Railway customers in parts of South West London are advised to check before travelling this summer as Network Rail starts an upgrade of the railway around Twickenham to improve reliability
Over six weekends from late August, engineers will replace three separate sets of points, which allow trains to move between tracks, at Twickenham Junction, west of Twickenham station.
Points are a crucial part of the railway and have to be kept in top condition to avoid delaying trains. The work will provide a reliable railway for decades to come.
Over 500 yards of conductor rail, which provide power to trains, will also be renewed to improve reliability on the busy route to Reading and Windsor & Eton Riverside.
The improvements at Twickenham Junction follow a programme of maintenance in 2020 when teams took full advantage of a line closure by also conducting structural work and litter clearance.
On some days, rail shuttle services will operate between London Waterloo and Richmond, while other services may be diverted or cancelled.
Customers should check before they travel with SWR or National Rail Enquiries.
Better journeys for everyone
Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “This programme of work will boost reliability at a very important junction, where trains run through to Reading and Windsor & Eton Riverside and also access the Strawberry Hill depot.
“Six weekends of work does mean that our customers and those living near the railway will experience some disruption, for which we apologise.
“Having analysed travel patterns in the area during the week and at weekends, we believe this minimises the impact as much as possible while allowing us to deliver the work that, once complete, means better journeys for everyone.”
Alan Penlington, SWR’s customer experience director, added: “With such a long series of closures, I realise these works will mean disruption for our customers; however, replacement buses will be in operation wherever lines need to be closed.
“As customers return to the railway, it’s important that these works take place to improve the performance and reliability of the network for years to come.
“I’d like to thank customers for their patience and remind anyone who’s travelling to plan ahead to see if their journey is affected.”
