West Coast Main Line Reopens After £200m Upgrade Across Northern and Southern Sections

Rail passengers are being thanked for their patience as the West Coast Main Line (WCML) fully reopened today following the completion of a series of major journey-improving projects carried out since the start of 2026.

Services resumed this morning (Thursday 15 January) along the northern half of Britain’s busiest mixed-use passenger and freight corridor after a 14-day closure to allow essential upgrades. The headline project was the replacement of a 4,200-tonne, 130-metre-long bridge over the M6 just south of Penrith, Cumbria.

Footage has been released of the first trains crossing the new £60m structure, which was demolished and replaced in just two weeks. The ambitious engineering work required an unprecedented closure of both the West Coast Main Line and the M6 motorway, allowing teams to carry out a once-in-a-generation series of improvements.

During the first two weekends of January, the M6 was fully closed between junctions 39 and 40 while Network Rail and principal contractor Skanska demolished and installed the Clifton railway bridge. At times, a 115-mile stretch of the WCML was completely free of train traffic, providing ideal access for multiple other works.

Key northern projects included:

• Completion of a £61m signalling modernisation in Carlisle

• Replacement of nearly 70km of overhead lines through Shap and Tebay

• Installation of rockfall protection through Shap cutting

• New signalling gantries and signals at Preston station

• More than 60 smaller upgrades carried out simultaneously

Network Rail said consolidating these works reduced future disruption for passengers and provided cost efficiencies for taxpayers.

During the closure, Network Rail and Avanti West Coast operated a special shuttle service along the historic Settle-Carlisle line, marking its first use as a diversionary route in a decade, to maintain service continuity.

Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail Capital Delivery Director for the North West and Central region, said:

“We have used this vital 14-day closure to make the biggest possible impact on the West Coast Main Line with multiple major upgrades now completed. As a result, passengers and freight operators will benefit from a more reliable railway for generations to come.

“We have worked closely with National Highways and train operators to limit disruption to road and rail users during the M6 bridge replacement, and we thank local communities for their patience while we carried out this nationally significant project.”

Chris Liptrot, Avanti West Coast Operations Director, added:

“We’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while Network Rail replaced the Clifton rail bridge. This vital upgrade will make journeys more reliable for decades. We are pleased to have maintained rail travel across the North West via the Settle and Carlisle line.”

Andrew McClements, TransPennine Express Customer Experience & Transformation Director, said:

“We are grateful to our passengers for their understanding during these essential works. The improvements delivered will make a real difference for those who rely on the West Coast Main Line, supporting more reliable journeys across the North.”

The northern upgrades follow multi-million-pound works on the southern section of the WCML between Northampton and Milton Keynes over the Christmas period. These included a £26m overhaul of a major junction serving up to 500 trains per day, platform upgrades in Milton Keynes and Wolverton, a bridge renewal in Stafford, and land stabilisation work in Northamptonshire.

In total, the combined investment for the Christmas and New Year projects amounts to nearly £200m along the West Coast Main Line, forming part of a wider £400m investment programme scheduled over the next four years.