M6 Clifton Bridge demolished as Network Rail releases dramatic timelapse of weekend works
Motorists, rail passengers and nearby residents are being thanked after a major railway bridge spanning the M6 was demolished during a weekend closure near Penrith.
The 1960s-built M6 Clifton Bridge, which carried the West Coast Main Line over the motorway for almost 60 years, was removed in the early hours of Monday as part of a £60m renewal project by Network Rail and contractor Skanska.
The work required a full closure of the M6 between junctions 39 and 40 from Friday evening until early Monday morning.
A fleet of some of the UK’s largest excavators was used to break up the 130-metre-long concrete structure, which spanned six lanes of traffic.
Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail’s North West and Central region capital delivery director, said the demolition had been a “mammoth task”.
“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 site who’ve been extremely patient with the noise and disruption,” he said.
“This £60m project will improve journeys on the West Coast Main Line for generations to come.”
Hundreds of people gathered over the weekend to watch the demolition, which has now been captured in newly released timelapse footage marking a major milestone in the project.
The motorway reopened at 3.50am on Monday - around 70 minutes earlier than planned.
For the next week, drivers will pass beneath a gap in the West Coast Main Line where the bridge once stood.
A new 4,200-tonne steel and concrete bridge will be moved into place during another 57-hour motorway closure from January 9 until January 12.
Rail services remain disrupted while the line is temporarily split in two, with passengers advised to check National Rail before travelling.
Full services are due to resume by January 15 once the railway is reinstated.
Rosario Barcena, Skanska UK rail programme director, said teams worked around the clock to ensure the motorway could reopen on time.
“It was a technically complex operation which we managed with great precision and care,” she said.
“The works were completed safely, with the support structures for the new bridge successfully retained.”
The Clifton Bridge scheme is part of a wider programme of Christmas and New Year engineering works along the West Coast Main Line, with nearly £200m invested over the festive period and £400m planned over the next four years.
Elsewhere, a major rail junction between Northampton and Milton Keynes has reopened following a £26m track renewal, while Preston railway station has also reopened after a 100-hour closure for signalling upgrades.
Passengers can find the latest travel information at www.nationalrail.co.uk.