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Monday 27 Jan 2020

Upgrades on the Wherry Lines to begin this weekend

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Passengers are advised to check before they travel as a phased programme of 23 days of works to upgrade the Wherry lines will start this weekend (1 February), which will also affect some of the road network.

Network Rail will be switching on a new, modern signalling system to replace the old Victorian mechanical signals which have been operating for over 100 years.

 

Six level crossings at Brundall, Cantley, Lingwood Chapel Road, Lingwood Station Road, Oulton Broad North and Strumpshaw will be upgraded to full barriers with remotely controlled CCTV. Victoria Road crossing on the East Suffolk line near to Oulton Broad South will also be upgraded as part of the project.

 

The work will take part in stages, with a rail replacement bus service operating as follows: 

 

Saturday 1 February to Sunday 2 February – rail replacement bus service between Norwich and Yarmouth

Monday 3 February to Sunday 16 February – rail replacement bus service between Norwich and Yarmouth, Norwich and Lowestoft and Beccles and Lowestoft

Monday 17 February to Sunday 23 February – rail replacement bus service between Norwich and Lowestoft

Acle car park will be closed from 1st – 14th February inclusive and the pick up for the Rail Replacement bus will be on Norwich Road opposite the police station. 

These works will also require road closures or local management (to control the flow of traffic) to allow engineers to install the new barrier equipments the level crossings.

 

The following roads will be affected on the dates listed below:

Crossing	Start Date	Start Time	End Date	End Time	Details
Oulton Broad North	08 February	23:00	10 February	05:00	Closed for 30hrs
	10 February	23:00	15 February	05:00	Night-time closures only from 23:00 to 05:00 the next morning.
	15 February	23:00	16 February	20:00	Closed for 21hrs
Victoria Road	5 February	23:00	8 February	05:00	Night-time closures only from 23:00 to0 5:00 the next morning.
Lingwood Station Road	10 January	23:00	31 January	06:00	Closed for 20 days
Lingwood Chapel Road	31 January	23:00	10 February	20:00	Closed for 10 days
Cantley	8th February	23:00	16 February	06:00	Night-time only traffic management controlled from 23:00 to 06:00 the next morning.
Strumpshaw	10 January	23:00	14 February	08:00	Closed for 34 days
Brundall	3 February	23:00	10 February	06:00	Night-time only traffic management controlled from 23:00 to 06:00 the next morning.

Diversion routes will be put in place where a suitable alternative is available.

Ellie Burrows Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “After years of planning and preparation to modernise the Wherry lines we will be switching on the new signalling system this February. Of course, 23 days of works is very disruptive for passengers and I want to thank them in advance for their patience as we usher in a new era for everyone travelling by rail between Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft.”

 

 

Notes for editors:

•Engineers will carry out this work over 23 days during three phases that start on Saturday 1 February 2020. This work will affect passenger services on the following routes:

◦Saturday 1 February to Sunday 2 February – between Norwich and Great Yarmouth

◦Monday 3 February to Sunday 16 February – between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Lowestoft and between Beccles and Lowestoft

◦Monday 17 February to Sunday 23 February – between Norwich and Lowestoft

•To make the most of the time we have in February, we have also planned repairs and renewals work to coincide with the closure. This includes a full bridge replacement at Postwick and track renewals at Lowestoft, Acle and Hassingham. Additional maintenance works will be carried out to Reedham and Somerleyton swing bridges.

•The Wherry lines between Norwich and Yarmouth/Lowestoft will be closed during the weekend of 11 and 12 January 2020 to undertake preparation works at Strumpshaw and Lingwood crossings (Station Road only) as well as moving equipment and materials into position.

•We strongly advise passengers wishing to travel across these routes in February 2020 to plan ahead and check their service with Greater Anglia before travelling on greateranglia.co.uk/nylfeb20

•A bus replacement service will be in place to allow passengers to continue their journey. We advise anyone wishing to travel across these routes in February 2020 to plan ahead and check their service with Greater Anglia or national rail enquiries before travelling.

•Acle car park will be closed from 1st – 14th February inclusive and the pick up for the Rail Replacement bus will be on Norwich Road opposite the police station. 

•The work will see train services resume on the branch line between Reedham and Yarmouth (serving Berney Arms station), which has been closed since October 2018.

•For more information about the project go to networkrail.co.uk/nyl or check #NYLFeb20 on Twitter.