15.11.13
Electrification work planned for Manchester Victoria station
Major work is set to take place at Manchester Victoria this Christmas as part of the north west electrification scheme, which will see electric services introduced from December 2014.
Northern Rail services will not serve the station from Christmas Eve to Thursday, 2 January, allowing Network Rail to deliver the next stage of the programme.
Some services will run from Oxford Road or Salford Central, rail replacement services will be in place, and Metrolink will continue to operate as normal.
Martin Frobisher, area director for Network Rail said: “With more passengers and more journeys being made than ever before, demand for rail is booming. The work happening at Manchester Victoria is a key part of our plans to improve rail across Manchester and the north of England.
“This project represents a significant investment in the railway in Manchester and in conjunction with the Northern Hub will see more trains and faster journeys, improving travel between major towns and cities across the north.
“There is never a good time to carry out major work and on balance, completing the work over the holiday period was the best time to complete this essential project. Train services are quieter at this time of year and fewer people are expected to experience changes to their travel plans compared to the alternative, which would have been to stagger the work over dozens of weekends and bank holidays.”
Lee Wasnidge, area director for Northern Rail said: “The long awaited redevelopment of this station is transforming the city around Victoria. This nine day blockade over Christmas will see the new concourse developing on the station as well as structural work to support electrification as it evolves across the North West.”
RTM’s feature on the other works going on as part of the major Victoria station upgrade can be found here.
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]