How FTS helped cut rail replacement requirements by 50% during major West Coast Main Line works

FTS key facts:

• 661 rail replacement vehicles mobilised from 31 operators
• Up to 50% cost savings on rail replacement vehicles and ground coordination through shared resources and consolidated requirements
• 100% real-time vehicle tracking capability, enabling effective operational oversight
• 100% accessible vehicles deployed, supporting passengers with additional mobility needs
• Over 12 months of advance planning, coordinating operators, stakeholders and operational requirements

First Travel Solutions (FTS) and Avanti West Coast worked together to deliver a complex rail replacement operation during major engineering works in January 2026, maintaining vital passenger connections while significantly reducing vehicle requirements, and delivering substantial cost efficiencies.

The challenge

Major engineering works on the West Coast Main Line between 31 December 2025 and 14 January 2026 required an extensive rail replacement operation involving multiple train operators, infrastructure partners, and transport providers.

The programme involved signalling upgrades at Kingmoor and Preston, alongside major bridge replacement works near Penrith. Changing access requirements, high levels of midweek demand, particularly school travel between Carlisle and Penrith, and planned M6 closures added to the complexity.

Kevin Hughes, Major Works Planning Manager at Avanti West Coast, said: "This was one of the most complex rail replacement operations we've undertaken in recent years. We had multiple train operators involved, changing access requirements and significant road restrictions to work around, all while making sure passengers could continue their journeys with as little disruption as possible.

"It was clear from the outset that we needed a genuinely collaborative approach, with everyone working towards the same objectives."

Avanti operated diversionary services via the Settle and Carlisle route, while other operators maintained connections to destinations including Lancaster, Oxenholme and Penrith. Coordinating these services with replacement road transport, including new operating arrangements at Lockerbie, required a joined-up approach across the network.

Kevin Hughes said: "Rather than approaching this as a conventional rail replacement operation, we wanted to look at how the industry could work together to make better use of existing services and resources. That meant understanding what each operator could provide and developing a coordinated plan that worked for passengers across the network."

The solution

FTS was responsible for planning, managing and delivering rail replacement services, working closely with Avanti, TransPennine Express (TPE), Network Rail and other industry partners.

Preparations began in November 2024, with passenger handling planning commencing in February 2025. FTS assessed passenger flows and operating arrangements at key stations, including Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle and Lockerbie, while engaging with National Highways to understand the impact of planned road restrictions.

From July 2025, regular readiness meetings brought together train operators, station teams, local authorities and contractors to review progress, manage risks and coordinate requirements ahead of the works.

Katie Johnson, Business Operations Director at FTS, said: "With an operation of this scale, the work you do before the first vehicle arrives is just as important as what happens on the day. We needed to understand how the different parts of the network would interact, where problems might arise and what we could do to prevent them.

"Getting everyone involved early gave us the opportunity to challenge assumptions, find practical solutions and put a robust plan in place."

FTS mobilised 661 rail replacement vehicles from 31 operators, supported by operational managers, ground coordinators and a central control team. Extensive supplier mapping helped identify suitable operators across the network, including recruitment from Scotland to strengthen resilience.

Drivers received detailed route information, safe systems of work and pre-service briefing videos, while ground coordinators were briefed on site responsibilities and passenger handling arrangements.

Throughout the works, FTS maintained close communication with train operators and station teams. Real-time tracking capability across all vehicles gave the control team visibility of services, enabling it to identify emerging issues and respond quickly to changing requirements.

Katie said: "Managing an operation of this size is about much more than getting vehicles to the right place. It's about making sure everyone understands their role, passengers are supported and we have the flexibility to respond when things don't go to plan.

"Our ground coordinators and control team were central to that, keeping services moving and making sure we could react quickly to any issues throughout the programme."

A key element of the approach was the collaboration between Avanti and TPE, which enabled transport requirements to be consolidated, vehicles to be shared and duplication of ground coordination resources to be avoided.

The benefits

The collaborative approach delivered significant operational and commercial benefits while maintaining passenger connectivity throughout the engineering works.

By maximising diversionary rail services and sharing transport resources, the operation required approximately 50% fewer buses south of Carlisle than a conventional replacement plan, reducing vehicle and ground coordination costs.

Kevin Hughes at Avanti West Coast, said: "One of the biggest successes was demonstrating that we could deliver a reliable service for passengers while using significantly fewer replacement vehicles. By working together and making better use of existing rail services, we achieved substantial cost savings without compromising passenger connectivity."

Passengers benefited from coordinated connections, accessible vehicles and dedicated assistance at stations. Despite challenging winter weather and unrelated operational issues, services were successfully maintained throughout the programme.

FTS's specialist experience also strengthened operational assurance for Avanti, particularly through its ability to anticipate risks and manage resources across multiple locations.

Kevin said: "Having an experienced rail replacement partner like FTS made a real difference. Their ability to anticipate potential challenges, develop practical solutions and manage such a complex operation gave us confidence that the arrangements would work on the ground.

"Having their teams overseeing delivery throughout the works also provided valuable assurance that we could respond effectively when circumstances changed."

Kevin concluded: "This was one of the strongest examples of cross-industry collaboration we've seen during a major engineering programme. As we look ahead to further works through the West Coast North Modernisation Programme, it's an approach we'd actively seek to replicate."