Paisley Canal Upgrade / Reconnection

[apestyler]

Hi,

I live near to Paisley Canal station and heard a few rumours about it being electrified and reconnected via Elderslie to the Ayrshire line.

I've noticed a few posts on here mentioning this and also came accross the following article on Google;

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/reports/publications-and-guidance/road/j10194c-31.htm

Does anyone have any further insider knowledge of when this work is starting and are they planning on upgrading the whole of the track to double track? I'm guessing if it does go ahead they'll be a lot of compuslory purchases due to some of the land being sold and developed upon.

Cheers,
Sam

 

[me123]

Electrification would make sense. I was thinking there'd be enough 320s to run this route alongside their Cathcart duties (although we now know that the 314s will stay for some time to come). This would make perfect sense, although a redoubling would also be in order I would hope.

 

[apestyler]

If they redouble that means most of our residential car park will need to be compulsory purchased (unless they dig into Saucel Hill). There's also a note on there of 4 trains an hour so I doubt they could run that on a single track?!

Would residents right near the track be eligible for compensation for increased noise?

 

[me123]

Looking at the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine route, they're still trying to get compensation I think (mostly from freight, though). It would definitely be a struggle, but remember that improved rail services would also add value to the area.

From what I can remember of the Paisley Canal Line, I think double track could easily be restored with minimal intervention. Indeed, it is double tracked to Corkerhill Depot (IIRC) anyway, and Platform 2 at Corkerhill Station still exists (albeit without track and thoroughly overgrown!)

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Would residents right near the track be eligible for compensation for increased noise?

No.

 

[apestyler]

My main worry if any overnight freight traffic - I'm pleased to see them improving rail connections (even if they only pulled the track up in 1986!!) and the increase in services, just slightly worried about the value of our flat if overnight freight gets chucked through here.

It is indeed double tracked to Corkerhill, I wonder if they'll resite Paisley Canal Station to the old one it would be nice to have the old station back.

 

[jonnorail]

we will just need to all wait and see what happens I think. The Scottish railway scene is going to change and become a different network all together before 2020 with all the current projects taking place e.g. Airdrie - Bathgate and the Glasgow Airport Rail Link as well as the Edinburgh Trams Project. The letrification modification programme will be very interesting and interesting to see what locations / toures will be electrified like stated in the plans. We shall all need to wait and see what happens.

Best Regards

Jonathan McGurk

Railway and Freelance Photographer

www.jonathanmcgurk.fotopic.net

 

[tbtc]

Very interesting.

There's three seperate issues here - increasing the frequency, electrification and extending it to the Ayrshire line - all of which could happen seperately.

As I've a friend who commutes from Mosspark to Ayr (by road), such a link interests me.

Presumably if it was linked to the Ayrshire line it'd be slower than the existing Paisley line, but gives lots of scope for enhancing both lines (e.g. all Weymss Bay/ Largs services running via the Canal Line, meaning an increase in the main Glasgow - Paisley - Ayr line).

Good stuff.

 

[me123]

I think one of the benefits could be enhanced services to the local towns on the line. Largs and Ayr services could be made faster running on the original route, with trains via Paisley Canal taking up some intermediate stops. Longer services for some, I'd agree, but they could be more frequent and enhance services to Largs and Ayr. Largs in particular has a problem with the rail link being rather convoluted, and the bus being the preferred option for most.

Other benefits, of course, are a potential 4tph to Gourock, and perhaps 2tph to Wemyss Bay, made possible by freeing up space between Glasgow and Paisley.

 

[rail-britain]

The electrification for Paisley Canal is quite simple
There is no reinstatement or extension between Paisley and Elderslie
The route to be electrified only
The PVR is a change from two DMU to two EMU, with two new units replacing two Class 156 units, and that is pretty much the same for all the other Central Scotland electrification improvements (2011 onwards)

 

[djw1981]

With EMU improved performance can the Paisley Canal service go to 4tph without buiulding a loop?

 

[rail-britain]

No, it would be almost impossible to get 4tph on Paisley Canal, it would probably also need two platforms

 

[Bittern]

When the line gets Electrified, any ideas on what's to happen to the 156s currently running on it?

