Media centre

Tuesday 22 Apr 2025

Better journeys for passengers after Easter rail upgrades in Cumbria

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Footage has been released of major railway upgrades over the bank holiday on the West Coast Main Line north.

During planned Easter railway closures, Network Rail teams worked together with hundreds of engineers across its supply chain on essential projects to improve future journeys for passengers and freight.

Today (Tuesday 22 April) the railway reopened and passengers whose travel plans were impacted by the work are being thanked by rail bosses.

The railway improvements saw:

• Ongoing improvements to the signalling system at Kingmoor north of Carlisle
• Waterproofing a railway viaduct over the River Esk at Mossband
• Completely replacing track and railway foundation stone (ballast) on sections of line between Carlisle and Gretna Green.

So the work could take place safely, some sections of the West Coast Main Line had to be closed to trains over the bank holiday.

Over the border, Network Rail Scotland also carried out major improvements while they too had access to a train-free railway.

Christian Irwin, Network Rail North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, said: “We’ve invested millions of pounds to improve future journeys on the West Coast Main Line north this Easter. We’d like thank our passengers for their patience with us and we apologise to those whose journeys were disrupted over the bank holiday weekend.

"Passenger numbers are lower over the Easter period, so undetaking the works here means we can minimise disruption to one of the country’s most important rail routes. These ongoing investments will see better, smoother and more reliable journeys and keep people and goods getting safely to where they need to be.”

In just under two weeks further upgrade work will be taking place over the early May bank holiday from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 May*.

Over that weekend there will be fewer trains, and the possibility parts of some journeys will need to be by rail replacement bus.

In Cumbria work will resume on the signalling upgrades in the Kingmoor area with trains terminating at Carlisle on Saturday 3 May and Sunday 4 May.

At the southern end of the West Coast Main Line Euston station will once again be closed on Sunday 4 and Monday 5 May.

Passengers are being advised to check before they travel by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk so they know exactly what to expect from their journey.