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Friday 28 Jan 2022

Newquay branch line reopens following completion of vital upgrade work

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

The Newquay branch line has reopened as planned this morning (Friday 28 January) following Network Rail successfully completing a number of upgrades to this popular stretch of railway.

Over the past week, Network Rail’s team of engineers have been working around the clock on the Newquay branch line to remove and replace old rails, sleepers and ballast at Roche and Bowling Green, near Bugle, as part of essential upgrades to the railway in Cornwall.

A total of 870 metres of new track has been laid and 1,300 sleepers and 2,600 tonnes of ballast installed which will ensure that trains can continue to run safely and smoothly, helping maintain a reliable service for passengers between Newquay and Par.

Further follow up work will be completed overnight on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 February, and Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 March with train services unaffected.

Lee Hildreth, Network Rail project manager, said: “I’m pleased that we have completed these important upgrades to the Newquay branch line and the railway has reopened as planned.

“This work was particularly challenging for our engineers due to the location of the track and it being a single line. This made removing the old track and components and transporting the new materials logistically difficult.

“It’s never a good time to close a branch line such as Newquay so I’d like to thank passengers and local residents for their patience while we completed this vital upgrade and hope they enjoy a smoother, more reliable railway line.”

Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay said: “I am pleased to see Network Rail’s vital work on the Par-Newquay line carried in a quick and timely manner, to ensure the continued resilience of this importance stretch of railway for commuters and visitors alike. Thank you to the team who worked 24/7 to ensure its completion in deadline.

“This is a first step towards upgrading this important branch line and I will continue to work with Network Rail, Cornwall Council and the Department for Transport to secure further funding for improvements in the coming years.”