Network Rail renew platforms at Earlestown station

Work is progressing well on a project valued at over £2m to rebuild platforms four and five at Earlestown station. These are the electrified platforms that provide a link with the west coast main line and are also used by Arriva Trains Wales services between Manchester and Chester/North Wales.

Earlestown platform rebuilding (Source: Network Rail)

The work is being carried out to bring the platforms up to modern standards and will allow stepping distances between trains and the curved platform edges to meet current specifications.

The new platforms will have solid walls down to track level so that they do not become litter traps and cannot be used as hiding places or areas where young children can build dens.

Platform surfaces will be tarmacadam and to help visually impaired passengers a tactile strip will be laid towards the platform edges, which will be finished with coping stones.

The work is being carried out by Network Rail’s contractor J Murphy & Sons in such a way that it does not disrupt train services. They are working at one end of each platform at a time. When one end is completed it will be brought into use while they rebuild the opposite end. The project is expected to be finished in May 2010.