Passengers are being thanked for their patience after Preston station reopened this morning following a significant signalling upgrade aimed at improving reliability and reducing future maintenance.
Specialist teams have been working intensively since New Year’s Day to replace outdated 1960s equipment with modern infrastructure. The project involved installing three new signalling gantries at the north end of the station, five new signal posts, and seven LED signal heads.
The new signals are designed to be clearer for train drivers, helping services run more smoothly through the station. In addition, the upgraded technology requires less maintenance than the older bulb-based signals, reducing the need for disruptive closures in the future.
Network Rail, alongside principal contractor VolkerRail, carried out the work during a rare 100-hour closure of Preston station starting on January 1. This upgrade was part of a wider programme of improvements delivered across the West Coast Main Line between London and Cumbria over the festive period.
Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, said:
“We are investing hundreds of millions of pounds to improve future journeys on the West Coast Main Line and these latest projects will make real differences to passenger and freight journeys.”
Image and video credits: Network Rail
