For nine days later this month, services will be suspended on the Bakerloo line between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone and London Overground between Euston and Watford Junction to allow major improvements to be carried out.

The lines will be closed between Saturday, 11th and Sunday, 19th February so that several complex projects that would normally take years of weekend or overnight working can be carried out in one go. The work follows similar upgrades to a 17-mile stretch of the same lines in December.

During the closures, Transport for London passengers can complete their journeys using local bus routes and rail-replacement bus services, or connect with alternative rail routes, including the nearby Metropolitan and Jubilee lines. Bakerloo line and London Overground customers are advised to use existing bus services to connect with alternative rail routes, including the Metropolitan or Jubilee lines. Further information is on the TfL website at tfl.gov.uk/bakerloo-overground.

Temporary bus routes 718, 719, and 720 will also be available during the closure and will operate in addition to local bus services, and will run between Watford Junction and Harrow & Wealdstone, and between Harrow & Wealdstone and Queen’s Park. Fares are the same as a standard bus fare, but TfL’s Hopper fare provides customers with unlimited bus journeys for £1.65 made within one hour of touching in.

Passengers for central London should use London Northwestern Railway services from Watford Junction, Bushey, Harrow & Wealdstone, or Wembley Central, which will operate as normal.

Improvements being carried out will include:

• Replacing 7,000 wooden sleepers dating back to the 1950s with modern concrete sleepers, which would have taken between 7-8 years complete if done working just midweek overnight shifts;
• replacing 28km of signal cables, which would have taken an estimated five years working just overnight and weekends;
• making structural improvements to five stations to Carpenders Park, Headstone Lane, Kenton, North Wembley, and South Kenton, including clearing guttering, roof repairs, canopy renovations, installing tactile paving, and resurfacing platforms;
• renewing track at Willesden and Queen’s Park;
• upgrading the electrical power supply for London Underground and Overground trains;
• carrying out signal maintenance at Watford Junction.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “The previous partnership working shows how the rail industry is committed to improving rail journeys for passengers. Once again we’re returning to overhaul equipment on the Bakerloo Line and London Underground with that shared goal our total focus.

“I appreciate that doing this essential work over consecutive days will be disruptive for passengers so I’d urge people to keep in mind the line between Euston and Watford will be closed and to check National Rail Enquiries and TfL for alternative public transport options in and out of the capital.”

Geoff Hobbs, director of public transport service planning for TfL, said: “Work is continuing on essential track renewal that will help ensure our customers’ journeys are more reliable in the future. Network Rail and Transport for London continue to work collaboratively on these improvements to ensure they can be delivered as quickly as possible and helping minimise the impact for our customers.

“We strongly advise our customers to use TfL’s Journey Planner or the TfL Go app to plan their journeys in advance during these essential closures.”