Train passengers will benefit from better and more reliable journeys after a £148 million Christmas programme of investment was completed on time, Network Rail said.
The public sector company announced that 330 projects were successfully carried out over the festive period ahead of the first working day of 2019.
A number of lines were closed during the work, forcing passengers to take alternative routes or travel on replacement buses.
The programme saw new bridges built, miles of track replaced and new signalling equipment brought into use.
This included:
– Upgrading overhead wires at Forest Gate, east London as part of the Great Eastern Main Line enhancement
– Signalling upgrades in Merseyside to improve reliability and boost capacity
– New track in Battersea, south London to replace infrastructure built in the mid-1970s for London Victoria services
A 25,000-strong workforce, from engineers and track layers to project managers and station staff, were on duty during the festive period.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: “Over Christmas and New Year thousands of rail workers have been working round the clock to keep the railway running and to deliver crucial improvements to the network as part of the £50 billion railway upgrade plan.
“Our decision to do work at this time of year is entirely based on the fact that many regular passengers take this time as holiday, so it causes disruption to the smallest number of people.
“We really appreciate the patience of those who have been affected by this essential work, which will lead to better and more reliable train services.”
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