East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[Bikeman78]

Speaking of cars: does anyone know when the ridiculous 2 car provision in the evenings for the EK line will be restored to at least 4 carriages?

Over the past few months, every evening service using 2 cars I have travelled on is overcrowded. Post covid, the EK service has declined significantly and most notably with the reduction to an hourly service which is inconvenient and unnecessary when you look at how busy the hourly services are. It makes me wonder what the post electrification service provision will look like?

I had the misfortune to be on the 2047 from Glasgow to East Kilbride on Saturday night. A single class 156. One of the most severely overcrowded trains I have ever been on. Good effort by the crew though. It was only five late at Hairmyres. One benefit of electrification will be that the minimum train length will be three cars. Do we know what units will be used? I assume 380 or 385 as 318 or 320 aren't suitable for guards or stations without mirrors/monitors. I guess more 318 and 320 will run to Gourock, Neilston or Wemyss Bay to free up other units.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

One benefit of electrification will be that the minimum train length will be three cars.

Now that is good news.

 

[NotATrainspott]

Electric units also mean going to a suburban door layout, so it'll be easier even if the train is crush loaded.

 

[E400Lover101]

Electric units also mean going to a suburban door layout, so it'll be easier even if the train is crush loaded.

That's good to see.

 

[OB23Gone]

Some photo updates around Old & New Hairmyres

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wow. Fabulous pictures and I love the way you have the concrete mixer marked in the first picture.

 

[John Street]

Hi newbie here, been lurking but never really had anything to say before today.

So heard from two different sources, that the whole EK line will be closed for 4 months from late January 2025 - mostly to allow for the lowering of rails at a couple of locations - possibly Burnfield Road and Church Road, Giffnock. Platform 2 at Giffnock is also to be resurfaced.

Also at Giffnock, there's marks where the new bridge is going into position - further along the platform on platform 1 on to the carpark and on the other side currently full of trees but what used to be a small branch line heading towards the quarries.

Also spotted lots of new track moving into position and there's new point sets at Busby Junction.

 

[ld0595]

Hi newbie here, been lurking but never really had anything to say before today.

So heard from two different sources, that the whole EK line will be closed for 4 months from late January 2025 - mostly to allow for the lowering of rails at a couple of locations - possibly Burnfield Road and Church Road, Giffnock. Platform 2 at Giffnock is also to be resurfaced.

Also at Giffnock, there's marks where the new bridge is going into position - further along the platform on platform 1 on to the carpark and on the other side currently full of trees but what used to be a small branch line heading towards the quarries.

Also spotted lots of new track moving into position and there's new point sets at Busby Junction.

Maybe I'm reading into it too much or it's just a coincidence, but RTT shows no services on the EK branch starting 25/01/25, whereas other lines have the timetable up. Crossmyloof shows only services to Barrhead and Kilmarnock for example.

 

[John Street]

Maybe I'm reading into it too much or it's just a coincidence, but RTT shows no services on the EK branch starting 25/01/25, whereas other lines have the timetable up. Crossmyloof shows only services to Barrhead and Kilmarnock for example.

I'd call that three sources.

 

[Class 170101]

Line is blocked from 25/01/25 until 18/05/25 presumably for electrification works

Network Rail Rules of the Route Section 7 (Scotland)

https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/operational-rules/Operational%20Rules/EAS/EAS%202025/V4/SC%20EAS%202025%20V4%20S7.pdf

There is also another block in August (three weeks) search Kilbride to find all of these.

 

[route101]

I had the misfortune to be on the 2047 from Glasgow to East Kilbride on Saturday night. A single class 156. One of the most severely overcrowded trains I have ever been on. Good effort by the crew though. It was only five late at Hairmyres. One benefit of electrification will be that the minimum train length will be three cars. Do we know what units will be used? I assume 380 or 385 as 318 or 320 aren't suitable for guards or stations without mirrors/monitors. I guess more 318 and 320 will run to Gourock, Neilston or Wemyss Bay to free up other units.

Yes, the services can be really busy when the service reduces to an hourly service. Are we still seeing 8 car trains upon electrification?

 

[OB23Gone]

Artists generated image of fully accessable bridge at Giffnock. Also Kilmarnock Rd A77 OB EKE/040 bridge parapet works.

 

[Southsider]

Artists generated image of fully accessable bridge at Giffnock. Also Kilmarnock Rd A77 OB EKE/040 bridge parapet works.

Kilmarnock Road should read Fenwick Road?

 

[OB23Gone]

Kilmarnock Road should read Fenwick Road?

Correct. It just that I'm used to turning onto Kilmarnock Rd

Correct. It just that I'm used to turning onto Kilmarnock Rd

Station side parapet coping all in situ on Fenwick Rd side complete on Sunday 22 Sept

 

[Charged up]

Yes, the services can be really busy when the service reduces to an hourly service. Are we still seeing 8 car trains upon electrification?

TS + ScotRail have not identified or progressed securing any "new" electric rolling stock for the EK line [post electrification]. The most likely outcome is that unreliable class 156s will remain the predominant train used on the EK services, including 2 cars on peak services, with the odd EMU running during the week with more at the weekend. The project has been on the books since 2017 but the lack of funds, commitment to de-carbonisation of the railway and TS obsession with putting up wires will mean that the route to EK will still have the unsuitable and decreipt DMUs running to/from EK almost until they are 40 years old.

