New East Linton Station - Progress & Updates

[RailScotia]

The road is being rerouted as per this link which gives more info:

Proposals for Markle level crossing replacement | Markle level crossing replacement project | East Lothian Council

Markle level crossing replacement.

www.eastlothian.gov.uk

Thanks! Hadn’t seen this before.

 

[Mollman]

Won't there be a TSR at Markle while the works are taking place, so all trains could be at the same speed?

Guessing they mean stopping trains are slower as they stop at the station which might have an impact on the current approach control to the crossing.

 

[hibtastic]

Was in East Linton the other day. Station itself well advanced and pretty much complete. Surrounding paths and car park still need work.

I don’t think the work at Markle crossing has started yet either.

 

[Railsigns]

The new access bridge is at Markle further along the line. This apparently starts in April and will take 9 months to complete. This will replace the Markle level crossing which is apparently required before the station opens due to the different speeds of express and stopping services.

So there will come a point where the station is complete and ready but won’t be able to open until the works a mile or so down the line are finished which is a shame.

The plan is to introduce stopping/non-stopping controls at the level crossing so that the station can open before the crossing closes.

 

[hibtastic]

The plan is to introduce stopping/non-stopping controls at the level crossing so that the station can open before the crossing closes.

That is good news. The official line is still March 2024 for the station opening. Assume that may be brought forward if this is the case?

 

[Acfb]

Was in East Linton the other day. Station itself well advanced and pretty much complete. Surrounding paths and car park still need work.

I don’t think the work at Markle crossing has started yet either.

I visited East Linton today. I looked at work on the station from the play area/primary school side. The paths to the station still fenced off. Nothing much more to add really.

Does anyone know what the Musselburgh to East Linton off peak Scotrail return fare will be when East Linton opens out of curiosity as I will probably travel on a Saturday.

 

[Starmill]

I visited East Linton today. I looked at work on the station from the play area/primary school side. The paths to the station still fenced off. Nothing much more to add really.

Does anyone know what the Musselburgh to East Linton off peak Scotrail return fare will be when East Linton opens out of curiosity as I will probably travel on a Saturday.

It will be very interesting to know this because the fare from Dunbar to Edinburgh is going up by about 5% on 11 June, so it will likely open an enormous rebooking anomaly. It wouldn't make much sense for ScotRail to set it more than a few pence over the existing North Berwick fare, as I understand the Scottish Government isn't sanctioning any rises for now on ScotRail-set prices.

 

[och aye]

A brief mention by the First Minister confirming that East Linton will open next year. Timestamp: 14:38:38

Meeting of the Parliament | Scottish Parliament TV

www.scottishparliament.tv

 

[InOban]

It certainly looked complete when I whizzed past o LNER recently. However I didn't see any sign of work on the replacement of the LC at Markle.

 

[dan4291]

It certainly looked complete when I whizzed past o LNER recently. However I didn't see any sign of work on the replacement of the LC at Markle.

The station itself is complete. My understanding is that it's the car park and groundworks around the platforms that is getting done now.

 

[InOban]

Having driven over it I can confirm that there is no sign of work on the bridge to replace Markle LC.

 

[hibtastic]

Has there been anything else on planned service frequency yet. East Linton is now on real time trains showing calling trains when I looked at a random date in December.

 

[RailWonderer]

Why are these eyesore lift towers being built, why can't they design a new attractive PRM compliant lift made of glass like the ones you see in Europe and even in Ireland at Killiney station?

Has there been anything else on planned service frequency yet. East Linton is now on real time trains showing calling trains when I looked at a random date in December.

Anything less than hourly and it would be easy to call it a white elephant unless there are housing developments being built nearby.

 

[hibtastic]

The station will open in December apparently according to a RAGES update today (apologies it was on Facebook). This will be before the Markle crossing works are complete.

 

[rower40]

The update to the signalling system and control system has been completed, so that the AHB crossing now can cater for trains stopping at East Linton station without holding the road closed for the duration of the train's station stop.

