East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[59CosG95]

Looks very innovative! Wonder if any other projects will use them after this.

 

[Frankton Junct]

1/2 A bracket has appeared on the park side of the line. Hefty pieces of kit.
Don't know if this is the cutting you are refereeing to but these are appearing along the cutting between Barrhead Road and Busby Junction. Believe they are called Micro Piles! according to an SPL operative I was talking to at Nitshill Compound. He also mentioned the 6 week blockade in June & July that will see the section All but completed

This photograph of the Nithsdale Road Bridge looking towards Moray Place shows a cantilever mast mounted on one of these piles.



The stone masons have done a fine job of the stone facade on the inside of the bridge parapets:

 

[vic-rijrode]

This photograph of the Nithsdale Road Bridge looking towards Moray Place shows a cantilever mast mounted on one of these piles.

View attachment 133989

The stone masons have done a fine job of the stone facade on the inside of the bridge parapets:

View attachment 133990

That is very attractive. Presumably the stone will, in time, weather to match the adjoining buildings?

 

[najaB]

That is very attractive. Presumably the stone will, in time, weather to match the adjoining buildings?

Within a year or two, max.

 

[Southsider]

There’s a post on Facebook complaining that there was construction noise late at night coming from the EK line - has piling restarted earlier than expected?

 

[Albaman]

I can't comment on " Southsider's " post above , but, although I know there is a huge amount of work still to be done, I was pleased to see a few OHL masts are now in situ on the East Kilbride branch just beyond Busby Junction.

 

[OB23Gone]

There’s a post on Facebook complaining that there was construction noise late at night coming from the EK line - has piling restarted earlier than expected?

Think the poster has maybe gotten their sounds mixed up. There has been No Piling RRV's working from either Nitshill or Robslee Dr. Compounds Lately. This could be possibly that a new Access Point is being used or formed. There are 2 Long Reach RRV''s presently, in today, in fact at Robslee today and for the past good few days. SEE Picture 1, this machine was working at Carstairs until recently. These RRV's are used to lift the mast onto the piles for fixing and also the gantries, drop rods etc.. They work with 1 or 2 trailers and a lot of noise is generated when the trailers are being positioned onto the track and then loaded with the kit to be fitted. this work cannot be started until the last train has gone through. The last train through Busby Junction is after midnight. As we all know sound travels far at that time during the small hours. Pictures at the Junction were all taken yesterday 1st may.
Checked out at Kennishead and all the masts and all other bits are in place this was also the case at Priesthill and Darnley. There are a couple of more masts in place in the cutting there. Really only leaves BJ, Shaw's West Bridge Levernwater Bridge's and Barrhead station. Picture 9 could see similar action taking place as was pictured at Carstairs East Junction

 

[GB&K Joint]

Not many gaps in the masts now
pollokshaws West on bridge over the White Cart Between Barrhead Road and Busby Junction. Possibly the cutting just after Priestley & Darnley Station. The Levernwater Bridge Arches, Rest of Viaduct completed and through to Barrhead Station Throat. Nothing in Station. A couple of pictures from Friday 14th April

Observed today, the cutting between Nitshill and Priesthill and Darnley stations has some of the masts erected and piling completed for the remainder.

 

[MadMac]

Re the upcoming "blockade": is it the Barrhead line only? What happens to the Kilmarnock/Carlisle services?

 

[Frankton Junct]

I noticed a Network Rail planning application on the East Renfrewshire Council planning portal:

2023/0178/TP
Validated: Wed 05 Apr 2023
Vacant land at Cross Arthurlie Street, Barrhead
Temporary change of use of vacant land to site compound
6 months to facilitate works at Barrhead Station as part of the Glasgow-Barrhead Electrification project
Site has been vacant land for over 10 years

See Search planning applications

 

[snowball]

According to this document, the bay platform at Barrhead, platform 3, is to be lengthened. I assume this hasn't happened yet, so presumably it will take place during the blockade, and the site compound will be used for it.

 

[OB23Gone]

It's alright, I suppose. Pity the original bridge couldn't have been raised up in the same position.

Some pictures of progress on this. Hope it will be wider as the original was too narrow. People with Buggies going in opposite directions had great difficulty in actually getting past each other

 

[Southsider]

Re the upcoming "blockade": is it the Barrhead line only? What happens to the Kilmarnock/Carlisle services?

Confirmation of the blockade, no mention of Carlisle in the headline but alluded to in the article.

“Trains on a busy line from Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be replaced by buses for the entirety of July, ScotRail has announced.”

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23511200.scotrail-glasgow-kilmarnock-trains-off-month/?ref=rss

 

[nlogax]

Confirmation of the blockade, no mention of Carlisle in the headline but alluded to in the article.

Trains on a busy line from Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be replaced by buses for the entirety of July, ScotRail has announced.

