Airdrie Bathgate
Breadcrumb navigation
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.
Construction work started at the end of June 2007.
Winter 2007
Summer 2008
Autumn 2008
Winter 2008
Spring 2009
Summer 2009
Autumn 2009
Winter 2009
Spring 2010
Summer 2010
Autumn 2010
Winter 2010
and Livingston North station respectively. When the line was singled in 1986, the remaining line was slewed such that it mostly occupies the space of the 6-foot between the original pair of lines. It appears that when the line is redoubled, it will not merely be moved back to its original position - partly to allow for OHL masts and partly to ease some curvature.
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:
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.
External Links:
The project plan includes:
- new stations at Armadale 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.
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.
Construction work started at the end of June 2007.
Construction time-line
Summer/Autumn 2007- Begin double tracking of Bathgate – Edinburgh line
- Begin works at Livingston North station and Uphall Station
Winter 2007
- Cycle path design surveys
- Begin upgrade of Livingston North and Uphall Station
- Electrification of the Mound Tunnel (X and Y) and Edinburgh Waverley west end bays
Summer 2008
- Begin work on new cycle track
- Begin work at STVA depot
- Finish works at Livingston North and Uphall Station
Autumn 2008
- Finish double tracking of Bathgate – Edinburgh line
- Remodeling of Newbridge Junction as a double lead
- Begin electrification of Bathgate – Edinburgh line
- Begin construction of new Bathgate station
Winter 2008
- Begin work on new cycle track
- Begin work on the Bathgate – Drumgelloch line
- New double-tracked Bathgate-Edinburgh line opens
Spring 2009
- Begin laying track and electrifying Bathgate - Drumgelloch line
- Begin construction of Bathgate train maintenance depot and Armadale station
- Finish construction of STVA depot
Summer 2009
- Finish construction of Bathgate station and remove old station
- Finish electrification of Bathgate – Edinburgh line
- Finish construction of Bathgate train maintenance depot and Armadale station
- Begin construction of Caldercruix station
Autumn 2009
- Finish Caldercruix station
- Finish laying track and electrifying Bathgate - Drumgelloch line
Winter 2009
- Begin construction of new Drumgelloch station
Spring 2010
- Finish work on new cycle track
- Finish construction of new Drumgelloch station and remove old station
Summer 2010
- Works to upgrade Airdrie station
- Works to double track and electrify Airdrie-Drumgelloch Line
Autumn 2010
- Finish laying track and electrifying Bathgate - Drumgelloch line
- Driver training and final checks
Winter 2010
- Finish all works: passenger trains running on the re-opened line
Notes
The current single line section extends from Cawburn Jn to Carmondean Jn, just short of Uphalland Livingston North station respectively. When the line was singled in 1986, the remaining line was slewed such that it mostly occupies the space of the 6-foot between the original pair of lines. It appears that when the line is redoubled, it will not merely be moved back to its original position - partly to allow for OHL masts and partly to ease some curvature.
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
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
External Links: