Tuesday 6 May 2025
Video released of major bank holiday railway renewals in Warrington
- Region & Route:
- North West & Central
- | North West & Central: North West
Behind-the-scenes footage has been released of a major railway junction being renewed in Warrington over the early May bank holiday weekend.
It comes as rail bosses thank passengers for their patience after the West Coast Main Line was closed between Crewe and Preston for the essential work to take place.
It saw two sets of switches and crossings – moving sections of railway which allow trains to change lines – taken out and replaced with brand new equipment at Dallam Junction on the West Coast Main Line just north of Warrington Bank Quay station.
The last time these hard-working track components were replaced was in 1986, meaning they’d clocked up close to 40 years of continuous service.
The upgraded track will mean more reliable and smoother journeys for passengers and freight in future.
Network Rail in partnership with the Central Rail Systems Alliance* carried out the important improvements.
Today (Tuesday 6 May) impressive footage has been released of the scale and pace of the project, after the first train services returned to normal at full line speed of 90mph over the revamped junction.
Brian Paynter, Network Rail Capital Delivery track programme director, said: “Hundreds of dedicated railway engineers worked around the clock on this multi-million-pound renewal this early May bank holiday. We have no choice but to close the railway for work at this scale, as we are ripping out old track and installing it anew.
“This has seen some journeys taking longer and involving diversions or replacement buses, so I’d like to thank those whose journeys were affected over the weekend. Our progress sets us up nicely for when we return to complete the rest of the railway junction’s essential overhaul during the late May bank holiday.”
Engineers will return to carry out near-identical work to the other two sets of switches and crossings in the same location between Saturday 24 and Tuesday 27 May.
That will once again see the railway closed between Crewe and Preston** with rail replacement buses keeping people on the move.
Further south a nine-day closure will be taking place on the Trent Valley Line between Stafford and Rugby from Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June***.
Passengers are encouraged to plan their bank holiday travel in advance by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Notes to Editors
*The Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) is a partnership made up from Network Rail, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, AtkinsRéalis and TSO to deliver track upgrades in Network Rail’s North West and Central and Eastern regions.
**Between Saturday 24 and Sunday 26 May, rail replacement buses will run between Crewe and Preston calling at Warrington and Wigan. Long-distance trains will divert around the railway closure via Manchester and Bolton.
*** From Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June, the Trent Valley line will close for nine days between Stafford and Rugby. During the closure, no direct services will run between Rugby, Nuneaton, Lichfield Trent Valley and Stafford. Rail replacement buses will be in operation, and passengers are strongly advised to plan ahead and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk and with their train operator.
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