Costs soar on another two Scots rail projects

Oor Wullie settles into new space

OOR Wullie certainly looks like he’s having a blast – as he settles into his new space in Sunday Post towers.

Astro Wullie was one of the 70 statues from the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail auctioned off last week for charity at the Dundee Rep.

In total £883,000 was raised for the Archie Foundation’s bid to place a new specialist unit in the Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells.

The Sunday Post got involved in the bidding frenzy, landing this modern twist on Oor Wullie for £12,000 – leaving our boss over the moon.

Editor Richard Prest said: “The auction was a brilliant occasion, packed with excitement and drama.

“The Sunday Post was delighted to have played a

But independent regulator the Office of Rail and Road revealed “costs are more than previously expected” and Network Rail is reviewing the scheme.

A 46- mile section of the Shotts l ine, between the Holytown and Mid Calder junctions, is due to be completed by 2019.

However, the ORR has revealed its costs, “have proven not to be robust as the design was not adequately determined and has been affected by compliance issues similar to those associated with the Edinburgh- Glasgow electrification”.

Individual costs for both schemes have never been published but both are part of small part in its success by successfully bidding for the Astro Wullie.”

Bidding for the statues got off to a flyer when the first one sold at £14,000 – far more than pre-event estimates.

The record was £50,000 for Oor Original Wullie bought by businessman Garreth Wood.

Another online bidder paid £34,000 for one inspired by computer game Minecraft.

Other designs included a design commemorating David Bowie and one called Tangerine Terror – inspired by Dundee United FC.

It was snapped up by the club’s chairman, Stephen Thompson, for £16,000.

The statues had been on display across Dundee as part of the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail over the summer. an overall the £ 742 million electrification work on rail lines between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

A Tr a n s p o r t Scotland spokesman said the Scottish Government was “deeply frustrated by Network Rail’s inability to deliver these vital projects to agreed budgets” and had “instructed an intensive review of the major rail proj ects being delivered by Network Rail.”

A ScotRail Alliance spokesman said: “The timescales for completion of the Shotts and Stirling-DunblaneAlloa projects remain unchanged and we are currently reviewing the delivery and costs of our enhancement programme.”