Avanti West Coast will keep customers moving during upcoming engineering works to replace the M6 bridge that carries the WestCoast mainline over the motorway at Clifton in January by using its trains on the historic Settle to Carlisle line.
The stretch of railway, which is renowned for its beautiful scenery, will be used as a diversionary route when the West Coast Main Line is blocked between Preston and Carlisle for two weeks in the new year.
Having worked closely with Network Rail and the wider railway industry, the intercity operator will run its new bi-mode Class 805 Evero trains along the route to keep customers travelling by rail and avoid lengthy bus journeys where possible.
From 1 to 14 January 2026, Network Rail will be replacing Clifton Bridge, which takes the railway over the M6 motorway near Penrith in Cumbria.
Whilst this work is happening, the railway will be blocked throughout and the M6 will be closed between Junctions 39 and 40 over the first two weekends of the month.
To keep customers moving on trains across the North West and into Scotland, Avanti West Coast are planning to run a shuttle service broadly every two hours between Preston and Carlisle non-stop via the Settle to Carlisle route.
The historic 73-mile-long railway line, which will be used as a West Coast Main Line diversionary route for the first time in over 10 years, crosses the picturesque Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines, boasting miles of scenic countryside views from the train window.
In August, Avanti West Coast ran a trial using a 10-carriage Evero train on the route as part of their planning and preparations ahead of the January works.
Its Class 805 trains, which were introduced in June last year on the North Wales and West Midlands routes, are bi-mode, meaning they can run on electric or diesel power.
With no overhead power wires on the Settle to Carlisle line, the operator is maximising the flexibility and diesel capability of its new fleet to ensure customers can travel by rail in the North West during the engineering works.
Those travelling from Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and London to Scotland will be advised to go via the East Coast Main Line using other operators. For those wishing to travel to and from Lancaster, Oxenholme and Penrith, a rail replacement bus service will be in operation.
The full train timetable will be published in early October alongside the industry’s comprehensive customer communications campaign which aims to raise awareness of the works and provide journey advice for those planning to travel.
During the two weeks, there will be some minor changes on the routes currently served by the Class 805 Evero trains as they will be used on the Settle to Carlisle diversion. Customers travelling throughout this period are advised to check before they travel.
Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “Our plan to run Evero trains on the Settle to Carlisle line is all about giving our passengers the best experience during next January’s extensive engineering work. We know through industry research that during planned disruption customers prefer to stay on trains and avoid lengthy replacement bus journeys where possible.
“With this work only a few months away, there has been a huge collaborative effort between ourselves, Network Rail and the wider rail industry to find the best solution for customers which utilises our flexible bi-mode Evero fleet, ensuring that we keep Scotland and the North West open for travel when the West Coast Main Line is blocked.”
Network Rail is investing £60m to replace Clifton Bridge near Penrith so it can continue to safely carry passenger and freight trains over one of Britain's busiest motorways.
At 60-years old, weight restrictions on the current structure mean it can only carry one train at a time, causing delays to train services.
Once in situ, the new bridge will allow services to pass over the motorway safely and reliably, without restrictions, to the benefit of passengers, freight and road users travelling through Cumbria.
Over the next few years, the rail industry is delivering a multi-million-pound renewal programme across the north of the West Coast Main Line. The once-in-a-generation West Coast Modernisation programme will drive up train performance and boost economic growth between Cheshire and Scotland.
Phil James, Network Rail’s North West Route Director, said: “We work together as a rail industry to keep passengers on trains and limit disruption as much as possible during our planned engineering upgrades. This diversionary route is a testament to our collaboration.
“We’re investing £60m in a new railway bridge to take the West Coast Main Line over the M6, keeping passengers, freight, and road users in Cumbria safe for generations.
“It is fantastic to be able to offer passengers a viable route around the work, with as little delay to their journey as possible, while we carry out the main part of this essential upgrade.”
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