Bathgate to Airdrie line is on track

Mar 11 2010 by Debbie Hall, West Lothian Courier

THE FIRST length of railway track was laid on the Bathgate to Airdrie line this week.

A track laying ceremony was held on Monday and saw the first piece of the 15-mile line put in place as the major project enters a crucial phase.

The tracks, laid just to the west of the town’s station, will link the existing Bathgate to Edinburgh and Airdrie to Glasgow lines by autumn this year.

It is expected that passenger services will be operating on the track by December.

The track laying ceremony followed 18 months of rigorous activity.

This work has involved clearing the route, constructing the track formation and installing new bridges, drainage and access points along the line.

Alongside the new tracks, engineers have started to install gantries which will carry the overhead lines to power the electrified trains which will carry the passengers on the route widely tipped to become one of the most popular on the railway network.

The months ahead will also see construction work intensify further, with the remaining bridge installations being progressed, signalling installed and new stations completed.

The bulk of the Airdrie to Bathgate track will be installed by a specialised 170 tonne track laying machine which is expected on site in May.

This week’s ground-breaking ceremony for the line was watched by Network Rail director, Scotland, Ron McAulay along with MSPs Fiona Hyslop, Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan along with transport minister Stewart Stevenson.

The major transport project for the area is being funded by Transport Scotland and delivered by Network Rail.

Ron McAulay said that the ceremony was a vital part of the new railway link.

He continued: “The laying of the first tracks is a major milestone for our project team.

“We are all extremely proud of the progress we have made to date on the project.

“Building a railway is a major construction project and it’s easy to underestimate the vast amount of work that has to be done before we can even begin laying sleepers and rails.

“To date, our team has worked over two-and-a-half million hours and transported almost a million tons of earth and rock to develop the track bed and new cycle path, install new bridges and structures and upgrade the existing rail link between Edinburgh and Bathgate.

“Over the coming months there are some tough challenges still to be met by the team.

“However, I’m confident that we are still on track to have trains operating by December 2010.”

Transport minister Stewart Stevenson added: “We are delighted to see the start of track laying on this vital Airdrie to Bathgate rail project.

“The Scottish Government is committed to Scotland's continued economic growth, especially during these difficult times.

“This £300 million project, which is part of the government’s unprecedented rail investment across Scotland, will open up the central belt for new businesses, helping to connect communities and improving employment and education opportunities.

“In addition to the significant employment during construction, the new rail service will create 130 permanent jobs with ScotRail and, by providing a quicker public transport alternative to roads, the Airdrie to Bathgate link will also help to reduce congestion on the M8 making Scotland a greener and more environmentally friendly place.”