Partial train services have resumed at Glasgow Central following a devastating weekend fire that ravaged an adjacent building, though the main section of the station is set to remain closed for the remainder of the week.
Network Rail confirmed that the upper part of the station cannot reopen this week due to the "high level of instability" of the fire-damaged building’s facade on Gordon Street.
Experts must first conduct assessment work to determine the building’s safety before evaluating any potential damage to the high-level station.
However, after a comprehensive site assessment, the low-level station, situated beneath the main concourse, successfully reopened for services from Wednesday morning.
The blaze, which erupted in a Union Street vape shop on Sunday, quickly spread through the structure and around the corner, leaving only the facade of a B-listed Victorian building standing at its junction with Gordon Street.
Network Rail route director Ross Moran said: “We are grateful to Scottish Fire and Rescue teams who have been working tirelessly to contain the fire on the Union Corner site.
“I am pleased to advise passengers that we will be able to open Glasgow Central low level station from Wednesday morning.
“Unfortunately, further work is required to ensure the high level station is safe for trains to operate.
“Our priority is to make sure that we can reopen Glasgow Central as soon as it is safe to do so and we will continue to work with emergency services, the local council and our train operators to restore services.
“We want to reassure passengers that we are doing everything we can to open the high level station, but we must enable the emergency services and Glasgow City Council to complete their critical work to secure the Union Corner site and make it safe.”
No trains have been running to or from the high level station this week, with services passing through the lower level without stopping.
However ScotRail said services will call at Glasgow Central low level on Wednesday and all three entrances to the section – one on Hope Street and two on Argyle Street – are open.
Network Rail said it must wait for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Glasgow City Council to complete their work to determine the safety of the Union Corner site.
After that work is completed Network Rail engineers will make a structural assessment to determine whether there has been any damage to the station.
It said it will continue to work with the council and SFRS to develop a plan to reopen the station when it is safe for trains and passengers.
SFRS said that as of 7.50am on Wednesday there were three appliances, two high-reach appliances and a specialist unit at the scene.
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Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin said: “We understand the disruption this fire has caused, and we are grateful for the patience shown by the public as we work to bring this incident to a safe conclusion, before the site is handed over to partner agencies.”
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, who visited the scene on Monday, paid tribute to firefighters and other emergency services who have been dealing with the incident.
Mr Swinney committed to support the rebuild of the area, telling MSPs in Holyrood this week: “Above all else, let me be clear today: the Scottish Government will stand with the city of Glasgow as it recovers from the fire.
“Given the significant cost the city faces, we will back those costs with cash.
“To get that work started, a ministerial oversight board has been established, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
“We will rebuild, we will restore, and Glasgow will flourish again.”
