Rail passengers travelling between Newcastle and Edinburgh are being urged to check their journey before travelling as three weekends of track and drainage work begin on the East Coast Main Line this Saturday (14 September).
Network Rail Scotland is investing £9.2 million on vital improvements that will see the line closed between Edinburgh and Berwick each Saturday and Sunday until Monday 30 September.
On Sunday 22 and 29 September, the Borders Railway will also be closed between Edinburgh and Gorebridge to allow work to take place in the Portobello area.
Engineers will install just over five miles of new railway track at several locations between Edinburgh and Berwick. At the same time, engineers will improve over a mile of drainage at Drem.
When the work is complete, East Coast Main Line passengers will benefit from smoother and more reliable journeys.
To keep passengers on the move, a limited train service will divert around the closure with rail replacement coaches also in operation between Edinburgh and Newcastle during the weekend work.
Ross Moran, route director, Network Rail Scotland said: “Renewing the track on the East Coast Main Line will improve reliability and performance on this busy cross-border route, delivering smoother journeys for passengers.
“We know there’s never a good time to close a railway and we’re grateful to passengers and our neighbours for their patience.
“Our engineers will work around the clock over these three weekends to complete these projects quickly, with as little disruption as possible.
A spokesperson on behalf of LNER, ScotRail, Lumo, CrossCountry, and TransPennine Express said: “Our teams will be working hard to make sure customers reach their destination as quickly as possible while these important upgrades are carried out.
“The latest travel information can be found on our websites and our social media channels. We would encourage all customers to check their journey before they travel.”
Image credit: Network Rail