 

[me123]

Only 2 156s needed, although up to 3 may be in use. Strengthening Kilmarnock and East Kilbride comes to mind.

I was thinking that, when the 314s go away, the 320s cascaded to Cathcart could easily run the Paisley Canal service (2 from 23 units is feasible), but now the 314s are staying that idea goes down the pan. I am surprised Paisley Canal wasn't built with wires, because it's wired to Corkerhill anyway.

 

[156499]

When the line gets Electrified, any ideas on what's to happen to the 156s currently running on it?

Only takes 2 156's if this is electrified these two 156s will hopefully help with capacity on some services

 

[rail-britain]

When the line gets Electrified, any ideas on what's to happen to the 156s currently running on it?

They will go back to RoSCo
The electrification is taking place in stages, so there is little benefit to be had by retaining them for strengthening
The same applies on the other routes already allocated for electrification
One large order for new EMUs should be placed towards the end of 2010, this will include a replacement for the Class 314s which were recently extended as it wasn't known if the electrification would be stalled or delayed but it is now in the final stages for contract awarding

 

[me123]

One large order for new EMUs should be placed towards the end of 2010, this will include a replacement for the Class 314s which were recently extended as it wasn't known if the electrification would be stalled or delayed but it is now in the final stages for contract awarding

I thought that would be the case.

Do you know of any other electrification plans? I think Whifflet in particular would be beneficial, as would East Kilbride; the rolling stock freed up would be handy for other places in Scotland (I'm thinking Fife) and elsewhere in the UK.

 

[rail-britain]

I had previously posted details of the Central belt electrification schemes, and they are on the Transport Scotland website :
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/reports/publications-and-guidance/rail/j8034-09.htm

Electrify services to Cumbernauld, Maryhill, Whifflet, Paisley Canal, East Kilbride, Barrhead/Kilmarnock, Stirling/Dunblane and Alloa diverting to Glasgow Queen Street Station low level and Glasgow Central Station low level where appropriate

Given the time scale these will all pretty much be done at the same time and will make the ScotRail Class 156 fleet redundant (except GSW and WHL)
At the last SESTrans meeting consideration was being given to order only 4 car EMUs, this would release the 3 car EMUs for the Cathcart circle around 2012
There were no plans to retain any of the existing Class 156 units

 

[Bittern]

*Please don't electrify the highlands* *Please don't electrify the highlands* *Please don't electrify the highlands*

 

[gingerheid]

I very much doubt that's going to happen!

 

[me123]

The closest you'd get to Highland electrification would be Perth and Aberdeen I think. Even if Inverness was electrified, I doubt they'll go further north, and I'm sure the West Highlands aren't top priority either.

To be honest, the OHLE doesn't effect the view from the train, but it would seriously destroy some other classic views, over Bealach Druim Uachdair for example.

 

[Bittern]

The closest you'd get to Highland electrification would be Perth and Aberdeen I think. Even if Inverness was electrified, I doubt they'll go further north, and I'm sure the West Highlands aren't top priority either.

Inverness is one of the many places I hope doesn't get electrified.

 

[tbtc]

Inverness is one of the many places I hope doesn't get electrified.

Any reason?

I doubt you can justify electrification on lines with less than a half hourly service, or at least an hourly service, so (unless many loops are built) there's no chance of anything in northern Scotland apart from the line from Edinburgh/ Glasgow/Dundee to Aberdeen

 

[Bittern]

Any reason?

Yep

 

[tbtc]

Yep

Any reason that you'd care to share with the rest of us?:roll:

 

[jopsuk]

Any reason?

I'm guessing it's purely an aesthetic thing. The solution, of course, is to get the Swiss to do our more "sensitive" lines, they seem to do a pretty damn good job!

 

[me123]

Aesthetics on the Highland line is a big issue. NOt for passengers on the train, but for people round about. The equipment is rather horrible to look at from the outside!

 

[james73]

The Paisley Canal line would need a rebuilt Mosspark station as the 1990 platform was built over the Eastbound line. Paisley Canal itself would also need rebuilt of course, and I don't think there would be space for a second platform where it currently is.

As for reconnection to Elderslie - apart from the idiocy that it shouldn't have been closed in the first place, there's, at least, 2 places were new housing is fouling the trackbed. Still, if there's a will...