they promised was always going to be a challenge. Throw into the mix Network Rail who are abysmal at managing major projects then this was always doomed to be over budget. Next thing we will see is the scaling back of things promised.
 

JohnR

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Could somebody (ideally a local who resides in the Aberdeen/Grampian Region area) clarify if these works are part of the first phase of the Aberdeen Crossrail project?

Yes and No.

Aberdeen CrossRail is not happening.

However, some of the things that were part of it (such as this) ARE.
 

ainsworth74

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I am travelling between Aberdeen and Inverness today and noticed a quite a lot of work going on around Forres (including some newly laid track and significant works next to the station). Are there any updates on how this project is now progressing? On time? Budget continuing to balloon or back under control?
 

GusB

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I am travelling between Aberdeen and Inverness today and noticed a quite a lot of work going on around Forres (including some newly laid track and significant works next to the station). Are there any updates on how this project is now progressing? On time? Budget continuing to balloon or back under control?

There have been fairly regular updates on their Twitter feed, although nothing has been posted during the last week or so. They also hold fairly regular drop-in events (which I keep forgetting about).

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailA2I
 

ainsworth74

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The drop in events probably aren't all that practical for me to attend :lol: but the Twitter is interesting thanks!
 

davetheguard

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The old thread is no longer open for comments, so I've opened this new one.

I understand that the Aberdeen to Dyce section of the main line to Inverness is closed for 14 weeks until 20th August 2018 for major engineering work in connection with doubling the track.

As someone who lives far south of the border, it would be useful to hear of any updates any locals could offer. Does the work currently being done involve complete redoubling of the track; or it a matter of preparing the track-bed, and slewing the existing single line to one side of the formation - leaving the second track to be laid alongside later, in say, 2019?

And is the entire section between Aberdeen to Dyce being doubled?
 

Macwomble

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Others more in the know than I will confirm/correct.

AIUI the full Aberdeen to Dyce section is being fully doubled during this closure; along with replacing bridge(s) & signalling.


Oops...just got beaten to it :D
 

mcmad

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Believe there are large sections where the existing line is being slued across and a new line installed alongside rather than 2 new lines.
 

GusB

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There has been very little comment on the forum about the whole Aberdeen - Inverness project. I've been following the updates on Twitter, and I can only surmise that everything is going to plan.
 

JohnR

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Others more in the know than I will confirm/correct.

AIUI the full Aberdeen to Dyce section is being fully doubled during this closure; along with replacing bridge(s) & signalling.


Oops...just got beaten to it :D

Earlier in the thread, it was stated that the tunnels immediately north of Aberdeen are not being doubled - has that changed?
 

Highlandspring

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No, Hutcheon Street and Schoolhill tunnels are not being doubled, the section from Aberdeen to Kittybrewster will remain single line.
 

najaB

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No, Hutcheon Street and Schoolhill tunnels are not being doubled, the section from Aberdeen to Kittybrewster will remain single line.
Shame. Though, that said, it will mean electrification will eventually be possible and a short section of single track isn't the end of the world.
 

Trackbedjolly

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Shame. Though, that said, it will mean electrification will eventually be possible and a short section of single track isn't the end of the world.
Well how is it that the doubling through the tunnels has been so very quietly dropped from the project?
This has huge financial implications for re-opening the line to Peterhead or even to Ellon. It means that the whole cost of redoubling through the tunnels, which the consultants have deemed necessary to enable a robust timetable to operate, is now to be laid onto that project instead of A2I where it should rightly be.
This is a real scandal. Not the end of the world? It could well be for future projects north east of Aberdeen.
I don't understand why this has not been spotted earlier-seems like the politicians, Aberdeenshire Council officials, TS officials etc. whose job it is to watch these things were asleep. I guess it was dropped to prevent further cost rises but as it constitutes a major part of the project I find it unacceptable that it should now be excluded.
 

Trackbedjolly

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Where does it say that officially? Why has NR and TS apparently been issuing misleading maps clearly showing double track from Aberdeen (not Kittybrewster) to Inverurie? The only statement I have seen is a Tweet stating that NR are not including it in Phase 1; they don't seem to have said that it is not on the agenda.
 

najaB

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Well how is it that the doubling through the tunnels has been so very quietly dropped from the project?
My guess is that it was always too expensive to justify. However, if the track is slewed to the centre of the formation with a high(ish) speed turnout used at the northern end end then there's no reason that it has to be the end of rail to Peterhead. Trains from the north can enter at line speed, and trains heading north can accelerate right up to line speed from the time they leave the station.
Why has NR and TS apparently been issuing misleading maps clearly showing double track from Aberdeen (not Kittybrewster) to Inverurie?
Have the detailed maps shown this or just the poster-type maps? If the latter it's because 9/10 people wouldn't know where Kittybrewster is (and, pedantically, Kittybrewster is an area of Aberdeen in any case).
 
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