East Kilbride/Barrhead electrification updates

[snowball]

Aren't these pictures from a couple of weeks ago?

Yes, looks like the weekend two weeks ago, but not posted on Twitter until today.

 

[Bald Rick]

In many of these bridge replacement jobs the new one has been prefabricated and is on site, ready to be slotted into place. Anyone know why that’s not the case with this one?

I think that usually happens with footbridges. A road bridge like this is probably too big and heavy for such treatment. It will require placement of concrete beams, replacing the mains services, casting the deck, building parapets, placing kerbs, laying carriageways and footways. The timetable is in post #590.

it is routinely done with road bridges, but two issues here:

1) having somewhere nearby to store said Pre-fab bridge
2) getting it there.

it’s a big bridge!

 

[snowball]

it is routinely done with road bridges,

Ah yes, I was thinking of cranes and forgetting the ones done with many-wheeled transporters.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Bridge demolition en route:

https://twitter.com/BAMNuttall/status/1562002678452035584

Thats not a mickey mouse o/b will be putting a few quid on the stkm rate. Presumably wasn't suitable for a Cardiff style intervention.

 

[snowball]

Thats not a mickey mouse o/b will be putting a few quid on the stkm rate. Presumably wasn't suitable for a Cardiff style intervention.

According to #798 the track under it is to be raised by 390mm to improve the vertical alignment.

(Automerge)

Press release with video:

Construction of the new bridge begins in the southside of Glasgow.

Work to construct the new bridge over the railway at Nithsdale Road in Glasgow’s Southside is now underway following successful demolition of the old structure.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Work to construct the new bridge over the railway at Nithsdale Road in Glasgow’s Southside is now underway following successful demolition of the old structure.

The project, part of the Glasgow-Barrhead electrification works, will see a new bridge deck constructed higher over the railway to enable overhead electrification wires to run safely beneath the structure.

The bridge demolition is the latest phase of work within the Barrhead to Glasgow electrification project and is part of wider plans to decarbonise passenger services on Scotland’s railway by 2035.

Working over two successive weekends while the railway was closed for 53 hours, contractors Bam Nuttall on behalf of Network Rail worked continuously to demolish and clear the old bridge before craning into place the first elements of the new structure.

Over the first weekend, 1,100 tonnes(t) of spoil, including seven wrought iron girders, were removed from the railway bridge using a 500t crane. The masonry brick work from the structure will be recycled and reused as cladding.

Over the second weekend, four concrete pre-cast cil units were craned into position on the abutments of the former structure using a 750t crane. These provide the additional height clearance needed for the electrification wires to run safely under what will also be a thinner bridge deck.

As work continues with the bridge and other elements of the electrification project, pedestrian access over the railway will continue via the nearby footbridge between Moray Place and Darnley Road, with temporary ramps fitted to allow step free access.

Allan Wilson, Network Rail’s project manager for the Glasgow-Barrhead electrification said:

“Successful demolition of the Nithsdale Road bridge removes a key blocker to the installation of the overhead wires that will enable the electrification of the line to Barrhead by December 2023.

“Closing the railway for consecutive weekends was the most efficient way to remove the structure and then to make good progress in the first stages of the construction of the new bridge by installing cil units on the abutments and the pre-cast beams which will form the framework of the new bridge deck.

“We will have the new deck in place in September and then will begin the process of reconnecting the utilities across the structure with a view to having completed the work and opening the new bridge in January next year.

“We are grateful to the local community and road users for their patience and cooperation during this work.”

In addition to the main bridge works, the team took the opportunity to maximise the value of the railway closure by demolishing a smaller structure at Kennishead Road near Darnley and installing an under-track crossing to carry diverted power cables.

 

[Geogregor]

Great picture, but I think you might mean "in progress"

en route - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

en.wiktionary.org

I meant bridge along the route, the route/line which is being electrified. Bloody English language

 

[XAM2175]

I meant bridge along the route, the route/line which is being electrified. Bloody English language

Ooh, well played

 

[hwl]

Thats not a mickey mouse o/b will be putting a few quid on the stkm rate. Presumably wasn't suitable for a Cardiff style intervention.

According to #798 the track under it is to be raised by 390mm to improve the vertical alignment.

(Automerge)

Press release with video:

Construction of the new bridge begins in the southside of Glasgow.

Work to construct the new bridge over the railway at Nithsdale Road in Glasgow’s Southside is now underway following successful demolition of the old structure.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

It was a weak bridge with deck the propped just underneath where the rear of the middle excavator is.
The location of metal props may not have been that compatible with electrification clearances either!

