Media centre

Wednesday 5 Jan 2005

£1.4M FOR NEW TRACK AND CROSSING ON BLACKPOOL LINE

Region & Route:

Nearly two miles of railway track between Carleton level crossing and Poulton-le-Fylde station on the Blackpool North line is to be renewed by Network Rail at a cost of £450,000. At the same time, the level crossing itself will be upgraded in a separate project costing £980,000. Gary Openshaw, Network Rail’s area general manager, said: “Replacing jointed track with continuously welded rail has benefits for rail passengers, local residents and the rail industry alike. Passengers will get a smoother and quieter ride – gone will be the familiar clickerty-clack as the train passes over the joints in the track - and it also makes it quieter for people living close to the line.” No joints mean less wear and tear for train operators on their wheels and it is also good news for Network Rail because continuous track needs less maintenance. The jointed track and wooden sleepers on both railway lines through the area will be taken up and the ballast (grey stone chippings) that it sits on will be raked over to improve drainage. New continuously welded track will be laid on brand new steel sleepers, which will be embedded in the ballast. In total, 6,652 yards of new rail  - nearly 40 times higher than Blackpool Tower – and 4,088 steel sleepers will be used. While the track renewal is going on, Network Rail will also carry out work on Carleton level crossing. The only difference road users and pedestrians will notice is a new audible warning system. The barriers and warning lights will be replaced on a like-for-like basis but the mechanism that controls them will be upgraded to a modern standard. Work is due to start this weekend (Sunday 9 January) when steel sleepers will be delivered to site by train but the bulk of the work starts on the following Saturday. Every weekend from Saturday 15 January to Monday 14 February the level crossing will be closed for up to 29 hours at a time, with local diversions signposted. Temporary fencing will be put up round the crossing to prevent unauthorised access. A small amount of work will be carried out at night during the week commencing 24 January, and everything possible will be done to minimise disruption to local people, 230 of whom have had a letter advising them of the work.