New 4,200-tonne rail bridge installed over the M6 in Cumbria

A key section of the M6 motorway near Penrith has reopened 13 hours ahead of schedule following the successful installation of a new railway bridge at Clifton. The bridge replacement forms part of a £60 million investment programme by Network Rail to upgrade the West Coast Main Line and improve long-term network resilience. The works were delivered in collaboration with Skanska under tightly controlled possession and motorway closure conditions.

The original Clifton railway bridge, which had reached the end of its serviceable life, was demolished during a planned full weekend closure of the motorway. The replacement structure is a 130-metre-long composite steel and concrete bridge weighing approximately 4,200 tonnes. It was preassembled adjacent to the motorway and moved into its final position using a specialist self-propelled modular transport system. The installation required millimetre-level precision to align the structure safely above live infrastructure, despite winter weather conditions.

The bridge installation was completed during a second planned closure between junctions 39 and 40 of the M6. The operation involved more than 600 wheeled axles and a coordinated lifting and sliding sequence to position the bridge onto its permanent bearings.

Reopening the motorway ahead of schedule reduced disruption to regional traffic and local communities. With the bridge now in place, engineering teams are progressing with track reinstatement, overhead line equipment installation, and signalling works. Full reopening of the West Coast Main Line through this section is scheduled following completion of final safety checks.

The project demonstrates the effectiveness of modular bridge construction and intensive possession planning for major rail and highway interfaces in constrained operational environments.