£100k cable theft means disruption for rail passengers between Preston and Bolton

Saturday, 28 December 2024 15:52

By Central Radio News

Emergency work is needed to re-install and test high-voltage power cable that was stolen by thieves ahead of a major project milestone.

Engineers discovered £100,000 worth of cable missing when they arrived to carry out work in Lostock, Bolton, over the Christmas period.

Since 2022, Network Rail has been working to electrify the line between Wigan and Bolton. This £100 million upgrade will get the track ready for Northern’s longer, greener, electric trains when they are introduced along the route.

The cable that was stolen provides power to the overhead line equipment, which in turn powers electric trains across the tracks.

The crime was carried out just one week before the line was due to be energised for the first time, on New Year's Day.

So the team can meet this important milestone, they need to replace the damaged cable and retest the system. To complete this work safely and efficiently, the railway needs to be closed for the majority of this Sunday (29 December 2025) between Chorley and Bolton, which will affect services up to Preston.

Passengers should check the National Rail website or with their train operator to find out what the closure means for their specific journey.

Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail’s Capital Delivery director, said: “I am very sorry to passengers who will be impacted by the rail closure between Chorley and Bolton on Sunday.

“It is extremely frustrating for this crime to take place so close to the energisation of the line. Our teams have been working very hard to deliver this upgrade for passengers over several years including over this Christmas period.

“We are working closely with the British Transport Police to provide additional security measures and to find and prosecute those accountable."

The power on the line between Wigan and Bolton will soon be turned on as part of the next phase in the electrification project.

Network Rail is asking passengers to take extra care ahead of this phase as electrified routes have a deadly 25000 volts running along them. Straying onto the railway and getting too close to overhead wires is extremely dangerous and can be fatal.