Media centre

Monday 31 Jul 2006

SETTLE – CARLISLE LINE REOPENS

Region & Route:

Passengers can expect a smoother, quieter ride as rail services resume on the Settle – Carlisle line this morning following completion of the latest stage in the five year, £60 million renewal project of the route. Gary Openshaw, Network Rail’s area general manager, said: “We achieved a huge amount in the first half of this year and thank passengers for their patience while work was carried out. “Now the summer holiday period has arrived it’s a very busy time for the line, with large numbers of tourists visiting what is arguably the most scenic railway line in the country. With this in mind we have given an undertaking not to close the line for extended periods until the winter.” In the last two weeks, while part of the line has been closed, Network Rail has laid eight and a half miles of new track. It has also installed six new sets of points (used to switch trains from one track to another), carried out drainage and cable-laying work and surveys of the line. Waterproofing and repair work also continued on both Lunds and Ais Gill viaducts and a significant amount of heavy maintenance was undertaken.