Scottish Electrification updates & discussion

[route101]

Of those, I'd say only Anniesland and East Kilbride are potentials to be completed in CP6. Would think Barrhead - Kilmarnock will need more general improvements to track and signalling first, similar to Perth.

Hearing rumours that electrification to EK doesn't really gain anything performancewise so would be to remove diesel pockets rather than capacity.

Id think the EMUs would have better acceleration , clarkston up to Busby is a slog.

 

[Southsider]

See plenty of people who put the C in

So? They’re wrong

 

[route101]

There are arched bridges at either end of Clarkston station which would foul the pantograph of an EMU. The engineering aspects of the replacement are not any more challenging than many that have been done before it's the logistics of rerouting the traffic from the bridge at the north end of the station that will require some thought as it carries a busy, main road with no short diversionary option. The alignment of the bridge is very poor, especially for HGVs, but there may be room to build a new bridge alongside on a better alignment before demolishing the old one.

I recall once that road over the bridge being closed . Think the traffic was diverted via Stamperland. A temporary bridge may be put in with overnight closures . Theres a few bridges east of Busby too . Someone on another thread said there was engineering place to take place .

Line cant be 156 forever but we may be a while away from wires.

 

[route101]

So? They’re wrong

I find it common thats why. Seen arran spelt aran too

 

[route101]

The statement said that the extra units were the first phase of improvements on the line. On the contrary there are very few bridges to deal with, the major one at Crossmyloof having been rebuilt not that long ago presumably to the necessary clearance.

That bridge was to allow 390s to pass through . Not sure about clearance

 

[Macwomble]

Seen arran spelt aran too

No surprises there....the ARAN Islands are off the west coast of Ireland.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/A...643272471828dc15!8m2!3d53.0971747!4d-9.656332

 

[Southsider]

I find it common thats why. Seen arran spelt aran too

The Aran you refer to is off the west coast of Ireland

 

[GLC]

If, for the sake of argument, electrification of EK did go ahead, would there be scope to also adjust the bridge that Busby station sits on? I ask because the 6 (née 66) bus to be served by single deckers or low height doubles as the bridge was too low, which for a long time resulted in some very tired looking stock serving the route, as they were the only buses that would fit. Obviously the wiring itself would not require adjustments in this manner, but are there ever cases of councils working with NR, and cutting a "while you are working there..." type deal?

 

[InOban]

I think every road bridge which has been replaced recently has been built wider than before, eg the Kerse bridge in Stirling now has three lanes. I believe there was a local authority contribution, but I don't know how much. What you are suggesting would require the track to be raised, unless the bridge has a very thick deck. This might be more difficult.

 

[Southsider]

If, for the sake of argument, electrification of EK did go ahead, would there be scope to also adjust the bridge that Busby station sits on? I ask because the 6 (née 66) bus to be served by single deckers or low height doubles as the bridge was too low, which for a long time resulted in some very tired looking stock serving the route, as they were the only buses that would fit. Obviously the wiring itself would not require adjustments in this manner, but are there ever cases of councils working with NR, and cutting a "while you are working there..." type deal?

I doubt the railway would stump up for that, no benefit to them. I hadn’t realised it was special double deckers for the route, learn something every day!

 

[NotATrainspott]

If, for the sake of argument, electrification of EK did go ahead, would there be scope to also adjust the bridge that Busby station sits on? I ask because the 6 (née 66) bus to be served by single deckers or low height doubles as the bridge was too low, which for a long time resulted in some very tired looking stock serving the route, as they were the only buses that would fit. Obviously the wiring itself would not require adjustments in this manner, but are there ever cases of councils working with NR, and cutting a "while you are working there..." type deal?

Road clearance under railway bridges isn't really in the normal scope of electrification. If the electrification required a blockade it's possible a bridge replacement would be done simultaneously but there'd need to be some other justification for it like it going end-of-life. Raising up the railway is normally a much harder job than lowering the road, even if lowering the road would itself be a lot of work. Raising the railway here by a meaningful height would require many hundreds of metres of route either side, including the entire Busby station, to be completely reconstructed. Where the railway is on an embankment it might not be possible to increase the height without widening the base of it, which could have serious consequences for neighbouring buildings.

 

[380101]

Id think the EMUs would have better acceleration , clarkston up to Busby is a slog.

You'd probably be able to knock 10min off the journey time on the EK route using modern EMUs. As a 156 driver that drives the route, you only achieve the 50mph line speed between Hairmyres and EK on the way to EK. Lucky to get to 45mph anywhere else going up the hill. Wiring this route would make a massive difference in journey times, but they'd have to increase the amount of double track and ideally double it all the way from Busby to EK ro really benefit in the long run from electrification.

