Rail Engineering work is underway at Darlington

From the beginning of February, Network Rail engineers are to be working to upgrade part of the East Coast Main Line through Darlington to provide easier and more reliable journeys for passengers.

On February 3 and 4, teams will begin work to refurbish and replace switches and crossings, the specialist equipment used by trains to change tracks from one to another, as well as installing over a mile of new rail. The work will be started.

These upgrades will mean that passengers can expect to have a smoother and more reliable journey when traveling on the East Coast Main Line.

While these significant improvements will be made, some changes are necessary to train services in the area

ScotRail and LNER will operate a reduced service of one train per hour in each direction between London King’s Cross, with trains being diverted during the works. As a result of the diversion, travel time will be extended by one hour. Additional services from the north and south will terminate early at Newcastle and York respectively, with a rail replacement service scheduled to operate between Newcastle and York.

For passengers traveling on CrossCountry and TransPennine Express, a replacement coach service will continue throughout the weekend between York and Newcastle. On Sundays only, rail replacement services will additionally connect CrossCountry passengers to and from Leeds, with TransPennine services diverted for engineering work between York and Leeds.

There are also likely to be changes to Northern services with trains starting and terminating at Eaglescliffe between Saltburn and Middlesbrough and Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

Rail replacement buses will operate properly between Eaglescliff and Darlington/Bishop Auckland.

Lumo will continue to run a shuttle train service between Newcastle and Edinburgh, with a rail replacement coach service running between Newcastle and Northallerton, which will pair with Lumo trains to/from London on daily return journeys.

Hamilton, route program director for Network Rail’s East Coast route, said: “The work being carried out in the Darlington area this weekend will be vital to improving journeys for passengers as they are able to travel along the East Coast Main Line.

“As a result of these upgrades, journeys will become more reliable and easier for our passengers as we replace switches that have been in place for many years with brand new equipment.

“We regret the disruption this will cause to passengers’ journeys and we continue to encourage them to check before traveling via National Rail Inquiries or their train operator.”

A spokesperson for Lumo, LNER, CrossCountry, Northern and TransPennine Express said: “Our teams will be working hard to keep passengers moving and getting them to their destinations as quickly as possible during this work.

“All the latest travel information, including how passenger journeys may be affected, will be found on our websites, social media channels or at our stations.”

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Joshua Chapman
Media Relations Manager
Network Rail
joshua.chapman@networkrail.co.uk