Passengers using the West Coast Main Line over the festive season are being advised to plan ahead as a major programme of improvements is set to transform key parts of the route. The work, which runs from 25 December to 15 January, will see thousands of Network Rail engineers deployed along the 309-mile corridor between London and the Scottish border.

Several large-scale projects form the backbone of the investment, including the £60m replacement of a 130-metre bridge over the M6 near Penrith and a £26m upgrade at Hanslope Junction north of Milton Keynes, one of the busiest junctions on the line. Engineers will also press ahead with a rolling £61m programme to modernise signalling systems north of Carlisle, while a further £6m will go towards replacing ageing signalling gantries at Preston station.

Alongside these headline schemes, teams will carry out improvements across the route, ranging from overhead line renewals and track work to platform upgrades and bridge maintenance. The programme is part of a wider £400m investment in both the northern and southern sections of the line over the next four years, aimed at boosting reliability and preparing the network for future demand.

To deliver the work safely, significant parts of the line will close for a 22-day period from Christmas Eve. Network Rail and train operators have planned diversions where possible, including rerouting long-distance services via the Settle to Carlisle line for the first time in ten years. Where no alternative rail paths exist, replacement buses will operate to keep passengers moving.

Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail’s capital delivery director for the North West & Central region, said:

“This critical work we are delivering over the festive period is a key part of our ongoing major investment plan for the West Coast Main Line, one of the UK's busiest rail routes. These projects will enhance the experience for passengers and freight, improve reliability and performance across the railway line, and ensure it remains fit for purpose for decades to come. We know that this work will cause some disruption for those travelling during the festive season so please plan your journeys as early as possible by visiting National Rail Enquiries.”

Image: Network Rail