| Re: West Coast Main Line (WCML) upgrade work: Oct 2025 - Jan 2026 (merged topics) Posted by paul7575 at 15:08, 10th January 2026 |     |
Impressed that it only took 21 secs Image not available to guests to move the new bridge:
https://youtu.be/SrhKe1H6DTA?si=H7cTgrFNWNjtcs3i
Video of the replacement span carried by 4 sets of self propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) - speeded up. OHLE gantries preinstalled, I think the ballast was preloaded as well, but not visible from the camera angle.
| Re: West Coast Main Line (WCML) upgrade work: Oct 2025 - Jan 2026 (merged topics) Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:08, 10th January 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Drivers warned over second M6 closure diversions
Image not available to guests
The demolition of Clifton Bridge in Cumbria was completed last weekend
Drivers have been warned to stick to diversion routes as a section of the M6 closes for a second weekend.
The motorway will be closed until 05:00 GMT on Monday between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith part of West Coast Main Line works, which have also seen disruption to train services.
A new bridge will be installed across the M6 after the old Clifton Bridge was demolished last weekend.
National Highways said some drivers avoided the official diversion routes during that time which led to fixed penalty notices being issued.
It urged motorists to use the signed main diversion routes which involve:
- Northbound drivers leaving the M6 at junction 39 to join the A6 and rejoining the M6 at junction 40 via Kemplay roundabout
- Southbound HGVs leaving the M6 at junction 40 and being diverted on to the A1(M) at Scotch Corner via the eastbound A66
- Other southbound drivers leaving at junction 40 diverted along the eastbound A66 to Brough and joining the southbound A685 to rejoin the M6 at junction 38 at Tebay via Kirkby Stephen
A new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure will be moved into place during the 57-hour motorway closure.
Image not available to guests
The demolition of Clifton Bridge in Cumbria was completed last weekend
Drivers have been warned to stick to diversion routes as a section of the M6 closes for a second weekend.
The motorway will be closed until 05:00 GMT on Monday between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith part of West Coast Main Line works, which have also seen disruption to train services.
A new bridge will be installed across the M6 after the old Clifton Bridge was demolished last weekend.
National Highways said some drivers avoided the official diversion routes during that time which led to fixed penalty notices being issued.
It urged motorists to use the signed main diversion routes which involve:
- Northbound drivers leaving the M6 at junction 39 to join the A6 and rejoining the M6 at junction 40 via Kemplay roundabout
- Southbound HGVs leaving the M6 at junction 40 and being diverted on to the A1(M) at Scotch Corner via the eastbound A66
- Other southbound drivers leaving at junction 40 diverted along the eastbound A66 to Brough and joining the southbound A685 to rejoin the M6 at junction 38 at Tebay via Kirkby Stephen
A new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure will be moved into place during the 57-hour motorway closure.
| West Coast Mainline £61m Carlisle signal replacement complete - Jan 2026 Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 19:10, 7th January 2026 | |
From the BBC:
£61m train signal replacement complete
Image not available to guests
A new train signalling system has been installed in Carlisle
A £61m project to upgrade a train signalling system has been completed, on a route which is undergoing a series of upgrades.
The Kingmoor resignalling project on the West Coast Main Line at Carlisle, in Cumbria, has seen 1960s systems modernised, including brighter signal lights and new systems, Network Rail said.
Work began in April, but went live after a seven-day closure of the line between Carlisle and Lockerbie for "final installation, testing and commissioning".
It is as the line between Preston and Carlisle is also closed for the demolition and replacement of the Clifton railway bridge, which is expected to reopen on 15 January.
Network Rail said journeys would be more reliable after the "once-in-a-generation overhaul of the signalling system".
Work carried out by principal contractor Siemens Mobility included:
- 26 lightweight LED signal heads replacing traditional bulbs
- New detection systems to monitor train movements
- Upgrades to track and points for the new systems
- Overhaul of signalling power supplies
- New control panels installed for signallers in Carlisle signal box
- Digital operating systems installed in the signal box relay room
- Upgraded CCTV at Floriston level crossing
Image not available to guests
Brighter LED signals would be easier for train drivers to see, Network Rail said
Buses are running between Oxenholme and Carlisle until 15 January, with a shuttle rail diversion running on the Settle to Carlisle line between Preston and Carlisle.
Meanwhile, the M6 will shut between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith over the weekend, from 20:00 GMT on 9 January to 05:00 on 12 January, so a new bridge can be put in place.
Image not available to guests
A new train signalling system has been installed in Carlisle
A £61m project to upgrade a train signalling system has been completed, on a route which is undergoing a series of upgrades.
