Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
Encyclopedia
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway in central Scotland
.
Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive
in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow
and Edinburgh
. The project was completed in October 2010, at an estimated cost of £300 million. The rail link received the final approval of the Scottish Parliament
on 28 March 2007, and gained Royal Assent
on 9 May 2007.
The new line reinstates the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
between Airdrie and Bathgate, closed to passengers in 1956 and to freight in 1982, joining the North Clyde Line
of the Glasgow suburban railway network which currently links the North Lanarkshire
town of to Glasgow Queen Street railway station
, to the Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
, which connects with the West Coast
and East Coast
Main Lines at . It is now possible to travel from to Queen Street (Low Level) in around 65 minutes. It will complement the existing "shuttle" service between Queen Street (High Level) and Edinburgh via , which will remain the primary railway link between the two cities, taking around 50 minutes at peak times.
, while the new town
of Livingston has an additional direct rail link to Glasgow.
In order to permit four trains per hour in each direction, the following improvements to the existing line have been made:
The Class 380s
are being delivered to ScotRail for use across the Strathclyde network. This will release the Class 334s
for use on the Helensburgh/Milngavie to/from Edinburgh services.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The project was completed in October 2010, at an estimated cost of £300 million. The rail link received the final approval of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
on 28 March 2007, and gained Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on 9 May 2007.
Background
In line with plans to complete the missing part of the M8 motorway, the Executive stipulated that public transport links between Scotland's two largest cities must improve.The new line reinstates the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway
The Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway, also known as the "New Monkland Line", was built by Monkland Railways. It opened on 28 July 1863. The line was absorbed into the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on 31 July 1865...
between Airdrie and Bathgate, closed to passengers in 1956 and to freight in 1982, joining the North Clyde Line
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of Transport Scotland...
of the Glasgow suburban railway network which currently links the North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
town of to Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
, to the Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
Edinburgh to Bathgate Line
The Edinburgh to Bathgate Line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway.-History:...
, which connects with the West Coast
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
and East Coast
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
Main Lines at . It is now possible to travel from to Queen Street (Low Level) in around 65 minutes. It will complement the existing "shuttle" service between Queen Street (High Level) and Edinburgh via , which will remain the primary railway link between the two cities, taking around 50 minutes at peak times.
Benefits and infrastructure improvements
The line will bring significant benefits to the West Lothian area, connecting it to the Greater Glasgow conurbation. New stations serve the towns of and Armadale, West LothianArmadale, West Lothian
Armadale is a town within the district of West Lothian in central Scotland.Armadale, formerly known as Barbauchlaw, is an ex-mining town which is also known for its brick manufacturing...
, while the new town
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
of Livingston has an additional direct rail link to Glasgow.
In order to permit four trains per hour in each direction, the following improvements to the existing line have been made:
- The entire line is double track, doubling the lines between and Drumgelloch, and between Bathgate and Cawburn Junction, east of Uphall.
- Upgrade of Newbridge Junction, where the railways from Bathgate and Falkirk to Edinburgh join.
- New stations at DrumgellochDrumgelloch railway stationDrumgelloch railway station was a railway station serving Drumgelloch, an eastern suburb of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station was managed by First ScotRail and was the eastern terminus of the North Clyde Line, 20 km east of from May 1989 to May 2010.-History:The station was...
and in new locations.
- ElectrificationRailway electrification in Great BritainRailway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
of the line between Drumgelloch and Haymarket.
The Class 380s
British Rail Class 380
Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
are being delivered to ScotRail for use across the Strathclyde network. This will release the Class 334s
British Rail Class 334
The British Rail Class 334 is a suburban electric multiple unit built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of the Juniper family of trains along with Classes 458 and 460. They were built for SPT/ScotRail outer suburban services in Glasgow, UK. They later became part of First ScotRail/SPT fleet...
for use on the Helensburgh/Milngavie to/from Edinburgh services.
Progress and current status
- The start of work was officially signalled with a sod cutting ceremony at Livingston North stationLivingston North railway stationLivingston North railway station is one of two railway stations serving the new town of Livingston in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line 25 km west of Edinburgh and situated in the Carmondean area of Livingston...
in June 2007. - Contracts worth £300m for design, installation and commissioning of signallingRailway signallingRailway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
and telecommunications had been awarded by July 2008. - Remodelling of Newbridge Junction and doubling of Bathgate branch was completed in October 2008.
- Blackridge railway stationBlackridge railway stationBlackridge railway station is a railway station on the North Clyde Line. It is serves the village of Blackridge, West Lothian, Scotland.- History :...
has now been included as one of the stations to be opened on the line. officially closed after the last train left at 23:08 for on 8 May 2010. opened in December 2010 located 550 metres to the east. - On 27 August 2010 at , an official ceremony took place to lay the last piece of track between Airdrie and Bathgate joining the two towns by rail for the first time since 1982.
- Work to install overhead line and signalling equipment for the line is now complete, and it was opened for operational use and driver training on 18 October 2010.
- Passenger services began on 12 December 2010, as an extension of the existing services to Airdrie on the North Clyde LineNorth Clyde LineThe North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of Transport Scotland...
, incorporated into National Rail timetable 226. Services currently hourly (half hourly on weekends). , and ArmadaleArmadale railway station, West LothianArmadale railway station is a railway station serving Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland. It is served by trains on the North Clyde Line.-History:...
are initially served by bus substitution services open due to the inclement weatherWinter of 2010–2011 in Great Britain and IrelandThe winter of 2010–2011 was a weather event which brought heavy snowfalls, record low temperatures, travel chaos and school disruption to Great Britain and Ireland...
at the end of November 2010 delaying the completion of minor works (including surfacing of car parks). - On 13 February 2011 opened.
- Armadale opened on 4 March, followed by Drumgelloch on 6 March, thus completing all station work. Effective 7 March, service between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley increased to two trains per hour on weekdays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.
- On Tuesday 8 March 2011, Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown officially opened the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link.