Network Rail hails £84m bank holiday work as over 400 projects delivered on time

An £84m programme of August bank holiday works has been hailed a success after being delivered on time by a 9,600-strong workforce.

Over 400 projects were taken on over the bank holiday with work including the replacement of a vital junction outside of London Euston station at North Wembley and a complete renewal of Factory Junction, one of London's busiest rail junctions.

The programme of work was part of Network Rail’s five-year railway upgrade plan – a multi-billion-pound investment in the rail network which will improve passenger journeys in the months and years ahead.

Passengers have been thanked by rail bosses and operators for their understanding with many routes closed from Saturday to Monday, including the West Coast main line. Commuters were also without London Euston for the second weekend as it closed to replace North Wembley junction.

Passengers are being reminded that, to complete the replacement, the line and London Euston station will be closed to trains for the third and final time this weekend (1-2 September) as improvements look to provide a more reliable railway.

Martin Frobisher, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “This work is part of our ongoing Railway Upgrade Plan which will provide customers with a better railway. There is never a good time to carry out work that affects services, but we worked closely with the train operators for it to cause the least amount of disruption. I would like to thank passengers for their understanding while we complete these vital upgrades.”

Elsewhere, Network Rail confirmed 400m of track was renewed in Canley, Coventry and work continued on a £5m drainage project in Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull, to reduce the risk of flooding on the line between Birmingham International and Coventry.

Andrew Conroy, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway said: “We put a lot of work into making sure that people who had to travel this weekend could keep moving.  While we would all have preferred to be running a full train service , our customers responded well and we should also thank those who heeded the message to travel on alternative days.”