 

[InOban]

Are they still planning to replace the LC?

 

[rower40]

"replace" as in "Build a bridge, and close the level crossing"? Yes, but the station can now open with the crossing still present. So there's now no urgency in getting the bridge built.

 

[alistairlees]

Now confirmed by ScotRail as 11th December opening. (Internal industry info)

 

[hibtastic]

Now confirmed by ScotRail as 11th December opening. (Internal industry info)

Fantastic news. I do wonder what sort of frequency we can expect. Are the December timetable changes available yet?

It looks as though the Scotrail services are loaded (6 per day from Edinburgh, 5 per day to Edinburgh) and they all seem to call at Musselburgh and Wallyford between East Linton and Edinburgh. No sign of the Transpennine services being bookable yet though. Hopefully these will come online soon.

 

[Morayshire]

Fantastic news. I do wonder what sort of frequency we can expect. Are the December timetable changes available yet?

December timetables are out and loaded into Real Time Trains at least. Quick check of Real Time Trains shows Scotrail calling roughly every 40mins? See link below.

East Linton Real Train Times

 

[takno]

December timetables are out and loaded into Real Time Trains at least. Quick check of Real Time Trains shows Scotrail calling roughly every 40mins? See link below.

East Linton Real Train Times

You probably want to filter by passenger calls, which shows 5 trains: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...11/0400-2300?stp=WVS&show=pax-calls&order=wtt

 

[Devon Sunset]

The Scotrail Dunbar service does not currently stop at Wallyford so if correct that is an additional calling point and I was under the impression that at least some of the TPE services would be stopping at East Linton. It comes up on the PIS just now and I think it has to be manually deleted. I’m sure things will become clearer in the next few weeks.

 

[snookertam]

Those calling services are a change from the original plan which was I’m sure mainly TPE services. Only early morning and late night ScotRail services were originally intended to stop at East Linton.

Very strange to go to the trouble of building the station and have such a sparse service.

 

[takno]

Those calling services are a change from the original plan which was I’m sure mainly TPE services. Only early morning and late night ScotRail services were originally intended to stop at East Linton.

Very strange to go to the trouble of building the station and have such a sparse service.

It would probably make sense in a world where HS2 moved most of the fast trains over to the West Coast, but without even Phase 2a it's probably never going to be able to have a decent service. Arguably less of a waste of money than Reston either way.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What is the population of the area that is served by East Linton station?

 

[Devon Sunset]

Wallyford and East Linton both confirmed on ScotRail internal coms for the Dunbar service.

 

[InOban]

What is the population of the area that is served by East Linton station?

Rapidly growing because of new housing next the station. Seems bizarre that the only commuter train gets to Edinburgh about 07.30, as far as I can see.

 

[hibtastic]

if you add in all of the TPE services on Realtime trains which show stops at ELT (not yet in the WTT) then you get what is in the attached excel (this is for a wednesday in December). Looks alot better. The only real gap is between 1740 and 2227 towards Edinburgh. I am not saying all of these will eventually call but I had thought TPE would be making calls at ELT. They have certainly added it to their route maps (https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/-/media/MapGeoDec2022.jpg).

 

[InOban]

if you add in all of the TPE services on Realtime trains which show stops at ELT (not yet in the WTT) then you get what is in the attached excel (this is for a wednesday in December). Looks alot better. The only real gap is between 1740 and 2227 towards Edinburgh. I am not saying all of these will eventually call but I had thought TPE would be making calls at ELT. They have certainly added it to their route maps (https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/-/media/MapGeoDec2022.jpg).

That would be an impressive schedule!

 

[Farigiraf]

Hearing the opening date prompted me to make this meme - I wonder if it's not a coincidence and NR/DFT now have designated station opening periods?
Thanet Parkway 31 July, Portway Park & Ride August 1
Brent Cross West 10 Dec, East Linton 11 Dec

Image: If I had a nickel for every time 2 railway stations opened within a day of each other this year I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.