Network Rail is set to invest £6 million in essential upgrades around Edinburgh during the Christmas and New Year period. To ensure the reliability of Scotland’s Railway for both passengers and freight, teams will be working on track renewals, drainage improvements, signalling upgrades, and rockfall protection across seven sites.
The work is scheduled during the holidays to minimize disruption, as trains will not be running. At Calton Tunnel near Edinburgh Waverley, engineers will work continuously from late Christmas Eve until the early hours of December 27 to complete nearly £1 million in track upgrades.
Additionally, £1.4 million will be spent on upgrading the drainage system at Haymarket Tunnel over Christmas Day and Boxing Day. In Ratho, west of the city, £650,000 will be invested in rockfall protection, installing specialist netting on a rock cutting near the former station.
Signalling improvements at Portobello Junction will see £1.6 million spent on new equipment over Christmas. Further investments of £1 million will be made at New Year, with drainage improvements near Bathgate from New Year’s Eve until January 2, and track renewal work at Broomhouse, between Haymarket and Edinburgh Park stations.
Liam Sumpter, managing director of Network Rail Scotland, said:
“The work we are carrying out around the capital over the festive period is a part of a five year, £4bn investment in Scotland’s Railway.”
“Our engineers will be working around-the-clock to deliver these vital projects as quickly as possible and at a time when services aren’t running – allowing us to build a more reliable railway for our customers without impacting on their journeys.”
Image credit: Network Rail
