Thursday 6 Nov 2008
CHRISTMAS RAIL WORKS MARK CULMINATION OF MASSIVE INVESTMENT
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
Network Rail will complete a number of major improvement projects over the festive period, all designed to deliver a better, more reliable train service. The primary focus will be on the completion of a programme of investments worth over £200m, including the Glasgow Central resignalling project and the commissioning of a new signalling centre in Cowlairs, North Glasgow.
The work will result in no train services into and out of Glasgow Central high level station from Friday 26 December until start of service on Tuesday 30 December while signalling operations are transferred to the new West of Scotland signalling centre at Cowlairs.
Replacement bus services will run from locations outside Central Station during the four days. However, Glasgow Central low level will be open 27—29 December with a reduced service operating. Replacement coaches will also be made available for Virgin Trains passengers, connecting with trains to and from England at Carlisle or Motherwell.
Planned track improvements to Hilton Junction, near Perth, from Friday 26 December to Wednesday 31 December will also affect some services to and from Inverness, Aberdeen, Ladybank and Dundee, with replacement buses in some areas.
In addition, track improvement works between Ardrossan and Kilwinning will affect services on the Largs line in the New Year. A bus service will replace trains between Ardrossan and Kilwinning on January 2 and 3, with services returning to normal on 4 January.
Finally, Dundee–Aberdeen services will also be replaced by buses on January 3 and 4 due to enhancement work near Laurencekirk.
David Simpson, route director for Network Rail in Scotland commented:
“The work we are undertaking at Glasgow Central will improve reliability of the rail network in the west of Scotland. We have invested over £85m in recent years upgrading the signalling at Central Station and its integration with our new signalling centre is a key step in the ongoing improvements to the network.
“In Perth and Kilwinning, we are carrying out renewals and upgrades which will bring further improvements to reliability. Christmas is the quietest period of the year for rail travel, so it makes sense that we carry out our major engineering work during this period. We have worked closely with train operators to minimise the inconvenience to passengers.”
Steve Montgomery, Operations and Safety Director at First ScotRail, added: “We have done everything possible to keep inconvenience to an absolute minimum by running as many services as possible.
“Full plans are in place to provide alternative transport arrangements where required. Journeys will take longer than normal and passengers should allow more time for travel.”
From early December, full details of alterations to train services and replacement bus services will be provided in a Christmas timetable supplement available online at www.scotrail.co.uk or from staffed stations.
ENDS
Notes to editors
A revised timetable will operate on some First ScotRail routes on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Friday, January 2. There will be no First ScotRail services on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Glasgow Central high level December 26 and 27 – There will be buses to and from Glasgow Central to Paisley Canal, Barrhead, East Kilbride, Neilston, Newton and Whifflet and Partick-Motherwell. A bus service will operate from Glasgow Central to Paisley Gilmour Street to connect into train services to Gourock/Wemyss Bay and Ayr/Largs/Ardrossan. December 28 – Buses will replace trains to and from Glasgow Central to connect into train services at Pollokshields East, Pollokshields West, Crossmyloof and Paisley Gilmour Street. December 29 – Buses will replace trains to and from Glasgow Central and connect into train services at Pollokshields East,Pollokshields West, Crossmyloof and Paisley Gilmour Street. Buses will also replace trains between Glasgow Central and Paisley Canal, and Whifflet. Glasgow Central low level December 26 – No services. Replacement buses between Partick and Larkhall, Hamilton and Motherwell. Milngavie-Bellgrove services - out of Glasgow Queen Street - will be extended to Motherwell and Lanark. December 27-29 – Services from Glasgow Central low level to Coatbridge Central, Helensburgh-Drumgelloch, Lanark, Larkhall, Milngavie, Motherwell, and Springburn-Balloch trains will be reduced early morning and late evening. Glasgow Queen Street – Aberdeen/Dyce/Inverurie Glasgow and Aberdeen/Dyce/Inverurie services will be diverted via Fife on December 27 and 28. Replacement buses will operate, connecting into and out of Dundee. Edinburgh/Glasgow Queen St - Inverness Edinburgh/Glasgow and Inverness services will have bus replacements between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Perth on December 28 and 27. Services between Edinburgh and Inverness on December 29, 30 and 31 will be diverted via Stirling. Buses will operate between Edinburgh and Perth via Kirkcaldy. Ardrossan-Kilwinning Buses replace trains on January 2 and 3.Contact information
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