Monday 9 Apr 2018
New platforms is a step-up for Livingston South station redevelopment
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
The Edinburgh – Glasgow Central via Shotts line has re-opened to passengers following a 10 day closure to enable part of a £3.5m redevelopment of Livingston South station.
Since the start of the blockade on March 29, Network Rail engineers worked around the clock to demolish then rebuild both platforms at the station wider and longer to ensure they are compliant for an electrified railway and long enough for the new six carriage trans that will be introduced on the route.
As well as the work to the platforms, access ramps were re-graded and improvements to lighting, CCTV, customer information systems, ticket machines and validators and waiting shelters were all delivered at the West Lothian station during the line closure.
With the station open and passenger services reintroduced on the line between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central via Shotts, work on the project is ongoing to complete the platforms, construct the lift towers and upgrade the staircases accessing the station.
The closure of the Edinburgh – Glasgow via Shotts line was carefully planned for the school holiday period in order to minimise inconvenience, as passenger numbers are lower and some may be able to be more flexible with their travel plans at this time.
The work is a key part of the Scottish Government funded investment to upgrade and electrify the line to improve reliability and enable the introduction of electric trains on the route by March 2019.
Brian Mallon, Network Rail project manager for the Shotts Line electrification project said:
“While we acknowledge that closing the line is never a popular choice with passengers, the volume of work and the efficiency with which it was delivered during the 10 day blockade, demonstrates that it was the best way to reduce disruption overall for passengers as we redeveloped the station.
“The staff and contractors on the ground did fantastically well in difficult and challenging weather conditions to get the job done. Though the weather made underfoot conditions treacherous at times; bringing some activities to a halt and slowing others, full credit to the team as they just got the snow cleared and got straight back to the job in order to get the station operational in time for the reintroduction of service.
“We appreciate the cooperation of the local community and thank them for their patience as we deliver this massive investment to upgrade the railway. We hope that they enjoy the benefits of the redeveloped station for many years to come”
The full redevelopment of Livingston South will be complete by September 2018
Notes to Editors
Notes to Editors
No services ran on the Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Central via Shotts route for a 10 day period over Easter. Busses replaced trains during this time. The line closed after the last service on the evening of Thursday, March 29 and re-opened for normal service on Monday, April 9.
Work was delivered from the track to demolish both platforms and reconstruct using a modular platform construction system.
Platforms will be widened from 1.8m to 3m to create a safe station environment for the operation of electrified services.
Platform 1 (eastbound) was extended 28m on the west side. Platform 2 (westbound) was extended 28m split between the east and west sides. Both platforms will be circa 147m in length and extension enables introduction of new longer trains that will operate on the route from 2019
A range of additional work was progressed as part of the wider electrification programme during the 10 day line closure. This included
- tie-in of new overhead line electrification (OHLE) system on the Shotts line with existing OHLE at Midcalder Junction
- removal of the old station footbridge at West Calder
- erection of masts and metal work at locations all across the route
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