Motorists, rail passengers and residents impacted by the £60m renewal of a major West Coast Main Line railway bridge are being thanked after disruptive demolition work was successfully completed this weekend.
The huge project near Penrith in Cumbria involves a 130-metre-long bridge being removed and a new one installed over the first two weekends of 2026.
Network Rail and its principal contractor Skanska achieved the first phase removing Clifton Bridge in the early hours of this morning (Monday 5 January).
It required a full motorway closure of the M6 between junctions 39 and 40 from 8pm on Friday 2 until 5am on Monday 5 January.
A fleet of some of the country’s largest excavators were used to chip away at the 1960s-built concrete structure which spanned over six lanes of the highway for nearly 60 years.
After looming over the motorway for decades, hundreds of people came to see the structure turned to rubble in just hours over the course of the weekend.
Timelapse footage has now been released marking this major milestone in the project as the motorway reopened at 3.50am – 70 minutes earlier than scheduled.
For the next week thousands of motorists will travel underneath a large gap in the West Coast Main Line where the bridge once crossed.
That’s before a modern 4,200-tonne steel and concrete structure is moved into place during a further 57-hour motorway closure this coming weekend (8.00pm Friday 9 until 5.00am Monday 12 January).
With the West Coast Main Line currently split in two, rail passengers are encouraged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk to plan their journey in advance* until Wednesday 15 January when the whole project is due to finish and trains will run again once the railway is reinstated.
Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, said: “The demolition of Clifton bridge has been a mammoth task and I’d like to thank drivers who’ve had to use the road diversions, rail users whose journeys have changed and people local to the construction site who’ve been extremely patient with all the noise and disruption.
“This £60m project forms part of our major investment programme to improve journeys on the West Coast Main Line for passengers and freight for generations to come.”
Rosario Barcena, Skanska UK rail programme director, said: "It's been an incredible effort by the entire team to complete the demolition of the former Clifton Bridge, working 24/7 across the weekend to make sure that the M6 motorway could re-open on Monday morning.
"Technically it was a complex operation which we managed with great precision and care. The works were completed safely, with the support structures that the new 4,200 tonne bridge will sit on successfully retained.
"It's been a super-collaborative approach with Network Rail, National Highways and our supply chain team. I'd also like to extend my thanks to people travelling in the region and the local community for their understanding while we undertake these essential works."
This ongoing project is just one of a swathe of journey improving upgrades between London and Cumbria over the festive season.
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