Overhead wires between Wigan and Bolton switched on days after £100,000 cable theft

Overhead wires between Wigan and Bolton have now gone live.

Network Rail and its contractors carried out final tests on the 25kV overhead line equipment (OLE) before it was switched on on January 1.

It has taken two years to install the wires along the six-mile stretch of railway as part of a £100 million project to electrify the route between Wigan and Bolton. This has included installing 21km of power lines, erecting 450 OLE stanchions, rebuilding six road bridges and one footbridge, and modifying 17 bridges and two level crossings.

Over the Christmas period a £100,000 high-voltage power cable that provides power to the OLE was stolen in the Lostock area, leading to the British Transport Police starting drone patrols. It also led to the closure of the line, as well as the route up to Chorley, while a replacement was fitted and tested.

Electric-powered passenger trains are due to start running along the route in the second half of 2025.