Media centre

Monday 23 Apr 2018

Successful upgrade signals bright future for rail travel in the south west

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail successfully delivered the first phase of a vital signalling upgrade in Devon and Cornwall today (23 April) which, once complete, will enable GWR to deliver more frequent services, quicker journeys and more seats between Plymouth and Penzance from 2019.

The signalling upgrade between Plymouth and Penzance took place over the weekend and forms part of a £24m project that will be delivered in two phases, with the final phase of work taking place in October in readiness for significant timetable changes in early 2019

More than 125 members of Network Rail’s Team Orange helped successfully delivered the first phase over the weekend as they worked round the clock to install and test new state of the art signalling equipment.

The new equipment along the Cornish main line will be controlled from the existing signal boxes in Lostwithiel and Plymouth.

Mark Langman, Western route managing director, for Network Rail, said:

“It is a great achievement to have delivered the first phase of signalling work on the Cornish main line which forms part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“When complete - after the second phase in October - the £24m upgrade will enable GWR to deliver more services, quicker journeys and more seats in Cornwall from the end of the year.

“We thank passengers for their patience throughout the upgrade.”

GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said:

“Just last month we introduced our Class 43 Castle trains to replace smaller, less powerful trains on this part of the network, and later in the Summer we’ll start to see the arrival of our new Intercity Express Trains for Devon and Cornwall.

“Alongside improved infrastructure, these new trains will provide a step change in passenger transport, helping us to double the frequency of services to and from the South West and improve capacity on suburban commuter services.”