Posted 27th November 2009 | 6 Comments

Network Rail confirms Monday opening for Workington North

A new platform at Workington North

Network Rail has confirmed that its new temporary station at Workington North will open on Monday, as the flooded town remains divided by the destruction of road bridges across the River Derwent.

Workington North will be formally opened at 11.00 on Monday by the Mayor of Workington, John Armstrong.

The southbound platform was completed on Thursday, while work continued on the northbound platform and the footbridge on Friday. Network Rail said the finishing touches would be completed over the weekend. Northern is boosting its service on the route to provide additional trains between Maryport and Workington from Sunday.

Telecom cables from the badly damaged Calva road bridge nearby have been diverted over the unaffected railway bridge. Robin Gisby, who is Network Rail operations and customer services director, said: “This is just another example of how everyone pulls together in times of trouble. It is estimated that there were 1000 telephone lines that could have been affected by the collapse or demolition of the Calva Bridge, but running a cable over our railway bridge should mean their uninterrupted use.”

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • Allan Pyne, Dawlish, Devon

    Network Rail builts a new station in less than a week, Army still building its Footbridge!!
    Fantastic well done to the rail industry.

  • jules, lowestoft

    Cost to the taxpayer to lease/run/staff these trains is (according to the doft) £216,000 until 31st December. Hmm someone is profiteering as a recent RUS states that the Stockport Stalybridge ghost train service costs around £96 per run (one train, one direction) whilst this service (24 trains M-F) works out at £409 per run or if Saturday and Sunday services are added around £300. Someone making £££ again???

  • Graham Collett, York, UK

    Excellent work NR and in record time- well done!

    If only we could get other new stations opened so quick!!

  • Martyn, Bolton, England

    Just shows, british workers can compete with the best of em.well done to all concerned.

  • A C Peake, Plouasne, France

    The talk of weeks/months for a road bridge, to cross the river, is utter nonsense
    There must be stocks of Bailey bridgeing, and HGB bridge, in the RE stores, why doesn't Brown instruct the "Sappers" to "throw a bridge across the river, it should take a couple of days for the actual bridge to be built, and a couple of more days to divert the road
    Google Bailey Bridge, and see what can be done if the willingness is there
    Ex Sapper, and with 50= years in the building industry

  • Katherine Eilbeck, Swansea, Wales

    Brilliant news. Well done Network Rail.