Train passengers are being warned to brace themselves for travel chaos and frustrating delays as we head into 2025, following a shocking theft of £100,000 worth of brand-new infrastructure from a major rail upgrade project. The audacious theft occurred just before Christmas, with high-voltage cables crucial to the operation of the rail network in Lostock, near Bolton, being stolen.

The missing cables were only discovered by engineers during the festive period when they arrived to work on the mammoth £100m infrastructure project aimed at modernising train travel in Greater Manchester. Residents have already been impacted by weekend closures in recent months, and now, due to the loss of these cables, they can expect further disruption this weekend.

Workers are scrambling to restore the line before its planned New Year’s Day electrification. These 25,000 volt cables are vital as they power the overhead equipment that, in turn, powers the new electric trains which are gradually replacing old diesel engines in the North West.

Rail authorities have confirmed they are working closely with police to track down and prosecute the culprits. The railway line between Chorley and Bolton is set to be out of bounds most of this Sunday due to the audacious theft, just days before the line’s scheduled electrification. 

Local train services are going to feel the brunt of this as well, as reported by the Manchester Evening News. TransPennine Express services linking Manchester with Glasgow and Edinburgh won’t stop at Bolton until after 6pm, and local services will be hit too

Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s capital delivery director, said: “I am very sorry to passengers who will be impacted by the rail closure between Chorley and Bolton on Sunday.

“It is extremely frustrating for this crime to take place so close to the energisation of the line. Our teams have been working very hard to deliver this upgrade for passengers over several years including over this Christmas period.

“We are working closely with the British Transport Police to provide additional security measures and to find and prosecute those accountable.”

Passengers have been informed to check their travel plans on the National Rail website or consult with train operators about how this disruption may affect their journey.

Network Rail also warned passengers to take extra care as electrified routes have a deadly 25,000 volts running through them.