The Metro tunnels beneath Newcastle city centre are to undergo a £3.4 million track replacement scheme, ensuring that the busiest part of the network is resilient for many years to come.
Nexus, the public body which runs Metro, will be renewing a key junction located in the tunnel between Monument and Haymarket Metro stations.
The Prudhoe Street crossover, which carries 400 train movements per day, is the busiest junction on Metro and is essential for the smooth operation of services through the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead.
The renewal works will be carried out over two weekend line closures to keep the amount of disruption to customers at a minimum and planned in before the start of major restoration works on the Tyne Bridge.
The replacement of the Prudhoe Street crossing completes the renewal of rail in the tunnels under Newcastle, from Jesmond through to Gateshead. Nexus has delivered this work in the dead of night over recent years, without disruption to Metro’s millions of customers. This final piece of work is the most complex so does need the lines to be closed.
Buses will replace trains between Heworth and South Gosforth on the weekend of 16-17 March, and 29 March-1 April, which is the Easter weekend.
Stuart Clarke, Metro Infrastructure Director, said: “Metro’s central area tunnels are iconic and are a vital asset for the smooth operation of the network. We are investing £3.4 million to replace what is a key junction in our tunnels between Haymarket and Monument.
“This work will see a large section of the track completely replaced. This is the busiest junction on the Metro system, one which carries hundreds of Metro services every single day.
“We’ve completed refurbishment schemes on the Prudhoe Street crossover in recent years, but now we are going in to do a full renewal.
“These works have been meticulously planned. It’s a critical part of the Metro system which will be replaced over two weekend line closures to ensure the least possible amount of disruption to customers.”
The renewal of the Prudhoe Street Metro junction will see the concrete track bed completely replaced.
Fresh concrete will be pumped 150 metres down to the site before the new track junction is taken into the tunnels in sections to be carefully fitted into place.
Central, Monument and Haymarket Metro stations will be closed to customers on each of the two weekends that the Metro line is shut between Heworth and South Gosforth.
Customers heading into Newcastle on Metro from North Tyneside via Wallsend are advised that they will need to alight at Manors or St James Metro station.
Investment in new Metro infrastructure will reach £38m in the current financial year to the end of March 2024.
Metro’s modernisation programme is funded by the Government. By March a total of £446 million will have been invested on the renewal of Metro infrastructure since work began in 2010, Nexus said.
Customers who want further information about the planned line closures and the alternative travel options should go to www.nexus.org.uk and Metro’s X page (formerly Twitter) @My_Metro.
The junction renewal project is being carried out on behalf of Nexus by Smarttrax Rail, www.smarttraxrail.co.uk