 

[snowball]

The latest confirmation that the whole EK branch will be wired, from the horse's mouth: an article by Jenny Gilruth, Scottish Minister for Transport, in the August/September 2022 issue of Rail Technology magazine:

Rail Technology Magazine June / July 2023 Page 30

mag.railtechnologymagazine.com

The display software seems not to allow cutting and pasting of quotes but I've already stated the key content.

It's thanks to GRALISTAIR that I learned of this article. He quietly edited a reference to it into a several-days-old post in the Decarbonising Scotland's Railways thread and I saw it more or less by accident.

There has been a tendency in recent press releases etc to group Barrhead, EK, Borders and Fife together, and this article, for the first time I've seen, uses the term "phase 1" (of the overall decarbonisation programme) for them.

 

[XAM2175]

The display software seems not to allow cutting and pasting of quotes but I've already stated the key content.

Here we go:

Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport

As Scotland’s Transport Minister, I want to see rail play its full part in helping to cut transport emissions and crucially, offering people an alternative travel option which is low carbon and sustainable.

Currently how we travel in Scotland is contributing to global warming and increasing our greenhouse gas emissions – transport currently contributes some 37% of total emissions in Scotland. This needs to change and rail is a significant part of the solution.

In July 2020 we published our Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan. Developed with the Scottish Rail Industry, it sets out how we intend to decarbonise rail passenger services by 2035 and rail freight services by 2045, by shifting from diesel to electric and hydrogen-fuelled trains, track and stations.

Scotland’s railway is already a success story, with less than 2% of transport emissions coming from Rail. Through Scottish Government investment to electrify Scotland’s railways, around 76% of passenger and 45% of freight journeys now use electric traction.

But we now need to go further and faster. We plan to build on this success by converting more passenger and freight journeys to become net zero, a key element of the Scottish Government’s new National Transport Strategy. Investment in decarbonising Scotland’s railway also demonstrates our approach to investment in green technologies and skills and our commitment to create a fairer, wealthier and healthier Scotland.

Electrification has many benefits - faster journey times for passengers and freight, quieter journeys, improved connectivity across the country, additional capacity allowing more people to travel, lower industry operating costs, reduced environmental pollution and problems, and improved air quality, contributing to better health and wellbeing for us all.

What we now need to do is promote all of these environmental, social and economic benefits to people and businesses in Scotland, to encourage more people to shift from road to rail. Continuing to make progress on our decarbonisation targets and making the case to Scotland to take the train more often will be a key focus in the months ahead.

Rail Projects - Decarbonisation programme, phase one
Four infrastructure projects form Phase One of the decarbonisation programme, Barrhead, East Kilbride, Fife and Borders. These four schemes all look to use overhead electrification, in full and in part, as the power source. Later phases on the decarbonisation programme will look to employ alternative traction technologies on lightly used routes. We expect to deploy such technologies on more rural routes where overhead electrification is not the most cost effective solution.

Barrhead Electrification
Most advanced of the Phase One of the decarbonisation programme is the scheme to electrify the route to Barrhead. Located in eastern Renfrewshire on the Glasgow and South Western Line, Barrhead is the first step towards the longer term plan to electrify this Line to Kilmarnock, Dumfries and eventually Carlisle.

The line from Glasgow Central to Barrhead will be electrified throughout, providing an opportunity to remove the existing diesel rolling stock from this line and [replace it] with Electric Multiple Units (EMU).

Current Status: Electrification to Barrhead is underway on site with a view to completion by December 2023.

East Kilbride Enhancements
Following behind the Barrhead scheme we have the East Kilbride Enhancements scheme. The scheme comprises full electrification of the line to East Kilbride coupled with other enhancements, including significant investment in station upgrades, accessibility improvements and passenger facilities.

The line from Glasgow Central to East Kilbride in Lanarkshire will be electrified throughout, allowing removal of the existing diesel rolling stock from the route, and its replacement with new Electric Multiple Units.

As part of enhancements, East Kilbride Station will provided with step-free access, and a new footbridge and lifts will be provided at Giffnock Station. Platforms are being designed allowing more flexibility in train operation and to accommodate longer rolling stock. In addition, Hairmyres Station in East Kilbride, is planned to be relocated by moving it approximately 600-metres to the west of its existing location. The relocation of Hairmyres Station enables the development of a new transport hub for the East Kilbride community, offering improved facilities as well as an enhanced park and ride facility which will reduce the barriers to entry to the transport system, ensuring fairer access to services, reducing inequalities.

Wider economic and social benefits arise from Hairmyres Station relocation as it provides improved commuter opportunities to access jobs in Glasgow and other areas along the corridor plus allowing increased leisure opportunities. This increase in commuter and leisure travel improves productivity and competitiveness, generating higher level of economic growth and increases incomes.

