Why is the ECML single at Montrose

[lmsforever]

I am watching a dvd filmed on the ECML north of Edinburgh and am wondering why the line approaching Montrose from the south is still single line .This must be a bottleneck and I would have thought that the LNER would have doubled it when they were in control of the route failing that BR would have had thon the books I would have thought ,so anybody know why its still single?

[Steamysandy]

The section between Usan and Montrose is single track because there are two viaducts in the section which were built by the North British Railway as part of the new main line built between Arbroath and Kinnaber Junction when the first Tay Bridge was built in the 1870s.

The North Viaduct is a girder structure spanning part of the Montrose Basin a tidal lagoon forming part of the Estuary of the South Esk and is a rebuild of a viaduct built by Sir Thomas Bouch but condemned on completion.

Reconstruction would be a costly and difficult undertaking so it has never been undertaken.

Up to 1967 trains for Perth ran via Forfar so it was only services between Dundee and Aberdeen which crossed this section.

[mjkerr]

This must be a bottleneck

Given the section is so short it rarely causes a problem

Equally, the block sections between Dundee and Aberdeen typically mean the closest a train in the same direction will be 10 minutes, so this gives a 5 minute frequency in both directions

However, the timetables rarely had such frequencies with typically up to three trains in each direction per hour

Sprinterisation changed that, with up to four trains in each direction per hour

 

Priority used to be given to northbound services, as they would usually be approaching at speed

Additional allowance was therefore given to southbound services, and could often be sitting at Montrose for up to 5 minutes, but still departing on time

Edited November 23, 2017 by mjkerr

[Aberbrothock]

Given the section is so short it rarely causes a problem

Equally, the block sections between Dundee and Aberdeen typically mean the closest a train in the same direction will be 10 minutes, so this gives a 5 minute frequency in both directions

However, the timetables rarely had such frequencies with typically up to three trains in each direction per hour

Sprinterisation changed that, with up to four trains in each direction per hour

 

Priority used to be given to northbound services, as they would usually be approaching at speed

Additional allowance was therefore given to southbound services, and could often be sitting at Montrose for up to 5 minutes, but still departing on time

The direct line from Arbroath to Kinnaber Junction via Montrose was all originally single track and the line was doubled in stages latterly by the LNER, but, as has been said the two viaducts over the Esk and Inchbraoch island were too expensive to tackle and have just about managed to cope up until now.  Incidentally the steel viaduct over the river is currently being refurbished as it had developed a nasty sag at one of the piers - hopefully now rectified.

[Dava]

If you have any sense, you stay single in Montrose......

[arran]

HI All

 

You used to be able to leave Arbroath and avoid Montrose to get to Kinnaber junction,

 

Regards Arran

[Alex TM]

Hi folks,

 

Recently on a trip to Aberdeen and back, and got held going northbound just before the line singles; going south we were let through while a northbound train was held wher we had been.  Seems there are timetable issues.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[luckymucklebackit]

The Luftwaffe damaged the viaduct during WWII, the current refurbishment works are uncovering a number of areas where bullets and shrapnel had penetrated the steelwork  https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/angus-mearns/667804/ww2-bombing-damage-unearthed-during-montrose-viaduct-refurbishment/

 

Jim

[westie7]

Just the other day, Usan appeared on the board at Queen Street to much amusement, hopefully pic attached

[westie7]

I would say that the chances of widening the cutting, and doing anything at all with Rossie viaduct and south Esk viaduct, would be non existent. More often than not I'm held northbound at Usan than south in the station