Media centre

Wednesday 26 Apr 2006

RAIL WORKERS DEDICATE HOLIDAY TO BRING IMPROVEMENTS

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Hundreds of rail workers will be out on the tracks this May Day weekend making multi million pound improvements to Scotland’s railways. The investment includes extensive work on the Tay and Earn Viaducts in the Perth area and Barbush Viaduct north of Dunblane, part of a £7.5 million overhaul to protect the structures’ future. In addition, switches and crossings – the specially machined rails which allow trains to transfer between tracks – will be renewed at Glasgow Central Station, a project worth £2.5 million. Further track works will take place in the Carstairs, Wemyss Bay and Stirling areas. David Simpson, Route Director, said: “Hundreds of rail workers will be giving up their May Day weekends to bring multi million pound improvements for train passengers in Scotland. The work has been carefully planned over more than a year to ensure we do as much as we can in the same time slots – this way, we keep disruption to a minimum. “We are working with the train operators who have arranged alternative transport for those services that will be affected. Together, we’re doing everything we can to keep passengers on the move while we carry out these vital works.” The work on the three viaducts involves lifting the track from each bridge to carry out repairs and waterproof the decks. Teams will be working in shifts around the clock to carry out this work in just five days from Saturday 29 April. Meanwhile, at Glasgow Central Station, the new switches and crossings will be assembled on site so they can be lifted into place. Four sets will be renewed over Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April, and another four will be renewed the following weekend. David Simpson added: “We’ve set ourselves a challenging programme of works, but we’ve got very committed teams ready to go across the network.” Passengers can contact National Rail Enquiries for the latest travel information on: 08457 48 49 50. GNER is advising passengers wishing to travel to/from Glasgow Central to use First ScotRail services to/from Glasgow Queen Street. A replacement coach service will be provided for Motherwell passengers. GNER’s Inverness service will operate on a diversionary route and a replacement coach service provided for passengers between Perth and Edinburgh. Virgin Trains will start and terminate at Motherwell or Carlisle, depending on the service, with road connections to and from Glasgow for passengers between there and England. First ScotRail is providing extra trains on the Argyle line and bus services where necessary. First ScotRail alterations are as follows: Saturdays 29 April and 6 May: Glasgow Central – Whifflet services will start and terminate at Rutherglen, with passengers connecting into services on the Argyle line. Glasgow Central – Edinburgh services will start and terminate at Cambuslang with few exceptions, and passengers will connect from the Argyle line. Glasgow Central – Barrhead services will be reduced to hourly and retimed. Cathcart Circle services will be withdrawn except for the first Inner Circle Service. It will start at Pollockshields West and terminate at Pollockshields East. A bus service will operate between Glasgow Central and Pollokshields West and between Pollokshields East and Glasgow Central. Glasgow Central – Paisley Canal services will have minor retimings. The sleeper from London Euston to Glasgow Central will terminate at Motherwell, with an additional service on to Glasgow. Saturdays 29 April and 6 May and Sundays 30 April and 7 May: Glasgow Central – Kilmarnock / Carlisle and Glasgow Central – East Kilbride services will have minor retimings. Glasgow Central – Newton via Queens Park services will start and terminate at Pollokshields West, with connecting bus services from and to Glasgow Central. They will call at intermediate stations from Pollokshields West to Kings Park via Shawlands and vice versa, and will not call at Pollosheilds East, Queens Park, Crosshill and Mount Florida. Glasgow Central – Newton via Maxwell Park services will start and terminate at Pollokshields West, with connecting bus service to Glasgow Central. Glasgow Central – Neilston services will be retimed and start and terminate at Pollokshields East. A bus services will operate between Glasgow Central and Pollokshields East. Glasgow Central – Stranraera via Paisley services - minor retimings. Glasgow Central to Gourock, Wemyss Bay, Ardrossan, Largs and Ayr services – minor retimings. Saturday 29 April – Wednesday 3 May (excluding Sunday 30 April):

• Services on the Glasgow Queen St / Edinburgh / Dunblane route will start and terminate at Stirling. A shuttle bus service will run between Stirling, Bridge of Allan and Dunblane
• Glasgow Queen St to Inverness services will be retimed and diverted via Falkirk High, Fife and Newburgh to Perth. A replacement bus will run between Larbert, Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles and Perth
• Services between Glasgow Queen St and Aberdeen will be retimed and diverted via Falkirk High and Fife to Dundee. A replacement bus will run between Larbert, Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles, Perth and Dundee

 Sunday 30 April:

• Services between Glasgow Queen St and Aberdeen will be retimed and diverted via Falkirk High and Fife to Dundee. An additional train service will operate between Glasgow Queen St and Stirling calling at Lenzie and Larbert. A replacement bus will run between Larbert, Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles, Perth and Dundee
• Glasgow Queen St to Elgin services will be retimed and diverted via Falkirk High and Fife to Dundee. An additional train will operate between Glasgow Queen St and Stirling calling at Larbert. A replacement bus service will run between Larbet, Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles and Perth
• Services between Inverness and Glasgow Queen St are retimed and diverted from Perth to run via Fife and Falkirk High to Glasgow Queen St. A replacement bus will operate between Dundee, Perth, Gleneagles, Dunblane, Stirling and Larber