Planning permission has been approved for the relocated station, with consent for a new 193,000 sqft retail park with 1,500 car parking spaces also being granted. The new car park at Hairmyres will also have electric vehicle charging spaces, active travel improvements and a new bus interchange.

Current Status: The East Kilbride Enhancements scheme is currently in design development with work on site to begin in summer 2023.

Fife Decarbonisation (Initial Phase)
Following East Kilbride, next in the timeline is Fife Decarbonisation. The Fife Circle network connects south-central Fife with Edinburgh, whilst also comprising part of the East Coast Main Line network connecting Edinburgh to Perth and Dundee. The line is currently non-electrified and operated by Class 158 and Class 170 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs).

The Fife Decarbonisation project seeks to replace diesel trains for the local Fife Circle services and contribute towards electrification of intercity services operating on the ECML from Edinburgh to Dundee and Perth. Electrification of all of the railway Fife will be delivered in phases. The initial phase will deliver what is called “Partial Electrification”. This will sections of OLE installed on sections of the Fife circle route with gaps of non-electrified route between each OLE section.

This reduces the upfront infrastructure needs and costs but means the rolling stock must incorporate a battery which can power the services when running on the non-electrified sections.

On the Fife network partial electrification will deliver electrification between Haymarket to Dalmeny, Kinghorn to Thornton, Cardenden to Thornton, and Thornton to Ladybank as detailed in the below figure. Exact extents of electrification infrastructure will be refined as the design develops.

This enables services to be operated by battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) rolling stock. This type of rolling stock will draw power from the OLE when under the wires, then it will operate via battery power on the non-electrified sections. The BEMU fleet is presently planned to start operating in 2027.

Power to the new sections will be provided via new Feeder Stations at Thornton and Currie, the latter of which is currently under construction.

Link to Levenmouth
The reinstatement of the Levenmouth Rail Link has recently been approved for delivery and is expected to be operational from 2024, initially with DMUs. Although this scheme is not part of the Decarbonisation Programme [it] is a key dependency. As part of this project the Leven Branch will be electrified with OLE along the length of the new link. This is core to the decarbonisation of Fife Circle services, with BEMUs planned to operate to and from Leven from 2027.

Current Status: Approval to proceed to construction of Haymarket to Dalmeny was recently given and the £55m project is now on site. The other sections of the Fife circle route planned for electrification as part of this initial phase are currently in outline design. An order has been placed with National Grid for a new Feeder Station connection at Thornton.

Borders Decarbonisation
The Borders Line runs between Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh. The Line was closed in 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts but was subsequently re-opened to passenger services in 2015, unlocking housing, commercial, leisure and tourism opportunities by reconnecting the Scottish Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh regions. The reinstatement of the 35 mile long route and development of 7 stations has been one of the largest infrastructure projects delivered by the Scottish Government and the longest ‘new’ railway line in Scotland in over 100 years. The line not electrified, and is single track throughout with 3 intermediate passing loops.

The route is operated by a fleet of Class 170 and Class 158 DMUs; the Class 170 units were introduced in 2018 and helped deliver capacity improvements to alleviate overcrowding. The line was heavily used from its reopening date, with patronage levels exceeding forecasts assumed in the re-opening business case.

As with the Fife circle routes, Partial Electrification is proposed. Overhead wires will be provided on sections of the line only, reducing the upfront infrastructure needs and costs. BEMU rolling stock will be utilised, with services using battery power when running off-wire.

The Partial Electrification scheme delivers overhead line electrification between Bowshank Tunnel and Tweedbank station with a small section overhead line installed to tie in to the existing network at Newcraighall. On the central section between the Newcraighall tie-in and Bowshank Tunnel the BEMU rolling stock will use its battery. Power to the new section of OLE will be provided by a new Feeder Station to be built at Tweedbank.

Current Status: The sections of the Borders route planned for electrification as part of this initial phase are currently in outline design. An order has been placed with National Grid for a new Feeder Station connection at Tweedbank.

Rolling Stock Procurement
All of the decarbonisation will require new rolling stock to operate on the new infrastructure. This will be a combination of new EMU and BEMU stock. A procurement competition is being prepared for this fleet of EMU and BEMU trains, including options to seek better value and offer greater opportunities for supply chain content.

The Rolling Stock Procurement enables replacement of life expired fleets and procurement of a new decarbonised fleet for Borders, Fife, East Kilbride and Barrhead routes. These new decarbonised trains will reduce operating cost, with savings through reducing the cost per mile of running passenger services. As well as being more comfortable and accessible for passengers, a modern EMU with regenerative braking is much more efficient than the legacy 1980’s era trains it will replace.

