Derbyshire railway tunnel reopens after improvement works completed

Works to improve Alfreton Tunnel were carried out on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, with engineers renewing nearly half a kilometre of track as part of ongoing investment in the railway.

The project saw teams replace life-expired track components, helping to improve ride quality and reduce the likelihood of future faults on this section of railway.

Work inside the tunnel was carried out using specialist safety measures, including mobile ventilation systems to maintain airflow for engineering teams.

Network Rail worked closely with Northern and East Midlands Railway to minimise disruption to passengers during the engineering works, with amended train services and rail replacement buses operating throughout the weekend.

Eric Larocque, Network Rail operations director, said: “I'd like to thank passengers and our industry partners for their patience while we carried out this important work at Alfreton Tunnel.

“The successful renewal of nearly half a kilometre of track will help us provide smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers and freight services using this route for years to come.

“I’m grateful to everyone involved in delivering the project safely and efficiently, and to passengers for planning ahead while the work took place.”