No trains running between Lancaster and Carlisle due to engineering works

Network Rail is carrying out important improvements to railway track from this Saturday (January 11) to make journeys more reliable in the future.

So engineers can safely carry out their work, the line between Lancaster and Carlisle will need to be closed to trains on:

Saturday January 11 and Sunday January 12

Saturday January 18 and Sunday January 19.

The work also means there will be changes to some services from Preston.

Passengers are being advised to allow extra time to travel with parts of their journey involving a rail replacement service.

The best way to find out if your journey could be impacted is to check before you travel at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

When complete railway foundation stone (ballast), sleepers and steel rails will be replaced along a 1.2km stretch of one of Europe’s busiest mixed use passenger and freight rail routes.

Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director, said: “We know there’s never an ideal time to close the railway and we always try to plan our work to impact the fewest passengers possible.

"When complete, our work will bring better, smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers and freight on the West Coast Main Line.

“When upgrading the track we have no choice but to close sections of railway and stop trains running so engineers can quickly and safely carry out our work.”

"I’d urge anyone wanting to travel over the weekends concerned to check National Rail Enquiries and plan ahead, allow extra time to get to where you need to be, and be prepared for some of your journey to be by bus.”

For more detail on how Network Rail maintains and upgrades the railway you can visit https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/track/