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Tuesday 20 Sep 2016

Gospel Oak to Barking line closes this weekend as work starts to prepare for longer electric trains

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

| Southern

From this Saturday (24 September) there will be no service between Gospel Oak and Barking (seven days a week) until February 2017 while work takes place to electrify the route ready for new trains that will carry twice as many passengers.

1,700 metres of track is currently being lowered between Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Queens Road Station as part of major work to electrify the last diesel-operated London Overground route, from Gospel Oak to Barking. Track is being lowered to increase clearance under bridges and make way for new masts that will carry overhead wires to power the new electric trains.

Electricity will be provided by three new power switching stations along the route and one of these is already in place at Gospel Oak. A second near South Tottenham is almost complete and a third will be installed close to Barking station in the coming months. Each switching station links to two power supplies at Acton and West Ham, so if one supply breaks down engineers can switch to the other, minimising disruption for passengers.

Part of the line has been closed since the beginning of June, with trains running from South Tottenham to Gospel Oak only on weekdays, while work takes place. From Saturday (24 September) the whole route between Gospel Oak and Barking will be closed, in order for the final phase of work to be carried out. During this period, two areas of track on the western end of the route will be lowered, one between Crouch Hill and Harringay Green Lanes and another between Gospel Oak and Upper Holloway.

From 2018, two-car diesel trains will begin to be replaced by new, four-car electric trains, able to carry twice as many passengers to ease congestion and meet growing demand. Both passengers and railway neighbours will benefit from cleaner air as a result of the switch from diesel to electric trains.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “Passenger numbers are continuing to grow in London and we are electrifying the Gospel Oak to Barking line to support that growth and enable more people to travel on this route, as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. Modernising the railway in this way will enable cleaner and quieter electric trains to run, also benefitting those living or working near the railway. I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while the work is carried out.”

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

• For more information on changes to journeys between Gospel Oak to Barking, including maps and travel advice, please visit tfl.gov.uk/london-overground-closure.
• For more information about refunds and ticket acceptance, visit tfl.gov.uk/london-overground-closure#on-this-page-4
• Sign up for email updates at gov.uk/emailupdates
• Railway neighbours who would like more information on how the work will impact their home can call Network Rail’s helpline on 0345 7 11 41 41or visit networkrail.co.uk/contactus
• More information on work carried out by Network Rail on this route can also be found at networkrail.co.uk/gobe
• Follow Network Rail’s progress on Twitter @NetworkRailGOBE