Later this year, there will be severe disruption to railway services in Greater Manchester when the line between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale is closed for 19 days so that a major railway bridge over the M62 can be rebuilt
The line will be closed from 6 to 24 September so that Network Rail can rebuild the 42m long, 2000 tonne bridge over the M62 at Castleton near Rochdale.
The bridge is known as Castleton Bridge and is used by around 3000 rail freight trains a year, including 6% of the UK's energy supply carried by freight trains to and from Drax power station.
During the closure rail-replacement bus services will provide alternative transport.
The replacement of Castleton bridge is essential for the safe running of our railway
Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor
Before the new bridge can be built, the old one must be dismantled and removed from the site, which will be done using the M62. The motorway will also be used to deliver materials and build the new bridge on site.
This work will require the complete closure of the M62 between Junctions 18 and 20 from the evening of Friday, 6 to early morning Monday, 9 September, and the evening of Friday, 20 to early morning Monday 23, September.
When the M62 is not closed completely, it will be reduced to three lanes. However, work to the base of the bridge will require nightly closures of the motorway.
Diversionary routes during the M62 closure have not yet been fixed, but Network Rail and National Highways are liaising with Rochdale Council, Oldham Council and Transport for Greater Manchester to establish and publish them as soon as it is available.
Also in Greater Manchester, the Hope Valley line was recently closed for nine days during a major upgrade, and old mine shafts were found underneath the station at Walkden during work to install lifts at the station.
The replacement of Castleton bridge is essential for the safe running of our railway, and crucial to the country's economy as 6% of the UK's energy supply relies on the bridge for transportation.
I'd like to thank passengers and motorists for their understanding while we carry out this work. Please, check before you travel on the M62 or between Manchester and Rochdale in September 2024.
Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor,
The collaboration between Network Rail and National Highways highlights our commitment to minimising disruption for both rail and road users during this essential project.
We appreciate the understanding of passengers and motorists during this work and urge them to check travel plans for September 2024.
National Highways is actively working with Network Rail to communicate the impact on road users and ensure a smooth process during this important upgrade, more information will be shared in the coming months.
Amy Williams, regional director at National Highways
Castleton bridge is an essential part of the country's freight network and is on a key freight route across the Pennines which links the west and east sides of the country..
Heavy freight trains, which deliver aggregate products so the construction sector can keep building roads and houses, run over the bridge as well as several daily biomass services to Drax power station, which provide power to the national grid for electricity.
David Hunter, Network Rail's senior freight manager
Why not use the Bolton, Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Copy Pit, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Halifax route to Leeds and/or Drax.
If, like the Colne to Skipton route, had been reopened like SELRAP (Skipton, East Lancs Rly) group had been pushing for for years,, there would have been another alternative route, but short sighted politicians have turned it down time and time again.
Another alternative is from Blackburn via Whalley and Clitheroe to Hellifield, reverse, to Keighley and Leeds and Drax.
The closure of railways in this part of the country I see diabolical and shortsighted, Other parts of the country, especially Scotland, manage to reopen lines, why not Englsand.
Great planning again !! You have a six week window in the school summer holidays where the road network is less congested … why start when kids are just going back to school?
In the old days there was alternative routes, sadly closed. Again lack of foresight
Either further North via Bolton & Burnley
or further South via Huddersfied or through Hope Valley.
Well there is the Blackburn line to Hebden Bridge or the Huddersfield line.
The bridge is known as Castleton Bridge and is used by around 3000 rail freight trains a year, including 6% of the UK’s energy supply carried by freight trains to and from Drax power station.
During the closure rail-replacement bus services will provide alternative transport.
I don’t think bus services will work very well for supplying Drax! How will all the freight trains be re-routed?