Planned work / notice
Bransty Tunnel track renewal: buses replace trains between Corkickle and Whitehaven until further notice
From 9 Dec 2025, 00:00 · Until 15 May 2027, 23:59
Source updated 8 Oct 2026, 10:54
Between Lancaster / Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle
Notice details
During pre-planned engineering work in Bransty Tunnel, between Corkickle and Whitehaven, inspections revealed unstable ground conditions which require urgent repair. As a result, the line through the tunnel is closed. Customer advice: Service impact Train services are running between Lancaster / Barrow-in-Furness and Corkickle, and also between Whitehaven and Carlisle. Buses will replace trains between Corkickle and Whitehaven. Please speak to station staff, see online journey planners or consult customer information screens for departure times of these buses. Journey times may be extended by up to 60 minutes whilst travelling by road transport. Ticket acceptance If the train you have a ticket for is cancelled, you can travel on any Northern or TransPennine Express service within two hours before or after your cancelled service was due to depart. This is at no extra cost, and does not require you to amend your ticket. Additional information: At the end of July 2025, Network Rail carried out assessments and surveys inside Bransty Tunnel ahead of planned full track and drainage renewal that was scheduled to take place during August and September . This involved doing surveys to assess any weight limits for the heavy machinery needed for the planned renewals. These surveys uncovered some areas under the railway which need strengthening before any work can progress. After assessing the initial survey data by specialist expert engineers, Network Rail has closed Bransty Tunnel to all trains until further notice. The exact time frame for how long these repairs and subsequent track improvements will take is still being worked on. Check before you travel: You can check your journey using the National Rail Journey Planner . For helpful advice if you need to travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please use our Rail Replacement Services page . You can find the pick-up and set-down location of rail replacement services by checking station signage or by searching for your station on our Find a Station page . Please be advised that replacement vehicles may be busier than usual, and you should allow extra time for your journey.
From 9 Dec 2025, 00:00 · Until 15 May 2027, 23:59 · Source changed 8 Oct 2026, 10:54
Operators: Northern
Source details ↗