Passengers travelling between Bedford and London are being warned of significant disruption over the next two weekends as major engineering works take place on the Midland Main Line.
There will be no Thameslink trains between Bedford and London on Saturday, 20 June and Sunday, 21 June, or on Saturday, 27 June and Sunday, 28 June.
East Midlands Railway services to London will also be affected, with trains from Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and Corby terminating at Bedford.
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Rail replacement buses will operate to help passengers complete their journeys.
What it means for Bedford passengers
Thameslink services between Bedford and London will not run on either weekend.
Rail replacement buses will operate between:
- Bedford and Luton
- Luton Airport Parkway and Hitchin via Luton
- Harpenden and Potters Bar via St Albans
- Luton and London
Passengers travelling to London are being advised to check before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys.
East Midlands Railway passengers travelling to and from London will need to use rail replacement buses between Bedford and Hitchin, where they can connect with alternative train services.
Why the line is closing
Network Rail engineers will be carrying out a series of projects designed to improve reliability and resilience along the southern section of the Midland Main Line.
The work includes:
- Refurbishing switches and crossings at West Hampstead
- Renewing around one kilometre of track at Hendon and Belsize Tunnel
- Installing new rail infrastructure linked to the Radlett Strategic Freight Interchange
- Renewing more than 1.2km of drainage at Harlington to reduce the risk of flooding
- Continuing accessibility improvements at Luton station as part of its Access for All project
The drainage improvements at Harlington are intended to help protect the railway from flooding and improve long-term reliability.
Check before travelling
Dan Matthews, Network Rail’s operations director, said: “We’re carrying out a significant programme of upgrades along the Midland Main Line over the coming weekends to make journeys more reliable and resilient for passengers and freight.
“This includes renewing track, improving drainage to reduce the risk of flooding, upgrading key track components, and continuing work to make stations more accessible.
“We’re sorry to anyone whose journey will be affected and we thank passengers for their patience while we carry out our work.”
A spokesperson for East Midlands Railway and Thameslink added: “We’re working closely together and with Network Rail to keep customers moving while these essential upgrades are carried out.
“We strongly encourage customers to plan ahead, check before they travel and allow extra time, as journeys will take longer than usual.”
