26.03.18
NR set to reach major Shotts electrification milestone over Easter
Network Rail will reach a major milestone on the Shotts electrification programme this Easter as it looks to deliver a £2m programme of upgrades.
The closure of the West Coast Main Line will give engineers time to ‘tie-in’ new and existing overhead wire at Midcalder Junction.
Around 35 members of staff will work 900 hours between Saturday 31 March and Tuesday 3 April will put up 36 metal stanchions and other steelwork as well as install multiple cables and wires.
Tie-in is already complete on the western side of the project at Holytown Junction, and the completion of the works at Easter will signal a huge stride forward in the upgrade.
Brian Mallon, Network Rail programme manager for the Shotts Line Electrification project, said: “While we appreciate that closing lines is never convenient, we have scheduled this work in such a way as to minimise disruption over the Easter holiday period when fewer people are travelling.
“With the lines closed as part of the UK wide programme of Bank Holiday works, it gives us the chance to undertake a range of additional works on the electrification programme and focus on completing the complex challenge of wiring and energising Midcalder Junction.”
And Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail added: “This Easter, thousands of rail workers will be working round the clock to deliver crucial upgrades to the rail network as part of the £50bn Railway Upgrade Plan.
“This huge investment programme will provide faster, better services and help relieve over-crowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain’s railways.”