With just a month remaining until the end of the 16-week closure of the East Kilbride-Glasgow Central line, engineers have successfully completed laying new tracks and installing overhead power lines on the route.
Since January, specialist teams have been working tirelessly to install the necessary infrastructure to power electric trains, as part of a £140 million investment by the Scottish Government.
During the closure, Network Rail has achieved the following milestones:
- Double-tracked 1.4 km of railway between East Kilbride and Hairmyres
- Installed over 22 km of overhead electric power lines
- Erected new footbridges at Busby, Clarkston, and Giffnock stations
- Renewed the railway bridge over East Kilbride Road in Busby
- Lowered the track under three key bridges
In the next four weeks, leading up to the reopening of the line on May 18, engineers will complete the installation of new signalling systems and finalise work on the new Hairmyres station.
The new Hairmyres station, featuring two platforms and an accessible footbridge, will open for passengers next month. It is located approximately 500 meters west of the old station.
Delivered in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council, the new £7.2 million transport interchange at Hairmyres will offer park and ride and bus interchange facilities, including around 500 spaces and traffic signal-controlled junctions for car park access.
Additionally, there will be new active travel connections, cycle parking, an upgraded junction nearby, and a new pedestrian crossing on Eaglesham Road. The south car park and about half of the north car park at the station will be ready by May 18, with the remaining north car parking area to be completed over the summer.
Paul Reilly, Network Rail senior programme manager, said: “The complex engineering work we have completed over the past three months is critical to the successful electrification of the line.
“Our engineers have been working around-the-clock to deliver these enhancements as quickly as possible and we remain on course to welcome passengers back onto the railway in May.
“We understand the inconvenience the closure has caused for both customers and some of our neighbours and we thank them for their patience while we build a better, greener railway for the local community.”
Colin Park, Head of Roads, Transportation and Fleet Services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “Travelling by bus and rail in East Kilbride has always been popular and with the two new stations and all the other associated works, this will continue to make traveling by public transport attractive for residents of East Kilbride.
“It’s great to see the speed at which a project of this scale has been brought forward and I’m sure passengers will benefit greatly as they return to use these new facilities next month.”
Once the overall project completes in December 2025, the investment in the line will see:
- Electrification of the railway from Glasgow to East Kilbride
- A new station at East Kilbride
- A new station with two platforms and accessible footbridge at Hairmyres
- A new footbridge at Busby station
- Improved access at Giffnock, with a new accessible footbridge
- Improved access to Platform 2 at Clarkston station
Image and Video credits: Network Rail
