Opening of the Larkhall Branch
16 Jan 2006
The opening of the Larkhall Branch, the biggest new rail scheme in Scotland since 1979, delivered on time, demonstrates that the Carillion project team can deliver complex multidisciplinary projects and so demonstrate that railway regeneration within Scotland is truly possible.
The project has allowed Carillion Rail to consolidate its position as a major railway contractor in Scotland. The project involved all the railway disciplines of Civil Engineering, Trackworks, Overhead Line, Signalling and Telecommunications. Most importantly, Carillion have built relationships and worked well as a team with Network Rail, SPT, and First ScotRail, where their collaborative approach enabled driver training to commence three weeks early. Relationships have also been strengthened with key suppliers, such as Westinghouse Rail Systems and Siemens Transportation.
A total of 6.3km of new track has been laid and four new stations have been built at Larkhall, Merryton, Chatelherault and Kelvindale, near Maryhill. The new railway is essentially a commuter facility into Glasgow City Centre and therefore increases the urban network.