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Monday 7 Sep 2009

LINE REOPENS FOLLOWING £20m INVESTMENT WITH THANK YOU FOR PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT USERS

Region & Route:

Rail passengers and freight services are enjoying faster and smoother services on the line between Doncaster and Cleethorpes after Network Rail completed a £20m upgrade.

The line re-opened on schedule at 4am this morning following 11 weeks of intensive work on the line. To welcome passengers back and thank them for their patience First TransPennine Express is offering a half-price fare deal from 11 September for two weeks. Anyone travelling on the Cleethorpes – Manchester route to or from Scunthorpe, Barnetby, Grimsby or Cleethorpes can travel at half the usual fare. The discount applies to most tickets purchased at station ticket offices.

Richard Lungmuss, route director for Network Rail, said: "I want to thank passengers and our freight customers for their patience during these essential works. The ground conditions on parts of this route are difficult but these works will give us a more robust railway which will allow passenger services to travel at full speed for the first time in several years. This line also carries a significant amount of the UK's rail freight, and this work will help to make sure that we can continue to handle that volume on the railway - and in doing so keep lorries off the roads."

The main job was at Medge Hall where ground conditions had previously limited trains to just 10mph. A concrete slab has been built; costing £10m it is supported by piles which have been driven into solid ground and now supports the track. Engineers have worked around the clock to remove the old track, excavate the existing sub-base/formation, drive in piles and cast the slab. Then the new track was relayed over the top - leaving no visible sign that the structure is there.

As no services could run during the work Network Rail took the opportunity to complete another £10m of work at various other points between Doncaster and Scunthorpe, including track works to remove other temporary speed restrictions, clearance of overgrown plants and the complete renewal of Thorne junction in the final nine days of the works.

With work at over 40 sites along the line, this represents the most significant investment in this route in living memory.

Kamran Hussain, station manager for First TransPennine Express at Cleethorpes, said: “This major investment will safeguard the line for the future and help us provide a very reliable service. We are grateful for the patience and support of passengers who have travelled on the alternative road service, which replaced trains during the summer and look forward to welcoming them back on to our trains.”

David Walford, the regional rail development officer for Community Rail Humber added: “Although many passengers have been disrupted over the summer months, I congratulate Network Rail over the very professional manner in which they have undertaken this complex project. To dismantle the railway and re-build it, on what is effectively an underground viaduct in such a short time, is an incredible feat. This rail route is a critical part of our national rail network and key to economical development across the Humber Region. We are delighted that this major investment has secured the long term future of the line and that passengers will enjoy a much improved journey along the South Pennine route.”