Expansions for Scotland's rail network proposed

[433N]

From the central Borders the easiest road access to the WCML is at Carlisle but there's no free parking near the station, whereas there's plenty at Lockerbie.

Ahem.

Whilst technically correct, the station car park is quite small and I've never managed to get a space in it. Luckily it appears that the surrounding residents welcome the intrusion of countless rail users along their congested kerbs.

 

[Photohunter71]

I can't, for the life of me, think where there is enough land there for a housing development that would require the footpath to be replaced ... it runs from a flight of stairs from Asda Car Park and passes on a thin sliver of land up to Fort Kinnaird ... unless it is going to be the triangle of land which is bounded by railway on all sides ... maybe some retirement flats for spotters.

The plot of land is currently in the same belt of land that the access road is to the south suburban loop, the triangle isn't being developed on, the path runs to Asda and also extends to the houses. There was an artists impression of the development displayed at Asda a few weeks ago.

 

[JohnR]

Beattock is a "no-brainer"? For which TOC?
Remember, neither Virgin nor TPE* stop at Carstairs, a station that is already there and which has shown remarkable growth** over the past 15 years, considering the paucity of the service.

I think it's a pity the DFt or whoever didn't make TPE stop the new Liverpool-Glasgows at CArstairs.
* Yes, I know one down trains stops in the morning peak, presumably mandated by DfT or some authority.
** 84,000 last year, down from near 96,000 the year before. cf 33,000 in 2014 and only a fraction of that in the mid-2000s.

It seems that Beattock would attract people from a larger area. Theres also an active campaign for reopening, unlike the other examples, which has gathered evidence that there would be a reasonable patronage.

 

[JohnR]

It was 16 miles Penicuik to Edinburgh by rail. Compare that with Gorebridge to Edinburgh which is 12 miles by rail and takes 30 mins. So you would be looking at a journey time of about 40 mins from Penicuik. This would be quicker than the bus but more than double the price - a peak time return to Gorebridge is £9.30 compared with an all day ticket on the bus for £4.00.

It wouldn't be easy to reinstate the line either as there has been a lot of building on the trackbed, including a housing estate on the former Hardengreen Junction. There is no room in the Borders railway timetable for additional services so the single track sections of the Borders line would need double tracking from Hardengreen to Portobello Junction.

I'm glad you pointed out the cheaper bus fares. Obviously the cheaper bus fares have already taken its toll on the commuting into Edinburgh from Fife and the Borders....

If we have learned anything from the last 50 years, its that Rail passengers dont transfer to/from Bus. Pretty much every commuting journey has a cheaper bus alternative. Yet trains are packed at peak times into our major cities.

 

[InOban]

Penicuik, and Dalkeith and the other settlements in the area, are all within the Lothian buses network and pay the same fares into Edinburgh as anywhere within the city. And of course 60+ travel free. If you look at their timetables, you will see that some services run every ten minutes.

 

[Highland37]

It sounds like some big announcements are on the way today.

 

[Highland37]

https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/scotland-s-railway-on-track-for-delivery/

Hmm, it's quite vague....

Scotland’s Railway on track for delivery

A programme of proposed railway projects aimed at sustaining investment in Scotland’s Railway has been unveiled at an industry event today (26 March 2019).

The Rail North of Border Conference saw almost 300 rail experts, including the supply chain, gather in Glasgow to look ahead to the next the next rail funding period (Control Period 6: 2019-2024).

Together with industry partners, Transport Scotland shared information on a suite of proposed projects under consideration across the length and breadth of Scotland including:

• relieving overcrowding in a dense commuter area through the proposed East Kilbride and Barrhead project;
• improving the reliability of services to the Scottish Borders and beyond;
• more services and faster journeys between our major cities, including Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness;
• improving services to our rural communities on the West Highland and Far North Lines;
• tackling environmental issues through electrification and exploring new technologies such as battery and hydrogen trains.

There will also be a 21% increase in expenditure on the day to day running of Scotland’s rail network, which will deliver improved performance and resilience over time.

Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity said:

“Rail provides vital connections between our cities, our communities, our businesses, and showcases all that Scotland has to offer. That is why we have invested an unprecedented £8bn in this key part of the economy across Scotland since 2007.

