West Midlands Railway: Impressive time-lapse video released after Trent Valley line upgrades

Major upgrades on the Trent Valley line to improve future rail journeys for passengers and freight services are now complete.

The railway reopened today (Monday 24 July) after essential improvements to the West Coast main line through Staffordshire.

During a nine-day railway closure, Network Rail replaced 2,000 metres of track, 3,000 new railway sleepers and laid 2,500 tonnes of track foundation stone called ballast at Colwich Junction, as well as installing new signalling equipment for trains in the Trent Valley area.

It’s all part of a £85m investment to improve future journeys on this important rail route through the West Midlands.

While this work took place, an impressive time-lapse video captured work by HS2 to move a huge new bridge structure into place beneath the West Coast main line in Lichfield.

A team of around 300 people from HS2’s contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI built the 6,200-tonne concrete bridge beside the railway over the last six months, and it was slowly driven into place on the back of a huge transporter vehicle to become a 56m long and 19m wide bridge to carry the existing railway southeast of Lichfield Trent Valley station.

In this location, HS2 trains will eventually pass beneath the West Coast main line, transforming journeys between London, the Midlands and the North, by making space on the existing railway network for more freight and local services.

Meanwhile, Saturday 15 July also marked the start of a six-month closure of the interchange with the Cross City line at Lichfield Trent Valley station for platform three to be demolished then entirely rebuilt.

Drone footage has been released showing a huge crane installing a temporary footbridge which will keep platforms 1 and 2 accessible by lift throughout that work.

It means that from today until 27 December, no trains will run to/ from Lichfield Trent Valley on the Cross City line. Rail replacement buses will be available to transport passengers between Lichfield Trent Valley and Lichfield City.

Today Network Rail has thanked passengers for their patience during the essential investment over the last nine days.

Dave Penney, Network Rail passenger director for the North West and Central region, said: “We know this work has meant longer journeys for passengers travelling over the school summer holidays, so I’d like to thank everyone impacted for bearing with us while we carried essential upgrades.

“We worked closely with train operators to keep people on the move, and now work is complete on the Trent Valley line, this vital section of the West Coast main line will continue to deliver safe, reliable journeys for passenger and freight services.”

With work now complete, a normal timetable has resumed on the Trent Valley line from Monday 24 July.

Passengers should be aware that work will take place on Sunday 30 July with the same level of disruption.

People are encouraged to always plan their journeys and check before travelling at www.nationalrail.co.uk