Electrification of railway dubbed 'a big milestone'

The project is part of a wider scheme to electrify the route between London and Sheffield

A stretch of the Midland Mainline is set to have its overhead lines switched on, which Network Rail has described as "a big milestone".

The work, which started in late 2020, was completed between Kettering, Northamptonshire and South Wigston in Leicestershire.

Electrification is due to take place on Sunday, as Network Rail looks to upgrade its infrastructure to facilitate more environmentally-friendly and quieter trains.

For the upgrades to take place, 18 bridges were either knocked down or rebuilt along the route to make room for the 22 miles (36km) of new overhead wires.

The project is part of a wider scheme to electrify the route between London and Sheffield, which is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.

Lisa Webb, principal portfolio manager at Network Rail, said: "This is a really big milestone for us from a construction point of view.

"We really work while the trains are running, so we've got a real balancing act to juggle in terms of keeping the railway open as much as possible and only disrupting it when we absolutely have to."

Electrification will allow train operators to switch from diesel-powered to electric engines.

Ms Webb said: "We are able to actively reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that's generated through operating trains, which is a massive benefit for us.

"Electric trains are actually much lighter than the diesel trains that we normally see out there on the infrastructure, so as a result of that, they are quieter."

Network Rail said staff had been involved in delivering safety assemblies at a number of primary schools in the area.

Ms Webb said: "The railway is a dangerous place, full stop. But an electrified railway is much, much more dangerous.

"We've got 25,000 volts of electricity that is on all of the time.

"Trespass is a really big issue for us and we've been trying to raise awareness with schools and local communities."

The next stretch of the project will be between Syston in Leicestershire and Trent Junction, north of East Midlands Parkway station.

Ms Webb said Network Rail would go back at a later date and make upgrades on the line between South Wigston and Syston, which includes the area around Leicester station.

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