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The West Coast Mainline has reopened after a programme of upgrades over Christmas.

Network Rail and South West Trains have teamed up with St John Ambulance to ask passengers to stay safe near the railway, at an awareness day held at London Waterloo on Thursday, 22 December.

A £7.5m upgrade scheme in Mid Wales improving rail safety will begin in the New Year. Eight rural level crossings in Talerddig, between Newtown and Machynlleth will close in 2017. 

Blairhill’s new, fully-accessible footbridge has opened for passengers as the ScotRail Alliance delivers a multi-million-pound transformation of the Coatbridge station.

Birmingham New Street’s Big Issue seller is celebrating Christmas after a successful four months working from the station’s unique pitch.

Network Rail’s orange army improved the railway and kept West Coast and Chiltern main line customers on the move in 2016.

Network Rail is reminding residents in Lancashire of work on the railway over Christmas as the upgrade of the line between Manchester and Preston continues.

• Speed restrictions and limited service withdrawals announced for Friday as winds of up to 80mph forecast to hit railway in north and west.

• Engineers preparing to deploy across the network to inspect lines, repair damage and reopen any affected routes as quickly as possible.