The West Coast Main Line has reopened to passengers after six days of major railway improvements between Milton Keynes and London Euston.
On Thursday 9 April, trains started running again after multiple projects to upgrade stations, tracks, signalling systems, overhead power lines and bridges took place, representing an ongoing investment of £46.7 million.
The journey-improving work carried out by Network Rail and its supply chain over the Easter period include:
- £8.4 million replacing track, switches and crossings (S&C) and railway foundation stone (ballast) at a complex railway junction in Willesden, North West London.
- A £6.6 million bridge deck replacement and waterproofing project at Ledburn near Leighton Buzzard.
- £7 million of signalling upgrades in Ledburn to make the system more reliable and reduce delays.
- Over £8 million renewing overhead lines which power trains through Wembley.
- £2 million of enabling works started in Bushey as part of a two-year project to boost power supplies to run more electric trains in and out of London in future.
- A £5.8 million investment started at Harrow & Wealdstone to waterproof station canopies and renew platform edges.
- Piling and underground utilities work at Apsley station as part of the £8.9 million Access for All scheme to install three new lifts onto the existing footbridge and make the station fully step-free this year.
- A new customer service hub and extra seating installed at London Euston station as part of ongoing improvements for passengers.
In addition, teams based in the North West of England completed signalling and overhead line upgrades between Preston and Oxenholme last weekend (4 and 5 April).
The work on the southern section of the West Coast Main Line is part of a wider £400 million investment into Europe’s busiest mixed-use passenger and freight railway over the next several years.
Meanwhile passengers planning journeys on the line north of Preston between Saturday 11 and Sunday 19 April are being reminded of more journey-improving upgrades which will impact travel.
That will see overhead lines replaced over eight days between Preston, Lancaster, and Fylde.
Once again Network Rail and train operators have worked together to keep passengers on the move – trying to keep them on trains for the majority of their journeys where possible.
Avanti West Coast will divert trains on the iconic Settle & Carlisle line. Replacement buses and some limited train services will also run.
Passengers are urged to plan their journeys in advance by checking www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we’ve been carrying out these major railway upgrades between Milton Keynes and Euston over the last six days.
“We were able to use that time to carry out some really complex and important projects which are only possible during a full railway closure. These are all part of our commitment to investment hundreds of millions of pounds into the West Coast Main Line by upgrading tracks, stations, overhead power lines, structures and signalling systems to keep the railway running smoothly, safely and reliably in the years to come.”
Image credit: Network Rail
