Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Over the Easter holiday, more than 95% of Britain’s 10,000-mile railway network will remain operational, despite a few exceptions. This period will see Network Rail initiating a £90 million project aimed at enhancing the railway infrastructure for both passengers and freight companies.
Executing such extensive work, like bridge replacements or the overhaul of entire junctions, is always challenging. However, the railways experience less traffic over the long Bank Holiday weekend compared to typical weekends, offering a prime opportunity to conduct these upgrades with minimal interference to passengers and freight services.
Most of the enhancement efforts are scheduled for nighttime to further reduce disruptions, but larger projects requiring more time will affect certain key routes, despite the majority of the network being operational. Travelers are advised to verify their travel plans due to these adjustments.
Significant works and their impacts include closures from Euston to Milton Keynes along the West Coast Main Line for all four days to lay new tracks near Kensal Green tunnel and replace a crucial junction near Milton Keynes, with bus services provided between Potters Bar and Watford Junction, and between Milton Keynes and London. In Glasgow, track and points renewals at a major junction will alter train schedules throughout the weekend. Meanwhile, in Huddersfield, the Transpennine Route Upgrade progresses with new track installations affecting services, including those from Sheffield to Leeds and all trains to Huddersfield.
Network Rail’s network strategy director, Laurence Bowman, said: “We know how important Easter is for families and friends to catch up and we try to keep as much of the network open as possible. There’s never a good time to do the work we need to do but the four days of the bank holiday, when fewer people are travelling, give us the opportunity to do major work we couldn’t do in normal weekend. That’s projects such as renewing major junctions or relaying many miles of track.
“When we do close the railway, we do everything we can to get as much work into those closures as possible. We’ve got 493 different pieces of work taking place this Easter, most happening overnight, including laying over 8,000 metres of new rail and putting down over 40,000 tonnes of new ballast to support the tracks.
“We couldn’t do this without the support of passengers, freight users and our lineside neighbours, whose patience we don’t take for granted. Thank you.”
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
