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Tuesday 21 Aug 2007

AIRPORT RAIL WORK BEGINS IN EARNEST

Region & Route:

Work to build a third platform at Manchester Airport station begins in earnest on Sunday 9 September when trains are suspended for just over a day to let Network Rail engineers install new electrical isolator equipment. To carry out the work safely the line will close from midnight on the Saturday until 5am on Monday 10 September. Rail replacement transport will be provided between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport to ensure that First TransPennine Express (FTPE) and Northern Rail customers can still travel easily to and from the airport. While the remainder of the work takes place the station will remain open and train services will largely be unaffected. Passengers should check their travel plans with Northern, FTPE or National Rail Enquiries before setting out. Peter Strachan, Network Rail’s Route Director explained the need for the isolator: “At the moment, if we need to do any work on the airport branch line that needs the overhead power to be turned off, it affects both tracks serving both platforms at the station. “By installing this new equipment, in future we will be able to isolate individual lines or platforms, which means that trains can continue to run to/from the station even if we are working on one of the tracks.” Vernon Barker, Managing Director of FTPE but speaking for both train operators said: “The greater flexibility this gives can only be good for passengers. It will mean that passengers will still be able to get to the station by train instead of having to transfer themselves and their luggage onto replacement road transport.” The next major piece of work on the project affecting both rail and road access to the airport will not be until February 2008 when the bridge carrying Outwood Lane over the railway lines is demolished and replaced with a wider structure to accommodate the third platform.