Network Rail awards £11.6m Shotts Line electrification contract

Wednesday 13 Dec 2017

Network Rail awards £11.6m Shotts Line electrification contract

Region & Route:: Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail today (Wednesday December 13) announced that Carillion Powerlines Ltd has won a further contract to deliver work on the electrification of the Shotts line between Holytown Junction and Midcalder Junction.

The £11.6m contract will deliver enhancements to stations to support the electrification of 74km of railway as part of a wider £160m Scottish Government investment in the line between Scotland’s two largest cities which will see the route electrified by March 2019.

The activity within nine stations on the route includes platform reconstructions and renewals and enhancements to lighting, CCTV and customer information systems. Two stations; at Livingston South and Breich, will be completely rebuilt with platforms extended at Carfin, Shotts and West Calder to enable the introduction of longer trains on the route. Work on the stations element of the project is due to complete in autumn 2018.

The electrification of the line will enable the introduction of a new fleet of electric trains on services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central via Shotts with the new Hitachi class 385 rolling stock offering improved reliability and increased capacity for passengers.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said:

“The Scottish Government’s funding of the Shotts Line electrification and our overall £5billion package of investment in our railway, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving the Scottish rail network.

“This work contributes to the transformation of services across the central belt as part of the wider package of investment to enhance rail travel between the country’s two biggest cities, meaning passengers will see shorter journey times, increased capacity and better reliability.”

Iain McFarlane, route delivery director for Network Rail, said: “This contract is another step forward for the delivery of the Shotts electrification project and further underlines our commitment to investing in and enhancing our infrastructure as part of our UK-wide railway upgrade plan.

“Electrification of the line across North Lanarkshire and West Lothian coupled with improvements at stations will transform the journey experience for rail passengers who will enjoy the benefits of improved services for many years to come.

“Throughout this project we will work closely with contractors, train operators and other stakeholders to deliver in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while minimising disruption for both lineside communities and passengers.”

Martin C Smith, Managing Director Carillon Powerlines said “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to electrify the Shotts line across central Scotland and we look forward to working with the project team to enhance the railway network.

“This award reflects the depth of experience we can demonstrate in delivering infrastructure enhancements in a railway environment and will further enhance the relationship we have developed with Network Rail.”

Contact information

Journalists
Media Relations (Scotland)
0141 555 4109
mediarelations@networkrail.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Network Rail is on target to deliver the next phase of electrification of central Scotland’s railway network, between Holytown and Midcalder junctions – which will complete the electrification of the Shotts line’ between Edinburgh & Glasgow by March 2019.

The works comprise electrification of 74 single track kilometres of railway between Holytown Junction and Midcalder Junction to create when completed, the fourth fully electrified line between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Additionally, the advanced clearance programme sees 17 structures on the line removed or replaced with an increase in the heights of parapets (side walls) at a further 10 bridges. Work will also see new station footbridges at Addiewell and West Calder.

The project is a Scottish Government investment and part of Network Rail’s UK-wide railway upgrade plan.

The contract announced today covers all aspects of work to upgrade and enhance the stations along the route to ensure they are complaint with industry standards and regulations on an electrified railway and appropriate for the introduction of the new fleet of trains that will operate on the route.

Work will include station improvement and gauging works on the nine stations on the route; Carfin, Cleland, Hartwood, Shotts, Fauldhouse, Breich, Addiewell, West Calder and Livingston South. Platforms will be renewed and upgraded and enhanced with the provision of new station shelters, lighting, CCTV and customer information systems at all the stations.

ScotRail will operate the Shotts line services with the Hitachi class 385 electric multiple unit trains – the newest in the ScotRail fleet – which will also operate on Edinburgh – Glasgow line via Falkirk High (E&G) during 2018 once the necessary testing and approvals are complete.

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03457 11 41 41

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