Existing Railway electrification in Great Britain

an electric express on west coast main line in 1970s.



west coast main line (wcml)


electrified late 1950s mid-1960s using mark 1 series under br 1955 modernisation plan crewe (and branches), extended glasgow in 1974.
northampton: see northampton loop line.
birmingham (new street): see rugby-birmingham-stafford line.
liverpool lime street including newly electrified routes manchester via newton-le-willows , wigan north western via st.helens central in 2015.
manchester (piccadilly): see stafford manchester line , crewe manchester line.
glasgow central: in 1974, weaver junction using mark 3a series
the abbey flyer (st albans branch line) electrified 1987-88 network southeast.
edinburgh waverley in 1989 (from carstairs junction in conjunction ecml electrification)
in 2003, crewe kidsgrove section of crewe derby line electrified diversionary route wcml.
since 1999, line has been modernised , overhead line equipment has been refurbished , renewed mark 1 / mark 3a uk1 range allow increase line speeds 110 mph 125 mph (with 140 mph capability in areas fitted automatically tensioned mark 1 equipment - subject upgrading of balance weight arrangement provide individually tensioned contact / catenary wires , regrading of contact wires).


london, tilbury , southend (lts)

the majority electrified @ 6.25 kv, converted 25 kv in 1980s.

west anglia / fen line

this covers lines london liverpool street (bethnal green jn) chingford, enfield town, hertford east , cambridge. in 1960s, lines chingford, enfield town , cheshunt electrified @ 6.25 kv, cheshunt bishop s stortford , hertford east @ 25 kv. lea valley line between coppermill junction , cheshunt electrified @ 25 kv in 1969. 6.25 kv areas converted 25 kv in 1983. in 1987, electrification extended bishop s stortford cambridge @ 25 kv. in 1990 line stansted airport opened, , in 1992 electrification extended cambridge king s lynn along fen line.

great eastern main line (geml)


converted 1,500 v dc (see 1,500 v dc section shenfield metro )

converted 6.25 kv/1,500 v dc combination of @ , ft 25kv mark ge (great eastern) between 1976 , 1980. presently being upgraded geff (great eastern furrer + frey) range altering catenary compound simple sagged arrangement.

romford upminster line
shenfield southend line
crouch valley line
braintree branch line
colchester clacton line
mayflower line
sunshine coast line


intercity 225 on east coast main line



east coast main line (ecml)


electrified in 2 parts: 1975-78, , 1984–91
the line between london (kings cross) , royston electrified between 1976 , 1978 using mark 3a range part of great northern suburban electrification project. included hertford loop line. section between royston , cambridge electrified in 1988 using mark 3b range.
in 1984, authority given electrify edinburgh , leeds. section between hitchin , peterborough completed in 1987, , doncaster , york reached in 1989. 1990, electrification had reached newcastle, , in 1991 edinburgh. mark 3b range used throughout electrification scheme, areas presently being upgraded mark 3d design range, eliminate known corrosion issues awac catenary , replace solid stainless steel droppers flexible copper current carrying designs.
in order keep construction teams working, 2 additional schemes authorised, carstairs , north berwick (north berwick line).
at peak of electrification project during late 1980s, claimed longest construction site in world @ on 250 miles (400 km).


midland main line (mml)


electrified between london (st pancras) , bedford in 1983 using mark 3b range, , dock junction moorgate - cut farringdon.
electrification bedford kettering , corby expected 2019 (mml phase 1), further extensions leicester, nottingham trent junction , sheffield (via derby) 2023 (mml phase 2) cancelled in july 2017. section clay cross sheffield electrified 2033 part of hs2.



london paddington heathrow airport

electrified in 1994 in joint venture between british rail , british airports authority using mark 3b series. using part of great western main line.

high speed 1

newest main line, completed in 2007. links london (st pancras) kent , channel tunnel.

london local lines

local lines within london electrified 25 kv are:

north london line, between acton central , stratford.
lea valley lines
various other suburban lines in north of city electrified part of other routes mentioned above.


