Clyde Viaduct Improvement Works

Project Updates

• Arglye Line closure enabled our teams to work around-the-clock

  Time: 0.00 | Date: 13-02-22

  Contractor Story Contracting Ltd., engaged by Network Rail, to complete essential work during an intensive 8-week blockade at Clyde Viaduct on Glasgow’s busy Argyle line.
  
  

  

  The line closed on 13^th March to allow the team to implement 24-hour working to remove and replace the track and waterproof the bridge deck, with 12,300 working hours completed during the blockade.

  This work was part of a wider £32m investment programme to repair and renew the tunnels, bridges and tracks between Rutherglen and Exhibition Centre.
  
  It was the most significant piece of engineering on the line in a generation and was all designed to improve reliability for passengers for years to come.

  Story’s work will continue until December and will involve erecting scaffolds over the length of the bridge to carry out structural repair works.

• Lending a helping hand

  Time: 13.00 | Date: 25-05-22

  We like doing our bit to keep our worksites and the surrounding areas tidy.
  

  

  So, while work is ongoing at the Clyde Viaduct, members from Network Rail and Story carried out a litter along the Clyde Walkway.
  

  The group braved the elements and cleared the walkway and grass verge, each collecting a full bin bag of rubbish that was safely disposed of.
  

  

• Behind the encapsulation

  Time: 2.00 | Date: 30-06-22

  As we enter July, our £4.7m project to repair the Clyde Viaduct at the Clyde Walkway, Rutherglen, is progressing well. Here is a sneak peek behind the encapsulation on the Viaduct’s first span.
  
  

  

  Working with contractor Story, our team has already blasted and primed the steelwork and replaced numerous sections of steel on the underside of the bridge.
  

  

  Engineers are now repeating this process on the second span of the bridge. This work requires specialist heavy machinery which means it can be noisy at times but we are doing all that we can to minimise this.
  
  

  

  The next main milestone for this project will be the completion of the scaffolding, which is programmed for next week. The bridge has been waterproofed and will be painted.

• Working through the seasons

  Time: 0.00 | Date: 28-10-22

  Our teams have been working around the clock, continuing to carry out crucial repairs to the structure, throughout the recent adverse weather.

  

  There were originally 900 steelworks strengthening repairs identified, with a further 250 additional repairs identified after the existing paint and corrosion had been removed. To date approx. 60% of the repairs have been completed.

  Here are how things stand:

  • Span 3 (1^st steel span) - painting and steelwork strengthening repairs to underside of structure is now complete.
  • Span 4 (2^nd steel span) - blast and prime and steelwork strengthening repairs complete.
  • Span 5 (3^rd steel span) - blast and prime is complete, with steelwork repairs ongoing.

  
  

• Community feedback and completion update

  Time: 16.00 | Date: 10-11-22

  Since work started in February, we have successfully completed essential repairs, waterproofing to the bridge deck of the viaduct, masonry repairs to the arch barrels, blasted and primed all the steelwork, completed steelwork repairs in 2 of 3 spans and completed the painting on the first steelwork span.

  

  However, as outlined in our previous update, blasting work exposed the need for additional repairs to be carried out, due to the condition of the steelwork.

  Unfortunately, these, combined with the impact of ongoing industrial action, has caused our programmed to be extended and is now expected to be completed in March 2023.

  The ongoing repairs involve the removal and replacement of sections of the steel on the underside of the bridge, work that can only be carried out when no trains are running and means much of this activity will be overnight.

  Given the equipment we use, such as heavy plant and machinery, some noise is unavoidable, but we will do all we can to minimise this.

  

  Following feedback, we have installed acoustic barriers outside the structure to absorb noise and further reduce disruption. (These are the green panels you may be able to see if you live near or are visiting the vicinity of the bridge). We have also asked those working on site to work with consideration for the local community.