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SIDELINES

Preston roof glazing restored

PRESTON station’s historic roof has had its gable-end glazing replaced in a £600,000 project to refurbish and replace wooden frames with safer new aluminium frames and polycarbonate glazing.

Last upgraded in the 1960s, the wooden frames on the listed building were rotten, making panes of glass liable to fall out in bad weather. Work started in December 2019 and was completed in 24 weeks.

Longer DMUs for longer Devon platforms

TWO platforms served by trains on the Exmouth branch in Devon were lengthened in late October.

St James’ Park in Exeter and Lympstone Commando can now be served by longer DMUs, such as the three-car GWR Class 166s now being cascaded to the West Country.

October 25-30 also saw Network Rail replace lifeexpired track at Exmouth Junction.

TPE recruits train cleaning staff

TRANSPENNINE Express (TPE) is investing £1.7million to recruit 57 new train cleaning staff across its network.

The posts are being created in Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Preston, Scunthorpe, Selby, Stalybridge, Sheffield, and York, and will help to deliver a 70% in cleaning over pre-pandemic levels.

Toilet attendants are also being introduced at larger TPE stations, including Huddersfield, Hull and Manchester Airport.

Waterloo engineering over Christmas period

BRITAIN’S busiest station, Waterloo, will be disrupted for engineering work between December 25 and January 3, 2021.

Track and pointwork at Nine Elms Junction, near Vauxhall, on the approach to Waterloo, is being replaced during the Christmas holiday, forcing the closure of platforms 12-20 and a reduced timetable. Vauxhall and Queenstown Road (Battersea) stations will also be closed for the duration of the blockade, with passengers being advised to change to alternative routes at Clapham Junction.

Windsor/Reading line trains will terminate at Clapham Junction.