Transport Minister visits the new Scotland’s Railway £33m servicing depot 

The brand new purpose-built engineering depot saw the unveiling of a plaque to celebrate its official opening on the 12th of May

Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth MSP and Amy Callaghan MP today paid a visit to the £33m Cadder depot, which is located between Bishopbriggs and Lenzie on the Edinburgh & Glasgow mainline and first began service back in December 2021 to support the improvement of passengers services.

Network Rail oversaw the development which was funded by the Scottish Government and is operated by ScotRail.

Ms Gilruth got the opportunity to unveil the commemorative plaque at the event which also saw guests getting to see some of the depot facilities such as:

• Three new service platforms
• Train cleaning facilities
• Refuelling unit
• Night-time accommodation for up to six High-Speed Trains (HSTs)
• A new modular building with the ability to accommodate up to 250 support staff

The facility will aid the nighttime cleaning, service and maintenance of the HST fleet which runs from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness.

Cadder was discovered to be a perfect location to house HSTs because of its accessibility to both Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley station where 80% of ScotRail’s Inter7City services begin and end.

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The yard also features a new office facility which will accommodate staff from Rail Systems Alliance Scotland which is a partnership of Network Rail, Babcock and Arcadis. The office is a two-story building which will be operative right around the clock and will also provide accommodation for ScotRail HST Depot staff.

Jenny Gilruth MSP, Minister for Transport, said:

“I was delighted to see first-hand ScotRail’s new engineering depot at Cadder and to hear about the benefits it will create for Scotland’s Railway going forward.

“This Scottish Government funded facility will help support some of the existing fleet and also the introduction of new rolling stock, as part of our Decarbonisation Action Plan.

“It has already created 25 new jobs and also supports over 200 existing roles within the yard which is another example of the real benefits for the industry and direct investment making a real difference from this Government.”

Kris Kinnear, Capital Delivery Director, Scotland’s Railway, said:

“The £33mn investment into Cadder Depot will bring many strategic benefits for Scotland’s Railway including providing greater flexibility for freight and passenger services, and ultimately improving performance on key intercity routes.

“Working with Transport Scotland, ScotRail and the Rail Systems Alliance to develop, design and build this facility has been a really brilliant example of strong partnership working, and its location between Glasgow and Edinburgh is ideal for the workforce who are taking forward the rolling programme of decarbonisation.”

David Lister, Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director, ScotRail said:

“Since opening in December 2021, Cadder Depot has become an important addition to our maintenance facilities.

“The ability to accommodate our high-speed Inter7City trains overnight has taken pressure off depots across the country. It’s allowed us to clean, refuel, and service these trains in a location that’s perfectly suited, and near to where many Inter7City trains start or end their journey.

“This investment is key to the continued evolution of Scotland’s Railway and will help us ensure that our railway is fit for the future.”