THE bank holiday weekend is seeing more than 400 projects being carried out by 9,600 Network Rail workers to improve the railway, as part of an investment of £84 million.

Headline projects include the continuing remodelling of Derby station and the second of three closures of London Euston so that the renewal of junctions at North Wembley can move ahead. Euston will also be closed on 1 and 2 September so that this work can be completed.

Passengers are being urged to avoid the West Coast Main Line if they can while Euston is closed. Through passengers between London and Birmingham are being advised to use Chiltern Railways services from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street.

Other West Coast Main Line projects include track replacement between Coventry and Birmingham International and also work on the footbridge at Coventry station. In East Anglia, track is being replaced between Manningtree and Witham, while work continues on a £60.4 million programme to increase capacity for freight trains on the Felixstowe branch.

In the north of England a bridge is being replaced at Pipworth, near Sheffield, signalling is being renewed between Runcorn and Allerton and work continues in the Bolton area on electrifying the route between Manchester and Preston. In the south east, there are track renewals in Sevenoaks Tunnel and signalling is being upgraded to increase capacity between Lewes and Seaford, which is an important diversionary route.

On the eve of the work, Network Rail route managing director for England and Wales Andy Thomas said: “This bank holiday weekend, thousands of rail workers across Britain will be delivering essential improvements that will lead to faster, better services and help relieve over-crowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain’s railways. While it will be business as usual on most of the network, we urge all passengers to check before they travel.”