Major flood damage severs key Edinburgh-Glasgow rail artery
Network Rail has revealed that it may take up to two months to repair severe flood damage on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line near Polmont.
Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High are currently suspended, following a 30-metre breach of the Union Canal that occurred on August 12 after torrential rain and thunderstorms.
The thousands of gallons of water that cascaded onto the railway line below washed away track, ballast and overhead line equipment, and undermined embankments along a 300-metre section of Scotland’s busiest rail link.
Dozens of uprooted trees were also strewn across the tracks, before engineers could install temporary clay dams and stop the flow of water from the canal two days later.
Inspections made by Network Rail on August 15-16 revealed the extent of the damage and prompted it to advise passengers to expect disruption for a number of weeks.
“We are working with our asset engineers and specialist contractors, to assess the scale and extent of the damage and what we will need to do to safely reinstate the railway,” said NR Route Delivery Director Kevin McClelland.
“It is remarkable to see the destructive power of the flowing water, and the extent of the flooding and the scale of the damage is something I have never witnessed before on the railway.
“We are grateful to our colleagues at Scottish Canals for their prompt response in dealing with this unprecedented incident and are working as quickly as possible to complete these repairs and to get passengers back on the railway.”
ScotRail has advised passengers travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh to use the Helensburgh Central/Milngavie to Edinburgh via Glasgow Queen Street low level service. Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts or Carstairs services are also available.
Alternatively, replacement bus services are running between Edinburgh and Falkirk Grahamston, where onward connections can be made.