UK: Glasgow Central station has fully reopened following disruption caused by a major fire in an adjacent commercial building, with Network Rail having taken the opportunity of the unexpected closure of Scotland’s busiest station to undertake maintenance and renewal works that would normally have taken around 10 months of weekend and weekday nightshifts to complete.
The station which normally handles 1 200 trains/day was closed when an exclusion zone was put in place as a result of a serious fire in a building on Union Street on March 8.
Trains resumed calling at the separate low-level platforms on March 11, and the high-level station partially reopened on March 18, when local and regional services began using selected platforms further away from the fire-damaged structure. This was followed by the full reopening on March 25.
Engineering works
During the closure period, Network Rail took the opportunity to remove more than 108 tonnes of used rail from the station approaches along with 73 old timber sleepers. More than 6 200 m² of vegetation was also cleared.
Engineers carried out extensive maintenance on the 25 kV 50 Hz overhead electrification equipment around the station, inspecting 299 sections and carrying out a range of repairs to the wires, insulators and other kit. Work was also carried out on switches and crossings, and inspections made of 439 insulated block joints.
‘It was a situation none of us expected, but our teams reacted immediately and were determined to make the most of this rare opportunity’, said Keiren Sharkey, Infrastructure Maintenance Delivery Manager at Network Rail Scotland. ‘It allowed teams based in Motherwell and Glasgow to complete an enormous amount of work that would have required a much longer period of time to complete under normal conditions.’
Passenger services return
ScotRail reinstated a full service when all the platforms became available on March 25. Demolition of the fire damaged building next to the station continues, and an exclusion zone around the area worst affected by the fire is still in place. This means that the entrances to the station from Gordon Street and Union Street remain closed.
‘The safety of our customers and staff is our priority, and the decision to reopen the high level has only been taken following comprehensive safety checks by Glasgow City Council and Network Rail’, said ScotRail Chief Operating Officer David Ross ’We know some people will be travelling by rail for the first time since the fire, so we will have staff on hand at Glasgow Central and across the network to support customers and answer any questions.’
CrossCountry services that had been starting and terminating at Edinburgh also returned to serving Glasgow on March 25. ‘I’m incredibly grateful for the patience shown by everyone who has been impacted by the significant fire at Glasgow Central, and for the hard work of industry colleagues to get the station fully reopened’, said Managing Director Shiona Rolfe.
Avanti West Coast began operating one train an hour to Glasgow Central with the partial reopening on March 18, and resumed its full service of two trains/h on March 25, when its ticket office and first class lounge were also reopened. However the operator said the small exclusion zone still in place meant that there might be some changes to boarding arrangements. TransPennine Express also resumed its normal timetable from March 25.