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Wednesday 19 Jun 2013

Cumbernauld electrification works get underway

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Engineers will begin work on the electrification of the Cumbernauld-Glasgow line this weekend (Sunday, June 23).

Following months of extensive preparatory work to the lineside and structures along the route, work to erect stanchions and string overhead power lines will take place between June 2013 and Spring 2014.

The £40m, government-funded, scheme will see over 50km of railway electrified as part of a wider £80m investment in the line between Cumbernauld and Scotland’s largest city.

As well as the main electrification works, the project will also be lengthening the Cumbernauld station platforms and constructing a turnback facility at Springburn.

The project marks the first phase of electrification on the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP), and the scheme will be delivered in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

In order to complete these enhancements as quickly and efficiently as possible engineers will be working extensively at evenings and weekends with the following impact on services:

Gartcosh - Cumbernauld / Falkirk Grahamston and Motherwell – Cumbernauld

From Wednesday 26 June 2013 buses will replace trains from around 19:30hrs on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Glasgow Queen St - Cumbernauld / Falkirk Grahamston

From Sunday 23 June 2013 buses will replace trains from around 19:30hrs on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

There will also have to be a number of all-day Sunday closures between Glasgow and Cumbernauld over the course of the project, with the first of these taking placeon Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 28.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “The project is a significant enhancement of the line between Glasgow and Cumbernauld and is the first step in a major transformation of the railway across the central belt.

“While we understand the inconvenience these work may cause some passengers, the project has been designed to deliver these enhancements in the most efficient, cost-effective and quickest way possible.”

A ScotRail spokeswoman said, “We’ve posted a revised train and bus timetable on our website, and organised on-train and station announcements to inform customers.”