Durham track upgrade

Our £6 million project to upgrade the track in and around Durham station was completed in February 2023, helping to boost railway reliability and provide smoother journeys for passengers. 

What did we do?

Over five weekends, from 14 January to Sunday 12 February 2023, engineers replaced 860 metres of track and ten points, the specialist pieces of equipment which allow trains to move from one section of track to another.

Vital upgrades to the signalling equipment (the traffic lights of the railway) have also been completed and platforms in the station have been improved.

What are the benefits?

The renewal of tracks in and around Durham will help to improve reliability, allowing passengers to get to where they need to be on time. The tracks have not seen any major work for around 40 years, so this refresh will help to drive down delays and ensure that we can keep running services efficiently, both now and in the future.

Keeping passengers on the move

We worked closely with LNER, which manages the station, as well as other train operators to ensure that there was a robust plan in place to keep passengers moving. There were rail replacement services and rail diversions so that passengers could stay connected whilst these major upgrades went ahead. Completing all this work over five weekends has meant that the railway could remain open throughout the week to help commuters get to work as normal, as well as reducing the amount of work needed in the next few years.

Contact us

For more information or to get in touch with us, please contact us by visiting our contact us page or by calling our 24-hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41.