Media centre

Friday 28 Nov 2003

THE REBUILDING OF THE RAILWAY GOES ON ENGINEERING WORK 20/12/03 TO 01/01/04

Region & Route:

| Southern

Network Rail will be taking advantage of the traditionally quiet Christmas and New Year period to get onto the railway infrastructure to maintain and renew its assets.  Whilst some disruption for scheduled services is anticipated, the careful plans put in place by the industry offering alternative travel arrangements, will keep this to a minimum. Mark Phillips, Network Rail, Regional Director said:  “Network Rail endeavours to maximise all of its opportunities to get access to the infrastructure.  The holiday period is a good example of this and while most of us are enjoying our Christmas lunches and the festive season, thousands of railway staff will be working hard to help to improve our railway.” Engineering work which WILL affect passenger services: ·        Extensive bridge, signalling and track renewal work will take place between Ely and March on Sunday 21 December. Central Trains will provide a replacement bus service from Ely to March and Anglia Railways will provide a bus service from Ely to Peterborough.  ·        Buses will replace trains between Gospel Oak and Barking on the North London Line on Sunday 21 December.  Work will be carried out to the bridge on High Street North, Woodgrange Park and scrap will be cleared between Gospel Oak and South Tottenham. - more - Christmas – 2 Engineering work which WILL affect passenger services (cont): ·        400 yards of track will be renewed at Diss and a further 400 yards at Lakenham after the last train on Christmas Eve and before the first train on Monday 29 December.  Buses will replace trains between Norwich and Diss on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December.  An hourly train will connect with the buses at Diss and continue to London. ·        Buses will also replace trains between Norwich and Wymondham on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December.  Trains will run from Wymondham to onward stations.  750 yards of track will be replaced south of Norwich station. Engineering work which will NOT affect passenger services: ·        Structural work will take place on the Ilford flyover between Manor Park and Ilford after the last train on Wednesday 24 December until the first train on Saturday 27 December. ·        Between Monday 29 December and 1 January overnight work will take place on our ‘golden assets’ between Liverpool Street Station and Bethnal Green.  Maintenance will take place on points, signals, track and overhead lines. Mr Phillips continued:  “Network Rail is committed to investing time and money to improve the safety and performance of the railway.  Passengers and freight users will benefit from this large programme of Christmas engineering work as it will lead to a more reliable rail infrastructure.”