A major upgrade on Network Rail's railway line is set to improve train services travelling from Swindon, Bristol, Worcester and South Wales.
The upgrade saw more than 10,000 wires replaced in a signal box in Gloucester over several weeks. That's the equivalent of 12 miles worth of wires.
The signal box, which was built in the 1960s, has been long overdue an update as it contained some of the oldest equipment on the network and controls trains travelling from Bristol, Worcester, Swindon and South Wales.
While the Gloucester railway line was closed, a switch, which allows trains to change tracks, was also replaced near Gloucester station.
This key piece of equipment connects the tracks for trains to and from London Paddington and will provide more reliable journeys.
Network Rail Western route director Marcus Jones said: “Signalling is the most complex piece of work we do on the railway and unfortunately it’s taken longer than planned to complete.
“We’re sorry for the disruption but it was essential to ensure the system was thoroughly tested so we could get trains safely back up and running again.
"This upgrade has seen some of the oldest electrical equipment on the railway replaced, and will make our signalling system more resilient and reliable for many years to come."
GWR station manager for South Cotswolds, Chloe Coglan, added: “We are really sorry for the inconvenience that this will have caused some customers and are grateful for their patience in bearing with us during this time.
"Completing this work is vital to improving the resilience of the railway, both now and for the future."
Recommended reading:
Businesses rejoice as road plagued by three month closure back open
'Deteriorating bridge' used daily by school children will close for weeks
Senior figures 'dropped' from railway group sparks 'unacceptable abuse'
With work having now been completed, all services through Gloucester station have returned to normal, and all of the stations which rely on this signal box should see a benefit from the new upgrade.
“We want to thank passengers for their patience while Network Rail completed this important work. These upgrades at Gloucester will help us deliver more trains on time for many years to come," said CrossCountry’s regional director Georgia Ehrmann.
Transport for Wales head of performance Adam Terry added: “We’re pleased to see services running again through Gloucestershire following Network Rail’s successful upgrade of the signal box.
"This vital investment will ensure we continue to offer safe and reliable journeys for our travelling customers.
“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience during the works and look forward to delivering smoother journeys across the network for years to come.”
Share