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Friday 16 Oct 2026

Buses replace trains for nine days during £3m Derbyshire rail investment

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Midlands

Passengers are advised to plan ahead as a £3 million investment in the Derwent Valley Line will affect trains for nine consecutive days in November.

Network Rail will renew more than 4.5km of track at three sites near Matlock to deliver smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers and freight.

The upgrade work will mean rail replacement buses running between Derby and Matlock from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November, calling at all stations. Services between Derby and Sheffield via Chesterfield will be unaffected. Passengers are advised that bus stops may be a short distance from the station.

The improvement project will see 4.6km of new rail installed across the three sites – Matlock Bath, Cromford and near Whatstandwell station – along with 3,509 sleepers and 6,400 tonnes of ballast. The investment will help to reduce the need for future maintenance and minimise the risk of delays.

There will be eight engineering trains in use including a New Track Construction train. This is a specialised type of plant which lays new rails and sleepers as it travels, allowing a much higher volume than would otherwise be achievable – maximising efficiency in terms of delivery and cost.

Eric Larocque, Network Rail operations director, said:

“This investment will renew key sections of track along the Derwent Valley Line, helping us provide a safer, more reliable railway for passengers and freight operators.

“By replacing rail, sleepers and ballast that have reached the end of their working life, we're improving the resilience of the East Midlands route and reducing the need for unplanned maintenance.

“We’d like to thank passengers and residents for their patience while this important work is carried out, and we’re sorry to those whose journeys will be affected.”

Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at East Midlands Railway, said:

“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding while this vital work takes place. We understand that changes to your journey can be disruptive, and we appreciate your support while we work to improve our railway.

“Customers can find details of rail replacement bus stop locations on our station webpages. As some stops may be a short distance from the station, we encourage anyone who needs extra support or is unable to use the walking route to get in touch with our dedicated Passenger Assist team, who will be happy to help.

“Clear signage will be in place to help customers find their way, but we recommend allowing a little extra time for your journey to help you travel as smoothly as possible.”

Passengers using rail replacement services are reminded to only bring luggage they can carry comfortably, which doesn’t exceed the limits of the operator they are travelling with, and be mindful of transfer times between train and bus/coach.

Check details of all parts of your journey with your train operator or National Rail before travelling.