This week marked a significant milestone as Thornliebank Road bridge reopened the new to the community – seven weeks ahead of schedule!
The £5.5m project is part of the broader East Kilbride Enhancement programme and was delivered by Story Contracting on behalf of Network Rail. Work commenced in April 2024 to replace the road bridge next to Thornliebank station, which needed to be raised to provide room for the new overhead electric power lines under the structure.
Over the past 12 months, more than 50,000 hours were dedicated to the project, utilising 1,500 tonnes of concrete and 165 tonnes of steel reinforcement for the new bridge structure. The initial five months involved relocating 22 utilities, including gas, water, electricity, and telecoms, from the old structure before installing them back into the new bridge.
Alan Rundell, Head of Operations, Story Contracting said: “It was fantastic to see so many people in attendance today at the opening of the new bridge. It is a great testament to the collaborative working between Network Rail, Story, our supply chain partners, and the local community, which sees this bridge being opened to traffic almost two months ahead of schedule. It was a particularly challenging project due to the location and limitations on space as well as numerous unidentified services within the structure which threw challenges to the team, which they took in their stride and overcame.
“A great achievement for all parties involved and a thank you to the local community for their support during the works.”
Paul Reilly, Network Rail’s senior programme manager for the bridge works said: “To be opening Thornliebank Road bridge today is a milestone moment for the electrification project, especially as we have been able to do so seven weeks early. It’s a fantastic achievement by the team and our contractor Story, who really pushed the programme forward to make critical gains where possible.
“This investment in electrifying the East Kilbride to Glasgow railway will mean we can run cleaner, greener electric trains that deliver significant environmental improvements for passengers and those living next to the railway.
“We understand that closing a road bridge temporarily is never ideal, however, this work couldn’t be completed otherwise. I want to thank the community, particularly our nearest neighbours, for the patience shown throughout delivery of the work.”
Local neighbours, Christine & Stephen McLean of the Railway Cottage in Thornliebank added: “We want to thank everyone involved in the work next to our house. It was daunting at first, but the team, especially Martin, ensured our safety at all times. The entire crew worked hard in tough conditions, and we are delighted that the bridge and road were completed ahead of time. It was our pleasure to cut the ribbon today.”
Upon completion of the East Kilbride Enhancement project in December 2025, the investment will include:
- Electrification of the railway from Glasgow to East Kilbride
- A new station at East Kilbride
- A new station with two platforms and accessible footbridge at Hairmyres
- A new footbridge at Busby station
- Improved access at Giffnock, with a new accessible footbridge
- Improved access to Platform 2 at Clarkston station.
This project represents a significant step forward in enhancing the region’s rail infrastructure and delivering long-term benefits to the community.
