During the next four weekends, CrossCountry train services north of Birmingham will be disrupted because of essential engineering work taking place at Water Orton in North Warwickshire and Duddeston in Birmingham.

The work is in connection with the construction of two new structures that are being built to carry future lines for HS2. A new bridge is being built in Duddeston to take Aston Church Road over existing and future railway lines, while in Curdworth pre-cast concrete beams for the new Heartlands Park Bridge will be lifted and installed in position.

The routes affected include services between:

• Birmingham New Street and Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport;
• Cardiff Central, Birmingham New Street, and Nottingham;
• Scotland and the North East to Birmingham New Street and the South West.

Diversions will be in place for CrossCountry’s long-distance trains, but this will mean longer journey times.

CrossCountry’s regional services between Birmingham, the East Midlands, and East Anglia will start and finish at Coleshill Parkway. Replacement buses will operate between Coleshill Parkway, Water Orton, and Birmingham New Street on Saturdays and Sundays 11th/12, 18th/19th, and 25th/26th February, and 4th/5th March.

Passengers who may require extra help during the disruption should contact CrossCountry’s Passenger Assist team on 0800 030 9224 or email [email protected].

Patrick Cawley, director for ‘On Network Works’ for Network Rail and HS2, said: “We’re making great progress on HS2 and a key part of this is making sure it works in harmony with the existing railway, as seen by the ambitious rebuild of the SAS 13 railway bridge last May.

“While this latest phase of work takes place I’d urge people to please check before they travel with CrossCountry or by using the National Rail Enquiries website or app, and I thank everyone in advance for their patience while we help build this railway for the future.”

Richard Morris, regional director East Midlands & East Anglia for CrossCountry, said: “We are working collaboratively with our industry colleagues at Network Rail, HS2 and West Midlands Trains on detailed alternative arrangements for our customers to ensure the disruption to their journeys is kept to a minimum.

“There will be extended journey times for everyone travelling on the affected routes, and on our regional services travel into and out of Birmingham New Street will involve transfer to and from a frequent rail replacement bus service at Coleshill Parkway.

“We are putting extra facilities and staffing in place to ensure passengers can interchange between trains and buses as smoothly as possible. I’d urge people to please check before they travel using the National Rail Enquiries website or app.”