Glasgow – Barrhead reopens to passengers following major upgrade works

The Glasgow – Barrhead line has fully reopened to passengers today, Friday 4 August, following a £63.3 million upgrade.

Since June 24, the line has been closed to allow engineers around-the-clock access to prepare the route for electrification as part of a Scottish Government investment to decarbonise the railway.

Over 70,000 hours were worked during the six-week closure and activity included installing 14,400 metres of overhead power cables (contact and catenary) and renewing 130 metres of track.

Bridge parapets were raised in height at Kennishead and Priesthill & Darnley stations to make them safe and compliant for an electrified railway.

A significant amount of work also took place at Barrhead station, with platform 3 extended to accommodate longer four-carriage electric trains. This involved moving the current buffers and rebuilding the access paths.

The old lattice footbridge at Nitshill station, too low to fit the overhead cables underneath, was replaced with a new ramp to platform 2 for services to Barrhead and Kilmarnock. It can now be accessed through a reopened underpass off Nitshill Road.