Network Rail completes £7m freight upgrade at Mossend hub

Network Rail has completed a £7 million upgrade to one of Scotland’s most important freight corridors in North Lanarkshire, enhancing capacity and reliability for both freight and passenger services.

The work focused on Mossend, a key hub that last year handled more than 80% of the country’s rail freight and houses three major depots, making it a critical part of Scotland’s national supply chain. During a nine-day closure over the festive period, engineers delivered multiple improvements, including replacing over a mile of ageing track, renewing seven essential connections, installing 450 yards of new drainage, and upgrading signalling and overhead lines.

In addition to the £7 million infrastructure investment, £250,000 from Network Rail’s Targeted Performance Fund was used to improve operational efficiency at Mossend. Trains can now enter and exit the depots at 15mph, three times faster than previously, allowing them to clear the area more quickly and improve performance across this busy section of the network.

The project was delivered in partnership with freight operators including DB Cargo, GB Railfreight, Freightliner, Colas Rail, and Direct Rail Services. The line reopened as planned on Saturday 3 January after the closure.

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail, said:

“Every freight train can replace up to 120 lorry journeys, making rail a cleaner, greener way to move goods. That means fewer emissions, less congestion on our roads, and support for Scotland’s economy. Across Scotland’s Railway, we’re investing heavily in infrastructure to make rail the first choice for freight as well as passengers. This upgrade at Mossend strengthens a key section of the network that underpins the country’s freight operations. Completing the work during the festive period allowed us to deliver complex improvements safely while minimising disruption. We’d like to thank passengers and customers for their patience while we carried out this essential project.”

Image: Network Rail