Network Rail will begin work to replace a railway bridge in Postwick, Norfolk, on Monday 16 November.
The bridge carries the line from Norwich to Yarmouth over Oaks lane, which will be closed throughout the works until 21 January 2021.
The work is necessary as the old structure has come to the end of its life and a full replacement is the only way to ensure the safe running of rail services, avoiding the need for speed restrictions or the closure of the line. The new bridge structure is expected to last at least 120 years.
The rail tracks, brick work and steel girders on the existing bridge will be removed. New beams, steel decks and retaining walls will be installed before the tracks are reinstated.
The work was originally intended to be completed in February during the Norwich-Yarmouth-Lowestoft resignalling blockade in Feb 2020. It was delayed owing to the terrible weather conditions and the work was postponed until December.
Trains will be unable to run from 25 December until 29 December for while the main part of the work takes place. Rail replacement buses will run during the works, apart from 25 and 26 December, when there will be no service between Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “This work is essential to maintain the safe running of rail services between Norwich and Yarmouth and to maintain safety of those using the road below. We’ve planned main works over the Christmas period, when fewer people travel, to minimise disruption. Passengers are advised to check before they travel.”