Cowlairs Signalling and Maintenance Centre

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Network Rail will invest in a new signalling centre to serve the West of Scotland, renewing the existing 45 year old system and relocating staff to custom-built 21st century facilities.

The company will also build a new depot for maintenance staff who work around the clock to keep the railway running smoothly. The new, state of the art accommodation will replace a range of facilities that Network Rail inherited from maintenance companies when the company brought its maintenance operation in-house two year ago.

The development at Cowlairs in Springburn will transform one of the most notorious derelict areas on the Glasgow to Edinburgh route which has become known for vandalism and anti-social behaviour, including repeated instances of trains being stopped by people throwing bricks at them.

The £200 million project involves:
  • £180 million to replace the existing signalling system serving the West of Scotland
  • £12 million for a new state of the art signalling centre at Cowlairs
  • £8 million to build a modern maintenance depot at Cowlairs

Site clearance is expected to begin in September, with construction beginning before the end of 2006.

The new West of Scotland signalling centre will initially replace the signalling centre at Glasgow Central; other signalling centres serving the West of Scotland will relocate to Cowlairs thereafter.

The new maintenance depot will replace several existing depots around Glasgow including Cathcart, Cowlairs, Lenzie and Shields.

In total, 450 jobs will be based at the new site.



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