The Anonymous Widower

The New Cameron Bridge Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link

July 29, 2021 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Coal, Diageo, Eversholt Rail Group, Express Parcels/Light Freight Services, Freight, Levenmouth Rail Link, Whisky | 7 Comments

North From Thornton Junction

This Google Map shows how all the railways connect at Thornton junction.

Note.

The village of Cameron Bridge is in the North-East corner of the map.
The A 915 running diagonally across the map and to the East of the village of Cameron Bridge.
In The New Cameron Bridge Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link, I showed how Cameron Bridge station was positioned to the East of the A915 and the village.
The Levenmouth Rail Link would appear to pass to the South of the village, according to a Network Rail map in the related post.

Thornton junction is a large triangular junction in the South-West corner of the map.

Thornton North junction is close to Thornton Golf Club, which is shown by the green marker.
Glenrothes with Thornton station is at the Eastern point of Thornton junction.
Trains going West from Glenrothes with Thornton station go through Dunfermline and over the Forth bridge to Edinburgh.
Thornton South junction is South of Thornton Golf Club and leads South through Kirkcaldy station and over the Forth bridge to Edinburgh.

This second Google Map shows the main Edinburgh and Dundee rail line between Thornton Golf Club (Thornton North junction) and Markinch station, which is the next station to the North.

Note.

The village of Cameron Bridge in the East of the map.
Markinch station is in the North-West corner of the map.
Thornton Golf Club (Thornton North junction) is in the South-West corner of the map.

Looking at various maps, Thornton Junction appears very complicated.

The North-South leg of the junction is at least double-track.
The North-East leg of the junction appears to be single-track.
The South-East leg of the junction appears to be single-track.
The former Levenmouth Rail Link appeared to join the main line at a single-track junction to the North of Thornton North junction
There is lots of space.

.I’m sure Network Rail can come up with an efficient track layout, that will enable the following.

Trains can go between Glenrothes with Thornton and Kirkcaldy stations in both directions, as they do now.
Trains can go between Glenrothes with Thornton and Levenmouth Rail Link in both directions.
Trains can go between Kirkcaldy station and Levenmouth Rail Link in both directions.

This would enable the service provision, that was specified in Service Provision On The Levenmouth Rail Link.

What Will Be Electrified At Thornton Junction?

This page on the Network Rail web site, says this about the trains that will run the service on the Levenmouth Rail Link.

And while the line will be electrified with overhead wires, services will be operated initially by battery electric units in order to reduce the number of diesels operating on the network as early as possible.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see full electrification between Glenrothes with Thornton and Leven stations, to make sure that the battery-electric trains had full batteries for the run South to Edinburgh.

The other two legs of Thornton junction would also be fully electrified to give all passing trains a good charge.
The distance between Kirkcaldy and Markinch stations is 7.3 miles and trains take about ten minutes. I suspect most of this section of the Edinburgh and Dundee line will be electrified. There looks to be about six overbridges that might need raising, but I suspect it would be nothing too terrible, with about the same degree of engineering difficulty as electrifying the Gospel Oak to Barking Line in London.
I feel with good engineering and guile, enough electrification can be added to the route through Kirkcaldy to get the trains to the South.
West of Glenrothes with Thornton station, the track looks to be good territory for electrification and enough wires can be added, so that by Cardenden station, there is enough power in the batteries to get the trains to the South.

I have a feeling that by intelligently using the two routes via Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline, Network Rail can increase the frequency of trains over the Forth Bridge.

This probably partly explains, why trains to Leven go alternatively via Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline.
100 mph battery-electric trains help too with their sparkling acceleration.
Who’d have thought, that at the age of one hundred and thirty, the Forth Bridge will be at the heart of an electrified local train network?

And the only new electrification is based on Thornton junction, over twenty miles to the North.

Electrification Between The Forth Bridge And Edinburgh

Without doubt, the electrification to the South of the Firth of Forth must reach as far North as possible.

Dalmeny station is the most Northerly station South of the bridge and I feel that this could be a practical place for the electrification to end.

Distances from Dalmeny to stations further North include.

Leuchars – 41.4 miles
Leven – via Dunfermline – 28.2 miles
Leven – via Kirkcaldy – 27.3 miles
Dundee – 48.8 miles
Perth – 47.4 miles

All these destinations would be within range of Hitachi Regional Battery Trains, which are described in this Hitachi infographic.

Note that the range on battery power alone is 90 km or 56 miles.

Given that the battery-electric trains would be able to grab a battery charge as they passed through Thornton junction, I am fairly certain that Hitachi Regional Battery Trains could reach Leuchars, Dundee or Perth.

An Electric Service Between Edinburgh And Dundee

Dundee is a new station and I doubt, that it was rebuilt without provision for full electrification.

It has two through platforms for Aberdeen and Edinburgh services.

There are also two South-facing bay platforms for regional services from the South.

