Scottish Borders Railway - rebuilt Waverley Route link to Edinburgh

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The process of appointing a contractor to build the ^295m rail link between Edinburgh and the Borders will get under way by the end of the year.

Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed the move during a visit to the South of Scotland Forum. He said the rail link could be a "significant catalyst" for economic growth in the region.

Construction work is set to start on the line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank in 2011 with completion due in 2013.

Mr Swinney said the procurement process for the route would get under way before Christmas. He said: "This Scottish government has always made its commitment to this vital public transport link clear. Providing a fast, efficient link connecting communities in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian to Edinburgh will be a significant catalyst for economic growth in the region."

He said "unprecedented changes" to the economic climate had meant it had not been prudent to launch the procurement process sooner. However, he said that market testing had now provided the "necessary assurance" that conditions were favourable enough to proceed.

Lib Dem politicians in the Borders have described the move as "late but very welcome".

MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Michael Moore said: "The case for the railway is stronger than ever in the current climate and we have waited too long for this decision. Last week we challenged the cabinet secretary to take this opportunity to make the announcement and we now welcome it. It may be overdue, but this is positive and should mean the focus is now on building the line so that we can gain the economic benefits the region deserves."

Once completed, the line will run from Edinburgh's Waverley station, through Midlothian, to Tweedbank in the Borders.

Mr Swinney said that "significant progress" on the project had already been achieved. He said: "Further market testing has been under way and delivery of the project has continued to make excellent progress."

He said all the land required to allow construction had been acquired and more preparatory works were due to get under way shortly.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Borders rail route 'could go to Carlisle'

A reopened rail line between Edinburgh and the Borders could be extended to Carlisle, according to the Scottish transport minister. Stewart Stevenson said it was a "perfectly reasonable ambition" that the route might stretch into England.

The process to find a contractor to build the line to Tweedbank in the Borders started last week. It is hoped a deal for the ^295m project can be awarded in 2011 with completion of the route due in 2014.

Mr Stevenson said the railway could be an economic boost for the south of Scotland. He added that it could ultimately be extended to reach the north of England. "That's a perfectly reasonable ambition, Carlisle used to be a very important staging point for the railway," he said. "The economics of what we are doing initially are very strong. As traffic builds up on this new railway line, I think we will see a case that is much stronger than it currently is for looking at further expansion."

[caliwag]

and from the Scotsman newspaper...

http://news.scotsman.com/therailways/Contest-starts-to-build-.5903552.jp

You can see from the "comments" (some bizarrely in a regional accent) that not everyone is convinced.

In Scotland East/West politics comes into play very swiftly, to say nothing of the class divide...(it was amazing how big a campaign from certain Borders people was launched against the project). The cancellation of the Glasgow airport rail link has done little to aid the SNP cause.

[caliwag]

Unbelievable this is still on the books (the Crossrail of the North!), but even more unbelievable that BAM (they of Cambridge busway) are in contention

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/the-construction-index-news/Three-shortlisted-for-300m-Scottish-Borders-Railway

[paul7575]

...but even more unbelievable that BAM (they of Cambridge busway) are in contention

BAM Nuttall work regularly all over the railway, they are currently doing Chiltern's Evergreen 3 for instance. How can you be sure that the busway isn't the fault of someone else, such as the designers?

Paul

[caliwag]

Well it seems to me that you only need to follow the saga on various websites, news and official reports to form a view that BAM have not performed well and seem to be unprepared to resolve doubts about concrete expansion, leakages and other shortcomings. Plainly if it was "other designer" faults, all the reports would have named them.
Cambridge CC have are formally penalising BAM for late delivery...everyone, no doubt from a potential travelling public to expert engineers and councillors appear to be frustrated to the point of rage that BAM are offering no comfort notes offering assurances and resolutions. It would seem to me, purely as an impartial observer and gleaner of reports, that BAM are plainly not up to it and therefore why would they still be in contention of associated engineering contracts.

[John R]

Great news today, confirmation that the Borders Railway (aka known as the Waverley Route, closed since 1969) is to be rebuilt as far as Tweedbank. No less than 30 miles of new rural railway, which will enjoy a half hourly service once built. Lots of double track, and the terminus at Tweedbank is to be built to allow for 12 coach excursion trains (with presumably a run round loop).

Given the apparent antipathy of the current Scottish Government to new rail build (GARL axed, EARL axed, EGIP watered down), and the scale of the project, it's a very significant day for Scottish Railways.

