Station bridge removal goes 'without a hitch'

The old footbridge was removed from Dumfries station on Saturday night

The removal of a footbridge from a Victorian station in southern Scotland has been completed "without a hitch".

The operation to lift the bridge deck in Dumfries took just minutes to complete with the help of a 300-tonne crane.

It will be replaced by a new structure to help improve access for those with limited mobility or travelling with children.

The old bridge has been put in storage until a suitable new home can be found for it.

Passengers face a diversion to get between platforms until the new bridge is installed

A 300-tonne crane helped to complete the bridge removal in minutes

The upgrade operation at Dumfries station provoked some opposition due to the size of the proposed replacement crossing.

Opponents said it was out-of-keeping with its surroundings.

However, the project was given the go-ahead and the removal operation took place at the weekend.

Rod Hendry, Network Rail’s construction manager, said: "We are extremely happy with how the bridge removal went on Saturday night.

"This step was vital for the rest of the works to continue and everything went without a hitch.

"The works will wrap up on Friday ahead of the festive period and will start back up in the new year to allow us to complete our work on the new bridge, which is set to open in summer 2024."

The new bridge will allow better access to platforms

He thanked passengers at Dumfries for their "patience and understanding" during the work.

Train services will continue to operate as normal during the rest of the project.

In the meantime, passengers will have to take a diversionary route along St Mary Street to move between platforms.