Network Rail has revealed that it has successfully completed track renewal work at Alfreton Tunnel in Derbyshire, after train services on the Erewash Valley line between Sheffield and Nottingham were disrupted last weekend to allow the work to take place.

Its engineering workers spent the weekend of Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August renewing nearly half a kilometre of the track which runs through the tunnel, which is located near the town of Alfreton in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire.

Over the next two weekends, Network Rail engineers will carry out further track renewal and work on drainage systems in the area.

Network Rail’s teams of engineering workers replaced life-expired track components, which will help to improve the comfort and quality of train rides.

It will also reduce the likelihood of faults developing on this stretch of the railway in future.

Workers put in place specialist safety measures for when they were working inside the tunnel, which included mobile ventilation systems to keep air flowing.

The present Alfreton Tunnel opened in 1901 and is 770 metres long. It stands alongside and parallel to the disused Alfreton Old Tunnel, which opened in 1847 under the name Cotes Park Tunnel.

The Old Tunnel, which was a twin-track structure, became a bottleneck and was taken out of use. It is hired out by Network Rail as a location for filming.

Network Rail worked closely with train operators Northern and East Midlands Railway to minimise the disruption that the work caused to passengers. They ran amended train services and rail replacement buses during the weekend.

“I’d like to thank passengers and our industry partners for their patience while we carried out this important work at Alfreton Tunnel.

“The successful renewal of nearly half a kilometre of track will help us provide smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers and freight services using this route for years to come.

“I’m grateful to everyone involved in delivering the project safely and efficiently, and to passengers for planning ahead while the work took place.”

Eric Larocque, Network Rail operations director