Second Corby to Kettering railway track to be tested

The train companies said the single track has limited service growth while passenger demand has boomed on the Corby branch line

A new second train track between two Northamptonshire towns is to be tested after years of upgrade work.

The work between Corby and Kettering is part of biggest upgrade of the Midland Main Line since it opened in 1870. Before 2009, Corby had no station.

The second track will allow seven trains an hour to run in each direction, Network Rail said.

The final testing of the seven mile (11km) stretch will take place 17-25 February.

"A significant amount of work has taken place on the route between Kettering and Corby since this part of the Midland Main Line upgrade began and the project is now approaching the final stages," said Spencer Gibbens from Network Rail.

"To safely test the new equipment, our engineers need a nine-day period of 'wheels free' access to the railway, meaning a short period of bus replacements between Kettering and Corby is unavoidable.

"From 2020, when the upgrade of the Midland Main Line is complete, passengers will really see the benefits of this investment and I'm grateful for their patience while the work is carried out."

With two tracks on the Corby branch, up to seven trains an hour will be possible