PASSENGERS are being advised to plan ahead this festive period as vital engineering work, including in Cheshire, will be taking place to improve journeys on the West Coast main line.

Timetables for train services running over the festive period will start to go live from this weekend.

Passengers wishing to travel during the festive period can plan their journeys by visiting National Rail Enquiries or the train operator’s website.

While most of the improvements will happen during the traditional railway shutdown from the end of service on Christmas Eve until the railway fully reopens on December 27, Network Rail engineers will be completing several upgrades across the West Coast main line between December 23 and January 4, including:

  • Resignalling work on the railway traffic lights in the Crewe area between Wednesday, December 25, and Thursday, January 2. No trains will pass through Crewe Station until Friday, December 27. From Saturday, December 28, there will be various restrictions on rail traffic to both the north and the south of Crewe Station, whilst signalling  works continue.
  • Installing a bridge and completing overhead line improvement work at Greek Street roundabout in Stockport while the railway is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
  • Overnight on New Year’s Eve, tamping is taking place near Birmingham New Street station, which means a later start to services on New Year’s Day – January 1 – with longer journey times and rail replacement buses.
  • Track drainage improvements near Milton Keynes will mean buses replace all trains from Milton Keynes to both Northampton and Rugby on New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1.
  • Track upgrades between Watford and Milton Keynes will affect some services between Watford and Milton Keynes between Wednesday 1- Saturday 4 January.

Additionally, major rail upgrades taking place over Christmas and New Year affecting journeys into both London Paddington and London St Pancras  will mean trains to and from London Euston station are extremely busy. For a more comfortable journey to or from London Euston passengers should consider travelling before Tuesday 24 December or from Thursday 2 January.

Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s North West & Central capital delivery director, said: “It’s really important to us that passengers reach their destinations safely and timely for the festive period so we urge people to plan ahead for their journeys.

"With fewer people travelling by train, Christmas provides a unique opportunity for us to complete vital work to improve the reliability and safety of the railway.

“London Euston station is expected to be extremely busy due to planned work on other routes, so we’re asking passengers to consider travelling before 24 December or after 2 January for a more comfortable journey.”