Glasgow Central disruption set to continue into next week
Train services at Glasgow Central High Level are set to be disrupted into next week, National Rail has warned, after the Union Street fire on 8 March which closed the station. Platforms 7 to 15 were able to reopen on Wednesday, allowing a number of ScotRail routes to be restored. Avanti West Coast is running one train an hour, and Caledonian Sleeper has also returned, but passengers are being warned that parts of the High Level station remain closed, very few facilities are available and several entrances remain out of use.
A fleet of diesel trains built for the Midland Main Line in England more than 20 years ago is going to Scotland, where it will replace ScotRail’s High Speed Trains. The HSTs, introduced during the 1970s by British Rail, are the last of their type in regular service in Britain, after GWR retired its four-car ‘Castle’ sets last year.
The RMT has called off strikes it was to stage from next week in its dispute with Transport for London over proposals for a four-day week on London Underground. The union says the plan would involve four longer shifts each week, and that it was concerned about fatigue, but that there has now been progress in talks with TfL.
Two restored stations in the West Midlands opened their doors today. Three more are set to open next month.
Trains are departing from Glasgow Central High Level again today, ten days after a major fire had gutted a building next to the station. The Low Level platforms were reopened to passengers a week ago, but High Level has remained closed until now while extensive safety checks were carried out. National Rail says platforms 7 to 15 at Central have reopened, but some services remain disrupted.
Part of Glasgow Central High Level station will be back in use from tomorrow, after the destructive fire which gutted a neighbouring building nine days ago. ScotRail said it would be running as many trains as possible using platforms seven to 15, but entry and exit routes for passengers will be ‘limited’.
The government has announced changes to the Delay Repay system when Great British Railways is in charge. The news follows a controversial decision to restrict refunds for unused tickets to no later than 23.59 on the day before travel. However, claims for delays will be possible for the first time using the retailer who sold the tickets in the first place.