Glasgow Central station: a new bridge, track and platforms

Abstract

Glasgow Central station is one of the busiest railway stations in the UK outside London, with approximately 38 million people using it each year and an average of 1100 trains per day. The original station was opened by the Caledonian Railway in July 1879 and comprises a labyrinth of masonry and brick arches linked by vaulted arches and supported on substantial masonry piers founded in alluvial deposits. In 2009, as part of their continued commitment to improve rail services in Scotland, Network Rail commissioned the construction of two new tracks into the station, the first for 100 years. This presented a significant engineering challenge as the proposed alignment for the new tracks squeezes through the existing narrow masonry arch entrance structure, runs above a line of vaulted arches, which house a nightclub, theatre and restaurant, and is carried over the existing short-stay car park and ramp on a new reinforced concrete bridge. The new structures had to be supported on the existing Victorian infrastructure, demanding innovative, practical design solutions and skilful construction techniques to enable them to be built quickly and safely in a confined, busy public place.