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.
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - Katie Mack
Media relations manager (Anglia route)
0330 8577 132
Katie.Mack@networkrail.co.uk
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