Airdrie Bathgate
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This project proposes re-opening the Airdrie to Bathgate passenger rail link after 50 years of closure. The project also involves upgrading the existing Bathgate to Edinburgh and Airdrie to Drumgelloch lines. Once completed, the line will be double-tracked and electrified throughout.
The project plan includes:
A service of 4 trains per hour in each direction will operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow over the reopened line.
The track bed between Drumgelloch and Bathgate is currenly used as a cycle path, this will be relocated as part of the project.
A new servicing depot for electric multiple units is to be built at Bathgate on the site of the car terminal, which will be relocated futher east.
On the 30th May 2006, the project Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament and it passed the preliminary stage on 23rd November 2006. The Bill was finally passed by MSPs on 28th March 2007.
Royal Assent was granted to the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Act 2007 on 8 May 2007.
STRC (Jarvis Rail) were awarded the contract for "advance track works" - the redoubling of the line between Bathgate and Newbridge Junction.
"Advance Civils works" were carried out by Nuttall, and the works at Livingston North and Uphall stations were done by Galliford Try.
The main contract for rebuilding the line between Bathgate and Airdrie, plus electrification of the whole route, was awarded to Balfour Beatty in September 2008.
Construction work on the project started at the end of June 2007.
Full details of the work to December 2007 are contained here:
Note that most work started in mid-June 2007 and is of an ongoing nature
The following work has taken place in the Livingston area to date:
Blockade - October 2008
The Edinburgh - Glasgow line through Newbridge Junction was closed for seven days from October 11, and the line from Newbridge Junction to Bathgate was closed for a further 2 days, re-opening on October 20th.
During this time Newbridge Junction was remodelled from a single-lead junction to a cross-over type double junction. Work on raising overbridges between Edinburgh and Newbridge Junction was also caried out.
The Bathgate Branch re-opened as a two track railway, with second platforms at Uphall and Livingston South brough into use. The existing single platform Bathgate station remains in use at this time.
Alterations will be made to the existing GEC Geographical interlocking at Newbridge to accommodate the remodelling of the junction.
Both platforms at Bathgate station will be signalled to allow services to turn back towards Edinburgh.
A 3D virtual reality model of the currently-closed section of route has been created to allow signal sighting requirements to be determined in advance of the new track being laid. The model will ultimately be used for driver training purposes.
Signalling scheme design for the project was carried out for Network Rail by Scott Wilson Railways. Westinghouse Rail Systems have been awarded the contract for detailed design of the signalling.
Electrification is also provided between Newbridge Junction and Haymarket Station as part of the project.
Proposal
The project plan includes:
- new stations at Armadale, Blackridge and Caldercruix;
- re-located stations at Bathgate and Drumgelloch
- upgraded stations at Airdrie, Livingston North and Uphall.
A service of 4 trains per hour in each direction will operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow over the reopened line.
The track bed between Drumgelloch and Bathgate is currenly used as a cycle path, this will be relocated as part of the project.
A new servicing depot for electric multiple units is to be built at Bathgate on the site of the car terminal, which will be relocated futher east.
Progress
On the 30th May 2006, the project Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament and it passed the preliminary stage on 23rd November 2006. The Bill was finally passed by MSPs on 28th March 2007.
Royal Assent was granted to the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Act 2007 on 8 May 2007.
STRC (Jarvis Rail) were awarded the contract for "advance track works" - the redoubling of the line between Bathgate and Newbridge Junction.
"Advance Civils works" were carried out by Nuttall, and the works at Livingston North and Uphall stations were done by Galliford Try.
The main contract for rebuilding the line between Bathgate and Airdrie, plus electrification of the whole route, was awarded to Balfour Beatty in September 2008.
Construction work on the project started at the end of June 2007.
Construction time-line
Summer/Autumn 2007- Begin double-tracking of Bathgate – Edinburgh line
- Cycle path design surveys
- Begin upgrade of Livingston North and Uphall Station
- Begin work at STVA depot
- Finish double-tracking of Bathgate—Edinburgh line
- New double tracked Bathgate—Edinburgh line opens (October)
- Complete detailed design
- Begin foundations for electrification masts between Bathgate & Edinburgh
- Replace bridges between Haymarket and Bathgate to allow electrification clearance
- Begin Mining remediation work and devegetation between Bathgate and Drumgelloch.
- Finish works at Livingston North and Uphall Station
- Begin work on new cycle track
- Begin construction work on the Bathgate—Drumgelloch line
- Continue electrification masts Haymarket to Bathgate.
