Chiltern Railways and Network Rail are inviting people in Aylesbury to find out more about major railway upgrades which will improve journeys and prepare for new high speed railway, HS2.

The upgrades will see changes to journeys between Aylesbury, Princes Risborough and Amersham from August this year.

Network Rail will hold drop-in events in partnership with Chiltern Railways and HS2 on:

• Wednesday 28 June between 3.30pm and 7pm: Stoke Mandeville Village community centre, Eskdale Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5UJ
• Thursday 6 July between 3.30pm and 6pm: Princes Risborough railway station, Station Approach, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 9DN
• Thursday 13 July between 3.30pm and 6pm: Aylesbury railway station, Station Way West, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1RU

People attending the events will have the opportunity to ask questions about the projects.

In the first stage of work, Network Rail engineers will permanently repair a Victorian drainage culvert which passes under the railway in Aylesbury.

Damage to the brick-built culvert in March has caused several short-notice line closures, despite a temporary repair and the installation of monitoring equipment.

During heavy rain or repeated use of the Grand Union Canal’s locks, water levels fill the culvert, obscuring the monitoring equipment and so causing the railway to close.

Unusually, in this location the culvert, which drains excess water from the canal basin, predates the railway, which was built over it. When a lock is opened, a large amount of water can flow into the basin, which may then overflow and drain via the culvert.

To permanently resolve the issue, the railway will close for twelve days, from Monday 7 until Friday 18 August, affecting trains between Aylesbury Vale Parkway and Amersham and Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.

Buses will replace trains between:

• Amersham – Great Missenden – Wendover – Stoke Mandeville – Aylesbury – Aylesbury Vale Parkway (for connections to London Underground)
• Princes Risborough – Monks Risborough – Little Kimble – Aylesbury

Straight after that, for ten weeks from 19 August until 29 October, Network Rail and HS2 will move and replace more than a mile of track and signalling equipment between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury, to allow HS2 to pass under the existing railway.

Buses will replace trains between:

• Princes Risborough – Monks Risborough – Little Kimble – Aylesbury

Passengers are advised to check again closer to the date of travel for more detailed information about rail replacement bus services by using www.chilternrailways.co.uk

In addition, Marsh Lane level crossing will close to road users from 10pm on Friday 18 August and reopen in spring 2024. This will allow the improvement work to take place, and will also facilitate a project to upgrade the level crossing to meet modern safety standards.

Network Rail is advising passengers to check again closer to the date of travel for more detailed information about rail replacement bus services by visiting Chiltern Railways’ website.

Patrick Cawley, director for ‘On Network Works’ for Network Rail and HS2, said: “Our major upgrades in Buckinghamshire will help to improve reliability for passengers who have been disrupted this year as well as preparing for HS2 which will transform journeys between London, the Midlands and the North, by making space on the existing railway network for more freight and local services.

“Before work begins in August, we are inviting passengers, road users and the local community to find out more about the phases of work and will be on hand to answer questions.”

Jacqueline Dey, operations director for Chiltern Railways, said: “Local customers will know all too well that the damaged culvert has led to numerous short-notice cancellations this year, and we are pleased that a permanent fix will be implemented this summer. Customers should be aware that Network Rail and HS2 works will close the railway for a further ten weeks after these repairs. Rail replacement buses will be in operation during this time, and customers should check before they travel.

“We are aware that this is a significant, long-term closure of the railway, so would encourage customers to attend the community drop-in events organised in collaboration with Network Rail and HS2 to find out more about the importance of the work. We’d like to thank customers for their patience while these works take place, and we remain heavily committed to working with our industry partners to keep local residents informed before and throughout the closure.”

Network Rail is writing to residents who live near the railway to make them aware of the planned work and information events.

For more information, please visit www.networkrail.co.uk/pra.

**Network Rail and HS2 will work in partnership to move and replace more than a mile of track and signalling equipment between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury to make way for the new HS2 line which will pass beneath the existing railway.

The major work means there will be no train services between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough for a further 10 weeks with services resuming on Monday 30 October.

Chiltern Railways will operate a rail replacement bus service between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough during this time, calling at Little Kimble and Monks Risborough