The Kingmoor resignalling project on the West Coast Main Line at Carlisle, in Cumbria, has seen 1960s systems modernised, including brighter signal lights and new systems, Network Rail said.
Work began in April, but went live after a seven-day closure of the line between Carlisle and Lockerbie for "final installation, testing and commissioning".
It is as the line between Preston and Carlisle is also closed for the demolition and replacement of the Clifton railway bridge, which is expected to reopen on 15 January.
Network Rail said journeys would be more reliable after the "once-in-a-generation overhaul of the signalling system".
Work carried out by principal contractor Siemens Mobility included:
- 26 lightweight LED signal heads replacing traditional bulbs
- New detection systems to monitor train movements
- Upgrades to track and points for the new systems
- Overhaul of signalling power supplies
- New control panels installed for signallers in Carlisle signal box
- Digital operating systems installed in the signal box relay room
- Upgraded CCTV at Floriston level crossing
Image not available to guests
Brighter LED signals would be easier for train drivers to see, Network Rail said
Buses are running between Oxenholme and Carlisle until 15 January, with a shuttle rail diversion running on the Settle to Carlisle line between Preston and Carlisle.
Meanwhile, the M6 will shut between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith over the weekend, from 20:00 GMT on 9 January to 05:00 on 12 January, so a new bridge can be put in place.
| West Coast Main Line (WCML) upgrade work: Dec 2025 - Jan 2026 (merged topics) Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:02, 6th January 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Rail services resume following upgrade work
Image not available to guests
A mile-long section of track was worked on between Milton Keynes and Northampton
Trains are running once again on a stretch of railway that was upgraded over the festive period.
The Network Rail project involved four railway lines at Hanslope Junction, between Milton Keynes and Northampton, with work beginning on Christmas Eve.
Faults at the junction had caused delays in recent years, and it is hoped the work will reduce disruption for passengers using the West Coast Main Line.
All lines were reopened at 04:00 GMT on Monday.
Image not available to guests
Work was also carried out on one of the platforms at Milton Keynes Central Station
Network Rail said the junction was used by up to 500 trains a day, and the project – which cost £26m – took nearly a year of planning.
Workers replaced 130 track panels and renewed the foundation stone beneath the tracks. There were also improvements made to points, switches and crossings.
Follow-up work is scheduled for Hanslope Junction on 11 and 25 January, with trains between Milton Keynes and Northampton suspended while it takes place.
While the line was closed, other projects took place nearby.
Uneven surfaces on platform 4 at Milton Keynes Central Station were replaced. Elsewhere in Buckinghamshire, there was resurfacing work on platforms 3 and 4 at Wolverton Station to improve stepping distances between trains and the platforms.
At Roade, Northamptonshire, about 1,500m of new rail was installed.
Image not available to guests
A mile-long section of track was worked on between Milton Keynes and Northampton
Trains are running once again on a stretch of railway that was upgraded over the festive period.
The Network Rail project involved four railway lines at Hanslope Junction, between Milton Keynes and Northampton, with work beginning on Christmas Eve.
Faults at the junction had caused delays in recent years, and it is hoped the work will reduce disruption for passengers using the West Coast Main Line.
All lines were reopened at 04:00 GMT on Monday.
Image not available to guests
Work was also carried out on one of the platforms at Milton Keynes Central Station
Network Rail said the junction was used by up to 500 trains a day, and the project – which cost £26m – took nearly a year of planning.
Workers replaced 130 track panels and renewed the foundation stone beneath the tracks. There were also improvements made to points, switches and crossings.
Follow-up work is scheduled for Hanslope Junction on 11 and 25 January, with trains between Milton Keynes and Northampton suspended while it takes place.
While the line was closed, other projects took place nearby.
Uneven surfaces on platform 4 at Milton Keynes Central Station were replaced. Elsewhere in Buckinghamshire, there was resurfacing work on platforms 3 and 4 at Wolverton Station to improve stepping distances between trains and the platforms.
At Roade, Northamptonshire, about 1,500m of new rail was installed.
| Re: Construction completed on new £60m Penrith M6 rail bridge Posted by Mark A at 17:39, 5th January 2026 | |
I'll miss those two bridges, they were a bit of a landmark - with a surprisingly short life.
The 'fun', for travellers on the M6, will continue for some years, various other concrete structures towards Tebay are booked for replacement between, is it about next year and 2030 - and is one of those an M6 road-over-rail bridge?
Mark
| Re: Construction completed on new £60m Penrith M6 rail bridge Posted by eightonedee at 15:37, 5th January 2026 | |
It's a BBC video news clip, 24 seconds long: click on this link to view.
