THE £63.3 million upgrade of the Glasgow – Barrhead rail has been completed and will reopen to passengers tomorrow, Network Rail has announced.
Since June 24, ‘around-the-clock’ work has been undertaken by engineers on the closed line to prepare it for electrification as part of a Scottish Government investment to decarbonise the railway.
Over 70,000 hours were worked during the six-week closure and activity included installing 14,400 metres of overhead power cables (contact and catenary) and renewing 130 metres of track.
Bridge parapets were raised in height at Kennishead and Priesthill & Darnley stations to make them safe and compliant for an electrified railway. A significant amount of work also took place at Barrhead station, with platform three extended to accommodate longer four-carriage electric trains. This involved moving the current buffers and rebuilding the access paths.
The old lattice footbridge at Nitshill station, too low to fit the overhead cables underneath, was replaced with a new ramp to platform 2 for services to Barrhead and Kilmarnock. It can now be accessed through a reopened underpass off Nitshill Road.
Paul Reilly, Network Rail senior programme manager, said, “I would like to thank passengers, residents and businesses for their patience and understanding over the last six-weeks, as we delivered these vital engineering works.
“Electrification of the Glasgow – Barrhead line will transform travel by providing greener and quieter trains for our passengers.
“The work also represents another considerable achievement as part of our wider plans to deliver net zero across Scotland’s Railway and we’re looking forward to electric trains operating on the route.”
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, added, “It’s great to see that work to prepare the Barrhead line for electrification has been completed successfully and the route reopen for passenger service.
“We know how inconvenient it can be when extensive work like this is carried out, so we’re thrilled to be able to welcome customers back to the railway.
“I’d also like to thank everyone for their patience while this important upgrade was delivered.
“It’s an exciting project for Scotland’s Railway, with more of the network being electrified on our journey to net zero.”
Over the next few months, the team will be carrying out snagging and finishing works to the overhead line equipment, as well as replacing copes and tactile paving at Pollokshaws West station. This will be followed by signalling commissioning and running test trains on the route in the autumn, ahead of the introduction of electric trains from December.
While the Glasgow – Barrhead works were taking place over the six-weeks, Network Rail said it made the most of the opportunity by also delivering activity out with the project. Refurbishment work to a number of signals took place south of Barrhead, near Lugton in East Ayrshire. Originally this would have taken three months working overnight but by doing this during the closure, the task was completed in half the time, it added.
