West Coast Main Line passengers are being advised to check before they travel ahead of important railway upgrades over the Early May bank holiday.
Teams from Network Rail and its contractors will carry out multiple projects to replace trackside drainage and railway track on sections of the line between London Euston and Milton Keynes.
As a result, Euston station will be closed on Sunday 4 May and Monday 5 May with all trains terminating at Milton Keynes. Passengers are also advised that fewer services will be running on Saturday 3 May.
The multi-million-pound projects to improve future journeys for passengers and freight will see:
- New track and railway foundation stone (ballast) installed between Queens Park and Kilburn in North West London.
- Ongoing railway drainage improvements to prevent lines flooding near Tring station.
- Railway embankment strengthening to prevent landslips near Harlesden.
- Maintenance work will take place between London Euston and Willesden including, replacing track and ballast stones, upgrading overhead power lines, improving drainage systems, repairing bridge brickwork, renewing and refurbishing junctions where trains switch tracks, running new cables through tunnels and realigning tracks.
Brian Paynter, Network Rail Capital Delivery head of track, said: “There’s a lot of great work happening over the Early May bank holiday to improve the reliability and safety of the railway for passengers and freight. We know some of this will be disruptive, but bank holidays remain the least busy time for carrying out complex upgrades.
“I’d like to encourage people to plan ahead at www.nationalrail.co.uk/spring and recommend to those planning journeys to or from London Euston, to travel either side of the Early May bank holiday weekend for the most straightforward journey.”
Long-distance rail travellers are also advised of work further north on the West Coast Main Line, impacting journeys through Warrington and north of Carlisle.
Image credit: Network Rail