This picture shows the two bay platforms with an Edinburgh-bound train to the left.

Note.

In the picture the two Class 170 diesel trains will be going to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Scotrail’s plans include an hourly train to both of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

If these two bay platforms were electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires, these battery-electric services will be possible.

Edinburgh and Dundee via Haymarket, Kirkcaldy, Thornton junction and intermediate stations.
Glasgow Queen Street and Dundee via Stirling, Dunblane, Perth, Gleneagles and intermediate stations.

I suspect other routes battery-electric will be possible.

An Electric Service Between Dundee And Aberdeen

The distance between Dundee and Aberdeen stations is 72 miles.

In Solving The Electrification Conundrum, I described techniques being developed by Hitachi Rail and Hitachi ABB Power Grids to electrify routes like Dundee and Aberdeen.

With Hitachi looking to give battery-electric trains a range of over forty miles, it could be just two hops between Dundee and Aberdeen.

I suspect Montrose could be the charging point, as it is forty miles South of Aberdeen.

Conclusion

It appears that the proposed electrification of Levenmouth Rail Link creates an electrification island at Thornton junction, that enables battery-electric trains to reach Dundee.

Coupled with plans to electrify between Stirling and Perth, this means that both Perth and Dundee will be connected to Scotland’s electrified rail network.

I suspect it is also possible to easily extend battery-electric trains all the way to Aberdeen, with only short sections of carefully positioned overhead wires.

The New Cameronbridge Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link

July 29, 2021 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Aberdeen, Cameron Bridge Station, Dundee Station, Edinburgh, Electrification, Glasgow Queen Street Station, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, Hitachi Regional Battery Train, Levenmouth Rail Link, Perth Station, Strirling Station | 5 Comments

Service Provision On The Levenmouth Rail Link

The reinstated Levenmouth Rail Link, will have two stations; Leven and Cameron Bridge.

According to this section in Wikipedia, which is entitled Service Provision, this will be the service.

The expected level of services is two trains per hour between Leven railway station and Edinburgh Waverley. Both will call at Cameron Bridge. One train will travel via Kirkcaldy and along the coast, while the other train will travel via Dunfermline along the inner Fife Circle Line.

In the Wikipedia entry for Leven station, it says that the service will take just over an hour.

Consider.

Services between Edinburgh and Glenrothes with Thornton take about an hour whether the go via Kirkcaldy or Dunfermline.
The current timings are based on Class 158 or Class 170 diesel trains.
If as I surmise in Trains On The Levenmouth Rail Link, the trains are battery-electric Class 385 trains, these trains with their electric power will at least match the schedules of the diesel trains.
Network Rail will design the track layout at Thornton junction, so that trains will clear the junction efficiently.
Glenrothes with Thornton station is only half a mile from Thornton Junction.
Leven station is only 5.9 miles from Thornton Junction.

I can see battery-electric trains moving smoothly and quietly up and down the Levenmouth Rail Line and around Thornton junction to provide a very efficient service to Edinburgh.

Could we even see trains from Edinburgh take this route?

Edinburgh, Haymarket, Edinburgh Gateway, Dalmeny, North Queensferry, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour, Burntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkaldy, Cameron Bridge, Leven, Cameron Bridge, Glenrothes with Thornton, Cardenden, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath, Queen Margaret, Dunfermline, Dunfermline Town, Rosyth, Inverkeithing, North Queensferry, Dalmeny, Edinburgh Gateway and Haymarket.

Note.

A second service would run in the opposite direction.
Trains would reverse and the drivers would change cabs at Leven station.
Trains would charge batteries on the Levenmouth Rail Link and at Edinburgh.
Every station on the route would get two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.

The hourly service between Edinburgh and Cowdenbeath could continue.

The Bridges Across The Firth Of Forth

There would be a battery-electric train every thirty minutes in both directions across the Forth Bridge.

This Google Map shows the three bridges across the Firth of Forth.

Note.

The most Westerly bridge is the Queensferry Crossing, which carries the M90 and was opened in 2017.
The bridge in the middle is Forth Road Bridge, which opened in 1964.
The Forth Bridge is the most Easterly bridge and it opened in 1890.
North Queensberry station is to the North of the bridge and Dalmeny is to the South.

After opening of the Levenmouth Rail Link, there could be a battery-electric train every thirty minutes in both directions across the Forth Bridge.

This sounds like an opportunity to develop the bridge with its battery trains as a tourist attraction.

Battery-electric trains could run from Edinburgh to the following places.

Dundee
Perth
St. Andrews

And that’s just for starters.

Conclusion

There is a lot more to the Levenmouth Rail Link, than just a double-track railway to Leven, as it enables so much.

