Avanti West Coast services will use the historic 73-mile Settle to Carlisle line for the first time in over a decade, carrying diverted West Coast Main Line (WCML) trains during the first 14 days of next year.
The diversion is due to the WCML being blocked between Preston and Carlisle for Clifton Bridge’s replacement. The bridge spans the M6 motorway near Penrith, Cumbria.
The M6 will also close between Junctions 39 and 40 during the first two weekends of the year for these works.
The Settle to Carlisle line, which crosses the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines via the Ribblehead viaduct, offers miles of picturesque views from train windows.
It is usually only used by Northern trains operating between Leeds and Carlisle.
There have been long-standing calls from many railway enthusiasts for the line to be utilised during disruption on the WCML.
Capacity constraints and crew training requirements are among the reasons why this does not normally happen.
Avanti West Coast’s use of the line in January will be for a shuttle service between Preston and Carlisle.
The line is not electrified, so the operator will use its bi-mode Evero trains, which can run on electric or diesel power.
Andy Mellors, managing director at Avanti West Coast, said: “Our plan to run Evero trains on the Settle to Carlisle line is all about giving our passengers the best experience during next January’s extensive engineering work.
“We know through industry research that during planned disruption customers prefer to stay on trains and avoid lengthy replacement bus journeys where possible.
“With this work only a few months away, there has been a huge collaborative effort between ourselves, Network Rail and the wider rail industry to find the best solution for customers which utilises our flexible bi-mode Evero fleet, ensuring that we keep Scotland and the North West open for travel when the West Coast Main Line is blocked.”
Timetables for the services will be published in early October.
Passengers travelling to Scotland from London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester will be advised to go via the East Coast Main Line using other operators.
Rail replacement buses will be deployed for those travelling to and from Lancaster, Oxenholme and Penrith.
Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director, said: “We work together as a rail industry to keep passengers on trains and limit disruption as much as possible during our planned engineering upgrades.
“This diversionary route is a testament to our collaboration.
“It is fantastic to be able to offer passengers a viable route around the work, with as little delay to their journey as possible, while we carry out the main part of this essential upgrade.”
Network Rail is investing £60 million to replace Clifton Bridge.
The 60-year-old structure has weight restrictions which mean it can only carry one train at a time, which can cause delays.
The new bridge will allow freight and passenger trains to pass over the motorway without limits.
