At the start of 2026, there are some major works on the West Coast Main Line, with Network Rail replacing a rail bridge over the M6 near Penrith, with the rail line being blocked.
However, to keep people moving, Avanti West Coast will be running trains on the Settle to Carlisle Line.
Avanti West Coast Class 805 on the Ribblehead Viaduct- Image, Avanti West Coast
The Settle to Carlisle Line is renowned for its scenery, and it has the highest altitude station in England, among other achievements. The stretch of railway will be used as a diversionary route when the West Coast Main Line is blocked between Preston and Carlisle for two weeks in the new year.
From 1 to 14 January 2026, Network Rail will be replacing Clifton Bridge, which takes the railway over the M6 motorway near Penrith in Cumbria. The railway will be blocked throughout, and the M6 will be closed between Junctions 39 and 40 over the first two weekends of the month.
As such, working with Network Rail, Avanti West Coast will operate its new bi-mode Class 805 Evero trains along the route to keep customers travelling by rail and avoid lengthy bus journeys where possible.
Close up of a Class 805 on the Ribblehead Viaduct – Image, Avanti West Coast
To keep customers moving on trains across the North West and into Scotland, Avanti West Coast is planning to run a shuttle service broadly every two hours between Preston and Carlisle non-stop via the Settle to Carlisle route.
The historic 73-mile-long railway line, which will be used as a West Coast Main Line diversionary route for the first time in over 10 years, crosses the picturesque Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines, boasting miles of scenic countryside views from the train window.
As part of the planning and preparation, Avanti West Coast with Network Rail, ran a trial using a 10-carriage Evero train on the route as part of their planning and preparations ahead of the January works.
The Class 805 trainsets are bi-mode, being able to be powered off overhead electric power, as well as their own diesel-powered engines. The trains were introduced to serve North Wales and the West Midlands, with them breaking new ground in this new deployment.
Travel Planning
Those travelling from Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and London to Scotland will be advised to go via the East Coast Main Line using other operators. For those wishing to travel to and from Lancaster, Oxenholme and Penrith, a rail replacement bus service will be in operation.
The full train timetable will be published in early October alongside the industry’s comprehensive communications campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the works and provide journey advice for those planning to travel.
During the two weeks, there will be some minor changes to the routes currently served by the Class 805 Evero trains as they will be used on the Settle to Carlisle diversion. Customers travelling throughout this period are advised to check before they travel, with up to six trainsets being assigned to this duty.
Why the work?
Network Rail is investing £60m to replace Clifton Bridge near Penrith so it can continue to safely carry passenger and freight trains over one of Britain’s busiest motorways.
Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino crossing Clifton Bridge – Image, Avanti West Coast
At 60 years old, the weight restrictions on the current structure mean it can only carry one train at a time, causing delays to train services.
Once in situ, the new bridge will allow services to pass over the motorway safely and reliably, without restrictions, to the benefit of passengers, freight and road users travelling through Cumbria.
This work is part of the West Coast Modernisation programme, which will drive up train performance and boost economic growth between Cheshire and Scotland.
In Quotes
Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said:
“Our plan to run Evero trains on the Settle to Carlisle line is all about giving our passengers the best experience during next January’s extensive engineering work. We know through industry research that during planned disruption customers prefer to stay on trains and avoid lengthy replacement bus journeys where possible.
“With this work only a few months away, there has been a huge collaborative effort between ourselves, Network Rail and the wider rail industry to find the best solution for customers which utilises our flexible bi-mode Evero fleet, ensuring that we keep Scotland and the North West open for travel when the West Coast Main Line is blocked.”
Phil James, Network Rail’s North West Route Director, said:
“We work together as a rail industry to keep passengers on trains and limit disruption as much as possible during our planned engineering upgrades. This diversionary route is a testament to our collaboration.
“We’re investing £60m in a new railway bridge to take the West Coast Main Line over the M6, keeping passengers, freight, and road users in Cumbria safe for generations.
“It is fantastic to be able to offer passengers a viable route around the work, with as little delay to their journey as possible, while we carry out the main part of this essential upgrade.”
From risks of closure, to providing a community link, to a diversion route
Two Class 805 Evero trains on the imposing Ribblehead Viaduct
The Settle to Carlisle Line’s history is deep, with its origins dating back to the 1870s, providing a connection between Yorkshire and the Scottish Borders, as an express line connecting London to Carlisle by the Midland Railway company, featuring 14 tunnels and 22 viaducts – including the imposing Ribblehead Viaduct.
The line suffered underinvestment after the Beeching Axe, with stations closed during that time. Of course, closed stations and diverted trains, along with high costs to maintain and repair the railway, led British Rail to propose closing the line in the 1980s.
This was met with a fierce backlash, with passengers flooding back and a series of dirty tricks uncovered to aid the closure. This was halted in 1989, with the rise in passenger traffic and costs being less than expected to carry out repairs.
Since then, stations have reopened, with traffic returning to the line.
In modern times, the Settle to Carlisle Line is used for a mixture of services, with Northern Trains running regular services on the line (on its traditional Leeds – Carlisle route, as well as DalesRails summer services), with freight making a return (with either it being used as a travel route, as well as meeting railheads along the route). It’s also a point of visitation on many a railtour.
The route is supported by the Friends of The Settle-Carlisle Railway, who were instrumental in preventing the line’s closure.
In the past, the line has been used as a diversionary route for the West Coast Main Line, with it being easier with locomotive-hauled stock (used by British Rail and Virgin Trains in its early part of operation).
When Virgin Trains switched to electric multiple units for this part of the West Coast Main Line (the venerable Class 390 Pendolino), it required a locomotive with specialist coupling to haul the train (typically with a Class 57/3 when introduced). Whilst it offered to keep the trains running, it had the considerable downside of the time to couple/uncouple the locomotive, with the SuperVoyager trains being needed elsewhere in the network.
With the advent of dual-mode trains, offering such diversions becomes a lot easier to implement and operate, subject to the safety cases being approved.
There’s more
Green Signals rode along with Avanti West Coast and Network Rail on this test run. It’s an interesting watch to understand the operation and how it will run.
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