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Friday 27 May 2016

MP visits site that will power the north’s railway revolution

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, met with Network Rail and National Grid today (27 May) to see the electricity substation that will power the electrification of the railway in the north of England.

As part of Northern Programmes, a £1bn+ investment in the railway, Network Rail is upgrading key routes across the north to improve connectivity and pave the way for hundreds more trains and millions more passengers to travel each year.

The Network Rail and National Grid substation in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, is a vital part of the transformation of the railway and will eventually power electric trains through central Manchester to Preston in the west and from Manchester to Leeds in the east.

National Grid is installing new equipment at their existing substation which also provides power to a large area of Greater Manchester. The new equipment will convert the 275,000v electricity supply down to 27,500v which is needed to power electric trains.

Network Rail is building its own substation adjacent to the railway which will connect to the National Grid site.

Sam Morris, sponsor from Network Rail said: “The new substation in Stalybridge forms a vital part of electrification plans in the north. This investment and upgrade, being delivered with National Grid, will pave the way for a better, faster, more reliable railway that will serve millions of passengers for many decades to come.”

A spokesperson from National Grid said: “National Grid is pleased to play its part helping Network Rail deliver faster and more frequent trains, improving journeys for rail travellers here in the north of England.”

Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, said: “I am pleased improvements are being made locally, something that I have long campaigned for, and that will benefit users of Stalybridge and Mossley stations. I am very keen to see the line electrified between Stalybridge and Leeds, and that will be easier to do so thanks to projects like this.”

A spokesperson on behalf of Transpennine Express and Northern, said: “We are delighted to see this first step towards the electrification of this key route. Investment in the railway infrastructure is vital to unlocking the north’s economical potential; and will enable us to provide faster, more reliable trains and improved connectivity between our regions and the communities we serve.”

An upgraded railway will provide passengers with more reliable and faster journeys.

The Northern Programmes investment is part of Network Rail's Railway Upgrade Plan which is building a better railway to support the increasing demand placed on it by an ever-growing number of passengers. It also supports wider economic growth in the north of England.