 

[route101]

The Aran you refer to is off the west coast of Ireland

Yes i know but i seen it in a uni document and i there is a shop in Glasgow with aran . Maybe for the shop Arran is copyrighted brand.

 

[route101]

I doubt the railway would stump up for that, no benefit to them. I hadn’t realised it was special double deckers for the route, learn something every day!

Low height E400s 11 and 61 plates though they are often found on the 4 too , half of the 6s seem to be singles.

 

[route101]

You'd probably be able to knock 10min off the journey time on the EK route using modern EMUs. As a 156 driver that drives the route, you only achieve the 50mph line speed between Hairmyres and EK on the way to EK. Lucky to get to 45mph anywhere else going up the hill. Wiring this route would make a massive difference in journey times, but they'd have to increase the amount of double track and ideally double it all the way from Busby to EK ro really benefit in the long run from electrification.

Yeah , noticed the speed to EK . Clarkston to Giffnock another fast bit . Hopefully the next phase is doubling .

 

[Southsider]

You'd probably be able to knock 10min off the journey time on the EK route using modern EMUs. As a 156 driver that drives the route, you only achieve the 50mph line speed between Hairmyres and EK on the way to EK. Lucky to get to 45mph anywhere else going up the hill. Wiring this route would make a massive difference in journey times, but they'd have to increase the amount of double track and ideally double it all the way from Busby to EK ro really benefit in the long run from electrification.

It's the dwell time to open the doors then unload and load passengers onto the 156s that gets me, seems to take an eternity.

 

[route101]

It's the dwell time to open the doors then unload and load passengers onto the 156s that gets me, seems to take an eternity.

Yeah , wonder if new units will be ordered or a cascade ?

 

[Southsider]

Yeah , wonder if new units will be ordered or a cascade ?

But there are no plans to replace them, in fact more are coming.

 

[route101]

But there are no plans to replace them, in fact more are coming.

Yes i know but 156s wont here forever ,they are over 30 years old

 

[Southsider]

Yes i know but 156s wont here forever ,they are over 30 years old

Here until the end of the franchise unless wires go up.

 

[route101]

Here until the end of the franchise unless wires go up.

Will be interesting to see what happens ,the line is crying out for improvements

 

[Fougasse]

few doing

Pretty much the case at the moment.

 

[59CosG95]

Shot from yesterday at Fouldubs Jct on the Grangemouth Branch. https://flic.kr/p/2eegqug
Only a few minor adjustments outstanding from what I can see. The extent of the steelwork is now clearly visible on Google Maps.

 

[59CosG95]

To back that up, a Google Earth aerial view of the Malcolm terminal, taken on 24/6/18. Locations of what I can assume are foundations for OLE structures are circled in red; from what I can make out, the lighter foundations are concrete, while the darker ones are piled (covered over with plastic sheeting at the time of capture). I'm fairly certain that structures have gone up on all those foundations since.

 

[Southsider]

I recall once that road over the bridge being closed . Think the traffic was diverted via Stamperland. A temporary bridge may be put in with overnight closures.

There's a picture of the bridge on Railscot https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/67/208/
It appears to have a steel deck, could the arches be from a previous bridge or be decorative features? Could just be the effect of poor resolution on my tablet or a grainy image.

 

[d9009alycidon]

The steel bridge you can see is a footbridge, the stone arch road bridge is a few meters behind it. The footbridge was renewed a couple of years ago. If that road bridge was closed it would cause major disruption, as this is a primary route used by several bus services.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.7906334,-4.2781397,106m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[AndrewE]

There's a picture of the bridge on Railscot https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/67/208/
It appears to have a steel deck, could the arches be from a previous bridge or be decorative features? Could just be the effect of poor resolution on my tablet or a grainy image.

Maybe an original masonry arch widened by putting a steel girder bridge next to it? If it's the Strawhill Rd bridge, Bing maps aerial shows what might be a separate foot (or aquaduct/pipe) brige.

 

[InOban]

The extra-wide 6-foot suggests to me that there are two spans?

 

[d9009alycidon]

Did nobody read my post - I live near there and have crossed both bridges frequently, the photograph shows the road bridge which is a plain unmodified single span stone arch bridge carrying B767 Clarkston Road that has been there since the line was opened, the green steelwork is the footbridge that connects the car part to the main street, they are separate bridges. The photograph was taken from the station footbridge and Strawhill Road bridge and the footbridge that runs parallel with it is behind the photographer

 

[Southsider]

The steel bridge you can see is a footbridge, the stone arch road bridge is a few meters behind it. The footbridge was renewed a couple of years ago. If that road bridge was closed it would cause major disruption, as this is a primary route used by several bus services.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.7906334,-4.2781397,106m/data=!3m1!1e3

I see what you mean. The angle it’s taken at superimposes it perfectly.