Milngavie to Westerton: missed opportunity to re-double the single track section?

[alangla]

£5m Milngavie station improvement

www.railtechnologymagazine.com

Network Rail are set to start £5m of works at Milngavie station to extend the platforms in an investment that will bring greater operational flexibility on the line.

Both platforms at the station will be extended from 141m each in length to 205m by reinstating 39m of unused platform and adding 25m of new platform at the south side of the station.

https://twitter.com/kennymunro/status/1273629058895667208

Are you reinstating the double track from Westerton?

Not as part of this project.

Isn’t the single track the main reason for the appalling reliability record on the branch? I’m interested in how lengthening the platforms improves timekeeping when trains are so often stuck waiting at Bearsden to pass other late running services.

Getting techy here: current timetable involves complex rolling stock and traincrew “diagrams” so any delay is spread around the network. This project helps us to simplify them, so any delay is contained and recovered from more quickly.

The platforms at Milngavie are apparently to be extended to 205m by the December TT change.

I’m not sure I understand Alex Hynes explanation to the person questioning why they’re not redoubling to Westerton.

Given a very high percentage of trains to Milngavie run as 6 car at the moment, this extension won’t allow double-docking in the platforms as they’d need to be 240m+ long.

The only gain I can see in this is that it would allow splitting during the day with 3 cars being parked in each platform off peak, but ScotRail seem to have largely stopped splitting & joining on the North Clyde lines.

In short, what’s the point of this work?

 

[Bald Rick]

Possibly not the right thread for this but it affects an electrified line

https://twitter.com/alexhynes/status/1273619877719355394?s=21

The platforms at Milngavie are apparently to be extended to 205m by the December TT change. I’m not sure I understand Alex Hynes explanation to the person questioning why they’re not redoubling to Westerton. Given a very high percentage of trains to Milngavie run as 6 car at the moment, this extension won’t allow double-docking in the platforms as they’d need to be 240m+ long. The only gain I can see in this is that it would allow splitting during the day with 3 cars being parked in each platform off peak, but ScotRail seem to have largely stopped splitting & joining on the North Clyde lines.

In short, what’s the point of this work?

It allows double docking with a 3 and a 6. AIUI this makes the diagramming much more simple. Don’t ask me how, not my specialist subject!

 

[gsnedders]

Also remember that there's still plenty of North Clyde services that operate as 3-cars, even in the peaks.

 

[alangla]

Oh I know, in normal times my journey to & from work is rammed into a 3 car in the peak. I still don’t see how it simplifies diagramming though unless they’re either going to make every Edinburgh train 3 car or, I guess, replace the grand tours that Argyle line units do with out & backs and cut the Milngavie runs to all 3 car.

 

[Carntyne]

In short, what’s the point of this work?

Allows extra stabling at Milngavie (additional 2x3 car units).

 

[Dr Hoo]

Noting from the referenced media item about the work that the scope is limited to platform restoration and extension with minor re-positioning of a few masts and bits of signalling equipment there is in fact no "missed opportunity" to re-double the line because there aren't going to be any significant earthworks, track laying, signalling layout alterations or wiring anyway.

 

[CM]

It should have been re-doubled when the line went to 4tph as it simply can't cope with the current service level. Lengthening the Platforms at Milngavie is pointless and a total waste of money.

What they should do is re-double the line between Westerton - Bearsden and Hilfoot - Milngavie. Re-model the junction East of Westerton so that trains heading for the Maryhill line don't have to cross over on to the wrong line to get there. This could potentially remove the need for services heading for Queen Street High Level(and the freight services) from having to wait at the signal West of Westerton station to allow other services to pass before crossing over.

 

[Ianno87]

It allows double docking with a 3 and a 6. AIUI this makes the diagramming much more simple. Don’t ask me how, not my specialist subject!

I *think* the workings are Milngavie are sometimes complex - some trains are in and out on a minimum turnround (performance risk - possibly moreso than the single line), some step back a train - all to do with getting the diagrams and 3/6 car workings right.

I'd presume that lengthening the platforms means you can "do a Four Oaks" more often, i.e. 6 cars come in, 3 cars left at the buffers, then attached to a later 3 car arrival to put the 6 cars in position later. Which then reduces the reliance on minimum turnround times to 'keep a platform free' to dump a train for a long period, as is necessary now.

 

[Ianno87]

Of course, redoubling the immediate approach to Milngavie is 50% pointless anyway - trains need to cross on arrival or departure anyway so is a conflict regardless.