A digest of the main changes on Network Rail, London Underground and Northern Ireland Railways infrastructure during December 2020 and early January 2021; compiled by Martyn Brailsford of the Branch Line Society (www.branchline.uk).
The Christmas period is normally a busy time but, with one or two notable exceptions, there is less relevant activity than normal to report on this year.
ANGLIA
Liverpool Street (2:2A) As part of the Crossrail project, there is a requirement to allow the nine-car Class 345 units into Liverpool Street and platforms 16 to 18 are currently not long enough. To solve this, platform 18 has now been removed from operational use and platforms 16 and 17 will be extended to use the space released by platform 18’s former trackbed. As part of this project, the point work and track between platforms 15 and 17 through the single slip on platform 16’s line was removed during the Christmas break. Although it is believed the track in platform 18 currently remains connected, it is out of use. Ripple Lane (2:4A)
As part of the Barking Riverside project, work continues in the area of Ripple Lane Yard. Realignment of the points has taken place at the London end of Ripple Lane West Yard (8M 60c…