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Wednesday 27 Dec 2023

Impressive time-lapse video released after major Christmas upgrades at Lichfield Trent Valley

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Major improvements have been carried out at Lichfield Trent Valley station over Christmas to improve future rail journeys for passengers on the Cross City line.

The West Coast main line reopened today (Wednesday 27 December) after a new platform bridge was installed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day during the annual festive shutdown of the railway.

Engineers worked round-the-clock using a 650-tonne crane to lift the new 40-metre-long bridge deck into place ready for trains to serve Lichfield Trent Valley station once again before the end of the year.

The old bridge which carried trains over the top of the West Coast main line was removed in the summer, meaning that for the last six months the Cross City line has been stopping short at Lichfield City station.

The complex engineering project is being delivered as part of a £5.8m investment to improve future journeys on this important rail route through the West Midlands.

Federica Labanca, principal route engineer for Network Rail, said: “We’re really grateful to passengers for bearing with us while we upgraded the bridge at Lichfield Trent Valley station as part of our Christmas improvements and look forward to reopening platform 3 on the Cross City line this weekend.

“Although the majority of our festive upgrades are complete, I want to remind passengers travelling across the Midlands to check before they travel on New Year’s Day when we will be carrying out essential track work between Birmingham and Coventry to make journeys more reliable. Our advice is to plan your journey in advance by using National Rail Enquiries.”

On New Year’s Day one of the Midlands’ busiest railway corridors will be upgraded. Between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International stations, engineers will:

• Maintain the complex web of overhead electric wires which power trains
• Replace three ‘switches and crossings’ - moving pieces of track which allow trains to move between lines
• Upgrade signalling systems – the traffic lights for trains
• Carry out important bridge examinations to check the structures

Network Rail's upgrades on 1 January will mean longer journeys, busier trains and some rail replacement buses for passengers.

Local trains between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International will not run and West Midlands Trains will operate rail replacement buses between Birmingham International, Marston Green, Lea Hall, Stechford, Adderley park and Birmingham Moor Street stations (instead of Birmingham New Street).

Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry will operate a significantly reduced service between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International stations and their trains are expected to be very busy.

People are being advised to plan their journey in advance by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk.