New Rail Station at Barrhead South

[clc]

From a recent report by East Renfrewshire Council:-

A proposed new purpose built rail station and bus interchange at Barrhead South (on the Glasgow to Neilston line) will provide improved access to jobs and services for the existing community of Auchenback and the new residents from the surrounding planned housing developments some of which are already under construction. The station will offer excellent commuter links and provide a direct public transport link to the country park.

Considerable work has been undertaken to move this project forward. In particular this has involved preparing and submitting a revised Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), working with Transport Scotland, SPT and Network Rail. Approval of the STAG lies with Transport Scotland and is required prior to moving into the Governance for Rail Investment Projects (GRIP) stages. The project is now in the second stage of the STAG process which should be complete in the next six months. This project has been delayed because Transport Scotland were not able to respond to our STAG1 submission as all of their available staff were working on issues relating to the pandemic. This has put pressure on the programme and the budget. Now that Transport Scotland are more able to engage steady progress should be made with a proposed start on site late 2023 with completion in 2025.

The revised cost of delivering the new station is currently estimated at £18 million as opposed to the remaining provision of £8.786 million within the Council’s General Fund Capital Programme. This cost is based upon a construction start in 2023.

The costs for the station have increased for several reasons. Following the original estimated budget (2015) there have been necessary changes to the scope of the project. These include;

o Improved accessibility legal requirements now necessitate the need for lifts and an overhead bridge to ensure that the station is Disability Discrimination Act compliant. This was not part of the original scope.

o Constraints to the contractor’s working methods as Scottish Water’s Amlaird pipeline is located on the periphery of the site now identified as the most suitable location for the new station this was not identified when the original costs were prepared.

o Ground condition issues have changed with spoil from surrounding works having been put on the site requiring the levels to be reduced significantly and the need for a more onerous surface water removal system (SUDS).

o Recent similar projects for Network Rail have had to include for works to overhead lines and signalling and no allowance was made for these works when the original budget was set.

o The original budget estimated budget was set with a construction contract start date of August 2018.

However, due to Transport Scotland’s approval of the STAG report, the revised start date for construction of the station is now October 2023. The BCIS shows an anticipated increase in tender prices for inflation of 20% from 2018 to 2023.

Since the inception of the City Deal Programme a new rail station at Robroyston has been built on the Queen St station to Cumbernauld line. This was completed in 2019 at a cost of £14M.

This revised budget of £18M for the new rail station at Barrhead South has been benchmarked against Robroyston Station.

It is proposed therefore that provision of £18 million from the remaining City Deal resources be made for this scheme.

https://eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/med...tem_05_-_13_May_2021.pdf?m=637563415545600000

 

[Dr Hoo]

I remember this being talked about when I first went to work in Scotland around 35 years ago.

The graphics still seem to show the site lost in the middle of fields with not a building in sight.

 

[MadMac]

I remember this being talked about when I first went to work in Scotland around 35 years ago.

The graphics still seem to show the site lost in the middle of fields with not a building in sight.

It’s been getting kicked around for a while. I think I saw a rough sketch about 30 years ago…..

 

[Falcon1200]

There is a huge amount of building just started alongside the line between Neilston and Patterton, it looks like the access road to the new station has been provided too, but of the actual station, so far..... not a sign !

(There was a planned station at Lyoncross, a bit closer to Patterton, when the line was built, which is why the two lines still separate there to this day, but it was never constructed. The new station will be on a different site).

 

[clc]

There is a huge amount of building just started alongside the line between Neilston and Patterton, it looks like the access road to the new station has been provided too, but of the actual station, so far..... not a sign !

(There was a planned station at Lyoncross, a bit closer to Patterton, when the line was built, which is why the two lines still separate there to this day, but it was never constructed. The new station will be on a different site).

October 2023 is the estimated construction start date according to the report.

 

[nlogax]

This makes perfect sense. Lots of new houses and apartments being built on Balgraystone Rd to the west of the reservoir, plus I imagine much of Barrhead would opt to use this new station and no longer have to bother with the lengthy walk to the existing one halfway across town. I know I would!

 

[GLC]

A year or two ago there was a proposal to build this station as an experiment, to see if the demand was there, before instating fully if viable. Does this proposal mean that temporary station is now being skipped?

 

[clc]

A year or two ago there was a proposal to build this station as an experiment, to see if the demand was there, before instating fully if viable. Does this proposal mean that temporary station is now being skipped?

It wasn’t mentioned in the report so I would assume it’s no longer planned.

 

[snowball]

Towards the end of the report there are artist's impressions of the dam with its proposed boardwalk. On page 27 the artist appears to have relieved his boredom by including a sketch of a young lady flashing her knickers.

 

[XAM2175]

On page 27 the artist appears to have relieved his boredom by including a sketch of a young lady flashing her knickers.

Their boredom

 

[Falcon1200]

October 2023 is the estimated construction start date according to the report.

Thanks clc.

This makes perfect sense. Lots of new houses and apartments being built on Balgraystone Rd to the west of the reservoir, plus I imagine much of Barrhead would opt to use this new station and no longer have to bother with the lengthy walk to the existing one halfway across town.

Barrhead folk on the Neilston trains ? Truly, the end is nigh !

 

[nlogax]

Thanks clc.



Barrhead folk on the Neilston trains ? Truly, the end is nigh !

 

[GLC]

Barrhead folk on the Neilston trains ? Truly, the end is nigh !

