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Thursday 18 Dec 2025

Major progress on Network Rail projects this Christmas

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

The Christmas period will see strong progress made on Network Rail projects along the East Coast Main Line – part of the £160 million of railway investment nationally this festive season.

Much of the Christmas work will be done while trains are not running but passengers are advised to check all parts of their journey before travelling.

The upgrades include renewing two life-expired bridge structures and testing newly-installed digital signalling equipment.

The Dalton Bank bridge deck carrying the railway over Northallerton Road, south of Darlington, will be replaced during a 60-hour window with no trains over Christmas. Archive information suggests that an overbridge has existed at this location since about 1840. It was reconstructed in 1921 and has been modified since – but now needs to be replaced.

The replacement bridge – designed for a 110-year operational lifespan – will provide new walkways to create a safer environment to inspect and maintain railway assets at and near the structure.

A project is under way to replace the footbridge which links Doncaster station with grade II-listed Denison House. The structure is a key access over the busy, operational railway. The existing, life-expired bridge will be replaced with a new, modern footbridge to maintain access and improve safety.

Preparation work has been taking place in recent weeks, including the construction of a temporary crane pad opposite platform 8 to lift the sections of bridge into place during the Christmas shutdown, which will also see improvements made to the overhead line equipment at the station.

Elsewhere, there will be further progress made on the East Coast Digital Programme. This landmark £1.4 billion scheme is introducing in-cab digital signalling on the line – meaning more reliable, greener, and even safer journeys for passengers. Testing runs will be carried out between Welwyn and Hitchin in preparation for the introduction of main line digitally signalled services in 2026.

There will also be structural work at the King Edward Bridge in Newcastle, as part of Network Rail’s ongoing maintenance to ensure the structure’s safety and reliability, as well as upgrades to the overhead line equipment at the city’s Heaton railway depot.

Sam MacDougall, Network Rail operations director, East Coast route, said:

“We’re making major strides on projects up and down the East Coast Main Line this Christmas, as part of the national £130 million of investment to improve reliability and safety for passengers. These upgrades will help deliver a more resilient railway for the future. We’re grateful to passengers for their patience and encourage everyone to check before they travel.”