Cathcart Circle railway line to close for two weekends amid £2.7m Pollokshields West upgrading works

A commuter line in Glasgow’s southside will be closed for two weekends in August as £2.7m upgrading works get under way.

The Cathcart Circle line will be amended as Network Rail carry out track replacements on both sides of Pollokshields West Station.

Network Rail bosses say the upgrading works will maintain a safe and efficient railway for passengers and freight, while improving reliability of services.

“This essential engineering work will improve the long-term reliability of services for our customers travelling in and around Glasgow’s southside”, said Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director.

“We’re encouraging customers to check their journeys in advance, as services on routes through Pollokshields West will be amended over both weekends. We’ve arranged for rail replacement transport, where possible, to keep customers moving.

“We appreciate some customers may have to change their travel plans when this vital work takes place and appreciate their understanding while its delivered.”

Weekend closures

The Cathcart Circle line to and from Glasgow Central will close for two weekends to allow engineers to deliver this work safely.

The first closure will be from 1am on Saturday, August 16 until 6am on Monday, August 18, and the second from 1am on Saturday, August 23 until 6am on Monday, August 25.

This includes replacing 1.5 miles of new rails, 2,500 sleepers, and 2,000 tonnes of ballast stone that supports the track.

Junctions in the Cathcart area will also be refurbished, as well as repairs to a boundary wall.

During the closures, train services on the Cathcart Circle and connecting routes will be amended, affecting journeys between Glasgow Central and destinations including East Kilbride, Newton, Neilston, Kilmarnock, Barrhead, Dumfries, Carlisle, Girvan, and Stranraer.

Eddie McLoone, project manager at Network Rail Scotland said: “This investment is vital in ensuring the long-term resilience of the Cathcart Circle line. To carry out the work safely and efficiently, we need to close the line while our engineers are on site. We understand this will cause some disruption and are sorry for the inconvenience it may bring to passengers and those living nearby.

“We’re grateful for everyone’s patience and support while we deliver these essential upgrades. Once complete, those who travel on this route can look forward to smoother, more reliable journeys.”

Passengers are advised to check www.scotrail.co.uk or www.nationalrail.co.uk when planning their journeys.