Yahoo News Passenger warning issued as East Coast Main Line maintenance starts this weekend
Rail passengers travelling between Newcastle and Edinburgh have been urged to check their journey as Network Rail begin maintenance. There will be three weekends of track and drainage work on the East Coast Main Line, starting this Saturday.
Network Rail Scotland is investing £9.2m on vital improvements that will see the line closed between Edinburgh and Berwick on each Saturday and Sunday, until Monday, September 30. On Sunday 22 and 29 September, the Borders Railway will be closed between Edinburgh and Gorebridge, allowing work in the Portobello area.
Engineers will install five miles of new railway track at multiple locations between Edinburgh and Berwick, as well as improving over a mile of drainage at Drem. The aim is, when the work is done, that East Coast Main Line passengers will benefit from smoother and more reliable journeys.
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A limited train service will divert around the closure, with rail replacement coaches also in operation between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Ross Moran, Route Director, Network Rail Scotland said: "Renewing the track on the East Coast Main Line will improve reliability and performance on this busy cross-border route, delivering smoother journeys for passengers.
"We know there’s never a good time to close a railway and we’re grateful to passengers and our neighbours for their patience. Our engineers will work around the clock over these three weekends to complete these projects quickly, with as little disruption as possible."
A spokesperson on behalf of LNER, Lumo and TransPennine Express said: "Our teams will be working hard to make sure customers reach their destination as quickly as possible while these important upgrades are carried out.
"The latest travel information can be found on our websites and our social media channels. We would encourage all customers to check their journey before they travel."
Passengers can also check if their journey is affected on the National Rail website here.
