Edinburgh EMU Question

Hi

I was wondering if anybody had photos of emu's at Edinburgh. Also why did the EMU's stop running to Edinburgh. Also what was the EMU called Class 312 or what.

NJTArrow2 wrote:Hi

I was wondering if anybody had photos of emu's at Edinburgh. Also why did the EMU's stop running to Edinburgh. Also what was the EMU called Class 312 or what.

I am sure there are still EMUs in Edinburgh. For example the line to North Berwick.
There will certainly be more in the future as there is a lot of electrification planned to connect to Glasgow on three different routes.

At present there is one electrified route via Carstairs. As far as I know this is used only by InterCity trains (Virgin and East Coast, former GNER). Of course they don't use conventional EMUs.

The next electrified line will probably be the extension of the Bathgate line. That will certainly use EMUs and will probably be trains from North Berwick to Glasgow.

The Scottish government has announced that it intends to electrify the main route to Glasgow via Linlithgow and Falkirk. It has long been obvious that this line ought to be electrified as it has 4 trains an hour and must be the busiest diesel only line in the country. You can be sure that this line will use EMUs, as it now uses DMUs.

Thanks for the information.

NJTArrow2 wrote:Thanks for the information.

I think I have read in one of the rail magazines that some trains were substituted with a locomotive and carriages on the North Berwick line. But the story was written up because it is so unusual. There may have been a temporary shortage of EMUs.

North Berwick is a short branch off the main east coast route and is a commuter route for people who work in Edinburgh. When it was diesel, trains went through to the Bathgate line (itself re-opened about 20 years ago). When the Bathgate line is electrified I expect electric trains to go through from North Berwick at least to Bathgate and perhaps beyond. However, I am not sure what length of trains North berwick station can handle. It has only one platform.

it seems there is a surplus of loco hauled carriages in the uk . due to the move towards dmu / emu . it probably has the benefit of them ben avaliable to cover any surge in demand , or maintenance issues . Though its all lease deals and so on nowdays .

Thanks.

David Benton wrote:it seems there is a surplus of loco hauled carriages in the uk . due to the move towards dmu / emu . it probably has the benefit of them ben avaliable to cover any surge in demand , or maintenance issues . Though its all lease deals and so on nowdays .

There may have been a temporary shortage in the Edinburgh area, which ScotRail could not supply from the Glasgow lines. But the new electrification will need new trains to be ordered from the ROSCOs.

Will the re-opening of the Waverly Route be electrified? How far will it eventually go...any chance to Carlisle? How far advanced is it? Thanks, Sam

Semaphore Sam wrote:Will the re-opening of the Waverly Route be electrified? How far will it eventually go...any chance to Carlisle? How far advanced is it? Thanks, Sam

No, it will not be electrified.

It is only going as far as roughly Galashiels. Whether the southern piece can be opened is not yet planned. There was an idea to reopen for timber traffic from Carlisle to about as far as Riccarton Junction, but that didn't happen. I suspect that it may be possible in the future but some years off.