Electric trains with batteries fitted would have been an ideal solution here with some of the funding saved from OHL installation and loss of revenue for the 4 month closure paying for BEMUs to replace C156s. Wiring some of the line along the "easier" route south of Barrhead would also allow these BEMUs to run down to Kilmarnock/ New Cumnock/ Girvan/ Barrassie and allow most of the class 156 fleet to be retired to introduce more suitable and accessible rolling stock south of Glasgow.

 

[EMU303]

TS + ScotRail have not identified or progressed securing any "new" electric rolling stock for the EK line [post electrification]. The most likely outcome is that unreliable class 156s will remain the predominant train used on the EK services, including 2 cars on peak services, with the odd EMU running during the week with more at the weekend. The project has been on the books since 2017 but the lack of funds, commitment to de-carbonisation of the railway and TS obsession with putting up wires will mean that the route to EK will still have the unsuitable and decreipt DMUs running to/from EK almost until they are 40 years old.

Referring back to a May 2022 article in Modern Railways, SR stated that the EK line would be served by existing EMU stock. I assumed that meant 100% of journeys but as you speculate maybe it will actually be a mix of EMU + 156s.

But I wonder if SR might not reinstate the full timetable on the North Clyde electrics e.g. not reinstate the peak hour extras on Milngavie to Edinburgh or reinstate with 3 and not 6 carriages and do some kind of fleet shuffle across the west to enable sufficient 380s to run to EK. Even before the current temporary timetable was introduced there seemed to be a fair bit of spare capacity on some Glasgow /west journeys as numbers still had not recovered to pre covid levels.

I’m a complete amateur on this topic so happy to be told “don’t be so stupid”

 

[Class 170101]

Not even had any luck with some second hand EMUs? Class 321s?

 

[Haribolover06]

some 350/2's just coming off lease at the moment too.

 

[themiller]

some 350/2's just coming off lease at the moment too.

I’d have thought that 321s would be ideal as they wouldn’t require extra training whereas the 350s would be a new class to Scotland and need training and a stock of different spares.

 

[Falcon1200]

If sufficient stock cannot be released from the existing fleet, more 321s, reduced to 3 cars as already done with some, would be a suitable stopgap. Either way I do not see Scotrail even contemplating running any services with diesel units after the expense and disruption of electrification.

 

[Bikeman78]

If sufficient stock cannot be released from the existing fleet, more 321s, reduced to 3 cars as already done with some, would be a suitable stopgap. Either way I do not see Scotrail even contemplating running any services with diesel units after the expense and disruption of electrification.

Agreed. If memory serves me correctly, the normal peak service requires five sets of stock, three four cars and two six cars. So they need seven EMUs. I think there is enough slack in the 318/320/385 fleets to cover that. As you say, worst case scenario, convert a few more 321s into 320s. Running DMUs, except in emergency, would be a PR disaster.

 

[Carntyne]

Class 318, 320 or 321 units wouldn't be any use, they are DOO.

 

[Bikeman78]

Class 318, 320 or 321 units wouldn't be any use, they are DOO.

However, there are loads of 380 or 385 diagrams to Wemyss Bay, Gourock, Paisley Canal, Neilston and Lanark. 318s or 320s could replace some of those which in turn could go to East Kilbride.

 

[OB23Gone]

Some Pile & Mast upddates. Two weeks ago an NR rep said that there was only 1 pile to go in before Busby. Although there are some beyond up as far as the farm bridge at OB EKE/031. MASTS. there appear only the following BITS to be done. a few arounb the access point at Robslee compound, Burnfield cottages. The next area is either side of Fenwick Road either side of the Bridge. There are some missing from judt beyond Morrisons Store to the far end of Giffnock Station. If Lowering the Track is to happen this maybe the reason. Lastly there was a section from beyond The White Cart Viaduct along the Busby Enbankment and the cross-over to the road bridge. Today it was noted that this work is in progress. So almost ALL DONE

 

[Meerkat]

Class 318, 320 or 321 units wouldn't be any use, they are DOO.

There’s an obvious answer to that as the line is being upgraded……..

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Hi newbie here, been lurking but never really had anything to say before today.

So heard from two different sources, that the whole EK line will be closed for 4 months from late January 2025 - mostly to allow for the lowering of rails at a couple of locations - possibly Burnfield Road and Church Road, Giffnock. Platform 2 at Giffnock is also to be resurfaced.

Also at Giffnock, there's marks where the new bridge is going into position - further along the platform on platform 1 on to the carpark and on the other side currently full of trees but what used to be a small branch line heading towards the quarries.

Also spotted lots of new track moving into position and there's new point sets at Busby Junction.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[MadMac]

NR Media Release re Thorntonhall.

 

[OB23Gone]

New Hairmyres Station Friday & Sat Progress

 

[gingertom]

NR Media Release re Thorntonhall.

the bridge in NR's picture looks to be double track capable. I understand it was never doubled beyond Busby.

 

[MadMac]

the bridge in NR's picture looks to be double track capable. I understand it was never doubled beyond Busby.

We had some discussion re this particular bridge a while back. As you correctly state, it’s never been double beyond Busby except for the Hairmyres Loop which was introduced around 1990. This picture suggests that it’ll be a tight squeeze, to put it mildly.