“Scotland saw the highest regional growth with passengers making 102 million journeys in 2017/2018. Despite the financial pressures imposed by the UK Government, we have confidence in the future of rail.

“Through our new projects pipeline we will address the cost and delivery challenges witnessed in recent years. It will also give confidence to the rail supply chain, in that it assures a steady stream of work for the next five years.

“My biggest frustration however, has been operating with one hand tied behind my back. Franchising, in its current form, doesn’t work and we must use the opportunity provided by Keith William’s review of the industry as a means of delivering real and meaningful structural change in Scotland.

“Nothing short of full devolution of rail powers is needed.”

 

[Highland37]

PDF here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/44516/scotland-s-railway-control-period-6-2019-2024.pdf

 

[d9009alycidon]

Hmm, it's VERY vague...

Fixed that for you!!!

 

[Highland37]

Fixed that for you!!!

What did you do?

 

[d9009alycidon]

Changed it from "quite" to a more appropriate "VERY"

 

[Stopper]

Disappointed no mention of a Dalmeny/Almond chord.

 

[Highlandspring]

Disappointed no mention of a Dalmeny/Almond chord.

I think that might be what’s meant by “improvements to how the rail network operates west of Haymarket station and on lines that interconnect”. I suppose we’ll just have to wait for the detailed documents for Network Rail.

 

[clc]

Good to see mention of the possibility of more services on the Shotts line.

 

[13h202]

improving the reliability of services to the Scottish Borders and beyond

I hope this involves fixing the abysmal 15mph restriction at the junction between the Borders line and ECML on Tweedbank services

 

[najaB]

I hope this involves fixing the abysmal 15mph restriction at the junction between the Borders line and ECML on Tweedbank services

Possibly, though it might be difficult to fix that without reducing line speed on the ECML since the geometry isn't great.

 

[DuncanS]

Stirling Council and Tactran are apparently in talks to move Bridge of Allan station towards Stirling, indeed they want to move it to Cornton which is in Stirling.

Needless to say the local reaction has been negative.

 

[mark-h]

The plot of land is currently in the same belt of land that the access road is to the south suburban loop, the triangle isn't being developed on, the path runs to Asda and also extends to the houses. There was an artists impression of the development displayed at Asda a few weeks ago.

There is, very limited, details on the Proposal of Application Notice including a location plan (attached). The location is described as:

The application site is approximately 2.4 hectares in area and is located within The Jewel area to the east of Edinburgh.The site includes part of the Jewel road to the north. The site is west of Asda superstore retail development, north of the railway lines and east of residential development at Corbieshot.It consists of grass, bushes and trees with a multi-user path along its south and eastern boundary and connecting to Corbieshot. There are also a number of informal paths. There is a change of levels within the site with an embankment adjoining the eastern boundary to the retail development.

With regard to the foot/cycle path the planners report states:

The proposal should have regard to the transport policy of the Adopted LDP and Designing Streets. The proposals will be required to keep the multi-user path routes and connections on the site. Transport information will be required to support the application.

 

[railjock]

Possibly, though it might be difficult to fix that without reducing line speed on the ECML since the geometry isn't great.

It mentions improving the junction at Potobello but that could mean a whole variety of things. Presumably the ECML had a different geometry there prior to rationalisation in the 70s?

 

[najaB]

It mentions improving the junction at Potobello but that could mean a whole variety of things. Presumably the ECML had a different geometry there prior to rationalisation in the 70s?

Looking at the NLS side-by-side view of the area - https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sid...=55.9483&lon=-3.1127&layers=168&right=BingHyb - it looks like there was a pair of tracks that came off the ECML for Portobello Station and then continued through to the branch.

