A new footbridge has been installed by Network Rail over the East Coast Mainline as part of the new £20 million Reston station development.

The work was carried out by contractor Bam Nuttall, during an extended closure of the line with teams working around the clock during a 54-hour window, to allow the bridge sections to be craned in safely over the weekend.

Six sections making up the main framework of the steel bridge and lift-towers were successfully positioned beside and above the East Coast Mainline. The largest section, the main bridge span was 16 metres long and 6.5m metres and weighed more than 28 tonnes.


The bridge sections, including the main, upper and lower spans and the two lift shafts had been delivered to site under police escort from Coatbridge via the M8 and A1, before negotiating the narrow streets of Reston village to get to site.

In addition to the installation of the bridge, work was also carried out to upgrade the overhead lines through the new station to make the most of the access to the line.

The plans for Reston will see the construction of a two-platform station on the East Coast Mainline, with 70 car parking spaces and a new access road. The station itself will be fully accessible with the lifts and footbridge connecting both platforms.

Completion of the station will see trains call at the Borders village for the first time in more than half a century.