Thanks CfN. Did anyone else think of Leafcutter Ants when watching that clip? Image not available to guests
| Re: Construction completed on new £60m Penrith M6 rail bridge Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:37, 5th January 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Watch M6 Clifton Bridge get demolished as motorway reopens
A concrete railway bridge over a motorway has been demolished and the road has reopened.
The M6 between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith was closed over the weekend as part of West Coast Main Line works, which have also seen disruption to train services.
The 130m-long (427ft) bridge has been removed and a new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure will be moved into place during a further 57-hour motorway closure this coming weekend.
Christian Irwin, Network Rail North West and Central director, said it had been a "mammoth task" to demolish the bridge. Irwin said: "This £60m project forms part of our major investment programme to improve journeys on the West Coast Main Line for passengers and freight for generations to come."
The M6 will be open to motorists this week before it closes at 20:00 GMT on 9 January until 05:00 on 12 January.
Image not available to guests
Rosario Barcena, Skanska UK rail programme director, said the team had completed all of the work safely and the foundations had been laid for the new bridge. He said: "It's been an incredible effort by the entire team to complete the demolition of the former Clifton Bridge, working 24/7 across the weekend to make sure that the M6 motorway could reopen on Monday morning. Technically it was a complex operation which we managed with great precision and care."
Barcena thanked drivers in the region for their patience while the road was closed.
A concrete railway bridge over a motorway has been demolished and the road has reopened.
The M6 between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith was closed over the weekend as part of West Coast Main Line works, which have also seen disruption to train services.
The 130m-long (427ft) bridge has been removed and a new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure will be moved into place during a further 57-hour motorway closure this coming weekend.
Christian Irwin, Network Rail North West and Central director, said it had been a "mammoth task" to demolish the bridge. Irwin said: "This £60m project forms part of our major investment programme to improve journeys on the West Coast Main Line for passengers and freight for generations to come."
The M6 will be open to motorists this week before it closes at 20:00 GMT on 9 January until 05:00 on 12 January.
Image not available to guests
Rosario Barcena, Skanska UK rail programme director, said the team had completed all of the work safely and the foundations had been laid for the new bridge. He said: "It's been an incredible effort by the entire team to complete the demolition of the former Clifton Bridge, working 24/7 across the weekend to make sure that the M6 motorway could reopen on Monday morning. Technically it was a complex operation which we managed with great precision and care."
Barcena thanked drivers in the region for their patience while the road was closed.
It's a BBC video news clip, 24 seconds long: click on this link to view.
| Cross-border rail passengers warned of new year disruption, West Coast Mainline Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:17, 31st December 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Cross-border rail passengers warned of new year disruption
Train passengers are being warned of disruption to cross-border services in the first week of the new year due to major engineering work.
Network Rail says the West Coast Mainline between Lockerbie and Carlisle will be closed from New Year's Day for six days.
Replacement bus services transport passengers between the two stations. Buses will also replace trains between Carlisle and Dumfries when the line is shut from Friday until 6 January.
The cross-border closure is part of a wider shutdown of the line to allow the installation of a new bridge at Clifton, near Penrith.
The 426ft (130m) bridge, which weighs 4,200 tonnes, will carry trains on the West Coast Main Line over the M6.
The removal of the previous bridge and the installation of the new structure begins on Hogmanay and will affect services on the line until 15 January.
Part of the M6 motorway will also be closed and Network Rail says it will use that opportunity to also replace more than 50 miles (80km) of overhead cables. And it added that "significant work" will also take place on an ongoing £61m upgrade to signalling systems north of Carlisle.
Rail passengers are being warned that the West Coast Main Line will be closed:
* From 1-4 January through Preston, between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie
* From 5-6 January between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie. The line through Preston will be open.
* From 7-14 January the line north of Carlisle will be open. The line between Oxenholme and Carlisle will be closed until the early hours of 15 January.
Image not available to guests
Engineers will replace the bridge over the M6 near Clifton
The M6 will be shut between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith on two consecutive weekends.
The closures will take place between 20:00 on Friday 2 January and 05:00 on Monday 5 January, and between 20:00 on Friday 9 January and 05:00 on Monday 12 January.
William Brandon, Network Rail's project manager, said: "This is a vital project which will improve journeys for passengers for decades to come." He added: "We appreciate passengers' patience while this work is completed, and I would urge anyone planning to travel in this period to check National Rail Enquiries in advance."
Chris Liptrot, operations director at Avanti West Coast, said it would operate an amended timetable. "Some journeys between the north-west, Carlisle, and Scotland will involve changes onto a shuttle service as well as rail replacement buses," he added. "We strongly advise customers to plan ahead and check their journey before travelling."
Train passengers are being warned of disruption to cross-border services in the first week of the new year due to major engineering work.
