The Anonymous Widower

Montrose Station

These pictures show Montrose station on the Edinburgh-Aberdeen Line.

This Google Map shows how the station lies between the town and the Montrose Basin.

Note the following about Montrose station.

Fish Exports

Seafood used to be exported from a wharf alongside sidings on the West side of the line.

A station guy told me, that these sidings were called the New York Sidings, as that was the major destination.

Services Through Montrose

The line through Montrose is not particularly busy, with a maximum frequency of around four trains per hour (tph) in both directions.

Typical Off Peak passenger service is only two tph.

Step-Free Footbridge

This is not shown on the map and was actually not working, when I visited.

I didn’t need it, but if I was in a wheelchair and needed to board or alight from a train, the station is arranged, so that all trains can stop in the Southbound platform.

I suspect that this arrangement was used before the bridge was built.

Montrose Viaduct

Montrose viaduct to the South of the station is only single-track and this must make operations and increasing services, a little bit difficult.

Signalling

This photograph shows a typical signal close to Montrose.

Would modern signalling perhaps based on ERTMS, make it easier to run services through the area?

Aberdeen Crossrail

Aberdeen Crossrail is a proposed service between Inverurie and Montrose stations, stopping at all stations in between. including Dyce for Aberdeen Airport, Aberdeen and Stonehaven.

The frequency of such a service needs to be at least two tph, but I have a strong belief that all of these services end up with a frequency of four tph, as on the following services.

• Cross-City Line in Birmingham
• London Overground
• Merseyrail
• Great Northern from Moorgate station

So could Montrose handle four tph?

Originally, as the pictures show, it appears that there was ca North-facing bay platform at the station.

This could handle four tph, but it would mean some passengers would have to use the footbridge to change trains.

The station guy indicated, that there may be a turnback siding, so trains could reverse.

This arrangement would be able to handle four tph, but it would also mean that many passengers changing between Crossrail and longer distance services, wouldn’t have to change platforms.

Conclusion

Montrose is going to get a much better train service.

 

August 14, 2018 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Aberdeen Crossrail, Montrose Station