Nexus completes £3m track replacement scheme in Newcastle tunnels
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Posted: 23 December 2016 | Katie Sadler, Intelligent Transport | No comments yet
Nexus has completed a £3 million programme to replace tracks used by the Tyne and Wear Metro in tunnels beneath Newcastle city centre.
Nexus has completed a £3 million programme to replace tracks used by the Tyne and Wear Metro in tunnels beneath Newcastle city centre.
Credit: Nexus
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro has replaced four kilometre of track in tunnels which run from Jesmond to the QEII Metro bridge across the Tyne.
Four kilometres of track replaced
The work, which forms part of the £350 million Metro all change modernisation programme, has been carried out during night shifts to ensure no disruption to Metro services on the busiest section of the system.
“Metro tunnels are a vital transport link for our region so this modernisation work is extremely welcome”
Cllr Nick Forbes, Lead Member for Transport on the North East Combined Authority, said: “The Metro tunnels are a vital transport link for our region so this modernisation work is extremely welcome. Strong rail links are essential to the strength of the regional economy.”
Director of Rail and Infrastructure for Nexus, Raymond Johnstone, said: “We have invested £3m in the iconic Metro tunnels that run below the streets of Newcastle to ensure that can carry Metro trains for many decades to come.
“Our staff have carried out all of the work in stages, during the small hours of the morning, so passengers won’t even have that known that it was taking place. This has meant no planned disruptions to services through the busiest section of the Metro system.
“The tunnels are a challenging environment to work in but the project itself was more straight forward as the actual track beds are concrete and they didn’t need to be replaced like in the other parts of the system which are over ground.
“I’m also delighted that Nexus was able to deliver this work in-house, using our own staff and equipment.”
According to Nexus, the track was carefully replaced in stages. Workers bolted sections of new rail on to concrete sleepers. The new rails were then clamped and welded together.
It is the first time that the rails in Metro’s city centre tunnels have been entirely replaced since the system opened to passengers in August 1980.
