Major railway upgrades have taken place in Cumbria over the bank holiday weekend.
Network Rail teams worked with hundreds of engineers on essential projects to improve future journeys for passengers and freight, it said, on the West Coast Main Line.
Some sections of the West Coast Main Line had to be closed to trains over the bank holiday, but Network Rail said the line had fully reopened today.
Improvements included:
- Ongoing improvements to the signalling system at Kingmoor north of Carlisle
- Waterproofing a railway viaduct over the River Esk at Mossband
- Completely replacing track and railway foundation stone (ballast) on sections of line between Carlisle and Gretna Green.
Christian Irwin, Network Rail North West and central region capital selivery director, said: “We’ve invested millions of pounds to improve future journeys on the West Coast Main Line north this Easter.
“We’d like thank our passengers for their patience with us and we apologise to those whose journeys were disrupted over the bank holiday weekend.
“Passenger numbers are lower over the Easter period, so undertaking the works here means we can minimise disruption to one of the country’s most important rail routes.
“These ongoing investments will see better, smoother and more reliable journeys and keep people and goods getting safely to where they need to be.”
Upgrade work will take place over the early May bank holiday from Saturday May 3 to Monday May 5.
There will be fewer trains, and the possibility parts of some journeys will need to be by rail replacement bus, Network Rail said. .
In Cumbria, work will resume on the signalling upgrades in the Kingmoor area with trains terminating at Carlisle on Saturday May 3 and Sunday May 4.
Euston station will be closed on Sunday May 4 and Monday May 5.