Network Rail says the West Coast Mainline between Lockerbie and Carlisle will be closed from New Year's Day for six days.
Replacement bus services transport passengers between the two stations. Buses will also replace trains between Carlisle and Dumfries when the line is shut from Friday until 6 January.
The cross-border closure is part of a wider shutdown of the line to allow the installation of a new bridge at Clifton, near Penrith.
The 426ft (130m) bridge, which weighs 4,200 tonnes, will carry trains on the West Coast Main Line over the M6.
The removal of the previous bridge and the installation of the new structure begins on Hogmanay and will affect services on the line until 15 January.
Part of the M6 motorway will also be closed and Network Rail says it will use that opportunity to also replace more than 50 miles (80km) of overhead cables. And it added that "significant work" will also take place on an ongoing £61m upgrade to signalling systems north of Carlisle.
Rail passengers are being warned that the West Coast Main Line will be closed:
* From 1-4 January through Preston, between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie
* From 5-6 January between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie. The line through Preston will be open.
* From 7-14 January the line north of Carlisle will be open. The line between Oxenholme and Carlisle will be closed until the early hours of 15 January.
Image not available to guests
Engineers will replace the bridge over the M6 near Clifton
The M6 will be shut between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith on two consecutive weekends.
The closures will take place between 20:00 on Friday 2 January and 05:00 on Monday 5 January, and between 20:00 on Friday 9 January and 05:00 on Monday 12 January.
William Brandon, Network Rail's project manager, said: "This is a vital project which will improve journeys for passengers for decades to come." He added: "We appreciate passengers' patience while this work is completed, and I would urge anyone planning to travel in this period to check National Rail Enquiries in advance."
Chris Liptrot, operations director at Avanti West Coast, said it would operate an amended timetable. "Some journeys between the north-west, Carlisle, and Scotland will involve changes onto a shuttle service as well as rail replacement buses," he added. "We strongly advise customers to plan ahead and check their journey before travelling."
| Re: Construction completed on new £60m Penrith M6 rail bridge Posted by Mark A at 21:36, 21st October 2025 | |
I was fond of the sight of that pair of WCML M6 bridges at Penrith as they consisted of graceful if massive spans. The short life of certain concrete structures is... quite something. Some Angloscottish diversions via the Settle and Carlisle for this, which is a reversal of the bustitution that's happened for the last epoch.
Another that will bite the M6 in a couple of years time - and for several years duration - is the replacement of a series of concrete motorway structures close to Tebay, presumably for similar reasons.
Mark
| West Coast Main Line (WCML) upgrade work: Oct 2025 - Jan 2026 (merged topics) Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:10, 21st October 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Image not available to guests
Construction of a new £60m railway bridge set to go over the M6 has been completed.
The bridge, which is 130m (426ft) tall and weighs around 3,000 tonnes, will replace the old Clifton bridge which crosses the M6 near Penrith in Cumbria and carries trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line.
Network Rail said the old bridge would be removed and the new one installed in the new year, leading to motorway and railway closures.
William Brandon, Network Rail's project manager, said the bridge would improve the "safety and reliability" of the line for passengers and reduce train delays. "We are working with National Highways to reduce any disruption caused by this vital upgrade," he said.
No trains will run on the West Coast Main Line from Oxenholme to Carlisle between 31 December and 15 January 2026.
Image not available to guests
Chris Liptrot, operations director at Avanti West Coast, said services between the North West, Carlisle and Scotland would be amended during this time. He said passengers should plan ahead and check the National Rail website before travelling.
The M6 will also be shut on two consecutive weekends - 2 to 5 January and 9 to 12 January - in both directions between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith. Diversions will be in place, with routes to be released closer to the time.
Construction of a new £60m railway bridge set to go over the M6 has been completed.
The bridge, which is 130m (426ft) tall and weighs around 3,000 tonnes, will replace the old Clifton bridge which crosses the M6 near Penrith in Cumbria and carries trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line.
Network Rail said the old bridge would be removed and the new one installed in the new year, leading to motorway and railway closures.
William Brandon, Network Rail's project manager, said the bridge would improve the "safety and reliability" of the line for passengers and reduce train delays. "We are working with National Highways to reduce any disruption caused by this vital upgrade," he said.
No trains will run on the West Coast Main Line from Oxenholme to Carlisle between 31 December and 15 January 2026.
Image not available to guests
Chris Liptrot, operations director at Avanti West Coast, said services between the North West, Carlisle and Scotland would be amended during this time. He said passengers should plan ahead and check the National Rail website before travelling.
The M6 will also be shut on two consecutive weekends - 2 to 5 January and 9 to 12 January - in both directions between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith. Diversions will be in place, with routes to be released closer to the time.
