Both Network Rail and East Midlands Railway are urging passengers to check before travelling over the festive period. This is due to the eight days of changes to services in the region that will occur.

From 10 pm on Christmas Eve and Saturday, 4th January, Network Rail engineers will be placing the final sections of track, which will complete the construction of the fourth track between Bedford and Kettering before testing and commissioning the new line.

This work is part of the Midland Main Line Upgrade, and once completed, the line will increase capacity, which will ultimately allow more services to run in the future and connect more people to jobs, education and leisure opportunities.

In order to allow the work to commence safely, no trains are able to run between Market Harborough and Bedford or between Bedford and Corby. The trains will be stopped on these lines at 10 pm on Christmas Eve to 8 am on Thursday 2nd January 2020. During this time a replacement bus will be in place along these routes and a near-full train service will resume on 2nd January.

With the difference being that between Thursday, 2nd January and Saturday, 4th January, buses will replace trains between Bedford and Market Harborough and between Bedford and Corby before 8 am and after 9:30 pm while further minor work will be carried out ahead of the full reopening.

Passengers who planning on travelling during this time are strongly urged to check before travelling via National Rail Enquiries or with East Midlands Railway. Passengers are also advised allowing additional time for their journey.

As usual, there are to be no train services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Network Rail uses this time to carry out hundreds of maintenance and upgrade projects across the country. There will also be no bus replacement services in place on these days.

What did the officials have to say?

Gavin Crook, the Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail, said:

“The work we are doing over the festive period is a key step in the Midland Main Line Upgrade, which will bring huge benefits for passengers across the region.

“There will be eight days of changes for passengers which is why we are urging them to plan ahead as we don’t want anyone to be disappointed. We would like to reassure passengers that this work has been planned meticulously and we are working closely with East Midlands Railway to keep passengers moving.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience during this time and apologise for any disruption caused.”

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director, East Midlands Railway, said:

“We are approaching the final stages of the Midland Main Line Upgrade which will allow us to provide quicker journeys and thousands of extra seats from December 2020.

“However, there is still more work to be done, including this Christmas period. So, I would urge passengers to check before they travel and understand the changes to their journeys during the Christmas period.”

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