Teams from Network Rail will be giving up spending the festive period with their families to deliver vital upgrades to the railway in North Yorkshire.
Between Christmas Eve and Wednesday, 27 December, hundreds of colleagues will be working on a number of projects in and around York and Selby, which will help to boost reliability and improve services for passengers.
In York railway station, colleagues will work to renew track, including switches and crossings, which are the specialist pieces of equipment which allow trains to move from one piece of track to another. Work to install overhead line equipment, which powers trains on the route, will also take place.
Further north, Network Rail teams will work to renew track and ballast, the specialist stones which the rails sit on, between Skelton and Beningbrough. Both of the projects will provide smoother journeys for passengers, as well as a more reliable railway.
Work will also take place as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Track will be renewed in Holgate, York and, in Colton, which is on the route between York and Leeds, engineers will work to install overhead line equipment and upgrade signalling.
In Barkston Ash, Selby, the railway bridge over the A162 London Road is also being replaced, enabling more frequent and faster electric trains on the line in the future. A clearly signposted diversion will be in place for road users.
The work is taking place over the Christmas period as no trains run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, meaning the upgrades can take place without impacting on passengers.
Paul Rutter, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Coast route, said: “The work we’re doing in North Yorkshire over the Christmas period will help to boost reliability as we head into 2024.
“Our teams will be out and about over the festive period to deliver this significant work, and they will be carrying out the work when no services are scheduled to run, reducing disruption for travellers.
“We look forward to completing this work and seeing passengers benefit from smoother journeys and a more modern railway.”
Image credit: Network Rail
