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Friday 20 May 2005

RAIL WORK BETWEEN LEICESTER AND PETERBOROUGH

Region & Route:

Rail services between Leicester and Peterborough will be suspended for ten days while Network Rail carries out a huge track renewal programme in the Melton Mowbray, Langham and Stamford areas. Neil Henry, Network Rail’s general manager for the East Midlands said: “This represents a massive investment by us as we continue to rebuild Britain’s railway. For the last 20 consecutive months we have beaten our target for reducing train delays, and replacing life expired equipment like this will help us continue that trend.” Starting on Saturday (21 May) the £2.5 million project will see up to 60 staff at a time working round the clock. At Melton Mowbray they will be renewing sets of switches and crossings – otherwise known as points – which are used to change trains from one track to another. The track through the station is being completely re-modelled and the points are being re-located. As well as renewing the switches and crossings, nearly 200 yards of ‘plain’ track will replaced, signalling cables will be re-routed and a number of under track crossings (where cables literally have to cross under the tracks) will be installed or renewed. At Langham there are two work sites, where just over a third of a mile of track in total is being renewed. The entire formation of the track is being removed and replaced to allow the drainage to be upgraded. At Stamford, the entire length of track through the tunnel in the Oakham direction is being relayed. The work, which will be finished in the early hours of Tuesday 31 May, has been planned in close consultation with train operating companies to ensure passengers can complete their journeys using alternative travel arrangements. For travel information, passengers are advised to contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or www.nationalrail.co.uk.