Rail professionals across the North West are being advised of a significant infrastructure upgrade set to take place next February, as Network Rail prepares to deliver a once-in-a-generation renewal of track and signalling systems on the southern approach to Manchester Piccadilly station.
The £7.9 million investment will modernise a critical stretch of railway infrastructure dating back to the 1980s. The works will see the replacement of 11 sets of points, renewal of 9,000 metres of cabling, and the upgrade of timber sleepers to concrete across six lines. Lineside equipment will also be brought up to modern standards, enhancing both passenger and freight operations.
This long-awaited upgrade targets a key bottleneck in the region’s rail network. Any failure in this ageing infrastructure has the potential to disrupt services across the entire Manchester area. Once completed, the works are expected to deliver a substantial improvement in reliability and resilience.
Julien Dehornoy, Network Rail’s North West & Central deputy regional managing director, said:
“We’re investing £7.9m in renewing the Piccadilly corridor, a stretch of track critical to the journeys of around 400,000 trains into Manchester every year.
This work is going to significantly reduce disruption for the many passengers who regularly use this route. Once the job is done, we will have a better, more reliable railway.
The major overhaul over six railway lines can only take place during a full railway closure and we are working closely with train operators, TfGM and Manchester City Council on alternative travel plans to keep people on the move, the full details on which will be published in mid-November."
To facilitate the scale of the works, a full closure of the southern and eastern approaches to Manchester Piccadilly will be in place for nine days over the February half-term (Saturday 14 – Sunday 22). Services from the north and direct links to Manchester Airport will also be affected. Trains will terminate at alternative stations such as Stockport, with Manchester Piccadilly’s concourse remaining open and limited westbound services operating from platforms 13 and 14.
Staff coordination will be critical during this period, with teams deployed to support onward travel via bus and the Metrolink Bee Network. The collaborative planning effort between Network Rail, train operators, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Manchester City Council aims to minimise disruption and maintain passenger confidence.
Simon Elliott, Network Director Rail at TfGM, commented:
“This investment in Manchester Piccadilly’s rail infrastructure is a crucial step forward in delivering a reliable and resilient railway for passengers, freight and supporting the city-region’s continued economic growth.
While unfortunately there will be some short-term disruption due to the nature of the works, through the Bee Network we’re committed to working with rail industry colleagues to ensure people can still move easily across Greater Manchester while these essential upgrades take place.”
A spokesperson for train operators added:
“This work will improve the reliability of trains running into the region’s busiest station.”
Image credits Network Rail