 

[d9009alycidon]

The later map shows a much more extensive layout, https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sid...=55.9498&lon=-3.1132&layers=170&right=BingHyb by this time the Lothian lines had been built to take traffic from the Millerhill direction up and over the ECML and into Leith docks (yes there was congestion at that junction back then as well), Sir Harry Lauder Road is unfortunately built on this formation or else it could have been used as a nice flying junction

 

[och aye]

Scottish rail changes you can expect in your region

Summary of proposed improvements:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47731973

Where will improvements be made?
West

• The Carstairs junction is the largest renewal in the CP6 plan. Extensive works will be made including 35-point end interventions and a 10km of plan line track renewal, plus renewal/refurbishment of all outside signalling equipment. The aim is to improve line speeds on the main lines and routes between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Carstairs.
• Completion of Glasgow Queen Street station
• Intervention on the New Clyde Bridge

East

• The obsolete Edinburgh control system will be renewed, which will enable enhancement pipeline schemes.
• Works on the Forth Bridge
• Perth's 57-year-old signalling system will be renewed and integrated with a proposed Seven Cities enhancement pipeline project
• Platform canopy renewal at Perth

Tayside

• Platform canopy renewal at Dundee

North east

• Platform canopy renewal at Aberdeen
• Completion of the Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project

Scotland-wide

• Renewal and refurbishment works will be carried out at 256 rail structures, including on the New Clyde Bridge and the Forth Bridge.
• Upgrades will be carried out on the 10 most high risk user-operated crossings.
• Repairs will be made to more than 900km of track.

 

[Altnabreac]

Scottish rail changes you can expect in your region

Summary of proposed improvements:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47731973

I think this is the detail of the additional minor schemes referred to in the earlier announcement here:

A number of minor and technical projects are being developed by Network Rail, such as line speed improvements, improvements to sidings, minor power upgrades, and a suite of gauging improvements. For details please contact Network Rail’s Strategic Planning Team in Scotland.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Dressing up maintenance and replacement of life expired equipment as "improvements"

 

[68000]

Dressing up maintenance and replacement of life expired equipment as "improvements"

Well take Edinburgh IECC as an example - no improvement projects can happen until the obsolete IECC which controls the vast majority of the east of Scotland is replaced

 

[clc]

Edinburgh Suburban Enhancement Programme has been renamed ‘Growing Lothians and Borders’ and Greenhill Junction remodel and Dunblane to Perth Corridor Enhancement are now ‘7Cities Connectivity’

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....multi-billion-investment-in-scotlands-railway

 

[alangla]

Does the Greenhill job involve grade separation? Given the existing layout, a westbound chord from the Cumbernauld line to the E&G would probably do.

 

[najaB]

Does the Greenhill job involve grade separation?

It did, and I presume it still does.

 

[Class 170101]

Unless I have missed it there seems to be nothing about OLE extensions to any of the Scottish network.

 

[Altnabreac]

Unless I have missed it there seems to be nothing about OLE extensions to any of the Scottish network.

The projects appear to be deliberately vague at this stage, they obviously want Network Rail to work up more detail before announcing any project's exact outputs. Let me try and put my best guess as to what each one might actually consist of:

Growing Lothians and Borders (previously Edinburgh Suburban Enhancement Programme)
Double lead junction at Portobello.
Doubling Portobello - Newcraighall including Brunstane Station
Electrifying South Suburban Line for freight and diversionary capacity

7Cities Connectivity (previously Greenhill Junction remodel and Dunblane to Perth Corridor Enhancement)
Greenhill Junction Grade Separation
Resignalling / level crossing closure / electrification from Dunblane - Perth
Perth remodelling / station rationalisation
New Perth Depot
New Double track section on Highland Mainline (Newtonmore - Kingussie / Kincraig?)
More double track on Elgin - Inverness section of A2I

Scotland East to England Connectivity (ECML corridor enhancement)
Calton North Tunnel 2 tracking
Bi directional third line through Abbeyhill
New parallel double track Prestonpans - Dunbar

Edinburgh Waverley western approach enhancements
New electrified Almond Chord with grade separation at Winchburgh and Turnhouse

East Kilbride/Barrhead corridor enhancement
Double track Busby - East Kilbride
Electrification from Muirhouse to Barrhead and East Kilbride

Far North Line corridor enhancement
Lentran Dynamic Loop
Kinbrace Passing Loop
Level Crossing / signalling enhancements

The main big loser from previously mooted projects seems to be any thought of a Dunfermline bypass from Inverkeithing - Halbeath which is entirely absent. My preference has always been for that line to head all the way to Perth / St Madoes anyway so I'm not devastated to see the Halbeath version of it absent in CP6.

The Transport Scotland news release also mentions that new routes being assessed through STAG at the moment like Levenmouth or Hawick can be added to the pipeline should the business cases come back positive.