Motorists, rail passengers, and local residents are being thanked after the first phase of a £60m renewal project on the West Coast Main Line was successfully completed this weekend.
The ambitious scheme near Penrith, Cumbria, involves removing and replacing the 130-metre-long Clifton Bridge over two consecutive weekends in January 2026. Network Rail and principal contractor Skanska achieved a key milestone in the early hours of Monday (5 January) when the original 1960s-built structure was demolished.
The operation required a full closure of the M6 motorway between junctions 39 and 40 from 8pm on Friday 2 January until 5am on Monday 5 January. A fleet of some of the UK’s largest excavators worked around the clock to dismantle the concrete bridge, which had spanned six lanes of traffic for nearly 60 years.
Hundreds of spectators gathered to witness the dramatic transformation as the bridge was reduced to rubble in just hours. Timelapse footage released today captures the scale of the operation, which concluded ahead of schedule with the motorway reopening at 3.50am—70 minutes early.
For the next week, thousands of motorists will pass beneath a striking gap in the West Coast Main Line where the bridge once stood. This will be filled next weekend when a new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure is installed during a further 57-hour motorway closure (8pm Friday 9 January to 5am Monday 12 January).
With the railway currently severed, passengers are urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for travel updates until Wednesday 15 January, when the project is due for completion and train services resume.
Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail’s North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, said:
“The demolition of Clifton bridge has been a mammoth task and I’d like to thank drivers who’ve had to use the road diversions, rail users whose journeys have changed and people local to the construction site who’ve been extremely patient with all the noise and disruption.
This £60m project forms part of our major investment programme to improve journeys on the West Coast Main Line for passengers and freight for generations to come.”
Rosario Barcena, Skanska UK rail programme director, added:
“It's been an incredible effort by the entire team to complete the demolition of the former Clifton Bridge, working 24/7 across the weekend to make sure that the M6 motorway could re-open on Monday morning.
Technically it was a complex operation which we managed with great precision and care. The works were completed safely, with the support structures that the new 4,200 tonne bridge will sit on successfully retained.
It's been a super-collaborative approach with Network Rail, National Highways and our supply chain team. I'd also like to extend my thanks to people travelling in the region and the local community for their understanding while we undertake these essential works.”
This project is part of a wider programme of upgrades along the West Coast Main Line over the festive period, representing nearly £200m of investment. Over the next four years, a total of £400m will be spent improving infrastructure between London and Cumbria.
Also today (Monday 5 January), a major junction between Northampton and Milton Keynes reopened following a £26m track renewal that began on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Preston station resumed operations after a 100-hour closure for signalling and structural upgrades.
Image and video credits: Network Rail
