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Friday 9 Aug 2024

Railway reopened: Aerial video shows Bakerloo line and London Overground upgrades

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: West Coast Mainline South

Network Rail has reopened the London Overground and Bakerloo lines between Euston and Watford after a £2m upgrade which will mean more reliable journeys for passengers.

Passengers are being thanked today (Friday 9 August) after London Overground and Bakerloo line trains resumed following six days of vital railway upgrades.

Network Rail has released impressive drone footage showing engineers working around the clock to improve this important section of railway.

The carefully planned closure during the summer holidays was used to upgrade old equipment which had become unreliable across a 16 mile stretch of railway in north London. Completion of the critical work will mean passengers benefit from fewer delays and smoother journeys.

Improvements include:

• Renewal of the power system which supplies signalling equipment along these lines. This includes 32.5km of new cabling along with a number of lineside power distribution cabinets.
• Upgrading 3km of conductor rail, which is the part of the track that provides power to trains via a steel rail.
• Renewal of the high voltage power system that provides power to the trains through the conductor rails. This includes replacing 3km of aging 11kv power cables.
• Upgrading track switches and crossings - these are moveable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another and allow them to cross paths.

Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “I would like to thank passengers for their patience throughout this work which is vital for the continued safe and reliable running of the railway from Euston to Watford.

"Normal service has now resumed and the work that has been completed will ensure more reliable journeys for passengers travelling on the route in future.”

Rory O’Neill, TfL’s general manager for London Overground, said: ‘I’d like to thank London Overground and Bakerloo line customers for their patience while Network Rail completed this essential upgrade work. We understand that closures of this type can cause inconvenience for some of our customers but they are vital to ensure that we can continue to offer a safe and reliable service for many years to come.”

Passengers are reminded to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for further updates on how railway upgrades could impact on journeys.