Diesel trains will still run on new £144m East Kilbride-Glasgow electric line

A quarter of the trains running on the newly-electrified £144m rail line between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central will be diesel, ScotRail has confirmed.

Electric trains will operate passenger services on the route for the first time next Sunday after a year of work which has seen more than 22km (13.6 miles) of overhead electrification as well as extensive remodelling of stations and bridges.

However, ScotRail said only about 75% of services would be operated by the new greener electric trains with the rest remaining the current polluting diesel trains.

ScotRail said it was in the process of procurement for a new fleet but no timescale was given for when they would begin service.

The East Kilbride line is one of the busiest commuter train services in Scotland, running from one of Scotland’s largest towns to Glasgow city centre via the East Renfrewshire suburbs of Busby, Clarkston, Giffnock and Thornliebank.

Upgrading the line to operate electric trains has been planned for years, with Network Rail, which is responsible for rail infrastructure, claiming that by removing diesel trains “the project will help to deliver substantial environmental benefits”.

It said: “Reducing carbon emissions will not only improve rail’s green credentials but will make the air cleaner and play a vital part in building a strong, green economy for the future.”

The rail line was closed completely for four months at the start of the year to allow the upgrade work to be carried out.

It involved new footbridges at Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations, lowered track under four other bridges and new stations at Hairmyres and East Kilbride.

Residents in Thornliebank experienced months of diversions as the main road was closed to upgrade the rail bridge.

However, when the line finally opens to electric trains on Sunday, one in four services operating on the new line will still be diesel.

ScotRail, which runs train services, said new four-carriage class 380 electric trains will replace the four-carriage class 156 diesel trains which currently operate on the route.

However, the six-carriage class 156 diesel trains, which operate at rush hour, will continue to run in their existing format.

It added that customers on the East Kilbride line will benefit from additional evening services, delivering a broadly half-hour service Monday to Saturday.

A ScotRail spokesman said there was a finite number of trains within its fleet – and operating all East Kilbride services as electric trains would be at the detriment of other routes.

He said ScotRail was in the process of procurement for a new fleet of suburban trains that will serve routes including East Kilbride.

Engineers have installed more than 22km of overhead line electrification, doubled 1.4km of track between East Kilbride and Hairmyres, built new footbridges at Busby, Clarkston and Giffnock stations, lowered track under four more bridges and renewed a bridge at Busby.

A new £16 million station opened at Hairmyres in May followed by a new £9 million station at East Kilbride in August.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “Seeing electric trains being tested on the East Kilbride line is a fantastic milestone for Scotland’s Railway, and an exciting moment for everyone who travels on the route.”

Network Rail worked with contractor partners including SPL Powerlines, AmcoGiffen, Story, QTS, Rail Systems Alliance Scotland and Siemens to deliver the project.