04.01.16
WCML section shut for a month after Storm Frank batters Lamington Viaduct
The Lamington Viaduct, which crosses the Clyde on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and is a key route between Carlisle and Glasgow, will remain closed throughout January after the devastating Storm Frank battered Scotland and the north of England last week.
Network Rail engineers, currently working on the section shortly after recovering the route from Storm Desmond’s damage last month, said one pier of the viaduct has been weakened.
Investigations into the full extent of the damage will continue until the end of next week, but it is already anticipated that the first trains will not cross the viaduct – which also provides the main route between Manchester and Scotland –until 1 February.
Train companies operating services affected by the damaged viaduct have put plans in place to facilitate travels with altered journeys and replacement buses.
Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance and of Network Rail Scotland, said: “Our engineers have been working round the clock for the past few days, in extremely difficult conditions, to try and gain access to the viaduct so that we can understand the scale of the damage that has been caused by Storm Frank. While that assessment work is not yet fully complete, it is clear now that the damage is significant.
“Ticket acceptance is in place on affected routes and our teams are geared up to answer questions about how people can best get to where they are going.”
Virgin Trains West Coast will continue to provide a replacement coach service for passengers between Carlisle and Glasgow, already made available after Storm Desmond destroyed the WCML section north of Carlisle.
There is also an alternative train service running on a diversionary route, but the company’s executive director of operations said this is a limited service and will add 90 minutes to journeys.
Virgin Trains tickets are being accepted on its East Coast services between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh and on CrossCountry services between Birmingham and Glasgow, but services will be much busier than usual.
Paul Watson, operations director at First TransPennine Express, said the necessary closure of the bridge will incur significant inconvenience across longer and amended travels.
“As an industry, however, we have been working hard to ensure that cross-border travel is available. Customers are advised to either travel via the East Coast Main Line, changing from Manchester at York or Newcastle for services to Edinburgh or using the coach replacement services between Carlisle and Glasgow,” he added.
"We have lifted ticket restrictions and are strongly advising customers to check the details of their journey before travelling."