Friday 2 Mar 2018
Network Rail tackles icicle threat to keep customers on the move
- Region & Route:
- | North West & Central
Giant icicles edging close to high-voltage overhead power lines led today to train customers being diverted.
Some train services on the West Coast main line were steered around Kilsby tunnel in Northamptonshire for an hour to enable Network Rail engineers to set about the task of removing the icicles from the tunnel roof.
Train services booked via Weedon were routed via Northampton between 0930 and 1030 today before the tunnel reopened.
Caroline Higgins, senior incident officer for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “It's not just snow we are dealing with. We also face challenges from ice. Our engineers needed safe access to the tunnel to remove the icicles so they no longer posed a risk of damaging trains and overhead power lines.
"This is one of many challenges thrown up by the ‘Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma. Our engineers are doing their utmost to keep Britain moving despite the snow and ice.”
People travelling by train are urged to check the latest information at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
The five mile-long Kilsby tunnel, five miles east of Rugby, was opened in 1838 as part of the London and Birmingham Railway.
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