Trains disrupted by track upgrades for 11 days

24 December 2025

Matthew LockwoodBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

News image — Track workers inspecting panels at Roade ahead of renewal work at Hanslope Junction, north of Milton Keynes, which begins on 24 December

Network Rail Network Rail employees dressed in orange overalls, wearing white and blue hats inspect new tracks before being lifted into position by a digger. — Track workers inspecting panels at Roade ahead of renewal work at Hanslope Junction, north of Milton Keynes, which begins on 24 December

Work is under way to improve a vital section of the West Coast Main Line which carries more than 3,300 services a week.

Network Rail is carrying out improvements at Hanslope Junction near Milton Keynes until Monday, 5 January, affecting services to Northampton and Rugby in Warwickshire.

The £26m upgrade means about a mile of track will be replaced and more than 12,000 tonnes of ballast stone will be put down to support it.

Gary Walsh, Network Rail's route director, said: "The work at Hanslope Junction is one of the most significant projects, and by carrying it out during a quieter travel period we can deliver improvements that will benefit passengers and freight for decades to come."

Trains suspended

The improvements mean there will be no trains running on the West Coast Mainline between Milton Keynes and Rugby or Northampton for 11 consecutive days, with passengers advised to expect to be transported by bus.

While services are suspended Network Rail engineers say they will use the opportunity to carry out further work including:

Milton Keynes Central station: Platform 4 renewal — a £3.66m project to replace concrete planks and fix uneven services, improving safety

Wolverton station: Platforms 3 and 4 resurfacing — investing more than £2m to upgrade platform surfaces to make it easier to step on and off trains
Roade: Track renewal near the station costing £600,000
Newport Bridge, Stafford: Upgrade to the bridge carrying the A518 over the track

Network Rail Yellow digger scoops up rubble and loads it into carriages to make way for new tracks — Christmas upgrades will future-proof the West Coast Main Line near Milton Keynes for decades to come

London Northwestern Railway says it will be operating an amended timetable due to rail infrastructure upgrades and services for Christmas markets, with trains finishing earlier than usual on 24 and 31 December.

Jonny Wiseman, LNR customer experience director, said: "Due to engineering works, rail replacement buses may be in operation for certain routes, so make sure to check journey planners and leave plenty of time to travel."