If you’re planning to head home to Scotland for Easter or planning a nice road trip across the NC500 for the first May bank holiday weekend – I’m afraid we’ve got some bad news for you.
No trains will be running between London and Glasgow for one or more days over nine weekends in the coming months. Yes, nine. This unfortunately also includes Easter and the first May bank holiday weekend.
Due to signalling upgrades and works by Network Rail – the West Coast Main line will remain closed between March 29 and June 9.
This means that there will be no Avanti West Coast trains running to the north of Carlisle – meaning passengers will have to switch to a rail replacement bus to reach Glasgow. Avanti West Coast services to Edinburgh will also be affected.
The dates affected are:
- March 30 Sunday
- April 6 Sunday
- April 13 Sunday
- April 19 Saturday (Easter Weekend)
- April 20 Sunday (Easter Weekend)
- April 21 Monday (Easter Weekend)
- April 27 Sunday
- May 3 Saturday (May Bank Holiday)
- May 4 Sunday (May Bank Holiday)
- May 11 Sunday
- May 31 Saturday
- June 1 Sunday
- June 8 Sunday
Passengers that are looking to travel to Edinburgh by train will have to switch to LNER or Lumo services which run between King’s Cross and Edinburgh.
Additionally, engineering work between Euston and Watford Junction will limit Avanti West Coast services to running only between Milton Keynes Central and Carlisle from April 19–21 and May 4–5.
On Sunday, March 30, buses will replace trains between Preston and Carlisle.
For all ScotRail services, buses will operate in place of trains between Dumfries and Carlisle.
Due to proposed RMT strike action, Avanti services will be reduced on Sundays from March 23 to May 25.
Operations director at Avanti West Coast, Chris Liptrot said: “This closure of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle will enable Network Rail to carry out planned renewal work to make the railway more reliable.”
