Extensive damage
Two months to repair busiest rail line after flood
Here's the scale of the flooding that's damaged the main Edinburgh – Glasgow railway line at Polmont, following the breach of the Union Canal. Our initial assessments are that repairs may take 2 months.
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) August 18, 2020
More info ⬇️https://t.co/TmEizWwqU6 pic.twitter.com/ws7WfJT4Ev
Network Rail has revealed that the damage to the Glasgow-Edinburgh rail line caused by last week’s storm will take at least two months to repair.
A large section of Scotland’s busiest rail line was washed away on 12 August by thousands of gallons of water bursting the banks of the Union Canal.
Disruption is focused on a 300m section of the track near Polmont which was deluged by torrential downpours.
The devastation is clear to see
Overhead electrification masts and trees were left strewn across the tracks during the ‘biblical’ lightning storm.
A 1km section of the line – between Polmont and Bo’ness will need to be replaced.
The canal – which suffered a 30m breach on a section of its banks – was fixed by Scottish Canals staff on Friday.
Trees strewn across the line
Passengers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow/Dunblane should contact ScotRail for details on alternative transport routes and bus replacements.
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.”
