The WestCoast Mainline will closed over the Easter bank holiday weekend between Preston and Carlisle: On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 April to allow Networkrail to carry out the installation of new signals and power supply equipment.
The closure one of a series of closures along the WestCoast line between Glasgow and London Euston means there will be no trains running along the section of line.
Avanti West Coast will however operate a special Preston to Carlisle train service again via the Settle & Carlisle line, while TransPennine Express and Northern services will terminate at Preston, Oxenholme or Grange-over-Sands.
Trains Heading north of Carlisle to Glasgow Central/Edinburgh, Scotland will face route changes due to New track and points being installed on the West Coast Main Line in south Glasgow with Anglo Scottish passengers will be diverted via Dumfries and Kilmarnock.
The weekend of closures is part of a £75.5m programme of investment by Network Rail this Easter, aimed at improving performance for both passengers and freight services.
This Easter’s biggest upgrade is part of a £400m project to boost the reliability of the West Coast Main Line - Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway. Tackling areas that are most likely to cause delays to passengers, on the busiest section of the railway, the work this April includes:
£8.4m of new track to be laid at Willesden, including the renewal of switches and crossings (moveable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another) and £8m on new overhead power equipment around Wembley;
A bridge in Ledburn, just south of Leighton Buzzard will see a £6.6m investment in waterproofing the bridge to prevent future damage to the structure. Engineers will also complete over £7m of signalling upgrades nearby, which will help to reduce failures and improve the reliability of journeys.
Harrow & Wealdstone station will see a £5.8m investment in repairs to the station canopies and platform upgrades.
Thousands of Networkrail engineers will be delivering more than 270 essential upgrade projects across Britain to maintain and modernise the railway, delivering a more resilient and reliable railway for the millions of passengers who use the network day in and day out.
Jake Kelly, Network Rail regional director for North West and Central, said: "We know how important Bank Holidays are - particularly at Easter, when families and friends come together – and that’s why we work hard to keep as much of the network open as possible while carrying out these vital upgrades.
"However, Bank Holidays are also among the least busy times on the railway, and the four-day period at Easter gives us a valuable opportunity to complete projects that simply can't be delivered during a normal weekend. This ensures we maximise the time our teams are out working on the tracks.
“So passengers will see some changes and it's a good idea for people to check before they travel.”
Daniel Mann, Director of Industry Operations at Rail Delivery Group, said: “While most services will continue to run as normal over Easter, some improvement works will mean changes for customers on a small number of routes. We’re encouraging anyone travelling over the long weekend to plan ahead, allowing extra time for travel. Where essential improvement works are happening, train operators are working hard to minimise disruption”.
Some of the other work taking place this Easter include:
London Euston and Milton Keynes: As above, from Friday 3 to Wednesday 8 April, no intercity trains will run between London Euston and Milton Keynes. Services will start and end at Milton Keynes with buses to Bedford for onwards trains to London St Pancras International (Bakerloo Line and Overground trains will run between Euston and Harrow/Watford every day except Saturday and Sunday).
London Waterloo to Clapham Junction and around Winchester: From Friday 3 to Monday 6 April the renewal of switches and crossings (moveable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another) and structural repairs will mean reduced services between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction, while track improvements in Hampshire will mean buses replace trains between Winchester and Southampton over all four days of the bank holiday.
Margate: From Friday 3 to Monday 6 April, the installation of new tracks through Margate station will mean buses replace trains between Herne Bay and Ramsgate via Broadstairs.
For full details of engineering work taking place this Easter, passengers are advised to check their journeys with their train operator or via National Rail Enquiries before travelling.
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