Scottish Region News

Mr. Colin MacLean
It is with regret that we record the death of Colin MacLean of Edinburgh who has died, aged 86. Colin will be best remembered for his many pro-rail letters in the press. He also regularly attended Scottish Region meetings and visits as well as joining in social events after meetings. We extend our condolences to his family.

New Corran Ferry
Highlnd Council has announced it has reached the procurement stage for a new replacement Corran Ferry. With funding through the Highland City-Region Deal, Scottish Government and UK Government, it is anticipated that a cpntract for the new vessel will be awarded in spring 2027 with the new ferry expected to enter service in early 2029. The existing vessel will be kept as a relief vessel.

Scottish National Transport Awards 2026 Winners
At the 23rd National Transport Awards in London on 1 October, the Bus Operator of the Year title went to Lothian Buses, Tram Operator of the Year to Edinburgh Trams and their chief executive Sarah Boyd won Woman of the Year. Ferry Operator of the Year went to Pentland Ferries.

New railway station in East Renfrewshire
When it opened ahead of schedule on 27 September, the £18.3M new station at Balgray in East Renfrewshire became the 85th to join the ScotRail network since reopenings took off north of the border in 1984.

Funded by the Glasgow City Deal and delivered by Network Rail with East Renfrewshire Council, Balgray on the southern outskirts of Barrhead serves an area of new affordable housing and is named for a nearby reservoir in the Dams to Darnley Country Park.

Served by a half-hourly electric train on the route linking Glasgow Central with Neilston, the new station has two platforms linked by a fully accessible footbridge, with a new bus turning circle, 80 parking spaces, 10 electric vehicle charging points, a sustainable drainage system and provision for active travel including walking and cycling routes.

The area has a complex railway history since nearby can be seen the site of Lyoncross Junction, a station that never opened when in the face of tramway competition the Caledonian Railway decided not to bring into use a circular line through Barrhead to Paisley. A concrete viaduct at Aurs that would never be used by trains has been repurposed as a walking and cycling route for schoolchildren. The Neilston line originally continued to Ardrossan, providing a route for iron-ore imports that soon proved redundant when a new dock further up the Clyde provided a shorter haul.

Now with the opening of Balgray the remaining line becomes fully fit for purpose in the 21st century by providing journey opportunities for new social housing and for access by Glasgow residents to Renfrewshire's attractive countryside.