Nine-day rail closure north of Edinburgh as electrification work ramps up

Direct access to Scotland’s totemic Forth Bridge will not be possible for another week. It’s to allow electrification work to progress on a busy section of line between Haymarket in the west of Edinburgh and Dalmeny, the last stop before the tracks cross the Forth Bridge.

Electrification of the Fife Circle is one of the biggest projects in Scotland. Network Rail and Transport Scotland are putting up wires on the loop of lines that serve Dumfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and the recently opened Levenmouth line. The work, which will eventually see diesel trains superseded, will allow greater capacity on the busy commuter routes which feed traffic into Edinburgh. The work in progress this week covers a section of track that also carries long-distance traffic on the East Coast Main Line to Dundee and Aberdeen.

New trains eventually

Nine days of major engineering work are underway to prepare the railway in Fife and connecting routes for future electrification. The line closed between Haymarket and Dalmeny on Saturday (17 January) to facilitate significant infrastructure changes. It will reopen to traffic on 25 January. To their credit, the Levenmouth Line was built with provisions for future electrification, so it will not need too much alteration.

On the older established lines, several bridges will be rebuilt and sections of track lowered to create space for overhead power lines. The upgrades are essential for installing the electrical equipment that will allow new battery-electric trains to run. For the avoidance of doubt, the Forth Bridge is not one of them.

Forth Bridge conundrum

The project is part of a £342m (€407m) investment from the Scottish Government to electrify the lines in Fife, and an associated project on the Borders Railway, south of Edinburgh. The infrastructure agency, Network Rail, states that switching from diesel to electric aims to reduce emissions, minimise noise for communities along the route, and provide cleaner, quieter journeys that make rail a more appealing travel option.

A contentious issue has been the wiring of the Forth Bridge. The vast cantilever is absolutely pivotal to the UK railway network. It is also a historic monument, with the highest level of protection. Alternations are generally not permitted. Quite apart from that, the engineering challenge of providing overhead line equipment through its structure and high above the waters of the Firth of Forth is potentially much more expensive than serving the line with new bi-mode battery-electric trains.

Ready for future electrification

“Over nine days, our teams will carry out complex engineering work at multiple sites to get the route ready for future electrification,” said Catherine Hall, strategy and investment director at Network Rail Scotland. “Bridge reconstructions, track alterations and systems changes have all been carefully planned to make sure the line can support the next generation of trains.”

Although any new rolling stock has yet to be ordered, the Scottish government has authorised its own subsidiary ScotRail to initiate a procurement exercise for a fleet that will include battery-electric multiple units (BEMUs) for use on suburban services around Scotland, principally the Fife routes, and the highly successful Borders Railway. “We know the route to and from Fife is one of the busiest in Scotland, and there’s never an ideal time to close it,’ added Catherine Hall. “We really appreciate the patience of passengers and residents while these major improvements take place.”