ScotRail changes as Queen Street tunnel work completed
From August 8, following the completion of the Glasgow Queen Street tunnel work, there will be some changes to ScotRail services. Most revert to what they had been before the work started last March, but in two cases there will be changed patterns.
Some services to/from North Berwick and Dunbar are being retimed by up to 15 minutes, owing to changes to paths following additional East Coast services north of Newcastle.
The Sunday North Berwick service starts an hour earlier (0933 from Edinburgh, 1024 from North Berwick).
The most significant change is to the service-pattern on the Glasgow Queen Street Low Level to Edinburgh via Airdrie route.
Initially the two fast trains an hour, which commenced Milngavie, took 64 minutes from Glasgow to Edinburgh (95 minutes from Milngavie) with only nine intermediate stops (High Street, Coatbridge Sunnyside, Airdrie, Drumgelloch, Bathgate then all stations).
The two from Helensburgh Central called at all 19 intermediate stations and took 75 minutes (124 minutes from Helensburgh).
Last March the pattern was revised. The two Milngavie services called just High Street, Coatbridge then all stations, taking 69 minutes (94 minutes from Milngavie); and the two Helensburgh services called all stations to Drumgelloch, then Bathgate and all stations, taking 73 minutes (115 minutes from Helensburgh).
From August the two Milngavie services call all stations to Shettleston, then Coatbridge, Airdrie and all stations, taking 71 minutes (95 minutes from Milngavie).
The two services from Helensburgh call at High Street, Garrowhill, all stations to Drumgelloch, then Bathgate and all stations, taking 65 minutes (107 minutes from Helensburgh).
This provides a better balance between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and a significant speed-up for Helensburgh to Edinburgh journeys.
As a result it is now rarely worth changing at Queen Street for a fast service via Falkirk, although this might once again be the case once electrification is completed.