Media centre

Thursday 14 Jan 2016

Swindon railway upgrade means passengers should check before travelling this January

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Passengers travelling on the Great Western Main Line over the weekend of 23-24 January are being advised to check before they travel as Network Rail carries out the penultimate stage of a major signalling upgrade at Swindon as part of its Railway Upgrade Plan.

Signalling is the railway’s equivalent of traffic lights, controlling the safe, reliable movement of almost 25,000 trains a day across Britain. The new system at Swindon will replace equipment installed in the 1960s and 70s with the latest technology, paving the way for greater reliability and fewer delays for passengers. It is also a vital part of Network Rail’s work to electrify the Great Western Main Line in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains.

Paddy Gregg, Network Rail’s signalling project director, said: “This project is a vital part of our programme to re-signal the whole of the Great Western route, providing passengers with smoother journeys and fewer delays.

“The first two stages of installing the new equipment went well, with all work completed on time. We are now entering the vital, more technical stages of testing the new signalling system.

“Our work to increase reliability, together with the ability of the new electric trains to reduce journey times and accommodate more passengers, will also help to drive economic growth across the Thames Valley, west and south west England.”

Around 250 members of the orange army will be working along 20 miles of railway over 23-24 January to begin the testing of the new signalling system. This is in preparation for control of the railway to move from the signal box at Swindon to the state-of-the-art Thames Valley signalling centre in Didcot later this year.

This extensive work will require a temporary closure of parts of the line west of Swindon, affecting services from South Wales, the west and south west. During this time, services will be diverted and in some cases replacement bus services will be in operation. Services will run as normal between Swindon and London Paddington.

Paddy continued: “Testing new signalling equipment is very complex and for safety reasons must be carried out when trains aren’t running. I’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience and understanding while we complete this essential upgrade that will pave the way for greater reliability, fewer delays and the advantages electrification will bring to both passengers and those who live close to the railway.”

The final stage of the Swindon re-signalling project will take place in February, the details of which will be confirmed in due course.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Further travel information can be found by visiting Great Western Railway’s website www.gwr.com. Alternatively, National Rail Enquiries also has up-to-date travel advice on their website www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Members of the public who have questions about the work can call Network Rail’s 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41.