Clear improvement for Waverley as Network Rail begins station upgrade

Network Rail embarks on a £130m upgrade to Waverley with the first work to replace the station’s 34,000m2 roof.

Twenty-eight thousand clear glass panels will be installed over the next three years, flooding the station with natural light and totally improving the environment for passengers.

Part of a five-year £3.25bn investment in Britain’s railway stations, Network Rail’s improvements to Waverley will also result in new fully accessible entrances from Market Street and from Princes Street via Waverley Steps. The station concourse will also be resurfaced, station furniture will be cleaned or removed and station building exteriors will get a welcome makeover.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail’s director, Scotland, commented: “Waverley is a vital rail hub for Scotland, with over two million people a month using the station facilities. Network Rail is committed to improving passenger experiences while using Britain’s railway stations and we will be investing £3.25bn to make that a reality. At Waverley, our investment will allow for easier access to and from Market Street and Princes Street and it will improve the atmosphere of the station to make it cleaner, brighter and lighter. “After months of planning and preparation, I’m pleased to see work beginning at the station. We will do all we can to keep passenger inconvenience to an absolute minimum. I look forward to seeing the gradual unveiling of the new roof as work progresses over the next three years.”

The work begins with the assembly of scaffolding in the east end of the station. The scaffolding will support a crash-deck which will lie just below the station roof, providing a safe platform to work from and protecting the station environment from the worksite above. The construction will allow workers to begin removing old glass, strip old layers of paint from the metal framework, carry out any required repairs and apply a new paint. Only then will new glazing be installed.