New Bowling Railway Bridge Slides into Place in Festive Engineering Push

A major milestone has been reached in the redevelopment of a key site in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, after a newly built railway bridge was successfully slid into place.

The project, led by Network Rail, has been under way since the summer, beginning with the removal of more than 80,000 tonnes of earth to prepare the ground for the structure. Engineers then constructed the bridge on site, using 1,860 tonnes of concrete, allowing the entire span to be moved into position once complete.

To enable the operation, train services through the area were suspended from Christmas Eve, allowing a concentrated nine-day programme of engineering work to take place. The most complex stage was carried out on Boxing Day, when the bridge was carefully driven into its permanent location above the railway.

Attention will now turn to reinstatement work, including reconnecting the track and signalling equipment. The railway is expected to reopen to traffic on Friday, 2 January, once safety checks and final works are completed.

Costing £5.9 million, the bridge forms part of the wider Glasgow City Region Deal, a long-term investment aimed at improving transport infrastructure, encouraging economic growth and supporting sustainable development across the region.

As well as carrying the railway, the new structure will provide improved road access and unlock future development at the Bowling Strategic Development Site, which is being progressed by West Dunbartonshire Council.

Laura Craig, scheme project manager at Network Rail Scotland, said:

“Everything we’ve done over the past few months has led up to this moment. Building such a huge bridge on site and then moving it into position is an incredible task, and it’s been amazing to see the planning and teamwork come together so successfully. The festive period has been an intense time, with work continuing day and night to make sure the move happened safely and on schedule. Driving the bridge into place on Boxing Day is a fantastic achievement and it’s thanks to the dedication of everyone involved.”

Councillor David McBride, West Dunbartonshire Council’s Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said:

“This is a landmark moment in this major project and I am delighted to see such significant progress on the site. While there has been some disruption on the trains, this has been minimised by the work being carried out over the festive period and I thank local people for their patience.”

Image: Network Rail