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A new station is affordable
Assembling a modular station is cheaper than building a station from scratch
A figure of £6m surfaced as being the cost of a new Newburgh station, a high price for a small place. One assumption (amongst many) was that the station would be built from scratch. But the campaign believes that a new station can be built far more cheaply using modern modular design techniques.
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Introducing the cost-effective modular station
Modular stations are not built but assembled.
Pre-built, factory components are transported mostly by road and put together on site. This type of construction does not require many of the traditional skills associated with a 'bricks and mortar' build.
The volume of goods vehicles needed to ship assembled components is far less than the delivery costs of building materials needed for a standard build. Less road transport means less disruption and less impact on the environment.
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Dura Composites - makes of modular stations calculated the transport savings of shipping pre-made, light-weight elements to site versus the many more vehicles needed to supply a typical pre-cast concrete build.
Newer modular designs now even include recycled material, including decommissioned wind turbines.​​
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The campaign suggests this is the right approach for Newburgh
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​​Our campaign has investigated this type of design and now believes that a modular station is an affordable, sensible option for Newburgh. As the reopened short-form Beauly Station proves, Even a modest-sized station will attract significant number car drivers back to the railway.
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Still not convinced?
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A temporary modular halt could be placed in Newburgh to assess how viable a station would be. If there were insufficient passengers, the station could be removed and used elsewhere.
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Beauly Station a modular, single carriage-length design
Beauly Station - A short platform success
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Following a local campaign, Beauly station was reopened in 2002. It is a short-form design with a one 10m length, single platform.
The new single platform, shelter and car park were built as part of a £250,000 project (£453K in today's figures*). The reopening of the station prompted 75% of local commuters to switch from road to rail. Beauly shows what can be achieved on a modest budget.
Conon Bridge - 'A worthwhile investment'
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In 2012, the Scottish Government announced that a new station £600,000 (£845,000 in today's figures*)with a single, carriage-length platform, would be built at Conan Bridge. It opened in early 2013 on budget.
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In the month following the station's opening, more than 2,000 journeys were made to or from it. According to the then Minister for Transport, Keith Brown, the numbers "show that it was an extremely worthwhile investment".
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Newburgh's advantages
Plans for building a station, even a short halt like the one proposed for Newburgh, must include a number of features.
The station must be fully accessible - able to let disabled passengers get on to platforms and on to trains. A new station must have a turning circle for buses and cars, and sufficient disabled parking bays close to hand.
A Newburgh Station would, of course, include these requirements in the plan. But the town provides additional assets that make building a station easier and could enhance its use.
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Land access and cost​
Much of the proposed site for a new Newburgh station is already owned by Network Rail. There will be minimal disruption to local businesses and little or no land negotiation required.
Ground conditions
​Ground conditions in Newburgh are reasonably sound, based on rock with no history of mining, The proposed site is where the old station was situated. The ground is compacted and surface work will be minimal.
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Built beside a live railway
The station would sit on the Perth to Edinburgh line which operates 38 local train services every 24 hours. There is NO need for any rail line modifications or the laying of new track. There would minimal disruption to train operations. Delivery of fabricated components to the proposed site can use a tarmac'ed road adjoining the main A913. This means that no onerous preparatory building work is required prior to assembling the station.
​​No timetable disruption
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The campaign has studied train timetables for the services using the Perth to Edinburgh line and sees no disruption or ripple effect to following services. Only a minute and half would be added to the Perth to Edinburgh journey.
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Ready access to an adjacent public road off the A913
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A tarmacked road runs from the main A913 up to the proposed site which will require some upgrade. But it is there!
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A free nearby Council Car Park
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A free council run car park exists, just a minute's walk away across the A913, providing additional car parking spaces besides those built at the station.
The proposed site of the new Newburgh station
The viability of a proposed train station can be assessed by the use of a temporary 'pop up' modular station with a short platform providing a simple shelter, a service display board, a ticket machine and assessibility access.
'Pop up' stations can be modular and flexible and deployed for as little as £150k (plus the costs of accessibility requirements). They can be assembled and deployed quickly and can be shortened or lengthened depending on passenger numbers. If passenger numbers are low the station can removed and deployed elsewhere if passenger numbers fail to meet targets! ​
What's not to like?
Set against the recent go-ahead for a £18.3m station​ ​at Balgray in Lanarkshire and the £15m cost of the newly opened East Linton station, a simply Newburgh station is a very modest and quite proportional request.
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Costs
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Assembly costs £50k to £65k
Additional foundations, surfacing
M&E costs plus design and track access (minimal) will raise this to approximately £100k.
Adding Project Management etc. costs suggests a total of approximately
£150,000
Some additional costs to ensure the station is accessible