 

[snowball]

The latest Scottish government capital works programme report says this

View attachment 119351

The statement that it was still expected six months ago to be operational by the original date of Dec 2024 is encouraging, or would be, except that it seems hard to reconcile with the statement in the Gilruth article (#939-#940) that it will not begin construction until next summer.

Current Status: The East Kilbride Enhancements scheme is currently in design development with work on site to begin in summer 2023.

It's twice the projected cost of Barrhead and presumably involves several bridge alterations so 18 months or less to complete sounds optimistic.

Is it an official source that says Busby to East Kilbride will remain single, other than two platforms instead of one at Hairmyres, & is it stated categorically?

There is, for example, the Transport Scotland press release from 8 October 2021 linked and quoted in #536:

The East Kilbride corridor has recently been given approval for single track electrification infrastructure, and further development work is required to support this.

There's also the small item from RAIL magazine mentioned in #596, which says that the change saved "£40M plus".

 

[Class 170101]

Wasn't the Tweedbank extewnsion from Newcraighall Electrification ready? Seems a rather poor decision to not install OLE on this route.

 

[Clansman]

Wasn't the Tweedbank extewnsion from Newcraighall Electrification ready? Seems a rather poor decision to not install OLE on this route.

The business case for the Borders Railway was poor, so keeping the cost down was essential to getting it built in the first place.

Hence the lack of wires, as well as single track sections.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Trainbike46]

The business case for the Borders Railway was poor, so keeping the cost down was essential to getting it built in the first place.

Hence the lack of wires, as well as single track sections.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I thought all new structures built or adapted were made ready with electrification clearances, to make future electrification cheaper and easier?

 

[najaB]

I thought all new structures built or adapted were made ready with electrification clearances, to make future electrification cheaper and easier?

That's my understanding as well - it was the reason for some of the single track, since slewing the track to the middle of the formation meant that existing bridges didn't have to be modified/rebuilt.

 

[mcmad]

I thought all new structures built or adapted were made ready with electrification clearances, to make future electrification cheaper and easier?

that would have been to the old clearances, presumably the new euro clearances will result in substantial works or track lowers?

 

[najaB]

that would have been to the old clearances, presumably the new euro clearances will result in substantial works or track lowers?

The nice thing about the route being operated by BEMUs is that any difficult structures can simply not be electrified.

 

[Bald Rick]

Wasn't the Tweedbank extewnsion from Newcraighall Electrification ready? Seems a rather poor decision to not install OLE on this route.

but ultimately the correct one.

 

[NE_ABZ]

The nice thing about the route being operated by BEMUs is that any difficult structures can simply not be electrified.

I do wonder if BEMUs will be adequate in terms of power output to run at line speed up and down gradients. I don't know about the Tweedbank line, but most lines north of the Forth have challenging gradients with line speeds up to 100MPH and long distances. The present Overhead Electrification roll out is so slow, with only short suburban lines around Glasgow being done, so that even reaching Perth by 2030 seems optimistic. Inverkeithing after Dalmeny, maybe. The whole train proposal is pie in the sky. So I would suggest that some like duel fuel Azuma type train solutions be considered.

 

[Trainbike46]

I do wonder if BEMUs will be adequate in terms of power output to run at line speed up and down gradients. I don't know about the Tweedbank line, but most lines north of the Forth have challenging gradients with line speeds up to 100MPH and long distances. The present Overhead Electrification roll out is so slow, with only short suburban lines around Glasgow being done, so that even reaching Perth by 2030 seems optimistic. Inverkeithing after Dalmeny, maybe. The whole train proposal is pie in the sky. So I would suggest that some like duel fuel Azuma type train solutions be considered.

Except there's also lines in Fife, dalmeny to haymarket, and the borders railway being done - as well as design for the routes upto Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen

Regarding BEMU power output I don't think there is anything to worry about - batteries can discharge at high rates so the power rating will be identical (or close to) that on OHLE

 

[Southsider]

I was out and about this morning and followed the line from Kennishead to the outskirts of Barrhead. With the exception of bridges and stations there are masts all the way and probably further towards Barrhead station than I could see, a distance of about half a mile. The photos show Kennishead looking towards Glasgow, Kennishead looking towards Darnley and between Nitshill and Barrhead.

