Tuesday 6 Sep 2011
RAIL IMPROVEMENTS DELIVER MORE EFFICIENT RAILWAY IN EAST MIDLANDS
- Region & Route:
Rail passengers on the Robin Hood Line north of Nottingham will be travelling on a more efficient and reliable railway after Network Rail commissions new signalling which has been installed on the route this weekend.
The equipment, which has been installed over several months will allow the railway between Radford Junction (north of Nottingham) and Shirebrook to be controlled from a single desk in the East Midlands Control Centre at Derby.
To allow engineers to test the system and bring it online safely it is necessary to reduce train services and reduce access across two level crossings in Nottingham this weekend.
Martin Frobisher, Route Director for Network Rail, said: “This project is part of a much wider scheme to deliver a modern, efficient railway in the East Midlands.
“Rail services will be affected by the works as we cannot run trains while the commissioning is completed. Everything possible is being done to keep disruption to a minimum and I want to thank people for their patience while we complete this improvement work.”
Bulwell Forest Level Crossing on Carey Road will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians from 23.00 Friday 9 September to 05.00 on Monday 12 September. Two shuttle buses will be provided to take pedestrians around the diversion. Trams will continue to run during the work.
Lincoln Street crossing on David Lane will only be closed to road traffic overnight (pedestrian access is maintained at all times) from 22.00 Saturday 10 Sept to 08.00 Sunday 11 Sept and from 22.00 Sunday 11 Sept to 05.00 Monday 12 Sept.
Buses will replace trains between Nottingham and Worksop on Saturday and Sunday – details are available from East Midlands Trains or National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Notes to editors
A programme of resignalling is underway in the East Midlands. The series of 13 individual projects began in October 2005 and is progressively renewing the signalling on the Midland Mainline from London St Pancras International to Sheffield with modern equipment. Other works carried out at the same time include upgrading the fixed telecoms network, freight sections of track, remodelling junctions and changes to level crossing operations that will lead to improved train punctuality. All of the renewed signalling will be controlled from the purpose built East Midlands Control Centre in Derby.
The Robin Hood line resignalling project is worth approximately £6m
Nationally Network Rail is planning to consolidate all signalling and control activity into 14 modern Rail Operating Centres over the next 15-30 years. Derby will be one of those 14 centres.
Kirby Summit signal box will close after this commissioning is completed
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