Network Rail invest £1.3m into modernising historic Glasgow Southside railway stations

Network Rail has delivered a £1.3 million investment of platform works at Giffnock and Pollokshaws West stations.

The five-month programme at Giffnock station in East Renfrewshire, on the East Kilbride to Glasgow line, replaced the 153-metre long section of Platform 1 that’s been in place for over 80 years.

Precast units were laid on top of 85 concrete foundations that spanned the platform and 75 per cent of materials on site were processed and reused as a backfill.

Part of the work also involved engineers extending the section to the south end of the platform by 15-metres to improve future signalling in this location.

At Pollokshaws West station, on Glasgow’s southside, more than 65 tonnes of brickwork was removed and the wall rebuilt to improve the existing condition of the platform that serves both the Glasgow-Barrhead and East Kilbride to Glasgow lines.  

For safety reasons, trains with only four carriages were in operation on both lines during the works but trains of up to six carriages will restart from tomorrow (20 April).

Ian Clark, project manager for the works at Giffnock station, said: “The work at Giffnock station is part of our wider maintenance strategy to run a safe and reliable railway by protecting and improving our assets.

“We thank residents living close to Giffnock station for their patience, given much of our work could only be done overnight, and also passengers who had to contend with a four-carriage service to allow the safe delivery of the project.

“However, the renewal work to Platform 1 means that it shouldn’t require an intervention on the scale again for at least another 80 years.”

With the majority of work at Pollokshaws West station now complete, the final element will involve resurfacing Platform 2 and will be carried out later in the year.

Throughout the works at Giffnock, 33 parking spaces at the station were utilised to house the site compound – this will continue to remain in place to deliver the East Kilbride Enhancement project.

If you have any questions about the works, you can contact Network Rail’s 24-hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41. For the latest information and progress updates follow Network Rail on Twitter @NetworkRailScot.

For updates on the East Kilbride Enhancement project visit: www.scotlandsrailway.com/projects/east-kilbride-enhancements