While most of us will be enjoying Christmas festivities, Network Rail teams will be carrying out essential work to upgrade the track at Skelton, north of York.

Skelton is 3 miles north of York where the line to Harrogate diverges from the East Coast Main Line.

The work will take place from 22:00 on Christmas Eve until before the first service on Monday, 27 December. Almost 750 metres of track will be replaced along with the wooden sleepers and ballast – the stones that support the track.

The £1 million project will result in a smoother ride and more reliable services for passengers. It will also reduce the amount of maintenance required in the future, which will lessen the likelihood of disruption to services. People who live near the railway will also benefit from a reduction in noise.

Network Rail has carefully planned this improvement work to avoid disruption for passengers at busier times. With there being no timetabled train services on this part of the railway on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, this is the optimum time to carry out the work. The absence of trains also allows engineers to complete the work safely before train services resume.

Stuart Skelton, Project Manager for Network Rail, said: “I’m proud to work on the railway and I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my team to carry out this vital work, which will bring more reliable services on the East Coast Main Line. With no trains running on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, we’re taking the opportunity to lift and replace the track, ready for services to resume for passengers. My family are supportive and understand how important this work is, especially as more passengers are returning to the railway. Once it’s complete, I’ll still have time to enjoy some of the festivities with them.”