Scotland's Railway - Potential Enhancement Options

[och aye]

Assume the electrification to Longannet is a "sweetener" to Talgo...otherwise there's no point. Why not extend the wires all the way to Dunfermline, extend the Alloa terminators, and West Fife then gets a modern, regular, direct connection to Glasgow (albeit a not very quick one).

I'd imagine if they were reintroducing stations at Clackmannan and Kincardine, it would just generally also help folk there to be connected to the rail network and perhaps have a station at the Longannet facility for the workers to travel to as well.

 

[clc]

With the Scottish government budget being finalised, is there any confirmation of new infrastructure investment e.g. more electrification, line doubling, Almond cord etc?

There’s a rail conference in Glasgow next week at which the Transport Secretary is speaking, maybe we’ll hear something then:

https://peloton-events.co.uk/rail-north-of-the-border-conference-and-exhibition-2020/

 

[d9009alycidon]

The major Carstairs renewals start on Saturday 4 April and will involve 10 weekends of work between Carstairs and the border in Scotland target completion is Sunday 7 June. The worksites at the north end of the station are well underway.
35-point end interventions (12 remodelled, 9 like for like, and 14 abandonments), and 10km of plain line track renewal, renewal / refurbishment of all outside signalling equipment.
Would love to see a diagram for th enew layout

 

[mcmad]

The major Carstairs renewals start on Saturday 4 April and will involve 10 weekends of work between Carstairs and the border in Scotland target completion is Sunday 7 June. The worksites at the north end of the station are well underway.
35-point end interventions (12 remodelled, 9 like for like, and 14 abandonments), and 10km of plain line track renewal, renewal / refurbishment of all outside signalling equipment.
Would love to see a diagram for th enew layout

no it doesn't. Track works won't start for another 2 years at the easliest

 

[Phillipimo]

no it doesn't. Track works won't start for another 2 years at the easliest

It looks like it is happening!

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....end-improvement-works-for-west-coast-mainline

Network Rail will be delivering a multi-million-pound programme of maintenance and renewal work on the West Coast Mainline over 10 weekends between April and June this year.

Engineers will refurbish or renew more than 17 kilometres of track at 20 locations along the line between Carstairs and the border.

A bridge near Beattock will also be replaced, drainage systems beneath the line renewed and embankments strengthened as part of the programme.

Due to the complexity of the engineering work and the heavy machinery involved, this investment in the line cannot be delivered without some short-term closures of the railway.

Buses will replace trains between Carlisle and both Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekends between Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, June 7.

On most weekends, the closures will affect services from mid-morning on Saturdays until start of service on the following Monday.

Over Easter and some weekends in May the closures will extend for longer, with buses replacing trains on Monday April 13 and Mondays May 4 and 25.

Lindsay Saddler, head of maintenance for Network Rail Scotland, said: “The work we are undertaking is vital for the long-term future reliability of the line.

“Our engineers will be working around-the-clock to complete these complex projects as quickly as possible.

“We understand the inconvenience these works will cause to some passengers, but working at weekends, when fewer people are travelling, helps us to limit disruption as much as we can.”

Passengers planning to travel on these weekends are advised to check their journey in advance at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

 

[class26]

The major Carstairs renewals start on Saturday 4 April and will involve 10 weekends of work between Carstairs and the border in Scotland target completion is Sunday 7 June. The worksites at the north end of the station are well underway.
35-point end interventions (12 remodelled, 9 like for like, and 14 abandonments), and 10km of plain line track renewal, renewal / refurbishment of all outside signalling equipment.
Would love to see a diagram for th enew layout

Does this see the speeds through carstairs increased ?

 

[d9009alycidon]

Does this see the speeds through carstairs increased ?

the biggest improvement is expected to be the connection to the Edinburgh Line, (presently 15mph) increasing to 45mph, also improvement in the Northbound through line.

 

[Carntyne]

It looks like it is happening!

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....end-improvement-works-for-west-coast-mainline

That doesn't mention the Carstairs Junction renewal.

 

[InOban]

Agreed. It says between Carstairs and the border. I think it's largely plain line renewal apart from the specific items mentioned.

 

[mcmad]

Yup, its just the usual plain line renewals, including the High Output relaying train this year.

Not a chance of 45mph round the South to East Curve either.