Stunning pictures reveal scale of Peterborough railway works

Stunning pictures of works taking place in Peterborough to improve rail services have shown the scale of the huge operation.
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Works to create a new 'dive under' at Werrington to improve services on the East Coast Mainline are current;y taking place.

A massive 11,000 tonne curved concrete box which weighs more than the Eiffel Tower, is being installed in a painstaking nine-day operation as part of the £1.2bn upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.

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Engineers have spent the last nine months building the new tunnel by the side of the East Coast Main Line as trains have sped past between London and Edinburgh.

The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNERThe works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER
The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER

Now pictures taken using a drone have revealed the full extent of the works taking place.

A spokesman for Network Rail said; "With the East Coast Main Line tracks at Werrington removed, our East Coast Upgrade teams are making good progress excavating earth from in front of our 155 metre, 11,000 tonne tunnel so it can be pushed forward."

Using a traditional method of installing a tunnel on the crucial stretch of the line would have meant closing it completely for about a month. But the pre-constructed structure will be installed in just nine days – and means a reduced level of service will be able to operate at the same time.

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Paul Rutter, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Coast Route, said: “This is a massive engineering challenge, but it will avoid hundreds of hours of closure on one of the most important lines in the country.

The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNERThe works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER
The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER

“This is industry leading work that really puts the needs of passengers first in how we approach improvement work.

“In the past, Network Rail might have approached this problem by thinking about the easiest way to do the engineering. Instead, I’m proud to say we have come up with a creative and innovative solution that will deliver massive benefits while keeping disruption to a minimum.”

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Rail Minister, Chris Heaton Harris, said: “This is an astonishing feat, underlining this country’s reputation for pioneering engineering and delivering major upgrades for passengers.

The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNERThe works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER
The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER

“By undertaking a project of this magnitude now we are making the most of our railways being quieter, putting in place vital new infrastructure that will improve our railways for when passengers are safe to return.”

The work is being carried out at Werrington, north of Peterborough, where the East Coast Main Line is crossed by a slow-moving east-west freight route. Installing the tunnel will take slower freight trains off the fast route, speeding up services and improving reliability, while also reducing the amount of maintenance required on that section of track.

The new tunnel is a 155-metre curved concrete box that will be painstakingly pushed at 150cm per hour, using massive jacks to propel and steer it into place. It will be the first time this construction technique has been used in this way in the UK.

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While the line will be kept open during the work, it will mean a very limited number of services will run south of Grantham during the nine-day piece of work. Passengers who must travel are asked to plan ahead and think about whether journeys are necessary while the installation is carried out.

The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNERThe works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER
The works are taking place at the moment. Pic: LNER

As a result of the works there will be disruption on the East Coast Mainline.

On Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 January there will be a reduced service to and from London King’s Cross. No trains between Peterborough and Hitchin.

On Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January there will be no services to or from King’s Cross Station, to or from St Pancras International via Finsbury Park, or between Peterborough and Hitchin.

On Sundays 7 and 14 February there will be a reduced service to and from London King’s Cross and no trains between Peterborough and Hitchin