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23511200.scotrail-glasgow-kilmarnock-trains-off-month/?ref=rss

Good info, thank you. At least there's the opportunity here to plan my July travel accordingly!

 

[Southsider]

1/2 A bracket has appeared on the park side of the line. Hefty pieces of kit.
Don't know if this is the cutting you are refereeing to but these are appearing along the cutting between Barrhead Road and Busby Junction. Believe they are called Micro Piles! according to an SPL operative I was talking to at Nitshill Compound. He also mentioned the 6 week blockade in June & July that will see the section All but completed

There’s one bracket on the road side of the line now. Also earth wires extending over the Haggs Road bridge.

 

[Falcon1200]

Trains on a busy line from Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be replaced by buses for the entirety of July, ScotRail has announced.

The blockade is nearly 6 weeks, between Busby Junction and Kilmarnock - What are they doing that is going to take so long?!!

 

[380101]

The blockade is nearly 6 weeks, between Busby Junction and Kilmarnock - What are they doing that is going to take so long?!!

Platform extension at Barrhead, erect the remaining masts, replace footbridge at Nitshill, string all the remaining overhead wires, and no doubt a whole host of other jobs that can be done with no rail traffic.

Blockades are the way to do it, as it reduces the overall amount of disruption and allows unhindered trackside access.

 

[Falcon1200]

Blockades are the way to do it, as it reduces the overall amount of disruption and allows unhindered trackside access.

Thanks. I agree absolutely re blockades, it's just that 6 weeks seems a long time for what is a relatively simple railway (plus it will affect my summer cycling plans.....)

 

[Frankton Junct]

If the platform extension at Barrhead is still in scope, it will be interesting to see how they extend it. The back of the bay platform is adjacent to the ramps and stairs and the track at the front of the platform is angled to the junction with the down Barrhead line. The existing bay platform is only just long enough for a 4 carriage class 156.

 

[nlogax]

I was looking at the view down the platform only this morning. To get in longer trains wouldn't the bay line have to run in relative parallel to the mains for a longer length before the pointwork? May also necessitate repositioning the facing points further up.

That or we're looking at a very narrow platform extension.

 

[OB23Gone]

I was looking at the view down the platform only this morning. To get in longer trains wouldn't the bay line have to run in relative parallel to the mains for a longer length before the pointwork? May also necessitate repositioning the facing points further up.

That or we're looking at a very narrow platform extension.

There is enough Railway Land on the non railway side of the platform to enable the track to be slewed over thus helping to keep the platform width and length as required. This would also allow for longer trains in platform 2.
The removal of the signal box could also allow the arrival line into platform 1 to be slewed a little allowing more space for the crossover to be moved closer to Glasgow enabling the longer trains.

 

[zwk500]

I was looking at the view down the platform only this morning. To get in longer trains wouldn't the bay line have to run in relative parallel to the mains for a longer length before the pointwork? May also necessitate repositioning the facing points further up.

That or we're looking at a very narrow platform extension.

You can fence off the right-hand side to meet the 2.5m width requirement.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I'll confess I haven't been keeping up to date at all, but work has been going on for ages now - surely we're getting close to operating electric stock to at least Barrhead soon?

 

[hexagon789]

surely we're getting close to operating electric stock to at least Barrhead soon?

Not until December, as I understand it.

I would assume some test/familiarisation runs will be made in the period between completion and energisation of the OLE to Barrhead and the planned commencement of passenger electric services to Barrhead.

 

[Railsigns]

There's still some signalling work to be done at Barrhead before the wires go live, principally renewal of the signals at the north end and provision of a new 3-state banner repeater.

 

[hexagon789]

There's still some signalling work to be done at Barrhead before the wires go live, principally renewal of the signals at the north end and provision of a new 3-state banner repeater.

Is that part of the work they intend to complete during the July closure?

 

[InOban]

If I'm not mistaken, the scheduled coach services from Kilmarnock to Glasgow by the A/M77 are faster than the train.

 

[hexagon789]

If I'm not mistaken, the scheduled coach services from Kilmarnock to Glasgow by the A/M77 are faster than the train.

Similar as far as I can see.

The coach is 40 mins

The (semi-fast) train is 38-41 on average.

 

[nlogax]

Similar as far as I can see.

The coach is 40 mins

The (semi-fast) train is 38-41 on average.

On a really good day, maybe. It's almost a guarantee to get stuck in the pre-Charing X exit jam on Kingston Bridge for any vehicle heading into town.

 

[hexagon789]

On a really good day, maybe. It's almost a guarantee to get stuck in the pre-Charing X exit jam on Kingston Bridge for any vehicle heading into town.

Sounds like the Citylink 900...

...71 mins except when there's traffic or anyone wanting to board the coach.