First wires Up on EGIP

The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) reached another key milestone last night (October 27) when the first 1.5km overhead power cables were run out on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow route.

Over 250km of overhead line eklectrification (OHLE) equipment will be installed in the coming months as part of the £742m Scottish Government-funded project.

The wiring work is currently being delivered using conventional mobile elevated platform methods, ahead of the arrival of a new wiring train in January.

Running in tandem with the wiring works, engineers are also working to complete the last of over 60 clearance projects required by EGIP and to deliver the 2366 stanchions and masts needed to support the OLE – over 320 of which have already been erected.

Due to electrify the main Glasgow Queen Street-Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High route by December 2016, EGIP will deliver faster, longer and greener trains for customers.

Rodger Querns, EGIP programme director, said: “Installing the first overhead power lines is a significant step on the way to completing this vital project and we remain on course to deliver faster, greener services for passengers by the end of 2016 as planned.”