A 13-month project to strengthen the 160-year Camps Viaduct has been delivered successfully.
Network Rail worked with Story Contracting on the £6 million project to extend the lifespan of the 11-span viaduct that serves as a crucial artery for passengers travelling between Glasgow and Motherwell by train.
Engineers completed 1,370 repairs in total, as well as replacing more than 10,000 rivets, and added 65 tonnes of new steel during these extensive strengthening and refurbishment works.
Essential scour protection works were also carried out to both the east and west river banks with this including the installation of over 800 tonnes of rock armour. A total of 150 tonnes of grit was also used during blasting to the main girders, with 5,000 litres of paint utilised to coat the main girders and handrails, and 170 masonry repairs were completed.
To protect the surrounding environment from dust or pollution, including the River Clyde which flows underneath, work on the structure was completed while the viaduct was encapsulated and sealed.
Pontoons were built in the river so that the scour and masonry repair work could be done both safely and to limit disruption during work on the riverbed and underwater. Protecting the ancient woodland involved the installation of Cellweb TRP, which are mats laid that were laid on the ground at the start of the project to help protect the roots of the trees, the soil, and other fauna.
The project team sought advice from experts including ecologists, park rangers and ornithologists, and, acting on best recommendations, installed netting on the structure to deter birds from nesting during the work. An alternative nesting basket was winched up to the tallest tree in the woodland for specific protected species in the area.
Mark Wilson, senior programme manager at Network Rail, said, “It’s great to see the work at Camps viaduct complete. The £6 million project has helped strengthen the structure for years to come but it’s so much more than that.
“There has been a lot of planning to make sure the project was carried out efficiently while causing as little disruption to the people who live nearby and minimising disturbance to the surrounding land, riverbed, and the wildlife that make the woodland their home.
“Work of this kind will not be needed for at least another 25 years. With a stronger bridge, we can help keep communities connected by continuing to run a safe and reliable railway.”
Steven McVey, senior project manager at Story Contracting, added, “The Story project team at Camps Viaduct are proud to have delivered the refurbishment works to this important structure on behalf of Network Rail, alongside our key supply chain partners.
“This project not only demonstrates our commitment to enhancing Scotland’s Railway infrastructure but also highlights our team’s dedication to quality and safety in all aspects of engineering.”
