Drone footage has been released by Network Rail to show the scale of the multi-million-pound upgrade of a major railway junction near Warrington which begins this weekend.
Between 20 July and 4 August, Network Rail will be upgrading track, cabling, overhead lines and signalling on the busy Acton Grange junction, which is used by more than 260 trains every day.
The aerial video shows the massive compound and crane already in place in preparation for the biggest upgrade project.
While the £27 million Great North Rail Project scheme takes place, many train services will be diverted via alternative routes.
Train operators and Network Rail have agreed a plan to keep passengers moving throughout the work.
This section of the West Coast main line helps connect Chester and Warrington to Manchester in the east and Wigan, Preston, the Lake District and Scotland to the West Midlands and London.
The vital upgrade this summer will bring the outdated track and equipment up to modern standards and further improve the reliability of the economically important West Coast main line.
The plan may mean passengers have to change onto different trains or buses for sections of their journeys.
Passengers are being reminded to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before travelling.
They are also advised to allow more time for their journeys as services are likely to be busier than usual.
What did the officials say?
David Golding, acting route managing director, said:
“The West Coast main line is Europe's busiest mixed-use railway. It is the economic backbone of Britain.
“With more than 260 trains using this junction every day, it is vital to keep it in good condition. We need to replace it and upgrade it to ensure a reliable railway for passengers for many years to come.
“To deliver work of this scale and magnitude, we must close the junction for 16 days this summer. The alternative would be many weekends of disruption to passengers and much higher cost.
“We have worked closely with our train and freight operator colleagues to minimise the disruption and to keep as many trains moving as possible. I would urge passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk.”
Robert Nisbet, regional director for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the railway, said:
“This vital engineering work is part of the rail industry's plan to improve punctuality and make journeys better while keeping disruption to a minimum as much as we can.
“We encourage people who are planning to take the train during these weeks to check before they travel by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk or speaking to their train operator.”
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