Edinburgh to Bathgate Line

The Edinburgh to Bathgate Line is a railway line in East Central Scotland.

The line was reopened to passenger trains in 1986, partly to provide better transport links to Edinburgh from the New Town of Livingston and also to try to encourage economic regeneration in the (then) economically-depressed West Lothian town of Bathgate, which had been seriously affected by the rundown and eventual closure of the town's British Leyland truck factory in the 1980s as well as the closure of many local coalmines. As such, the line's reopening has proved highly beneficial to the local community, particularly for commuting to work in Edinburgh.

The line was built as cheaply as possible, using single track. New stations were provided at Uphall, Livingston North and Bathgate. It now forms part of the Edinburgh Crossrail line by linking Bathgate in the west through Edinburgh to Newcraighall in the east. Services on this line are run by First ScotRail.

Since the line reopened in 1986, passenger train services have normally been operated by diesel multiple units (at first mainly Class 101s, then from 1987 Class 150s and now (2008) Class 156 or Class 170s.) Following electrification as part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link, services will be operated by electric multiple units.

Extension to Airdrie

In 2005, the Scottish Executive declared that in line with plans to upgrade the unfinished part of the A8 to motorway standard, public transport links between Glasgow and Edinburgh must also be improved.

The closed section of the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway between Drumgelloch and Bathgate will be rebuilt as an electrified line, and will connect with the North Clyde Line at Drumgelloch. This will open up a valuable fourth railway link between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and many towns in West Lothian will be better connected to the Clydeside conurbation.