Midlands commuters, beware. For the next month or so your trains might be a bit delayed. This, we know, is unprecedented news. But try not to panic – it’s for a good cause.
Network Rail has announced some major upgrades coming to the Midlands mainline over the remainder of April and May, upgrading overhead lines and allowing for a brand new fleet of trains to take to the tracks between Luton and Bedford.
The works will be happening overnight between Saturday and Sunday to minimise disruption, and replacement bus services will be in place between the hours of midnight and 8am to make sure you can still get where you need to go. Expect these disruptions on Sundays April 21, May 5, and May 19.
In exchange for inconvenience on the next four Sundays, you will gain more comfortable train journeys forevermore, or at least until these carriages end up needing to be replaced. For a good few years anyway.
Other minor disruptions can be expected throughout the coming weekends, including maintenance works to the overhead lines between Kettering and Wigston, which despite sounding like places in an Enid Blyton novel, are in fact real locations near Leicester. For full details on all the planned railway works have a look at the East Midlands Railway’s engineering works calendar.
Trains in the news
We at Time Out like to keep up to date on the latest in the world of UK railway news. For instance, did you see that Manchester’s Metrolink tram network could soon get much, much bigger? Maybe you missed that Britain’s worst railway stations for delays have been revealed, or that the real-life Hogwarts Express has started running again? We also keep up to date with latest information about ongoing strikes with our national industrial action hub.
Did you see that this seaside resort has been named the UK’s party capital?
Plus: TUI could be relaunching flights at this abandoned airport.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.