It would be useful if you could actually post a link (and a quote) from that sourceNo, there is not. The scope and timing of future work on the Aberdeen-Inverness improvements is yet to be determined. Source: Transport Scotland website.
It would be useful if you could actually post a link (and a quote) from that sourceNo, there is not. The scope and timing of future work on the Aberdeen-Inverness improvements is yet to be determined. Source: Transport Scotland website.
A new railway station next to Inverness Airport could be open by late 2022, Network Rail hopes.
Plans are expected to be submitted for the new Dalcross station before Christmas.
And the public will get the chance to view them – and quiz engineers behind the project – at a special online consultation event later this month.
Under the proposals, a brand new station consisting of two platforms, a passing loop and spaces for 64 cars would be built on a site next to the existing Inverness-Aberdeen rail line.
Does anyone know if the passing loop is necessary for timetable improvements or is it possibly being included so that trains can turn there more easily (Inverness-Airport shuttles)?Some news regarding Dalcross station.
It has been so long since this improvement programme began, I've nearly forgotten what the improvement programme was all about!Does anyone know if the passing loop is necessary for timetable improvements or is it possibly being included so that trains can turn there more easily (Inverness-Airport shuttles)?
Like yourself, I am hazy on the details now, but that does ring a bell. And Inverness - Elgin does make more sense than Inverness - Dalcross.I may be havering, and I'm more than happy to be corrected, but wasn't the loop at Dalcross supposed to enable a 30-minute Inverness to Elgin schedule?
Is it worth spending any more money?
I live in Dyce and see HSTs going past with literally a handful of people on them. Government are subsidising just now but it won't last forever. They spent the £330 million or so on the A2i already and literally nobody is using the rail service and with the government position on Covid those passengers aren't returning any time soon.
Does anyone know if the passing loop is necessary for timetable improvements or is it possibly being included so that trains can turn there more easily (Inverness-Airport shuttles)?
Covid won't last forever. In the particular case of Dalcross, Covid will probably be over before there's a single spade in the ground.
As horrible as Covid is, pandemics are relatively short term events. The long term problems are climate change and air pollution, so the long term trend still needs to be more rail use.
With all due respect, didn't you decide a couple of years ago that you were fed up with the rail service and that you'd be getting the bus from now on? If so, why are you still whining about the rail service?Is it worth spending any more money?
I live in Dyce and see HSTs going past with literally a handful of people on them. Government are subsidising just now but it won't last forever. They spent the £330 million or so on the A2i already and literally nobody is using the rail service and with the government position on Covid those passengers aren't returning any time soon.
My own understanding concerning the double track from Aberdeen North end to the new Junction at Hutcheon street is that many many moons ago when the Denburn St tunnel was singled, the floor collapsed. I understand the Den Burn still runs underneath the floor of the tunnel. So to fix this issue the floor of the tunnel was raised considerably.
That as I understand it is the back story.
Going forwards this tunnel is going to be a point of contention for a few reasons.
As discussed the Scottish Government strategy for electrifying out to Inverurie is well known and has been factored in to the earthworks on A2I upgrades.
However. The feasibility study that was conducted for re-opening the Formartine and Buchan highlighted that for Pathing and an hourly or half hourly service to Ellon and beyond, the Denburn tunnel becomes a serious bottleneck.
The study highlights the cost of this would be borne by the F&B, which is one reason the cost of this project was exaggerated beyond all reasonable proportions to an astronomical £350m even though much of the line is fully intact only being closed and lifted in IIRC 1977.
Then there is the freight loading gauge issue and fitting wires in to a tunnel that never had it considered.
Given its a cut and cover one wonders if its altogether easier to just cut it out altogether.
Then you have Aberdeen City Council in the mix and the less said about them the better.
Someone mentioned Alford, which has recently appeared on a Railscot linked article as a candidate for reopening along with Deeside. Add that in to the mix and the pathing at the North End of Aberdeen station demands drastic changes in the layout. Re opening 8&9 in the Joint wont cut it.
Anyway, back on topic. The A2I upgrade is a fantastic improvement, no more waiting at Dyce for the Northbound, and has made the jouney considerably smoother. Then then there is Kintore which is very welcome.
In the early days of the A2I Project an report on "track doubling" thru' the Tunnels was prepared and submitted to Network Rail - bottom line Modern stock & electrification was not feasible without massive track lowers thru' the tunnels, which from an engineering (and cost) point of view are not preferable (or possible in some locations) - I know this because I had some involvement with the report!
Nothing is impossible to those willing to invest a sufficient amount of capital - either human or financial. Since Network Rail has plenty of the former and only limited amounts of the latter, one can surmise that it would just be too expensive.What makes the project not possible?
Nothing is impossible to those willing to invest a sufficient amount of capital - either human or financial. Since Network Rail has plenty of the former and only limited amounts of the latter, one can surmise that it would just be too expensive.
Thanks for the clarification.
Agreed capital is a limited resource, and its great that the North East is getting some more spend per the title of this thread.
Looking forwards the Denburn and Hutcheon st Tunnels are going to be back on the agenda sooner or later, if you are in the camp that Rail will grow again in the future and isn't doomed!
If the cost is so high, surely cutting them out and bridging the roads/premises above with new structures may need to become an option?
It sounds as though a double track W12 electrified line just wont fit.
Was this kind of suggestion considered as part of the study?
With all due respect, didn't you decide a couple of years ago that you were fed up with the rail service and that you'd be getting the bus from now on? If so, why are you still whining about the rail service?
It's the "big city" commuter networks that will see long-term drops in passenger numbers (or at least low growth in numbers) due to increased homeworking. I'm not sure how much that applies to the Aberdeen-Inverness route.More concerned about spending more public money on a rail system that is going to have greatly reduced passenger numbers for some considerable time.
I am getting the bus, and it's a good reliable service. More concerned about spending more public money on a rail system that is going to have greatly reduced passenger numbers for some considerable time.
Revised plans a double platform railway station at Inverness Airport have been submitted to the Highland Council.
Proposals drawn up by BAM Nuttall and AECOM on behalf of Network Rail, include a footbridge, lift, car parking, bus drop off zone and waiting shelters at Dalcross near the new town of Tornagrain.
The footway is rather narrow on what looks like quite a fast road - https://goo.gl/maps/kkWFAwikQmNdaNxW6I'm surprised that they have a separate footbridge structure rather than combining the railway footbridge with the road overbridge.
Oh, I thought the bridge was being updated as part of the station plans.Not having to touch the existing structure reduces risk.
Looking on Google it appears to be a recently-built road and bridge, so I assume there is no need to change it. If others know better then please post!Oh, I thought the bridge was being updated as part of the station plans.
It may well be. The Dalcross Station project goes back a long way, in the early phases they had proposed upgrading/replacement of the road bridge. I guess things have moved on since then on the road side of things.Looking on Google it appears to be a recently-built road and bridge, so I assume there is no need to change it. If others know better then please post!
For the benefit of anyone who, like me, didn't know what/who Norboard is, they produce manufactured wood products. There was a trial this year of moving raw timber to the mill (near Dalcross) by rail.Might have been mentioned previously but looks like Norbord might get a rail connection as part of the overall scheme.