The first trains have passed over the new £5.9m rail bridge in Bowling after the line closed for nine days to allow for installation.
Passengers travelling on the line between December 24 and January 2 were diverted to replacement bus services as a pinnacle point in the development of the former Exxon site took place.
Work at the location commenced by Network Rail in the summer, with the excavation of more than 80,000 tonnes of material to create space for the new structure.
Once the site was cleared, engineers cast the bridge on location using 1860 tonnes of concrete.
On Boxing Day, the structure was carefully driven into its final position.
Following extensive engineering work to complete the structure's installation, the line reopened on the morning of Friday, January 2.
A picture shared by Network Rail captures the moment the first train passed over the million-pound bridge.
👋 Good morning @ScotRail, and welcome back to Bowling!
The first train passes over the new £5.9 million, @GlasgowCityRgn-funded railway bridge this morning, with all #ChristmasRailWorks completed on time. ✅ @WDCouncil | @UKGovScotland | @scotgov | @StoryContractng pic.twitter.com/v9zyp63xAr— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) January 2, 2026
The £5.9 million bridge is a key element of the Glasgow City Region Deal, a major investment programme designed to improve transport links, unlock economic growth and support sustainable development in the area.
It will also open up additional direct road access and enable the future development of the Bowling Strategic Development Site, led by West Dunbartonshire Council.
READ NEXT:
- When snow is forecast to fall in Glasgow as weather warnings issued
- Major Glasgow road locked down amid ongoing police incident
- Armed cops swarm residential neighbourhood as TWO men attacked
Laura Craig, scheme project manager at Network Rail Scotland, said: "Everything we’ve done over the past few months has led up to this moment.
"Building such a huge bridge on site and then moving it into position is an incredible task, and it’s been amazing to see the planning and teamwork come together so successfully.
"The festive period has been an intense time, with work continuing day and night to make sure the move happened safely and on schedule.
"Driving the bridge into place on Boxing Day is a fantastic achievement, and it’s thanks to the dedication of everyone involved."
Cllr David McBride, West Dunbartonshire Council’s convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said: "This is a landmark moment in this major project, and I am delighted to see such significant progress on the site.
"While there has been some disruption on the trains, this has been minimised by the work being carried out over the festive period, and I thank local people for their patience."
Share