Our teams will carry out essential upgrades and maintenance across Britain this August bank holiday weekend.
It will give you and freight a stronger, modern and more resilient railway – one that will lead to better, more reliable and smoother journeys.
Find out what we’ve got planned – in numbers …
£84.3m
Our investment in the railway over the long weekend.
440
The number of small and large projects across Britain. Many of our bank holiday works are planned years in advance so they cause less disruption to your journeys. We aim to minimise the impact of our works by scheduling them during the bank holidays where possible. Find out more.
First
We’ll test the first long distance train with digital in-cab signalling tech on the East Coast Main Line between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin. It’s part of our work to introduce digital signalling on this route from late next year – for greener and more reliable trains.
Five
We’ll install five sets of switches and crossings – the moveable rails that allow trains to change lines – at Crystal Palace Junction in South London. Switches and crossings have an especially limited lifespan because trains cause wear and change the shape of these pieces of track when they travel across them. This upgrade will lead to better and smoother journeys.
Seven
The kilometres of the Severn tunnel we’ll work on in Gloucestershire. Engineers will compact the ballast – the stones that support the track – to realign and level the track. We’ll also upgrade the overhead lines, which give power to electric trains, in the tunnel. It’s essential work that will keep your journeys through this famous Victorian tunnel running reliably for years.
45
The number of engineering trains helping this bank holiday. These special trains carry our people and equipment to and from work sites.
Seven
The number of Kirow cranes. We can use these huge cranes for work including lifting very heavy objects like large sections of track or bridges.
18,120
The metres of new rail we’ll lay this bank holiday. Replacing old and worn-out track with new is a vital and frequent job to keep your trains running safely and reliably.
935
The total number of sleepers getting installed. They’re the concrete, wood or recycled plastic rectangular blocks that support the rail.
11,980
We’ll also install tonnes of new ballast – or stones – to support the track. They help the track with drainage and make sure the sleepers stay in place to prevent the track moving.
552
We’ll use hundreds of wagons to help move material around our work sites safely..
