Network Rail announced that the work on the Ravenscraig rail bridge was completed on time over the Easter weekend.
Engineers worked around the clock for nine days, from 1 April to the early hours of 10 April, to move the new 5,000-tonne bridge into position as part of a US$21 million investment from North Lanarkshire Council and Glasgow City Region City Deal.
Network Rail and Story Contracting had been working since May 2022 to construct the concrete structure at a compound next to the WCML and had a tight window of opportunity to move it into position over Easter.
The new bridge deck was installed on 4 April after engineers had excavated over 36,000 tonnes of material from the railway embankment to create space for the new structure.
Once in position, the structure was built into the embankment and over the Easter weekend the overhead line equipment and track were reinstated.
The bridge enables North Lanarkshire Council to construct a new dual carriageway, with pedestrian and cycle paths, as part of a wider investment to open the area for future development.
Jeremy Spence, senior programme manager for Network Rail, said: “The successful delivery of this project took many months of meticulous planning and preparation, followed by a huge effort by those on site working to construct the bridge."
John MacArthur, managing director of Story Contracting (Scotland), said: “The successful delivery of Europe’s largest concrete structure lift at Ravenscraig is a significant milestone for Story Contracting and testament to the hard work and dedication of the team and our supply chain partners."
