Engineers in Scotland have created a record by renewing almost two miles of plain line track in exactly 28 hours and 55 minutes.

The work, on a diversionary route for the West Coast line, would usually have entailed four possessions and taken several days to complete.

The feat took place at Auldgirth, near Dumfries, in south-west Scotland, on the Kilmarnock and Glasgow line.

Paul Reilly, assistant project manager for Railtrack Scotland track renewals, said: "We had been told the weather was going to be bad but it was kind to us. Everyone involved was thrilled to complete the job and hand the railway back for operation five minutes before we said we would."

He added that checks with other permanent way and track renewals bodies showed that the speed at which the track was laid at Auldgirth was a record. "We have received a commendation from David Ventry, head of Railtrack's London Headquarters" said a delighted Paul, who is based in Glasgow.

Railtrack Scotland's project team, led by Rajeev Sinha, decided to go for the record-breaking track renewal scheme to prevent up to four 'disruptive' possessions on a line that is used by passenger and freight trains and is a diversionary route for the West Coast route.

The record-breaking, £750,000 attempt came after weeks of planning and involved Jarvis Rail as the main contractors, English Welsh and Scottish Railway, which was in charge of ballast train haulage, Hydex, which supplied the road-rail machines, and Scotweld, which supplied manpower for the job.The scheme was carried out because track on the 3,218 yard stretch was life-expired and needed replacing.

Paul said: "All the plant and machinery used was traditional, although the sleepers used already had the fixings (FASTCLIP) attached to them ready to receive the rail. We also had good site access for the machinery used and that helped. We have proved it can be done when all parties assist each other in the planning stage. Now we hope to follow the same pattern again."

Rajeev Sinha said: "The work we did at Auldgirth followed on from a previous success on the Fife Circle a year ago, when we closed the route for two weeks to overhaul the track and handed it back at line speed".