Train services will resume running over Lamington Viaduct more than a week ahead of schedule from Monday February 22, the ScotRail Alliance has announced.
The bridge has been closed since December 31 2015, after flood damage caused by Storm Frank left it on the point of collapse, severing the main route between Carlisle and Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Engineers battled to shore up the bridge’s badly scoured second pier, and had targeted the first week of March for completion of the project to stabilise the structure and repair the steel bearings that hold the bridge deck in place.
The bad weather and high water levels that led to several delays in January have now subsided, allowing Network Rail to accelerate the programme and re-open the route early.
“I am delighted that we have managed to complete the works at Lamington ahead of schedule,” said ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Phil Verster.
“I understand the impact the closure of Lamington Viaduct has had on customers, and our engineers have been working round the clock since its closure to finish the repairs and get trains back on the West Coast Main Line.
“This project has been a hugely challenging one - involving working out in the Clyde through the worst of January’s storms in a race against time to save the structure. Our engineers have faced atrocious conditions throughout this project and I am really proud of their hard work and their absolute commitment to getting the line open again.”
Verster added: “I really do want to thank customers for their patience and our industry partners for the close co-operation shown over the last two months. By working together we have been able to help limit disruption for passengers by providing diversionary routes for many of the affected services.”
- For more on this story see RAIL 795 published on March 2 2016
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FrankH - 15/02/2016 22:37
“I am delighted that we have managed to complete the works at Lamington ahead of schedule,” said ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Phil Verster. If the repair work is finished is it site clearance or allowing materials to harden properly that takes an week from now.
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BigTone - 15/02/2016 23:43
Concrete needs several days to cure. The clearing of the site can happen at the same time. Clearing the compounds and restoring the land is not dependant on the railway
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FrankH - 17/02/2016 15:42
Pure speculation here. I think network rail have run a test train over lamington or at least checked the track either side using the management trains. The HST set ran Derby - Craigentinny yesterday via Beattock and reverse to Carlisle then via Ayr but it managed to lose 40 minutes around Beattock. Now a NR STP move from Crewe - Mossend with 2x 68's running on a 100 mph schedule also ran early yesterday via the GS&W. Today on their return journeys the 68's ran late but dropped 30 mins Carluke - Lanark jnct then a further 60 to Carstairs on a 7 min journey. I know these are north of lamington but I think realtime trains might have got it wrong as they have no report of the return north to law Jnct.
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Robert Turvey - 18/02/2016 16:20
This can only be good news so congratulations to the NR Orange Army for all their hard work
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FrankH - 22/02/2016 00:05
Looks like the Inverness/Fort william sleeper is the first official train over Lamington at 03.15 Monday morning.
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