The New Cameron Bridge Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link

July 28, 2021 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Cameron Bridge Station, Class 158 Train, Class 170 Train, Class 385 Train, Forth Bridges, Leven Station, Levenmouth Rail Link | 11 Comments

Trains On The Levenmouth Rail Link

This page on the Network Rail web site, says this about the trains that will run the service.

And while the line will be electrified with overhead wires, services will be operated initially by battery electric units in order to reduce the number of diesels operating on the network as early as possible.

The obvious battery-electric trains to be used will be Hitachi Regional Battery Trains, which are described in this Hitachi infographic.

Note that the range on battery power alone is 90 km or 56 miles.

ScotRail currently run a fleet of the following Hitachi trains.

46 x three-car Class 385 trains.
24 x four-car Class 385 trains.

Hitachi have indicated that these trains can be fitted with batteries

Could some of these trains be fitted with batteries to work the Fife Circle Line and the Levenmouth Rail Link?

Distances involved include.

Haymarket and Glenrothes-with-Thornton via Kirkcaldy – 29.6 miles
Haymarket and Glenrothes-with-Thornton via Dunfermline – 30.5 miles
Leven and Thornton junction – 5.9 miles

If between Haymarket and Dalmeny stations were to be electrified, this would reduce distances on battery power by over eight miles.

It would appear that if between Leven station and Thornton junction were to be electrified, then with a battery range of forty miles, the battery-electric trains could reach Haymarket station with ease.

Conclusion

It looks to me, that Baldrick’s Scottish cousin has developed a cunning plan!

But it does show how one short length of easy electrification on a new track – Leven and Thornton Junction, can avoid a more difficult electrification – Haymarket and Glenrothes-with-Thornton, which goes over the culturally-sensitive World Heritage Site of the Forth Bridge.

North From Thornton Junction

It should be noted that Haymarket and Dundee via Kirkcaldy is 57.9 miles.

I have just flown my virtual helicopter on the route and much of it is flat farmland.
Electrification to the North of Thornton Junction could use the same power feed as that used for the Levenmouth Rail Link.
A good proportion of the battery-electric trains, that are pencilled in for Edinburgh and Aberdeen have been or will be built by Hitachi.

I would expect that Hitachi’s techniques, that I talked about in Solving The Electrification Conundrum could be used to enable battery-electric Class 385 and Class 80x trains to run between Edinburgh and Dundee.

I have a feeling, that electrifying the Levenmouth Rail Link, may only be 5.9 miles of double-track electrification, but that with a few miles of electrification North of Thornton Junction, it can enable electric trains to run the following routes.

Edinburgh and Leven via Kirkcaldy.
Edinburgh and Leven via Dunfermline.
Edinburgh and Dundee
Edinburgh and Perth

Note that as Dunblane is electrified, battery-electric trains might be able to reach Dundee from Glasgow with some charging at Perth.

It does appear that electric trains could be serving Dundee.

July 28, 2021 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains, Cameron Bridge Station, Class 385 Train, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, Hitachi Regional Battery Train, Leven Station, Levenmouth Rail Link | 15 Comments

The New Cameron Bridge Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link

The reinstated Levenmouth Rail Link, will have two stations; Leven and Cameron Bridge.

This Google Map shows the River Leven and the remains of the old railway as they run West from Leven.

Note.

The River Leven runs South-West to North-East across the map.

The track of the old rail link runs towards Leven along the North Bank of the river.

This Map from this page on the Network Rail web site, shows the location of the new Cameron Bridge station.

Note.

The station will be to the East of the A915 road.
Cameron Bridge station will have two platforms.station has two platforms.
There will be 150 car parking spaces.
There is space for a bus stop and turning area.
There will be two waiting shelters.
The platforms look like they could be extended if needed.

Unlike Leven station, there will be a bridge with lifts for passengers.

July 27, 2021 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Cameron Bridge Station, Leven Station, Levenmouth Rail Link, New Stations, Step-Free | 5 Comments

The New Leven Station On The Levenmouth Rail Link

The reinstated Levenmouth Rail Link, will have two stations; Leven and Cameron Bridge.

This Google Map shows the mouth the the River Leven.

The key point to note is the Sainsbury’s supermarket, which is to the North of the Riven Leven, close to the A955 bridge across the river.

This Map from this page on the Network Rail web site, shows the location of the new Leven station.

Note.

Leven station has two platforms.
There is a car park.
There is space for a bus stop and turning area.
There are two waiting shelters, both on the same platform
The platforms look like they could be extended if needed.

It appears that passengers will cross the line by walking past the end of the line.

This map shows a close-up of the bridge over the River Leven.

It used to connect the railway to the coal-fired Methil power station.

Some of the track is still visible.

Is provision being made in the design of Leven station, so that the rail link can be extended across the River Leven to a second station near the Bayview stadium or to allow the development of housing or industrial sites along the Forth of Firth?

Conclusion

It looks to be a good scheme, which connects to the centre of the town and could be developed with bus and walking links for onward travel.