Meanwhile, back here in the west, we're still waiting for the three mile spur to Portishead to be reopened. Hey, ho!

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/7156/BORDERS-RAILWAY-DELIVERY-PLAN-FINALISED

[IndustryInsider]

There's also a new very slick website for the project, with much more information including station designs available at:  http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/

[81F]

In 2000 this was estimated to cost ^100 million.
By 2003 it was between 125 and 130 million pounds.
In 2006 cost had risen to ^155 million and opening was to be in 2011.
In March 2008 cost had increased to "between ^235 million and ^295 million"  and opening slipped to 2013.
Now the opening date is December 2014, and it's costing nearly ^10 million a mile.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-20061193

Just how well does this stack up against other current projects, like the Edinburgh tramway or the St Ives-Cambridge guided busway?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Scotsman:

Borders railway completion date put back as cost of project soars

The cost of the ill-fated Borders Railway has soared again by ^50 million to ^350m ^ but the figure was omitted from an official statement yesterday announcing a landmark deal with Network Rail to build the line.

Ministers were yesterday accused of covering up the real cost of the project as a deal was announced for Network Rail to build the 30-mile route between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, south of Galashiels, for ^294m.

The figure does not include ^54m already spent on other parts of the project, such as land purchase and preliminary work.

The increased cost confirms an exclusive story last month by The Scotsman^s sister paper Scotland on Sunday.

Transport minister Keith Brown has insisted he wants costs to remain within the previous budget of ^235m-^295m.

John Lamont, Conservative MSP^▸ (Member of Scottish Parliament) for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, said: ^There has been a huge increase in the cost of the project over the years and it now looks like the government is trying to cover up a further increase in the cost.^ Network Rail said the railway will also not be finished until the end of June 2015, rather than the end of 2014. However, passengers will not be able to use it until autumn 2015, because up to three months will be needed for driver training.

The latest cost increases and delay follows ministers scrapping their planned novel private-sector method of building and maintaining the line a year ago, after two of the three short-listed bidders pulled out.

Network Rail Scotland route managing director David Simpson said the ^294m construction cost ^ up from the previously expected ^230m ^ also included more spending on stabilising old mines at the northern end of the line, which had not all been previously spotted.

Mr Simpson said construction would allow for potential future electrification and more sections of double track, to enable more frequent and faster trains to run.

The initial service will be half-hourly. The journey will be 55 minutes, which Network Rail said was 25 minutes faster than by bus.

Seven new stations will be built, at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank.

Tourist trains, such as the luxury Royal Scotsman, will now also be able to use the line with the planned lengthening of Tweedbank station to accommodate 12-coach services.

Mr Simpson told The Scotsman that despite detailed checks of the line, including tunnels and viaducts, completion by June 2015 remained a ^challenging date^. He added that finishing the line by the end of 2014 ^ still Mr Brown^s target ^ would be ^very difficult indeed^. This was because there remained ^a lot of unknowns^, such as the extent of the mineworkings, and restrictions on working near rivers close to the salmon spawning season.

However, Mr Brown said that nine months after contractors move on to the site, a ^robust^ review would be held to see if completion could be brought forward to late 2014. He said: ^The additional time is needed to remove underground mine working. That way we will have a more realistic timetable.^

Construction will start next year, with BAM Nuttall ^ the last remaining bidder under the previous plans ^due to be appointed shortly as contractor, after helping Network Rail with preliminary work.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Borders to Edinburgh rail route discussions under way


Communities along the route are being invited to hear more about the railway plans

Communities along the length of the proposed rail line from the Borders to Edinburgh are being offered information about the scheme.

A string of drop-in sessions in Midlothian and the Scottish Borders gets under way in Stow. It will be followed by nine further events staged by Network Rail to answer residents' questions about the project.

Construction work should get under way early next year with a target completion date in summer 2015.

Responsibility for delivering a rail route from the Borders to Edinburgh officially passed to Network Rail earlier this month.

Advanced works are already under way on the line between the capital and Tweedbank.

Network Rail said residents would begin to see equipment along the route and increased traffic early in the new year.

It is holding the drop-in sessions to allow residents to view its plans and speak to members of the project team.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Berwickshire News:

Over 2,200 apply for train driver positions in Borders

More than 2,200 people want to drive trains on the new Borders Railway. ScotRail revealed the staggering number who vied for the 18 trainee posts ^ meaning applicants had a one in 123 chance of landing a job.

