Network Rail has announced that major upgrades are being undertaken on the East Coast Main Line.
Taking place between York and Newcastle over two weekends in March, the work will see new switches and crossing being installed, as well as replacement work being made to the overhead electric wires. Parts of the signalling system will also be completed near Durham.
Darlington will also see further work being done as part of the project to upgrade the railway station, which will improve the experience for passengers travelling through, with Durham and Chester-le-Street stations also seeing upgrades in the form of new track being laid.
The aim of the work will be to ensure that journeys are smoother and more reliable across the East Coast Main Line.
Network Rail’s East Coast Route Director, Paul Rutter, said:
“Our teams will be working around the clock over these two weekends to deliver vital improvements to passengers’ journeys as they travel along the East Coast Main Line.
“Work on track will mean smoother and more reliable journeys as we replace switches that have been in place for many years with brand new equipment, while upgrades at Darlington station are part of the major enhancement project that will deliver a vastly improved experience as passengers travel to and from the station.”
With the work taking place, some services will be disrupted, with LNER operating a reduced timetable of one train per hour in each direction between London King’s Cross and Scotland. These trains will be diverted around the work, meaning journeys potentially being extended by an hour.
Image credit: iStock
