Engineering work will be taking place this weekend between Leicester and Bedford to make changes to how trains are controlled in the Wigston area.
The signals in Wigston and much of the East Midlands are controlled from the East Midlands Control Centre in Derby. Signallers sit (or stand) at workstations and – among other tasks – monitor train movements, level crossings and give safe access for rail workers to get onto the tracks to carry out maintenance and respond to incidents.
The current workstation in Kettering has increased in capacity over recent years, thanks to the ongoing enhancements from the Midland Main Line electrification project. As part of Network Rail's commitment to future-proofing this critical route, the original workstation is being divided into two.
This strategic move will not only reduce the workload on signallers but also allow more teams to access the railway simultaneously, thereby improving safety and enhancing the reliability of train performance.
No trains can run while the signalling is being altered to protect safety.
Dan Matthews, head of operations delivery for Network Rail said:
“Signalling systems are vital in running a safe and reliable rail network and installing a new workstation will allow our teams to operate the system more effectively for passengers travelling through the East Midlands.”
Photo credit: iStock