 

[NE_ABZ]

Except there's also lines in Fife, dalmeny to haymarket, and the borders railway being done - as well as design for the routes upto Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen

Regarding BEMU power output I don't think there is anything to worry about - batteries can discharge at high rates so the power rating will be identical (or close to) that on OHLE

Looking at the battery trains on offer, they are local DMU replacements. Given it is 150 miles between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen and even if optimistically half is electrified, that is still a lot of miles for batteries to power a train (at line speeds of 80-100Mph), as well as somehow get charged up for.

 

[najaB]

Looking at the battery trains on offer, they are local DMU replacements. Given it is 150 miles between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen and even if optimistically half is electrified, that is still a lot of miles for batteries to power a train (at line speeds of 80-100Mph), as well as somehow get charged up for.

Way more than half will be electrified. The only difficult structures are Moncrieffe Tunnel, the Tay Viaduct, Dock Street Tunnel and Usan to Montrose. Other than that it's pretty much plain line out in the open.

 

[Nottingham59]

Given it is 150 miles between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen and even if optimistically half is electrified, that is still a lot of miles for batteries to power a train

The specifications for the Stadler Flirt AKKU claim a range of 150km on batteries, and a recharge time of 15 minutes under the wires. You could get by with much less than half of the Glasgow-Aberdeen route being electrified. https://www.stadlerrail.com/en/flirt-akku/details/

 

[snowball]

As ever we must distinguish between early partial electrification and final plans. Despite one or two on here who are eager for partial electrification as a permanent solution, I have not yet seen any evidence that the authorities in Scotland have changed their original view of it as a route to quick decarbonisation, to be ultimately fully infilled unless extremely difficult locations emerge, and except for the "rural" (i.e. very remote) lines.

Thus the Request for Screening Opinion on Dunblane to Aberdeen says "The A2CB line proposals are anticipated to comprise a full electrification system with overhead lines required from end-to-end." Similarly we have seen the report of a plan to place bits of electrification kit on the Forth Bridge and leaving it for several years to test its durability, though the bridge is undoubtedly not in the first phase plan for Fife.

Ultimately they will want to run electric freight on the main routes.

The evidence of the Fife and Borders plans is that the first stage will involve wiring about a third or a quarter of the length of relevant routes.

I can well imagine that the full performance benefit may only come with full electrification. Perhaps the heating and air conditioning on BEMUs will be programmed to be a bit less eager to turn on, and a bit more eager to turn off, when running on battery.

 

[najaB]

There was a document posted to this previous thread Dunblane - Perth - Dundee - Aberdeen electrification updates which lists the interventions required: https://publicaccess.aberdeencity.g..._D_-_Simplified_Intervention_List-2139327.pdf

 

[snowball]

There was a document posted to this previous thread Dunblane - Perth - Dundee - Aberdeen electrification updates which lists the interventions required: https://publicaccess.aberdeencity.g..._D_-_Simplified_Intervention_List-2139327.pdf

And the only things that anybody has yet found to be missing from that are Moncrieffe Tunnel and the Tay viaduct, both near Perth. The viaduct at Montrose, for example, is in, as is Dock Street Tunnel at Dundee.

 

[fgwrich]

That's my understanding as well - it was the reason for some of the single track, since slewing the track to the middle of the formation meant that existing bridges didn't have to be modified/rebuilt.

but ultimately the correct one.

Indeed so. I just wish they hadn't shot themselves in the foot by concreting some of the formation to a permanent single track formation (eg at least one or two of the viaducts at the top end the line and some of the bridges towards the middle). But a line is better than no line.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

But a line is better than no line.

absolutely!

 

[73128]

As ever we must distinguish between early partial electrification and final plans. Despite one or two on here who are eager for partial electrification as a permanent solution, I have not yet seen any evidence that the authorities in Scotland have changed their original view of it as a route to quick decarbonisation, to be ultimately fully infilled unless extremely difficult locations emerge, and except for the "rural" (i.e. very remote) lines.

Thus the Request for Screening Opinion on Dunblane to Aberdeen says "The A2CB line proposals are anticipated to comprise a full electrification system with overhead lines required from end-to-end." Similarly we have seen the report of a plan to place bits of electrification kit on the Forth Bridge and leaving it for several years to test its durability, though the bridge is undoubtedly not in the first phase plan for Fife.

Ultimately they will want to run electric freight on the main routes.

The evidence of the Fife and Borders plans is that the first stage will involve wiring about a third or a quarter of the length of relevant routes.

I can well imagine that the full performance benefit may only come with full electrification. Perhaps the heating and air conditioning on BEMUs will be programmed to be a bit less eager to turn on, and a bit more eager to turn off, when running on battery.

anything short of almost full electrification won't be much help for freight, whilst realising that there isn't that much about on most routes hereabouts.