Train services on Britain's key rail routes have returned to normal after extensive improvement works were carried out over the Easter weekend. Despite heavy winds and wintry conditions, including snowfalls and blizzards, Network Rail said the major programme of works across the country was completed on time.
During the four-day Easter break almost 20 miles of track were laid, new signalling and points installed and part of a viaduct on the Cumbria coast replaced.
According to Network Rail, over 6,000 people worked day and night to improve the railway, equating to nearly 300,000 man-hours. This work included further investment in the West Coast Main Line as part of the £8bn project to reduce journey times and increase frequency of services later this year.
Iain Coucher, Network Rail Chief Executive, said: “We had an enormous amount of work to get done this Easter, and our job was to do this invisibly - to get in, rip up the old railway, put in a new better one - and then get out on time.
“As a result of the hard work of thousands of our own employees, and those of our contractors and train operators, this has been done successfully.”
SUMMARY OF THE EASTER ENGINEERING WORK
West Midlands:
As part of the West Coast Main Line modernisation, Network Rail is investing £350m in the Trent Valley route to help reduce journey times and increase the frequency of services. The work this Easter included further upgrading of track, signalling and overhead head power lines.
Network Rail said it also carried out a large quantity of work in and around Rugby station, laying new track and signaling, while at Nuneaton £2.4m was spent on new points and signalling. This will help to increase train speeds through a key junction on the West Coast Main Line to 125mph.
Network Rail is also upgrading the track, power lines and carrying out new platform works at Milton Keynes station.
East Anglia and South East:
Work continued on a £25m project in Barnham, Sussex, linked to the introduction of a modern signalling system that is planned to increase train reliability.
As part of a £5m scheme in Kent, over the Easter break Network Rail has been strengthening the Rochester River Bridge, which it says will reduce long-term effects of the weather and maintain the life of the structure.
Work also continued at Shenfied, where Network Rail is investing £6m to modernise tracks to a new design that will be less noisy and reduce the need for maintenance closures.
London:
£3m was invested over four days to renew large sections of track at Clapham Junction. The work will improve every-day performance and make the line more reliable in the future, says Network Rail.
Some overhead line replacement work took place on the approaches to Liverpool Street and at Bethnal Green and Cambridge to improve reliability.
North East, Yorkshire and Humberside:
Improvements costing £750,000 were made to improve the reliability of trains on routes from Leeds to Huddersfield, York to Doncaster and Newcastle to Carlisle.
North West:
In partnership with Cheshire County Council, work was undertaken to upgrade the Wistaston Road railway bridge in Crewe to bring it in line with EU regulations and to maintain vehicle access. Without this improvement, a permanent weight limit would be required, affecting access to the road.
Network Rail replaced part of the deck on the 50-metre Calder Viaduct over the River Calder/River Ehen on the Cumbrian coast. The work is important for maintaining passenger services in the future and enabling the existing speed restriction for freight trains to be lifted.
South West:
Network Rail delivered the final phase of an £8.8million project at Swindon East to improve the condition of the railway and to increase line speeds.
East Midlands:
Work continued on an £18m project to rebuild the canopies at Derby station. Passengers will benefit from a better station environment with improved access, which Network Rail says is more appropriate for a modern city and the thousands of people using it every day.
Wales:
Engineers worked to remodel the track at Abercynon. This project is part of a wider enhancement scheme to increase the frequency of services on the Cardiff Valleys lines.
Scotland:
Track renewals were carried out between Lochwinnoch and Glengarnock on the line to Ayrshire. The work will improve the quality of the track and mean smoother journeys for passengers. Track renewals at Larbert in Stirlingshire also took place.