Over the next six weekends, significant engineering work will advance the £140m regeneration of Darlington station in the North East.
A 120-tonne crane will be used to lift steelwork over the East Coast Main Line as construction progresses at the grade II-listed building. This project aims to transform passenger facilities and create an integrated transport hub with enhanced local and national connections.
Due to major upgrades at Darlington station and surrounding areas, the line will be closed in both directions for six consecutive weekends starting from Saturday, February 8th, and Sunday, February 9th. Train services will be disrupted, so passengers are advised to check their entire journey before traveling.
During this period, the old Allerdene bridge will also be demolished as part of National Highways’ A1 upgrade work. The bridge, which spans all lines of the East Coast Main Line just south of Newcastle, will be removed with measures in place to protect the track and overhead line equipment, necessitating a halt in train services through the area.
On the weekend of February 22-23, a new enclosed, step-free footbridge will be installed over the two new platforms at Darlington, marking a significant milestone in the regeneration project.
Additionally, new switches will be tested against the signalling system, and overhead line work will be carried out across the entire station. Engineers will also lay new cables and install cabinets and equipment beside the railway lines to facilitate further progress in the project.
Throughout the six weekends, additional work will include:
- installation of a semi-automatic track warning system between Ferryhill South and Tursdale junctions to keep our colleagues safer when working on the track
- renewal of more than half a mile of rail, sleeper and ballast at Chester-le-Street
- strengthening the ballast beneath the track at Tursdale Junction, restoring the line speed after previous rail upgrade work
- creation of walkways beside the line between Durham station and Tursdale Junction, providing safer routes for our colleagues working on foot near the track
- completion of 14 other smaller jobs, including track maintenance, telecoms work and preparations for Railway 200 celebrations.
Luke Durston, Network Rail principal programme sponsor, said: “We’ve reached a crucial stage in this transformational project which will deliver a significantly upgraded Darlington railway station.
“The installation of the footbridge will mark an important and visually striking milestone as we provide major improvements for passengers well into the future, while also preserving the building’s past.
Image credits: Network Rail
