The timetable for the next travel-disrupting work on the 拢1.2 billion East Coast Main Line upgrade has been revealed.
Network Rail and train operators are urging passengers not to travel to or from London King鈥檚 Cross, on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, as vital work continues.
The huge package of works is being carried out to meet future passenger demand and create a more reliable railway.
Over the weekend, Network Rail engineers will carry out essential work to test the new signalling system and replace overhead wires in and around King鈥檚 Cross Station.
Further work is planned over the coming months, including another weekend closure at London King鈥檚 Cross on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 and an extended closure between Christmas and the New Year.
A partial closure of the station is also scheduled between Monday, March 1 and Friday, June 4, when individual tracks and platforms will need to be temporarily closed at different points over the three-month period.
There will be temporary changes to LNER, Great Northern, Thameslink, Hull Trains and Grand Central services.
Ed Akers, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e making good progress on the project to improve access into and out of King鈥檚 Cross. Unfortunately, while a lot of the work is being carried out with no disruption to passengers, some key activities just cannot be done safely while trains are running.
鈥淥n Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October we need to make changes to the signalling and power lines, and we can only do that by stopping trains coming in and out of the station. We鈥檙e advising people not to travel to London over the weekend, but those who do need to should check their journeys via National Rail Enquiries, at or with their train operator and allow plenty of time.
鈥淭hank you for your continued patience as we progress with these vital improvements.鈥
Passengers will also not be able to use Thameslink services to or from St Pancras International via Finsbury Park.
A spokesperson on behalf of train operators on the route, said: 鈥淲e would like to thank our passengers for their patience whilst this essential work is carried out in and around King鈥檚 Cross over the weekend.
鈥淲e are asking people not to travel to or from London on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October. Replacement services will be running for those making essential journeys, but these are expected to be busy and journeys will take significantly longer.鈥
Full changes:
- LNER services to/from the north will start/end at St Neots, south of Peterborough. Rail replacement coaches will run between St Neots and Bedford, where passengers can use Thameslink or East Midlands Railway services to/from London St Pancras.
- No Great Northern or Thameslink services will run into King鈥檚 Cross, Moorgate or St Pancras International via Finsbury Park. Limited replacement bus services will run between Potters Bar and St Albans, where passengers can connect with Thameslink services to/from London St Pancras. Buses will also run between Potters Bar and Cockfosters to connect with London Underground services.
- On the Hertford North line, all stations between Gordon Hill and Alexandra Palace will be served by a bus replacement service to/from Turnpike Lane Tube station. Passengers should use London Underground services for onward connections to/from central London.
- Hull Trains services will be subject to alteration.
Grand Central will have no services operating throughout the weekend. The 17:30 Sunderland to King鈥檚 Cross service on Friday, October 16 and the 08:27 King鈥檚 Cross to Sunderland service on Monday, October 19 will also not run.
Key dates for upgrade work:
- November 14/15: Reduced service into King鈥檚 Cross Station to continue work on overhead lines and on signals
- November 21/22: King鈥檚 Cross Station closed for overhead line works. No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station or to or from St Pancras Station via Finsbury Park
- November 28/29: Reduced service into and out of King鈥檚 Cross Station for work on track and overhead lines
- December 24: Amended timetable will be in place
- December 25/26: No services along the entire route
- December 27/28/29/30: No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station
- December 31: Amended timetable
- January 1/2/3: Amended timetable - with subsequent weekends also seeing amends.
- January 30/31: No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station, or to or from St Pancras Station via Finsbury Park
- February 26/27/28: No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station or to or from St Pancras Station via Finsbury Park
- March 1 to June 4: Introduction of temporary dedicated timetable with reduced services - from 12 to 10 at peak.
- April 23/24/25: No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station or from St Pancras Station via Finsbury Park on the Saturday and Sunday
- June 5/6: No services to or from King鈥檚 Cross Station or to or from St Pancras Station via Finsbury Park
For engineering work between Grantham, Peterborough and Stamford stations for work at Werrington, where a new section of railway is being laid, there will be a nine day closure from Saturday, January 16 to Sunday, January 24, with limited services between Grantham and Peterborough. Many passengers wil ned to use rail replacement services while work continues. A further three day period is anticipated mid-2021.
