19.08.20
Significant flood damage to Edinburgh and Glasgow line
Following recent heavy rainfall, Network Rail have said they will be working tirelessly to repair flood damage on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line near Polmont.
With the flood water finally clearing away from the tracks, engineers have had chance to inspect the 300m section of track damaged when torrents of water poured from the overflowing Canal above.
Network Rail have said the flood damage is to be so widespread that initial assessments are showing that it could take two months to restore the line, nevertheless engineers will continue to investigate the extent of the damage before confirming a final estimate for restoring service.
Sections of track and undermined embankments have been entirely washed away following the force of thousands of gallons of water flowing from the breaches canal bank.
The power of the water also undermined and washed away overhead electrification masts and damaged others and left dozens of uprooted trees scattered across the tracks.
The canal water has also contaminated more than a kilometre of track and ballast which will need to be replaced.
Following unprecedented rainfall on Wednesday August 12, a 30-metre section of the Union canal at Muiravonside was breached causing the water to cascade down the slope, flooding the railway between Polmont and Bo’ness on the main Edinburgh – Glasgow route via Falkirk High.
With a Network Rail team on site working with Scottish Canals, the priority was primarily to secure the canal in order to stop the flooding, which was achieved on the morning of Friday August 14.
Over the weekend, further inspections took place which revealed the true scale and extent of the damage which has prompted the advice to passengers of ongoing disruption on the line for some time.
Kevin McClelland, Network Rail Route Delivery Director, said: “We are working with our asset engineers and specialist contractors to assess the scale and extent of the damage and what we will need to do to safely reinstate the railway.
“It is remarkable to see the destructive power of the flowing water and the extent of the flooding and the scale of the damage is something I have never witnessed before on the railway. We are grateful to our colleagues at Scottish Canals for their prompt response in dealing with this unprecedented incident.
“We are working as quickly as possible to complete these repairs and to get passengers back onto the railway.”
Images & Video: Network Rail