Major railway upgrades to improve passengers journeys for years to come in Leicester

Network Rail is to carry out more than £5 million of major engineering work south of Leicester station which will improve reliability for passengers for years to come.

On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August, engineers will be replacing a key set of switches and crossings, the specialist equipment used by trains to change from one track to another, at Knighton Junction.

Due to its curved layout, Network Rail teams work at the site frequently to keep it safe for passengers and freight trains. However, alongside renewing this equipment, engineers have carried out strengthening measures to protect other components better, prolong their life, leading to smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers.

The junction is a key interchange for trains, carrying north to south journeys on the Midland Main Line, passengers travelling east to west from Anglia to Birmingham, and sees extensive usage by freight trains.

Some work on the £5.3m project has already been carried out with engineers working throughout the upcoming weekend to complete the upgrade.

At the same time, there is additional engineering work scheduled, as Network Rail teams work on the new overhead lines which have been installed and powered up between Kettering and Wigston.

The weekend engineering work means that there will be *some changes to train services through the area, with bus replacements in place.

Tara Scott, Infrastructure Director for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “We constantly strive to improve our rail network and make journeys better for our passengers. The work we are carrying out at Knighton Junction is a major investment to make the rail network in that area more resilient and reliable.

“I know that carrying out engineering work can be disruptive for passengers and I want to thank passengers, in advance, for their patience and understanding while we carry out this work.

“I’d encourage all passengers to check their journeys before travelling at www.nationalrail.co.uk or through their train operator.”

To find out more about how we look after the railway, visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/track/