THIS weekend will be the first of a series of closures to the West Coast Main Line at Preston station due to essential railway improvements. 

The complexity of upgrading switches and crossings means the railway will need to close completely between Wigan North Western and Lancaster on:

  • Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 February
  • Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 February
  • Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 March
  • Sunday 12 March

This also means no trains will serve Preston station at all on those dates.

Avanti West Coast staff will be on hand to help passengers stay on the move through rail replacement bus services which be in operation between Wigan North Western, Preston and Lancaster.

Where the West Coast main line is open, passengers are advised that:

  • fewer trains will be running,
  • services are expected to be busy,
  • journeys will take longer than usual,
  • people should check before they travel at www.nationarail.co.uk.

Network Rail is investing £1.5m to upgrade railway foundation stone and six switches and crossings – moving sections of track which allow trains to change lines.

The first-weekend closure on the West Coast main line on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 February coincides with railway improvements on the East Coast Main Line.