Easter rail travel to be disrupted by hundreds of engineering projects

Anyone planning an Easter getaway by train is being urged to plan their journeys in advance due to engineering work.

Network Rail will carry out 420 projects costing £113 million between Good Friday and Easter Monday, disrupting services on some major routes.

The West Coast Main Line will be closed north of Crewe, meaning trains between London Euston and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh will begin and terminate at the Cheshire town.

Preparatory work for HS2 and track renewal will lead to a reduced timetable between London Euston and Watford Junction, Tring, Milton Keynes and Northampton.

London Fenchurch Street will be closed, while on Easter Sunday there will be amended services out of London Paddington.

Buses will replace trains between Bedford and Market Harborough on Easter Saturday, and between Luton and Market Harborough on Easter Sunday.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: “We know that train performance has to improve if we are to provide the railway passengers and freight users deserve, which is why this Easter thousands of our colleagues will be working around the clock to deliver crucial upgrades.

“While fewer people travel over bank holidays, some of our passengers will have important travel plans – to go on holiday, or visit friends and family.

“We are asking those passengers to check in advance whether their journey might be impacted by our upgrade works.”