Renovation work to be carried out at Insch railway station
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Works to revamp and repair the footbridge at Insch station are in the works after Network Rail applied for listed building consent.
While the station itself was opened back in 1854, the footbridge, while of considerable age is not the original one.
The dog-leg ironwork footbridge is not original having been replaced by LNER before the Second World War.
The structure has timber (plywood) treads and risers with anti-slip coating and yellow/white nosing at present and the treads and risers are secured to stepped steel plate support on stringers at either end.
In documents submitted to Aberdeenshire Council is it proposed that -
New corduroy hazard warning surfaces are installed at platform level at bottom of stairs and that the platform surface is regraded at the front of step.
Existing timber deck, landings and steps will be replaced with GRP/FRP equivalent and a strengthening plate installed on top of flange on step stringers.
Steel connections of railings will be undertaken and a tubular balustrade extension aligned with the existing infill rails extending past the bottom step.
Once completed the structure will be re-painted in Scotrail Blue and Telegrey.
The revamp may raises questions over the timescale of already much delayed plans to make Insch Station more accessible which took a step forward at the start of December.
Nestrans was awarded more than £38,000 to part-fund accessibility appraisal studies and subsequently agreed recommendations for a plan to remove the current footbridge, and instal a new footbridge with lifts at an estimated £2.29 million.
Peter Argyle, vice chairman of Nestrans and chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure committee called on Transport Scotland and Network Rail to “move swiftly and positively” to help make the proposals a reality.
He said: “Insch Station is recognised as one of the poorest in Scotland for access
“I have long argued that this situation is completely unacceptable in the 21st century and have been very supportive of the work Nestrans has done, with the local community, to develop detailed proposals to tackle this problem."
