Passengers returning to work this January are benefitting from a more reliable and safe railway after a programme of investment and upgrades across the network over Christmas and the New Year. On the route from London Euston to Carlisle via the West Midlands and north west, more than £22m was invested to upgrade track, install new footbridges and replace railway bridges as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

Over 3,700 members of the orange army worked over 136,000 hours to help provide a bigger, better and more reliable railway to help meet the increasing demand for passenger and freight journeys by rail.

The West Coast main (WCML) line is the busiest mixed use railway in Europe and the Christmas period, traditionally one of the quieter times on the railway, was utilised to carry out upgrades and maintenance work and was planned to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people.

Upgrades completed included:

  • Extensive track renewal and upgrades between London Euston and Watford  Junction including work near Acton, Willesden and Wembley Central
  • A new station footbridge at Kenton station
  • Improved overhead lines at Wolverton, near Milton Keynes
  • Two bridges carrying the WCML replaced in Warwickshire
  • Track renewal at Birmingham New Street
  • Major work in Manchester as part of the Ordsall Chord programme to link Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly for the first time
  • Track renewed south of Carlisle station

Martin Frobisher, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “Upgrades took place up and down the West Coast main line and across the West Midlands and north west as part of the Railway Upgrade Plan to build a better, more reliable railway. This work was part of our commitment to provide customers with a better railway and I would like to thank passengers for their patience while we completed these vital upgrades.”