Network Rail is advising passengers in the East Midlands to plan ahead for the weekend of 22 and 23 April, as electrification work means changes to services between Kettering and Corby in Northamptonshire.

In addition, intensive maintenance work between London and Kentish Town at the very southern end of the Midland Main Line will result in reduced Thameslink and East Midlands Railway services. There will be no Thameslink services through central London between St Pancras or Finsbury Park and Blackfriars / London Bridge.

Moreover, operators expect trains to be very busy due to major sporting events.

Details of the disruption are as follows:

East Midlands Railway:

Saturday:

• reduced hourly service to / from London St Pancras International
• 22:01 Corby to Kettering service will not run
• reduced / amended timetable will be in operation all day.

Sunday:

• reduced Intercity train service from / to Sheffield and Nottingham will operate: trains will be diverted, increasing journey times by up to an hour.
• all services between Corby and London St Pancras International will start / terminate at Wellingborough, running every half an hour on Saturday and hourly on Sunday. Rail connections are available to Kettering and Corby.
• buses will replace trains between Leicester and Market Harborough, and between Market Harborough and Kettering.

Thameslink

• no Thameslink trains run through central London between London St Pancras International and London Blackfriars / London Bridge.
• use London Underground / Bus services to travel across central London.

Trains will run to an amended timetable between:

• London St Pancras and Bedford / Luton. Trains will not call at Kentish Town, please use alternative Northern line services.
• London Bridge and Three Bridges / Horsham / Brighton / Rainham.
• London Victoria and Sevenoaks.
• No trains will operate between London Blackfriars and Sutton. Please use alternative local London buses, Tramlink, Northern line or Southern Railway services.

Gary Walsh, Route Director for Network Rail in the East Midlands said: “The electrification of the Midland Main Line is a really important investment for our region. We’re carrying out as much work as possible without affecting services, but some activities need to be carried out when trains aren’t running to keep everyone safe. This weekend is also a busy weekend at the London end of our route where our maintenance teams get longer access to make sure everything is working as it should be.

“I want to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out this work.   Please do check your journey before you travel and be aware that some trains may be busier than usual.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “We also thank our passengers for bearing with the inconvenience while Network Rail carry out this essential track maintenance. Sunday will be particularly busy into and out of London, with many people heading for the Marathon or the FA Cup semi-final, so please plan you journey in advance and check times before you leave home.”

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director for East Midlands Railway said: “We are asking any customers planning to travel to or from London on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to complete their journey.

“We are expecting our services to be very busy throughout the duration of the weekend and with major sporting events taking place, we want to make sure we can get our customers to these events as safely as possible.

“On Sunday, the day of the London Marathon, Rail Replacement buses will keep passengers moving between Leicester and Market Harborough, and between Market Harborough and Kettering.

“For full details, please visit our website .We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst the electrification of the Midland Main Line is taking place.”