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Monday 23 Aug 2004

THE REBUILDING OF THE RAILWAY CONTINUES WITH A PROGRAMME OF ENGINEERING WORK OVER AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

Region & Route:

National

A substantial and vital programme of engineering work was outlined today for the August bank holiday that will continue the task of rebuilding a better performing, more efficient railway.  The work programme will take advantage of the reduced numbers of passengers using the railway over the bank holiday - one million less than a normal Saturday, Sunday and Monday.            Iain Coucher, Deputy Chief Executive, said: “Network Rail is continuing its task of rebuilding the railway as it carries out a large amount of work this bank holiday.  Whilst for most people it is a weekend of rest, thousands of track workers will be working hard over the long weekend to upgrade and maintain the railway and bring real and tangible improvements to all who use the rail network.” George Muir, Director General of ATOC said: “ Train operators support Network Rail's ongoing maintenance and renewals programme which will lead to a better rail infrastructure for passengers. Diversions or bus replacement services will be provided where major engineering works are being carried out.” The majority of work has been specifically programmed to ensure that peak travel periods remain unaffected thus some one million less passengers will be inconvenienced than if this work had been scheduled over a ‘normal’ Saturday to Monday period. Where it has been necessary to carry out work over the entire holiday period, this has been planned months in advance to ensure alternative travel arrangements are in place and rail users have been given weeks of advance notice. August - 2 Iain Coucher continued: “These windows of opportunity are essential to the continued maintenance and renewal needed on the nation’s rail infrastructure.  During these times, however, we will be doing our utmost to ensure disruption to passengers and those living beside the railway is kept to a minimum.” Details of the largest pieces of engineering work involving line closures over the period are detailed below. Full alternative travel arrangements can be obtained by calling National Rail Enquiries (08457 48 49 50) or logging on to www.nationalrail.co.uk: West London and the West Country Great Western Main Line closed (Slough-Reading), Saturday 28th– Monday 30th (inc): ·        Major points renewal work in the Slough area will close part of the Great Western Main Line. Paddington station will remain open with Heathrow Express and some local services operating.  Reading station will be open throughout with a train service direct to London via Waterloo. North London  - Thameslink Thameslink cross river services closed, Saturday 28th- Monday 30th  (inc): ·        CTRL enabling work installing new sets of points will take over the weekend resulting in Thameslink services terminating at St Pancras from the north and Blackfriars from the south. West Coast Main Line  West Coast Main Line closed (Hemel to Lichfield & Manchester to Stockport), Saturday 28th August - Sunday  5th September (inc):

• From 28 August to 5 September, an army of engineers will be working flat out between Hemel Hempstead and Lichfield and Manchester Piccadilly to Stockport, carrying out work that includes:
  • The commissioning of a new signalling system between Rugby and Milton Keynes        
  • Works to bridges at Bourne End, Berkhamsted, Cheddington, Castlethorpe and Hanslope
  • Improvement works at Northchurch (nr Hemel Hempstead) and Kilsby (nr Rugby) tunnels
  • Level crossing removal on the line between Birmingham International and Coventry at Berkswell, Tile Hill and Canley
  • The remodelling of Nuneaton north end junction

o        The renewal of switches and crossings at Stechford near Birmingham International ·        LONG DISTANCE: Direct rail services to / from London, Manchester and Birmingham will be available via alternative Midland Mainline services from St Pancras and Chiltern Railways services from Marylebone. Other services will be diverted or replaced by coach/bus. - more - August – 3 ·        LOCAL SERVICES: Trains generally will not operate or call at Lichfield, Rugby, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead; between Birmingham New Street and Rugby; between Coventry and Leamington Spa; between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport.  From stations south of Birmingham, customers travelling to Birmingham New Street will use a coach replacement service.  A coach service will operate between Milton Keynes – Rugby – Nuneaton – Tamworth  - Lichfield Trent Valley and Stafford, also Rugby – Kettering and between Coventry – Leamington Spa and for all local station services between these points. During all of the above West Coast work passengers are strongly advised to check their journey details before travelling as service patterns and line closures do vary over this period.