edinburgh


in 1991, ecml edinburgh electrified. few local routes electrified.
edinburgh crossrail: edinburgh waverley newcraighall. service dmus, pending reopening of part of waverley line.
north berwick line: edinburgh waverley north berwick
glasgow edinburgh via carstairs line: north berwick line trains continue glasgow central. intercity trains ecml continue glasgow central.



central scotland

the route edinburgh glasgow via bathgate has been reinstated between bathgate , airdrie , electrified throughout. opened on 11 december 2010. approval has been given scottish parliament electrification of main inter-city route between edinburgh , glasgow queen street high level via falkirk. project, known egip, scheduled encompass infill electrification in glasgow area , greenhill junction stirling, dunblane , (recently re-opened) alloa, carry commuter services, these removed in 2012 part of cost review.

glasgow suburban

suburban electrification begun during 1960s in wake of br 1955 modernisation plan. electrification piecemeal , still incomplete, several suburban, rural , intercity lines still unelectrified.

the glasgow suburban railway network can divided 3 main areas:

north clyde line: known glasgow north electric suburban line , 1 of first lines in glasgow electrified in 1960 (helensburgh central, balloch , milngavie glasgow queen street (low level) , springburn , airdrie).
south clyde: cathcart circle line (glasgow central newton , neilston) electrified on 22 may 1962. inverclyde line (glasgow central gourock , wemyss bay) electrified in 1967. ayrshire coast line (glasgow central ayr, largs , ardrossan harbour) electrified in 1986–1987. paisley canal line electrified corkerhill glasgow central, in late 2012 extended paisley.
argyle line: between dalmuir , milngavie via glasgow central (low level) hamilton circle, larkhall, lanark , carstairs (via hamilton, motherwell or holytown). there peak service coatbridge central.

on glasgow edinburgh via carstairs line, north berwick line trains continue glasgow central. single daily east coast intercity train ecml continues , glasgow central. on shotts line, holytown junction kirknewton not electrified, both ends are, shared wcml, argyle line , ecml. remaining section electrified in mid-2019. cumbernauld line springburn , remaining section of motherwell cumbernauld line electrified in mid 2014. line between springburn , glasgow queen street (high level) has not yet been completed. until glasgow queen street high level has been electrified, electric cumbernauld line trains reverse @ springburn , run through glasgow queen street low level station. whifflet line between whifflet , rutherglen via carmyle electrified in late 2014.

leeds area

in 1994, project electrify of local lines around leeds given authority proceed. project called leeds north west electrification , electrified:

airedale line skipton , bradford forster square
wharfedale line ilkley
wakefield line electrified in 1989 part of east coast main line electrification london king s cross
harrogate line: proposed; business case submitted


manchester area


manchester glossop / hadfield (converted truncated 1500 v dc manchester-sheffield-wath electric railway)
manchester liverpool via earlstown line: electrified in 2015 part of northern hub project.
manchester, south junction , altrincham railway (part converted manchester metrolink)
styal line: including branch manchester airport
stafford manchester line: branch of wcml, electrified in wake of br 1955 modernisation plan
crewe manchester line: branch of wcml, electrified in wake of 1955 modernisation plan


west midlands


west coast main line routes electrified in 1960s:

trent valley line
stone colwich line
rugby-birmingham-stafford line
stafford manchester line
walsall wolverhampton line


commuter lines out of birmingham new street:

cross-city line: electrified 1993.
chase line: new street walsall electrified 1966.






^ nse chronology january 1988 december 1988 . network southeast railway society. retrieved 30 january 2015. 
^ little, stuart m. (december 1979). greater glasgow s railway network . scottish transport. no. 33: 2–12. issn 0048-9808. 
^ garry keenor (2010-11-13). rebirth of ayrline: electrification ayr / ardrossan / largs – 1986–87 . railwaysarchive.co.uk. retrieved 2010-11-17.