What the £100M electrification scheme will mean for train users as it is completed
Overnight on Saturday (26 July), Network Rail teams unveiled new train driver signage and removed barriers at stations which have seen platforms extended in the final stage of the major multi-year investment.
It follows successful test train running and regulatory sign-off in recent weeks to commission the newly installed infrastructure along the 6.5-mile route between the two towns.
Wigan to Bolton electrified railway on first morning fully open to electric trains (Image: Network Rail) READ MORE: Bolton to Wigan rail electrification to 'go live' on January 1
Wigan to Bolton trainline electrification hits 'major milestone'
Wigan to Bolton railway line to be funded to completion
The £100m investment from the Department for Transport, announced in 2021, has been delivered by Network Rail in partnership with its supply chain and train operating partners.
Now complete it means cleaner and quieter trains are able to run under electric power along the route.
It also enables operators to run longer trains with more carriages over further distances in future, improving train connectivity across the North West of England.
Team on site during energisation of the overhead electric lines between Wigan and Bolton.j (Image: Network Rail)
Since 2022 the project has seen:
21 kilometres of power lines installed
414 new overhead line equipment stanchions erected
Six road bridges and one footbridge completely reconstructed
Modifications to 17 bridges and two-level crossings
Signalling and track upgrades completed
Platform extensions at Hindley, Westhoughton and Ince station.
Kathryn Berry, Network Rail scheme project manager, said: 'It's a very proud moment to see this newly electrified railway line enter into service after many years of hard work to modify bridges, level crossings and stations to make way for the overhead power lines.
'I'd like to thank our supply chain, local partners, train operators and lineside neighbours for their patience during construction. Now complete train services will be able to run in electric mode, providing quieter and more reliable journeys, whilst improving air quality for communities along the 6.5-mile route.'
First shot of an electric train leaving Wigan North Western and Bolton under electric power (Image: Network Rail)Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: "The electrification of the line between Wigan and Bolton is great news for our customers and the communities we serve. This investment will support faster, more reliable and more sustainable journeys in the future, helping us deliver a better, greener railway for the North. I'd like to thank customers for their patience whilst this upgrade work has been underway."
Electrifying this section of railway is said to give greater operational flexibility for train operators and bring this part of the rail network in line with upgrades to a train maintenance facility at Wigan Springs Branch.
It will also reduce the number of diesel trains running on the route improving air quality for local people.
The platform extensions are said to have have future-proofed Westhoughton, Hindley and Ince stations for longer trains with more seats to serve those communities in the years to come.
The Wigan-Lostock electrification project was announced by the Department of Transport in September 2021.
It's part of the wider Manchester and North West Transformation Programme (MNTP). Other MNTP projects include the third platform at Salford Crescent.
Finished platform extensions at Westhoughton station copy (Image: Network Rail)
The project has been delivered by Network Rail in conjunction with its principal contractor Keir which carried out all the buildings and civil engineering work to alter the existing infrastructure including bridges, and installing the stanchions for the overhead lines. The overhead lines themselves were installed by contractor SPL Powerlines.
New overhead line stanchions and cables on Wigan to Bolton route (Image: Network Rail)Lee Farmer, SPL Powerlines project delivery director, said: 'We're proud to have delivered the overhead line electrification between Wigan and Bolton, a vital step in creating a more sustainable and efficient rail network across the North West. This milestone marks the culmination of many years of hard work by our teams on the ground and close collaboration with our industry partners. By enabling greener, faster, and more reliable train services, this project brings long-term benefits to both passengers and local communities.'
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