Major train disruption between Edinburgh and Glasgow over rockfall works

Rail travel throughout the central belt is to be heavily disrupted from Monday as four days of safety works begins.

Engineers will install a specialist netting system on a rock cutting above the railway at Ratho which will help to prevent potential rockfall from a cutting on the line between January 29 and February 1.

This means that services will be significantly disrupted during this period.

ScotRail said customers should plan ahead and on some routes only use the trains if the journey is essential.

The rail operator said there would be reduced capacity, replacement bus services and longer journey times.

The new specialist netting will help prevent loose stones falling from a fragile rock face measuring 10m high and 100m long above the railway.

The planned work is being carried out in advance of sub-zero temperatures normally seen in February and March which could cause the condition of the rock cutting to deteriorate.

Trains are due to return to normal at 09:00 on Friday.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: “There will be significant disruption to the services ScotRail can operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Inverness.

“ScotRail’s advice to customers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High or via Bathgate, and between Edinburgh and Dunblane, is that you should only travel if your journey is essential.

“Customers travelling between Inverness and Edinburgh should also be aware that journey times will may be longer as those services are diverted via Fife, and will not call at Stirling.

“We understand the disruption this will cause to customers journeys, but it is essential that Network Rail carries out these works. We thank customers for their patience.”

ScotRail said the following services would be affected:

Glasgow – Edinburgh via Falkirk High services will terminate at Linlithgow.
- There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Linlithgow.
- A limited number of replacement buses will be available between Linlithgow and Edinburgh Park station, with ticket acceptance in place with Edinburgh Trams for travel between Edinburgh Park and Haymarket and Waverley.
Dunblane – Edinburgh services will terminate at Falkirk Grahamston.
- There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Falkirk Grahamston.
- A limited number of replacement buses will be available between Falkirk Grahamston and Edinburgh Park station, with ticket acceptance in place with Edinburgh Trams for travel between Edinburgh Park and Haymarket and Waverley.
Edinburgh – Helensburgh/Milngavie services will terminate at Bathgate.
- There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Bathgate.
- A limited number of replacement buses will be available between Bathgate and Edinburgh Park, calling at Livingstone North and Uphall, with ticket acceptance in place with Edinburgh Trams for travel between Edinburgh Park and Haymarket and Waverley.
Inverness to Edinburgh services will run via Fife and will not call at Stirling.