Overnight improvement work on Settle to Carlisle line (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Overnight improvement work on Settle to Carlisle line

12:05pm Friday 5th February 2010

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MORE than 20 miles of track on the famous Settle to Carlisle line will be replaced as part of a £100m project to improve the track.

Network Rail has said that the work, which will cost £12m and will start in April, is set to be carried out overnight on weekdays in order to minimise disruption to passengers.

The work will see the culmination of a five-year plan to replace the majority of the old, jointed railway track on the 72 mile-long line with modern, continuously welded rails, which will give passengers a smoother, quieter ride, reduce wear and tear on train wheels and need less maintenance.

Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s route director, said: “With all the track renewal, signalling improvements and work on bridges and viaducts along the route, we will have invested around £100m in the line over the last five years.

“This is an incredible amount of money when you consider that British Rail wanted to close it completely not so many years ago.

“Since those dark days, the line has gone from strength to strength.”

Most of the work, which will be carried out at 22 different sites, will be on the northbound line north of Appleby and will use the New Track Construction train, which re-lays the rail track in front of itself and can cover up to 600 yards of track per night.

South of Appleby, there are seven individual worksites, all on the southbound line.

Work is expected to be completed in September.

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