Around 1,500 people put their names forward for the traine driver positions before Christmas, with 2,229 applications being submitted by the deadline of mid-January.

Christine Grahame, MSP^▸ (Member of Scottish Parliament) for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, and a long-term supporter of the ^300million Borders railway scheme which is set to open in 2015, said the high interest in the Tweedbank-based jobs was a good sign. She said: ^They are very attractive jobs ^ people are wanting to be involved in a new project with a national profile such as this. The positions carry a bit of kudos ^ it will be great to say you drive a train for a living. I also think it is good for the area, as successful applicants will probably be from around the country and therefore will come to the Borders to live. It is another example that the railway really is coming to the Borders. I have seen the work going on in Gorebridge and Galashiels and there is real progress.^

The posts have a starting salary of ^22,281, rising to ^39,204 after training and probationary period is completed. The job advert explained that successful candidates will have to be wary of various elements when driving, including foliage.

A ScotRail spokeswoman said: ^The selection process has now begun and the first recruits will begin their training in late spring.^

Network Rail also announced last week that it has employed 15 local people to work on the line, with three junior posts being created with contractors BAM Nuttall. And planning applications for two new bridges at Glenfield Road and Wheatlands Road in Galashiels have also been submitted.

[caliwag]

Positive Editorial from The Edinburgh Evening News

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/opinion/leaders-borders-railway-results-will-bring-real-boon-to-area-1-2786643?

[phile]

The new drivers would not work exclusively on the Borders route.   They would  be in normal links at Edinburgh but to cover the extra commitments the route will bring there is the need to recruit new drivers.

[TonyK]

Just how well does this stack up against other current projects, like the Edinburgh tramway or the St Ives-Cambridge guided busway?

Next to ^200 million for a ponced-up bus service from Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove that isn't even ponced up any more, it looks an absolute bargain!

It is difficult to compare anything to Edinburgh Tramlink. It has suffered, more than any project that I can think of, from politics. At the time the Scottish Parliament was trying to build it, the opposition SNP were against it, and their 2007 manifesto proposed cancelling the contract. This was at the same time as the Parliament gave final approval to Edinburgh City Council's business case, and allowed contracts to be started on. Much time and money was lost because of uncertainty. Then, the SNP won the 2011 election, and realised the cost of scrapping it could be as high as building it. Having a formerly opposed body reluctantly taking the project forward, with Edinburgh CC almost a bystander at times, is never likely to give a smooth ride to an infrastructure project. The impetus must now be firmly on getting trams running asap on what is left of the design, and building confidence so that the other routes can be built later.

Cambridge BRT^▸ (Bus Rapid Transit) was a shambles that should have meant the end of BRT in a developed country, which probably explains why the West of England Partnership wants to build one. BAM were unfamiliar with the "technology", as was everyone - this hadn't been done in UK^▸ (United Kingdom) before on this sort of scale. There were problems with weather, flooding, and lots of other things. Hindsight suggests it would have cheaper to reinstate the railway from St Ives to Cambridge , with free transfers by limousine to Cambridge centre. As it was, costs overran by around ^70 million, much of the ^12 million contributions expected to come from business failed to materialise, and Atkins' charges for project management rose threefold to over ^9 million. Cambridgeshire CC has put aside ^6.5 million for legal costs to sue BAM for ^60 million. BAM have lodged a counter-claim for ^43 million. The case is likely to be complex, and should start in January 2014.

The busway opened, nearly three years late, and has proved to be a slightly faster service than the previous "conventional" bus services that used to ply the route. Barring a few accidents, it has been reasonably successful. The real winners, however, will be the consultants and lawyers, all of whom will be looking forward to a busy and lucrative season. If Cambridgeshire CC lose their case, that will see another ^50 miliion at least down the Swanee. If they win, BAM Nuttall will need to find at least ^60 million, and will probably recover it from future civil projects. The cheapest option isn't usually the one that costs the least in the long run.

The Borders rail line is technology that National Rail are well used to. Nobody ever knows what a project costs until it has finished, but little has been built on the trackbed other than paths, and SFAIK, the bridges etc are in reasonable fettle. That suggests reasonably foreseeable timings and costings, with a high quality fairly fast transport link at the end of the build. Cambridgeshire may well build build a railway on the BRT route at some time in the future. It is unlikely that anyone will ever again suggest ripping up a railway for a BRT.