MAJOR works are set to get underway on Thornliebank Road bridge as part of a wider £140 million project to electrify the East Kilbride to Glasgow railway corridor.
The bridge, which crosses the railway near Thornliebank Station, is being demolished and reconstructed over a 14-month period – from April 2 until June 2025.
Network Rail is leading the £5.5 million project alongside its contractor Story, with the rebuild allowing for the required clearance height to allow the new overhead line equipment to run underneath the bridge – allowing electric trains to run on the line.
The first phase of the project, which will take place over the coming months until September, will see a number of service utilities diverted from the existing structure onto a temporary footbridge that is being installed towards the end of April. Following completion of the utilities diversion, the road bridge will be demolished, from September 27 to 30, and then the reconstruction work will begin.
Simon Humble, project manager at Network Rail, said, “Thornliebank Road bridge represents the largest civils structure on the East Kilbride Enhancement project and is a significant undertaking.
“Although the first phase is a labour intensive period of diverting a number of utilities from the bridge, including fibre optic, water and gas, it allows a substantial part of the work to be delivered during the day.
“When we start the construction phase later this year, this involves more complex engineering – some of which can only be done overnight when no trains are running, and we will update the community in advance of this.
“While we do appreciate the inconvenience of having to close the bridge, it is the only way we can deliver this part of the project and we would encourage everyone to add in some extra travel time.”
