Passengers in Stalybridge can soon look forward to a faster and more reliable service as Network Rail reach the crucial halfway mark for the area’s Transpennine Route Upgrade.
Engineers have been “working around the clock” to achieve the biggest milestone in the programme to date, with a full junction renovation, vital signalling upgrades and the foundations for future electrification all included in the works.
The last two weeks specifically has seen the installation of:
- 2km of new track;
- 25 new signals;
- 54 new switches and crossing components;
- Overhead line equipment.
Network Rail say such work will all contribute to speedier and more dependable trains throughout the region, with the Transpennine Route Upgrade project set to revolutionise the North’s rail infrastructure by strengthening links between towns and cities with cleaner and greener railways.
Industry Programme Director for Transpennine Route Upgrade, Hannah Lomas, said: “It’s fantastic to see the amount of progress that has been made over the last two weeks at Stalybridge. This package of work is the largest to date on the Transpennine Route Upgrade, so it’s a huge milestone for both the project and the programme as a whole.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank passengers for bearing with us while we complete these major upgrades. We do appreciate that there’s no ideal time to close the railway, but we hope that our work so far highlights just a small part of the long-term benefits that the Transpennine Route Upgrade is set to bring to rail travel.”
Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, Chris Nutton, added: “It’s fantastic to see the work being carried out at Stalybridge as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, bringing us one step closer to delivering a railway fit for the 21st century.”
With the works set to be completed by the 6th of April 2023, Network Rail is reminding passengers travelling across the Pennines to allow extra time for their journeys and use the National Rail Journey Planner.
