Media centre

Friday 19 Jun 2020

Overhead wires replaced at Euston as part of railway weather-proofing work

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: West Coast Mainline South

An overhaul of the overhead power lines outside Euston station which will mean more reliable journeys for passengers was completed by Network Rail today (19 June).

Over the past four weeks engineers have worked through the night to renew and replace the 25,000v cables that power trains in and out of London Euston on the West Coast main line.

A total of 3,000 hours of work has resulted in 1,900m of new wires being installed. New overhead line equipment, which holds the new wires to the correct tension, has also been fitted.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast Mainline South route director, said: “During extremely hot weather overhead wires can sag. The wires can then catch on passing trains and be torn down.

“With extremes in temperature now becoming more common in Britain we need to weather-proof our railway. This work is part of that.

“It will help stop cables sagging and reduce the risk of them coming down, making the West Coast main line more reliable for the tens of thousands of passengers travelling in and out of Euston every day.”

Gus Dunster, executive director of operations & safety at Avanti West Coast, said: “We are pleased to have played a part in supporting Network Rail’s vital work to the overhead lines at Camden and would like to thank our customers for their patience, as we did our best to keep them moving.

“This essential work is the latest example of our collaboration with Network Rail to deliver additional maintenance projects while the railway is not operating at full capacity. The renewal of infrastructure and equipment on the approach to London Euston station will improve the reliability for millions of customers across the West Coast Main Line when we look forward to welcoming them back.”

Government guidance is to avoid public transport and only travel by train if you absolutely have to - and if you do, wear a face covering, avoid peak times if possible and maintain a two-metre distance from other passengers.