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Thursday 27 Mar 2025

Nine weekends of work to begin on West Coast Main Line

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

| North West & Central: North West

| North West & Central

Passengers are being reminded that a series of weekend engineering works will mean changes to services on the West Coast Main Line from this Saturday (29 March). 

In Scotland, between Carstairs and the border, teams will complete track renewals, drainage improvements and infrastructure maintenance on weekends between this Saturday and Sunday June 8.  

South of the border, engineers will renew signals and the lineside equipment which manages train traffic north of Carlisle. 

During the weekend closures, no trains will run between Carlisle and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley. Rail replacement bus services will replace trains between Carlisle and Glasgow Central.  

Passengers are being asked to plan ahead for work on the following dates: 

• Sat 29 & Sun 30 March 

• Sun 6 April 

• Sun 13 April 

• Easter Weekend (Sat 19 April to Mon 21 April) 

• Sun 27 April 

• May Bank Holiday (Sat 3 May to Mon 5 May) 

• Sat 10 & Sun 11 May 

• Sat 31 May & Sun 1 June 

• Sun 8 June 

Ross Moran, route director, Network Rail Scotland, said: “These are vital improvements that will make the West Coast Main Line more reliable for our passengers and freight customers.  

“While much of the work is complex, meaning we need to close the line to do it, our engineers will work as quickly as possible to complete the project.” 

Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail capital delivery director for the North West and Central region, said: “The West Coast Main Line is a vital route for passengers and freight customers on both sides of the border and our investment in the line north of Carlisle will provide smoother journeys now and in the long-term.  

“During the weekend closures, I’d encourage passengers to plan their trips by visiting the National Rail Enquiries website.” 

Work in Scotland will also include renewing or refurbishing track at a range of locations including Abington, Thankerton and Symington. 

Drainage improvement works will be carried out at Elvanfoot while switches and crossings – pieces of track that move to transfer trains from one line to another – will be renewed at Kirtlebridge. 

Passengers can check how their journey is affected at nationalrail.co.uk, or individual operators’ websites. 

For more information on how Network Rail improves the railway you can visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/.