Network Rail to deliver £7.1m upgrade between Newcastle and Scotland in September

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Network Rail is set to deliver a £7.1 million package of railway infrastructure improvements between Newcastle and Scotland over three weekends. The work is scheduled for 19-20 September, 26-27 September, and 3-4 October, with sites located across several areas in the North East of England.

The work includes laying over 3.2 kilometres of new track at Heaton North, Morpeth, and Shortridge, as well as replacing or refurbishing eight sets of points at Heaton North, Morpeth, Alnmouth, and Tweedmouth. The renewal of points and crossing equipment will enable trains to switch between tracks, improving operational reliability.

Network Rail will also renew 1.5 kilometres of overhead line equipment to support more reliable electric train services. At Scremerston, track drainage will be upgraded, while over 4 miles of drainage along the route will be cleared to reduce the risk of flooding and weather-related delays. In addition, the work includes vegetation management to maintain signal visibility and prevent trees and leaves from coming into contact with overhead power lines and causing service disruptions.

Mandatory safety inspections of track, points, and structures will also be carried out during the work to maintain a safe and reliable railway operation. This £7.1 million investment comes on top of a £4.6 million project between North Berwick and Dunbar in Scotland.

Gunnar Lindahl, joint operations director for Network Rail and London North Eastern Railway (LNER), said this is a major project that will help deliver more reliable rail services for passengers and freight customers between Newcastle and Scotland. The three weekends of work will deliver a package of improvements, including renewing track, points, drainage, and overhead line equipment on the route. He emphasised that by investing in key infrastructure, reliability can be improved, reducing the risk of delays caused by flooding and faults, providing smoother and more reliable journeys for passenger and freight services.

The line will be closed during the work, with some train services diverted and rail replacement services operating at affected locations across the three weekends.