- Construction of various bridges between Bathgate and Drumgelloch
- Begin construction of Bathgate train maintenance depot
- Begin construction of new Bathgate station
- Begin construction of Armadale and Caldercruix stations
- Continue with all of above
- Complete Armadale station
- Finish New Bathgate station
- Finish Caldercruix station
- Erect overhead wires between Haymarket and Bathgate
- Begin construction of new Drumgelloch station
- Commence track laying and erecting electrification and signalling between Bathgate and Drumgelloch
- Close line between Drumgelloch and Airdrie for earthworks and bridge construction.
- Finish construction of new Drumgelloch station and remove old station
- Works to upgrade Airdrie station
- Install new track and electrification equipment Bathgate—Drumgelloch
- Finish laying track and electrifying Bathgate—Drumgelloch line
- Commission signalling and electrification on all of new railway
- Driver training and final checks
- Finish all works: trains running on the line
Full details of the work to December 2007 are contained here:
Works Diary
- Vegetation clearance at key sites along the route took place over the winter of 2006/2007
Note that most work started in mid-June 2007 and is of an ongoing nature
The following work has taken place in the Livingston area to date:
- Bridge 18 Demolished on 24 June 2007
- Bridge 17 Demolished on 01 July 2007 - this shall be replaced with a new bridge
- Geotechnics at bridges 15 and 16, both of which will be rebuilt (bridge 16 as a pipe-bridge)
- Cutting widening and stabilisation
- Drainage
- Cawburn and Carmondean Jct abolished and removed
- New platforms opened 21 October 2008 at Uphall (up) and Livingston North (Down)
- New down line laid and commissioned
- New signalling installed and commissioned
Bathgate area
- Connections to and from proposed STVA yard at Boghall installed (currently mothballed)
- Removal of 'Rennies Bridge'
- Total track renewal between Bathgate Castle and Station (26m 58c to 25m 28c)
- Connections to and from Bathgate Light maintenance depot installed
- Connection from new down line to current station line
- 'Starting' signal erected at Bathgate station
- Installation of bidirectional signalling
Blockade - July 2008
Working 24 hours a day during a 16 day blockade in July 2008, the joint Network Rail and STRC team successfully completed the first three stages of the advanced works between Boghall and Bathgate. This included the installation of a new crossover and half connection at Boghall East and two half connections and turnback siding at Boghall West. A crossover, two half connections and two sets of trap points were also relayed at Bathgate. In addition to the switches and crossing installations in excess of 2km of plain line renewal was undertaken between Boghall and Bathgate with significant re-alignment works being carried out towards Bathgate Station.Blockade - October 2008
The Edinburgh - Glasgow line through Newbridge Junction was closed for seven days from October 11, and the line from Newbridge Junction to Bathgate was closed for a further 2 days, re-opening on October 20th.
During this time Newbridge Junction was remodelled from a single-lead junction to a cross-over type double junction. Work on raising overbridges between Edinburgh and Newbridge Junction was also caried out.
The Bathgate Branch re-opened as a two track railway, with second platforms at Uphall and Livingston South brough into use. The existing single platform Bathgate station remains in use at this time.
Notes
Prior to redoubing, the single track section extended from Cawburn Junction to Carmondean Junction, just short of Uphall and Livingston North station respectively. When the line was singled in 1986, the remaining line was slewed such that it mostly occupied the space of the 6-foot between the original pair of lines.New line
Signalling
The route will be controlled from Edinburgh Signalling Centre, fringing with Yoker Signalling Centre in the vicinity of the relocated Drumgelloch station. New signals will primarily be of the 3-aspect LED type, with main signals numbered in the series "EN20xx" and shunting signals "EN50xx". New Solid State Interlockings (SSI) will be provided at Edinburgh S.C., with control being from one of the new IECC workstations there.Alterations will be made to the existing GEC Geographical interlocking at Newbridge to accommodate the remodelling of the junction.
Both platforms at Bathgate station will be signalled to allow services to turn back towards Edinburgh.
A 3D virtual reality model of the currently-closed section of route has been created to allow signal sighting requirements to be determined in advance of the new track being laid. The model will ultimately be used for driver training purposes.
Signalling scheme design for the project was carried out for Network Rail by Scott Wilson Railways. Westinghouse Rail Systems have been awarded the contract for detailed design of the signalling.
Electrification
The route will be electrified throughout with 25kV overhead line equipment (OLE) supervised from Cathcart ECR. There will be neutral sections at 11m 56ch to the west of Drumgelloch and at 23m 47ch to the west of Bathgate.Electrification is also provided between Newbridge Junction and Haymarket Station as part of the project.