Thinking about catching a train over the Bank Holiday weekend? Read this before you do ...

Engineering works disrupting journeys on two main routes between the Midlands and London
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Bank Holiday rail travellers are being warned to check before they travel as Network Rail carries out a number of upgrades on two main routes between the Midlands and London.

Passengers from Northampton, Milton Keynes, Leighton Buzzard and Hertfordshire will have no direct link to and from Coventry and Birmingham.

■ One train and hour will run to and from Kettering and Wellingborough in each direction instead of the normal two.

Engineering work will affect routes between the Midlands and London across the Bank Holiday weekend. Photo Network RailEngineering work will affect routes between the Midlands and London across the Bank Holiday weekend. Photo Network Rail
Engineering work will affect routes between the Midlands and London across the Bank Holiday weekend. Photo Network Rail

■ Corby will be served by a buses shuttling passengers to link up with East Midlands Railway services at Kettering.

■ Thameslink services from Bedford and Luton will run to and from London St Pancras leaving passengers to take the Tube across London.

Jake Kelly, passenger director for Network Rail, said: “We know there is never a good time to close the railway, but when we do, we try to get as much work done as possible.

"This August Bank Holiday is no exception, with essential Railway Upgrade Plan work taking place to improve freight and passenger journeys.

“I’d urge people to plan ahead of this major work and please check National Rail Enquiries or train operators websites for the latest information and be prepared for your journey to be very different to how it is normally.”

London Northwestern and Avanti West Coast services will start and finish at Rugby as all lines are closed on the Coventry corridor from Saturday until Monday.

All trains between Birmingham New Street and London Euston will be disrupted, with longer journey times and bus replacements between Birmingham and Rugby.

Buses will also replace trains to and from Corby as work continues on the Midland Main Line electrification project while East Midlands Railway and Thameslink services are affected by major work around the new Brent Cross West station in north London.

East Midlands Railway

Saturday 29 August to Monday 31 August — Engineering work is taking place between London St Pancras International and Cricklewood. Trains on the intercity route between London and Derby / Nottingham / Sheffield will be running to a reduced timetable all day.

Trains between London St Pancras International and Corby will only run between Kettering and Corby.

London Northwestern Railway

Saturday 29 August to Monday 31 August — Due to major engineering work, trains between London Euston / Northampton and Birmingham New Street will be replaced by buses between Rugby and Birmingham International. A special train service will run between Birmingham International and Birmingham New Street.

Sunday 30 August — Until 07:35 buses will replace trains on journeys between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston due to engineering work.

Avanti West Coast.

Saturday 29 August to Monday 31 August — Major engineering work is taking place between Rugby and Birmingham International. Trains will be diverted between Rugby and Birmingham International and will not call at Coventry but will call additionally at Nuneaton. Buses will run between Nuneaton and Coventry.

Thameslink

Saturday 29 August — Due to engineering work between London St Pancras International and Cricklewood:

Before 23:30, trains to / from London St Pancras will be amended to run to / from alternative platforms at London St Pancras International in a different part of the station

After 23:30, trains will run between Bedford / Luton and Mill Hill Broadway only.

No trains will call at Kentish Town. Replacement buses will run between West Hampstead Thameslink and London St Pancras International.

Trains to / from Sutton will be amended to run between London Blackfriars and Sutton only. Customers for these trains should use alternative Southern trains / London Buses / London Underground to complete their journey.

Sunday 30 August — A significantly reduced service will run between London St Pancras International and London Bridge. A reduced service will run between Bedford and Harpenden / Mill Hill Broadway, and also between London Bridge and Gatwick Airport / Brighton.

Trains to / from Sutton will be amended to run between London Blackfriars and Sutton only. Customers for these trains should use alternative Southern trains / London Buses / London Underground to complete their journey.

Buses will run between Luton and Stevenage (to connect with alternative London services), and between Mill Hill Broadway and London St Pancras International.

Monday 31 August — Before 05:45, trains to / from London St Pancras International will be amended to run between Bedford / Luton and Mill Hill Broadway only. Replacement buses will run between London St Pancras International and Mill Hill Broadway.

After 05:45, trains will run to / from London St Pancras International, but will be diverted to run to alternative platforms in a different part of the station. No trains will call at Kentish Town.Replacement buses will run between West Hampstead Thameslink and London St Pancras International via Kentish Town.

Train to / from Sutton will be amended to run between London Blackfriars and Sutton only. Customers for these trains should use alternative Southern trains / London Buses / London Underground to complete their journey.