Network Rail complete biggest track upgrade at Leeds station in 20 years: Network Rail complete biggest track upgrade at Leeds station in 20 years

Tuesday 4 Jan 2022

Network Rail complete biggest track upgrade at Leeds station in 20 years

Region & Route:
Eastern: North & East
| Eastern
  • Network Rail has completed the final stage of the biggest track upgrade at Leeds station in 20 years
  • Between Saturday 25 December and Monday 3 January, more than 200 railway staff remodelled the track layout between platforms 4 and 6, extended platform 7 and renewed over 700 metres of track and overhead line equipment
  • Passengers can now benefit from a more reliable railway. Some services may be delayed or cancelled due to a lack of available staff – please check before travelling

The biggest track upgrade at Leeds station in 20 years is now complete, as Network Rail deliver a more reliable railway for passengers.

Between Saturday 25 December 2021 and Monday 3 January 2022, more than 200 railway staff successfully remodelled the track layout between platforms 4 and 6. The new layout improves the way trains move in and out of the station which will help to reduce delays.

Further upgrades included installing over 1500 metres of new electric wires – used to power some trains – and renewing over 200 metres of track to improve reliability. Platform 7 was also extended, allowing longer trains to serve the platform.

Matt Rice, North and East Route Director for Network Rail, said: “These important improvements at Leeds make it easier for us to run more trains on time right across the North. We had to run some bus replacement services over the course of the festive period and Covid also affected some services, so thanks to all those passengers who chose to travel. 

“The progress we’ve made means better journeys for everyone using the train in 2022 and beyond.” 

Minor follow-up work will take place on Sunday 30 January 2022, which will mean some changes to services to and from Leeds station.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

To complete this project safely, teams used:

  • Six engineering trains – used for lifting and carrying tools and resources
  • Two tamping machines – used for packing stones under the rails for stability
  • One wiring unit – used for installing electric wires which power some trains
  • 15 road-rail vehicles – used for transporting equipment to site

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - Amy Brenndorfer
Senior Communications Manager
07858375508
07730359569
Amy.Brenndorfer@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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