18.12.18
Structural steelwork begins on Glasgow Queen Street transformation
The transformation of Glasgow Queen Street has been revealed as engineers have finished the installation of the west truss and have begun building the steel skeleton for the new expanded concourse.
The west truss is the first completed section of structural steelwork to be installed at Queen Street station, forming the “skeleton of an iconic station for the city,” with the station due to be completed by spring 2020.
Spanning 74m and weighing 70-tonnes, the major piece of the steel structure has been installed for the new Dundas Street entrance, with the latest work to build the support structure to be ongoing until summer 2019.
Joe Mulvenna, the Network Rail project manager, said: “Undertaking an installation of this complexity in the heart of Glasgow city centre follows months of logistical planning and we are pleased that we have been able to carry out this activity without additional disruption to road or station access during this busy Christmas period.
“Installation of the steel framework makes progress on Glasgow Queen Street’s transformation far more visible to customers and passers-by. It’s now possible to envisage the scale of improvements ahead, including extended platforms for longer trains and the creation of the new, spacious concourse looking out on to George Square.”
The development is part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, a Scottish Government investment in the railway to upgrade and electrify the network between the two cities.
Barry Nicol, the senior project manager for Balfour Beatty, the main contractor, said: “Carrying out this level of construction activity within a city centre and railway environment is uniquely challenging and has demanded strong communication and precision by all involved to reach this point.
“The installation of the west truss is a significant project milestone and the first phase of steelwork that will create Glasgow Queen Street’s new station structure.”