Dad and son team keep key rail staff moving

Railway upgrades by a father-and-son duo are helping keep critical supplies and key workers moving across Britain.
Howerd and Rafael Kernahan who are part of a team that has been laying new track in a 172-year-old tunnel under Up Holland and, below, the new track being installedHowerd and Rafael Kernahan who are part of a team that has been laying new track in a 172-year-old tunnel under Up Holland and, below, the new track being installed
Howerd and Rafael Kernahan who are part of a team that has been laying new track in a 172-year-old tunnel under Up Holland and, below, the new track being installed

Railway upgrades by a father-and-son duo are helping keep critical supplies and key workers moving across Britain.

Over the past three weekends, Howerd Kernahan, 50, a senior programme manager for Network Rail, and his track worker son Rafael, 18, have been part of an engineering team improving the Wigan-Kirkby line at Up Holland. Taking extra safety precautions to halt the spread of coronavirus, the team laid 1km of new track through the 172-year-old Up Holland tunnel, in West Lancashire, to make it more reliable for passenger and freight trains moving between Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

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The job involved laying 3,000 sleepers and 3,000 tonnes of ballast (railway foundation stone), and improving trackside

drainage.

Howerd, a former British Army captain, said: “I strongly believe it is important I’m out there on track leading my team at this difficult time.

“I feel honoured that my son and I can be part of the wider railway family doing our bit to keep critical supplies and key workers moving in Britain’s hour of need.

“The work we’ve done through Up Holland tunnel will help make the Wigan-Kirkby line more reliable both now and long into the future.”

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He added: “Throughout this job we have all worn protective equipment, including masks, and wherever possible have kept two metres between us in line with government social-distancing guidance.”

Network Rail is working collaboratively with trade union colleagues to help keep track-working staff safe, in line with government health guidelines designed to halt the spread of coronavirus.

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper said: “Superb! What a magnificent effort from everyone involved.

“It just shows that in these difficult times we can still do essential work safely.

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“This will help the railway stay open for key worker journeys as well as for freight traffic, moving essential fuel, food and medical supplies around the country.

“This magnificent effort helps all our communities. I want to thank everyone involved.”

Up Holland tunnel was built in 1848 and takes in 887m of the Kirkby branch line underneath the village of Up Holland.

The track renewal was carried out overnight over three consecutive Saturdays by the Central Rail Systems Alliance, made up of staff from Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and Atkins.