Network Rail is warning passengers travelling between London, the West Midlands, and North West England that their journeys may be especially busy or disrupted this weekend.

Engineering work, football matches, and adverse weather conditions will all impact services.

Seventeen FA Cup third-round matches will take place on Saturday (11 January), with a further seven on Sunday (12 January).

Forecasters expect cold temperatures and icy conditions to continue over the weekend.

Engineering work

Network Rail engineers will be renewing tracks and working on drainage between Milton Keynes Central and Rugby on Sunday.

Engineers will also be working in the Smethwick area of the West Midlands over the weekend. This means that journeys will take longer on both Saturday and Sunday.

Track improvement work will be taking place in the High Wycombe area on both days this weekend.

Network Rail will also be upgrading the track between Preston and Carlisle.

Services will be amended in all these areas, with replacement buses running in some.

Engineers will also be upgrading the track between London Euston and Birmingham New Street the following weekend.

Services will be amended on both Saturday and Sunday (18 and 19 January). Rail replacement buses will run.

Sunday strikes

Network Rail is also pointing out that services will be disrupted by strike action called by the RMT trade union on Avanti West Coast on Sundays from 12 January to 25 May 2025.

RMT says that a “severe staffing shortage” at the train operating company is at the heart of the dispute.

Network Rail says

“With a busy weekend ahead, it’s important to us that passengers get to where they need to be in a safe and timely manner.”

“Network Rail engineers will be working around the clock to maintain the track to improve the reliability of the railway and this is happening alongside football fixtures and cold weather.

“With this in mind, services are expected to be impacted so we advise passengers to check their journeys ahead of time so they can enjoy their weekend plans.”

Phil James, North West route director, Network Rail