Improving local transport around Newburgh, Fife - Possibility of reopening station

[NSEFAN]

I was linked to a set of proposals for improving public transport around Newburgh, Fife. One proposal is to reopen the railway station, located on the line between Perth and Ladybank, which sees services between Inverness and Edinburgh via Inverkeithing.

The Proposals

The Proposals The potential interventions that have been taken forward from the previous stage of the study, and which are currently being assessed in greater detail, are shown below. Option 1 &#82…

newburghsustainabletransport.co.uk

Anyone interested can write in to express their views on reopening the station. The original station site and one of the platforms is still extant. Reopening would be reasonably straightforward from an operation perspective: the 1tph each way currently using the line would require no additional diagrams or rolling stock in order to call at a reopened Newburgh station.

 

[mcmad]

I'd imagine that it would need to be tied into a wider enhancement project of the line as that long section of single line is very restrictive and adding in a stop onto it would do nothing for timekeeping.

 

[waverley47]

The line is 15 miles of single track, with 1tph each way at least (lots of ECS and other moves). Solve that first, with at least a dynamic loop somewhere along the line, although I'm the grand scheme of redoubling, this would be an easy win.

Beyond that, this is a decent idea. Newburgh, Bridge of Earn, and Abernethy are all big enough to support a station, but only the former two are really big enough to justify a HST stopping. The current 1tph probably is enough, but with wires extending across Fife, I'd wait until you could increase the Perth teminators to 1tph stopping as well as the 1tp2h express.

This one comes up a lot. It's definitley been done before; I remember doing a study a decade ago which came to the conclusion that yes it should be done. The problem is service patterns; do you really want to stop the express train there?

 

[och aye]

Would the proposed Perth station remodelling allow for a decent service with stations at Newburgh, Bridge of Earn, and Abernethy?

 

[InOban]

I know that the community of Newburgh have been campaigning for many years for the reopening of their station. But I think that the line has always been single and so there will be a lot of structures to replace.

 

[waverley47]

Would the proposed Perth station remodelling allow for a decent service with stations at Newburgh, Bridge of Earn, and Abernethy?

The current layout at Perth could probably provide for twice the number of services as it actually does. Shouldn't be a problem post remodelling.

 

[Millisle]

I know that the community of Newburgh have been campaigning for many years for the reopening of their station. But I think that the line has always been single and so there will be a lot of structures to replace.

Ladybank to Bridge of Earn was singled 1933/34, except Glenburnie Jcn to Newburgh which was singled in 1960. The box at Newburgh and crossing loop remained until October 1980. I whiled away time there occasionally until it closed.

 

[InOban]

I stand corrected. Thanks, but I'm sure that formation won't meet current standards. How wide is the M90 bridge over the line?

 

[Millisle]

That was just a historical footnote. I would favour a restored crossing loop and consider redoubling thoroughly unjustified.

 

[InOban]

I assume you meant throughout rather than thoroughly? I am against short loops, a long dynamic loop would suffice.

 

[Millisle]

I meant 'thoroughly' as in 'absolutely'. I would favour a dynamic loop, but if someone will pay for a short one rather than a long one, I would take the short one.

 

[47271]

Groan, here we go again.

Increase capacity, somewhere, anywhere, between Ladybank and Hilton Jn. Short loop, long loop, two short loops, whatever. Benefits will ripple out beyond Edinburgh-Perth and onto the Highland Main Line.

Then, and only then, organise stations at Newburgh and Bridge of Earn. Also get a Bridge of Earn station in place before Perth remodelling and any closure of Moncrieffe Tunnel ahead of electrification.

If any of this happens within the next ten years I'll be amazed.

 

[waverley47]

Groan, here we go again.

Increase capacity, somewhere, anywhere, between Ladybank and Hilton Jn. Short loop, long loop, two short loops, whatever. Benefits will ripple out beyond Edinburgh-Perth and onto the Highland Main Line.

Then, and only then, organise stations at Newburgh and Bridge of Earn. Also get a Bridge of Earn station in place before Perth remodelling and any closure of Moncrieffe Tunnel ahead of electrification.

If any of this happens within the next ten years I'll be amazed.

Exactly. This is at the top of a long list (and it is definitley on the list, it will be done sooner rather than later) of very worthwhile projects to improve the service provision north of the central belt. BUT, there is a long list of enabling works to make it possible. Solve those first, and then we can build new stations.

 

[Millisle]

Glad that we agree that capacity is the main priority. My journeys are all between Edinburgh and Inverness and so serving north Fife does not do anything for me. Nevertheless I am also happy for my journeys to be slowed down to expand opportunities for unserved communities.

 

[najaB]

My journeys are all between Edinburgh and Inverness and so serving north Fife does not do anything for me. Nevertheless I am also happy for my journeys to be slowed down to expand opportunities for unserved communities.

If the Newburgh station had two platforms on a decent length loop then it would both serve north Fife and make your journeys more reliable.

Win all around.

 

[och aye]

Hopefully this is something that can be taken forward in CP7?