By time next week Network Rail will have most of the 60 year old 130 meter long Clifton Railway bridge demolished ahead of the new West Coast Mainline bridge over the M6 motorway at Clifton a new weathering steel bridge been wheeled out from the compound at Clifton next to the M6 where the new steel bridge has been constructed over the last 6 months.
The existing bridge is formed of a three-span continuous post-tensioned segmental twin cell concrete underbridge that has carried the West Coast Mainline between Oxenholme and Penrith for 60 years plug into place to all the M6 to be constructed under it.
The central span of the structure passes over the 6 lanes of the M6 Motorway with a span of 57.9m.
The two back spans, referred to as the Lancaster Span and Penrith Span, have span lengths of 30.5m. The deck is supported by bankseat abutments, and two intermediate reinforced concrete piers situated either side of the M6 carriageways.
The decision to demolish the existing bridge and replace it was made after Networkrail carried out a detailed examination of the structure in June 2022.
This identified significant structural defects with the bridge including:
The bearings are heavily corroded but do not appear to be deteriorating.
Hairline fractures to the high mileage abutment. This is a possible sign that the bearings may have seized.
Numerous areas of spalled concrete and exposed secondary reinforcement throughout the superstructure and with similar developing to the soffit of central span over motorway.
Widespread cracking to post-tensioned box girder both internally and externally.
Since the defects where discovered restrictions on speed and only one train on the bridge at a time have been in place.
The replacement work will subject to weather and unexpected events will be completed over the first two weekends January from 8pm Friday 2 January to 5am Monday 5 January 2026.
Work to install the new bridge from 8pm Friday 9 January to 5am Monday 12 January 2026
To safely demolish the old bridge and replace it, the M6 will close between junction 39 (Shap) and 40 (Penrith) in both directions both weekends with major disruption expected across both weekends.
The work is planned to be completed over the planned first two weekends with the Westcoast main line fully closed from New Year’s Eve for 16 days and the M6 fully closed over the two weekends.
Despite the planning for the works over the last 16 months National Highways had confirmed at a recent public event to Penrith.Town news that a contingency for any unexpected events occurring during the project could see a third consecutive weekend of closures of the M6 could be required to allow completion of the bridge replacement over the weekend of the 16th to 19th January.
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