For a few years I worked at a large supermarket in Newton Mearns, and a genuine piece of customer feedback was that there should be a separate checkout area for customers from Barrhead, so as no to slow down the checkout process for those from Newton Mearns. Quite staggering but then the same supermarket did a few years later open a branch in Barrhead so maybe the feedback really was taken on board

 

[D6130]

The graphics still seem to show the site lost in the middle of fields with not a building in sight.

The graphics also seem to show a de-electrified railway. Surely this is not compatible with the Scottish Government's plans for de-carbonising public transport?

 

[Southsider]

A report in the local press.
https://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk/business/cost-of-new-barrhead-station-soars-3298686

 

[Falcon1200]

Thanks for the link Southsider. I was interested to read this explanation for the increased cost:

'Costs have increased for several reasons, a council report reveals, including accessibility legal requirements meaning lifts and an overhead bridge are now needed.'

If the station is going to be where I think it is, adjacent to Balgraystone Road, why would a bridge and lifts be necessary; Surely ramped access to both platforms could be provided from the road ?

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @nlogax to provide an update.

 

[nlogax]

Cheers @Cowley

Being reported that construction for Barrhead South station is due finally to commence a year from now, ie spring 2024 and should in theory be open by the end of 2025. People are slowly moving to the new properties off Balgraystone Rd so I imagine the timing probably works well enough.

https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/23403749.barrhead-new-18m-railway-station-track-2024/

Construction of a new £18million railway station for Barrhead has been given the green light to start next year.

Building was originally due to begin in 2018, but has been beset my delays and increased costs.
However, work on the south side of Barrhead is now expected to start in spring 2024 and will take between a year and 18 months.
The station will be located off Balgraystone Road, between St Luke’s High School and the Dams to Darnley car park, on the existing Glasgow to Neilston line.

Council chiefs have said the new Barrhead South station will serve the population in that part of Barrhead, which has risen due to increased house building.

 

[numtot12345]

Good to hear an update on this and sustainable travel provision will be made for the associated housing.

Genuine question - what impact has been considered it having on capacity of GLC- Neilston services, mainly during peak times? Asking on the basis of trains being too full/overcrowded on Cathcart Circle section? Would it help the case for increasing dedicates Catchart Circle services to allow more capacity for Muirend/Neilston section?

 

[Falcon1200]

Thanks for the update @nlogax. I'm still mystified by the apparent need for a footbridge and lifts, given that the site is next to a road underbridge; Perhaps the issue is more land required on the Up (Neilston-bound) side for access ramps?

Would it help the case for increasing dedicates Catchart Circle services to allow more capacity for Muirend/Neilston section?

Hopefully the full pre-Covid timetable will be restored, eventually, or if not, at least fill the gaps left by withdrawing the odd train, eg the 0841 from Neilston meaning no service between 0824 and 0905, compounded by the latter being 3 cars only!

 

[nlogax]

Thanks for the update @nlogax. I'm still mystified by the apparent need for a footbridge and lifts, given that the site is next to a road underbridge; Perhaps the issue is more land required on the Up (Neilston-bound) side for access ramps?

It may be because it's quite a narrow road (light controlled single lane) under the bridge alongside a shared footpath / bikeline. Also quite a low point along the road so it may be a flooding risk?

 

[CEN60]

The job is out to tender to Contractors to "Design & Build" at this very moment.

 

[Meerkat]

Thanks for the update @nlogax. I'm still mystified by the apparent need for a footbridge and lifts, given that the site is next to a road underbridge; Perhaps the issue is more land required on the Up (Neilston-bound) side for access ramps?

I thought I had seen on threads re other stations that accessibility regs had changed so ramps have to be so ludicrously long that they aren't viable to build in? Modern day ramped footbridges are ghastly huge things.

 

[InOban]

I remember asking the same question at Reston, where there's a farm access track under the railway. Building an overbridge and lifts must have drastically increased the cost, and the ongoing maintenance budget, as well being an eyesore.

 

[och aye]

Fantastic news for the residents that this station is finally going to be built. I personally thought there wasn't much drive from the Scot Gov/Transport Scotland for new stations, and that the project was going to be kicked towards the end of CP7 or even further. So it's a pleasant surprise to read of this news, as I wasn't really anticipating any more stations were to be built this decade after East Linton and the Levenmouth project.

 

[reb0118]

Barrhead folk on the Neilston trains ? Truly, the end is nigh !

I once went out with a lass from Barrhead and I remember there was a domestic conflict with her sister over who was going to get a lift from their father. The upshot was the sister had to take the Barrhead train and not the Paisley train. I casually mentioned that she actually lived in Barrhead so what was the problem. The retort was almost spat out - we don't stay in Barrhead we stay in Boyleston!

 

[ScotTrains]

Approval has now been granted from the Glasgow City Region Cabinet with construction likely to start in June 2024 with a completion date of Dec 2025.

Town's new £18m railway station supported by city region cabinet

Plans for another train station in Barrhead have moved forward.

news.stv.tv

 

[Falcon1200]

Having passed the location on trains recently, work has already begun! There is a large compound on the Down (Glasgow) bound side and a track access point has been installed.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Having passed the location on trains recently, work has already begun! There is a large compound on the Down (Glasgow) bound side and a track access point has been installed.

The linked article claims:

Glasgow City Region’s cabinet approved an outline business case for the station on Tuesday morning. It also agreed to use £2m for further development and enabling works, which will progress the project to a full business case.

 

[numtot12345]

"The name of the proposed new station will be Balgray, as it will be located next to Balgray Reservoir. The name is an old Scottish place name meaning either Bal (settlement) or Balg (bulge or bag shaped body of water)."

New station on track for Balgray

Network Rail has appointed Story Contracting Ltd to design a new railway station on the Neilston line in the area south of Barrhead.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk