Cathcart Circle Disruption

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Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Alycidon » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:35 am

HI all, havn't posted for quite a while (where have all the railway threads gone), but I thought you would like to know about this (from notwork rail site)
Tuesday 8 July 2008 09:30

Collapsed mine works cause disruption to Cathcart services
Services on the Cathcart Circle line on the south-side of Glasgow are to be restricted between Tuesday 22 July and Sunday 17 August to allow for urgent repairs in the Pollokshields East area.

As a result, First ScotRail will be running a revised timetable between Glasgow Central and Neilston and Newton over the four week period while Network Rail carry out repairs to subsidence caused by ancient mine works in the area. Some journey times will be extended by around seven minutes and customers should be aware that there will be revisions to departure and arrival times.

The works will result in no services at five stations along the Cathcart Circle line – Pollokshields East, Queens Park, Crosshill, Mount Florida and Cathcart.

Raymond Johnstone, programme manager for Network Rail in Scotland commented:

“At the end of May 2008, we identified subsidence near the Cathcart Circle line just south of Pollokshields East station. This coincided with works being carried out by developers on an adjacent site. (the curse of the luxury flat strikes again) A speed restriction of 5mph was imposed immediately and watchmen were assigned to the site to monitor the track condition after every train movement.

“A full survey of the site by Network Rail has identified the cause of the subsidence. Ancient mine workings four metres below ground have partially collapsed, causing the ground near the track to subside.

“In order to fix the problem, Network Rail considered several options and all but one would have involved excavation of the site and long term disruption to train services and local residents for many months. The solution involves drilling bore holes and filling the gap beneath the ground with grouting material. This will require a four week closure of the track in this area.”

Steve Montgomery, Operations and Safety Director at First ScotRail said:

“We will be operating as comprehensive a timetable as possible during this time in order to minimise the impact on our customers. Where a rail service cannot be operated, alternative transport will be available and staff will be on hand to provide assistance. Customers should check our website for timetable information, plan ahead and allow a little more time for their journey.”

Customers normally travelling from Pollokshields East, Queens Park, Crosshill, Mount Florida and Cathcart stations are asked to use the following bus operators: First Glasgow, City Sprinter, Arriva.


First ScotRail Season Ticket holders will be able to travel on these services on production of their pass. Customers with zonecards are reminded that their tickets will also be valid for travel. Customers who do not have a ticket, will be required to pay the bus operator, the fare for their journey.

A half hourly shuttle bus service will be in operation between Pollokshields East and Kings Park. This will call at all five stations and connect in to and out of services at Kings Park to Newton and Neilston.

Revised timetable posters will be available at all stations along the Neilston and Newton lines. Customers using wheelchairs should contact the First ScotRail assisted travel line on T: 0800 912 2901 / Minicom T: 0800 912 2899.

The work, being carried out by Edmund Nuttall on behalf of Network Rail will cost approximately £2m.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby alzaman » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:56 am

I read that in the Evening Times yesterday.

Apparently the mine workings are only 4 metres below the actual track level, and to solve the problem they're gonna pump the holes full of special grout.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Alan L » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:04 pm

I appreciate that there's nothing that could be done to prevent this closure, but I'm disappointed that Scotrail aren't running a bus service from the affected stations to Central.

The service buses I can catch, the 44 and 66, can take as long as 35 minutes to reach the city centre from Battlefield at peak times. I used to have a season ticket for the bus, but switched to the train due to the frustration of stopping to pick up a couple of passengers at stops every 200 yards.

When my rail pass expires at the end of the month, I think I might walk to work for a couple of weeks til the trains return. I can do that in 40 minutes, which gives an idea of how stop-start the buses can be.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Bingo Bango » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:21 pm

I agree with you that the 44 is horrific - there is a bit along sinclair drive where there is a stop literally 50 metres past the previous one, which is just round the corner from the one before that!

35 minutes isnt even the top figure - it can be as much as 45 - 50 i have experienced. the return trip from city center to battlefield can be well over an hour. i tend to walk home if the weather is ok....

in my experience, the 66 tends to be a bit swifter both in and out but not on as suitable a route for me :-(

another annoying factor is the scarcity of service after peak times - 44 and 66 from town are few and far between by about 8pm....
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Toaster » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:25 am

Bingo Bango wrote:I agree with you that the 44 is horrific - there is a bit along sinclair drive where there is a stop literally 50 metres past the previous one, which is just round the corner from the one before that!

35 minutes isnt even the top figure - it can be as much as 45 - 50 i have experienced. the return trip from city center to battlefield can be well over an hour. i tend to walk home if the weather is ok....

in my experience, the 66 tends to be a bit swifter both in and out but not on as suitable a route for me :-(

another annoying factor is the scarcity of service after peak times - 44 and 66 from town are few and far between by about 8pm....

I used to live next to a 44 stop on Spean Street, and worked up in Cowcaddens. Eventually I got fed up of the time it took - there seemed to always be a blockage on Sinclair Drive that would take 5-10 minutes alone to sort out. The Drive is too narrow for big buses to pass each other. That, and the fact that it was full by the time it got to me, convinced me to start cycling to work.
The route seems to me to be a relic of the days of trams. There was a spur line along Sinclair Drive right up to the Cart in days of yore (and I'm sure I've seen an old picture showing the tram as a Number 44!), but that was back in the days of few cars.

Back on topic, the problem on the line seems to be just after 'shields East station, coming out of the city. On the train yesterday it crawled here (5mph limit?) I'd originally thought the collapse might be related to the new flats being built on March Street, practically on top of the line a bit further out, but this would suggest otherwise.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby cheesemonster » Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:01 am

I've been stuck in a car on a crowded with parked cars Sinclair Drive. When nearing the end of the street a bus came round the corner and drove straight towards us as if we'd just disappear, when it became obvious we wouldn't the bus sat and waited until we reversed, with a number of cars behind us also having to do the same and the bus now quickly edging towards us (no pressure mind). Common sense would dictate that buses shouldn't be going down that road.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Schiehallion » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:33 pm

Since the one way streets and designated parking came into being, the 44 goes along Sinclair Drive no problem every morning. I can get a bus at 8.25am at Scottish Power in Spean St and I'm in Oswald St between 8.45 and 8.50.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Mark N » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:05 pm

Does anyone know how long the 31/37 from the Mount Florida area of Cathcart Road takes to get to Stockwell Street in the rush hour (I mean how long it really takes as opposed to how long the timetable says) ?
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby OLDFART » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:57 pm

I agree with Schiehallion its been much better since parking restrictions. Those horrible little black meters appeared & so did traffic wardens, the sign of £££ was just to much for them. You can actually cross the road now without being killed :mrgreen:

Cheesemonster most people know its going to be congested along Sinclair Drive but still insist on taking route to save 2 mins going along road to Mount Florida & turn on to Cathcart Road. I know a few friends who do this & moan like crap cos a bus was there, they also moan at me as i stay there but couldnt give a crap :mrgreen: . I agree buses are too big for Sinclair Drive
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby messyhead » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:33 am

There are posters up at the stations that advise that if you have a train season ticket, you can use it on the First Glasgow buses (as well as Arriva and City Sprinter). I tried this morning to get on the 44 and was told to get lost!

I even checked with the First guy at the station and he said I could use it. Seems like First haven't bothered to tell any of their drivers what the script is. Anyone else tried?
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Alan L » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:51 pm

messyhead wrote:There are posters up at the stations that advise that if you have a train season ticket, you can use it on the First Glasgow buses (as well as Arriva and City Sprinter). I tried this morning to get on the 44 and was told to get lost!

I even checked with the First guy at the station and he said I could use it. Seems like First haven't bothered to tell any of their drivers what the script is. Anyone else tried?


I've not had any problems on the 44, although the driver did look at me as though I was a special case this morning.

In all, it's not been as bad an experience as I feard, thanks largely to the Fair and school holidays methinks. It's taken 20 minute from Spean Street to Oswald street and around the sam for the return so far.

I did make the mistake of jumping on a 66 from Hope Street last night though. 15 minutes just to get to the Citizen's.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby tobester » Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:31 pm

Biggest problem is that ScotRail and Bus have no connections whatsoever apart from being both owned by First Group.

Probably Mary Grant forgot to tell Moir Lockhead that the train tickets are valid opn the busses or more so, the depot managers forgot to tell the drivers, as we all know most managers are diddies anyway.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby My Kitten » Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:04 am

Im also loving the speedy trains rattling past my window. I know get to see how many trains go the other way in the circle.
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby Mark N » Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:29 pm

My God, the buses are sweaty in this weather. :(
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Re: Cathcart Circle Disruption

Postby messyhead » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:15 pm

My Kitten wrote:Im also loving the speedy trains rattling past my window. I know get to see how many trains go the other way in the circle.


Yeah, I've noticed this too. They seem to be sending them up one line, turning them and coming back along the same way to Langside.
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