Media centre

Monday 6 Dec 2004

CHRISTMAS ENGINEERING WORK – THE REBUILDING OF THE RAILWAY GOES ON

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National

The main engineering work to take place over the Christmas period was announced today by Network Rail. Each year the railway closes on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (except for the Heathrow Express, Eurostar and a few Southeastern Trains services, which run on Boxing Day).  And each Christmas break the company takes advantage of this traditional two-day closure to carry out an extensive programme of engineering work.  Announcing this year’s work, John Armitt, Network Rail’s Chief Executive, said: “This Christmas will be busier than ever for Network Rail, its staff and contractors, as our job to rebuild the railway continues.  “Tens of thousands of dedicated railway staff will be hard at work over the festive break, forgoing their Christmas dinners and time with their families to undertake massive engineering tasks, helping to deliver a better performing railway.” For work that continues beyond the traditional two-day closure, carefully planned alternative travel arrangements will help keep disruption to a minimum. George Muir, Director-General of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: “Track and signalling needs to be maintained and replaced.  Train operators support Network Rail’s ongoing programme to get this vital work done across the network. “The period between Christmas and New Year is a good time to make these improvements because the numbers of people travelling on the trains are light.”  The principal work outside the traditional two-day period are: East Coast Main LineEngineering work Sandy (30 miles south of Peterborough) to Grantham27/12/04  Work is taking place at Peterborough Signal Centre. This will prevent all services calling at – or travelling through – Peterborough on this day.  All northbound services will terminate at Sandy with buses to Newark calling at intermediate stations including Peterborough. Southbound services will terminate at Grantham with buses to Sandy calling at intermediate stations. Central services will terminate at Nottingham with bus substitution between Nottingham and Norwich. East Coast Main Line Engineering work Edinburgh to Newcastle24/12/04 to the morning of 28/12/04 (inc) All GNER services between Newcastle and Edinburgh will be diverted via Carlisle.  A bus service will also be provided between Edinburgh and Newcastle. West Coast Main Line Engineering work Stockport to Manchester Piccadilly 27/12/04 to 31/12/04 (inc) Work is being done as part of the West Coast Modernisation Project.  The line between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly is closed during this time.  Buses will replace train services between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.  Virgin Cross Country services will terminate at Manchester Victoria and Virgin West Coast services will terminate at Stockport. Great Western Main Line Engineering work near Bristol Parkway 27/12/04 to 31/12/04 (inc) A new junctions and sets of points are being installed at a junction near Bristol Parkway over the holiday period.  As such First Great Western services to South Wales will be diverted via Bath adding about 20 mins to journey times. Virgin Cross country services will also be subject to diversions. Birmingham New Street Station 27/12/04 to 31/12/04 (inc) Significant work is taking place at Birmingham New Street over the Christmas period.  Services into New Street Station will be limited and the Cross City north services will be replaced with buses.  Mr Armitt added: “This is the railway’s own Christmas tradition. By taking advantage of the two-day Christmas break, we can do large amounts of essential work while causing very little minimising disruption to train services.” _____________________ Page 2 of 3 CHRISTMAS ENGINEERING WORK – THE REBUILDING OF THE RAILWAY GOES ON He continued: “These windows of opportunity are essential to the continued maintenance and renewal needed on the nation’s rail infrastructure.  During these times, however, we will be doing our utmost to ensure disruption to passengers and those living beside the railway is kept to the absolute minimum.”