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Tuesday 28 Jul 2026

Derbyshire track renewal to affect services between Sheffield and Nottingham

Region & Route:

Eastern

Railway improvement work at Alfreton Tunnel will mean buses replace trains between Sheffield and Nottingham for a weekend.

Network Rail engineers will be renewing nearly half a kilometre of track on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August for smoother, more reliable journeys.

Teams working in tunnels are kept safe using mobile fans to create increased airflow, maintaining a safe working environment for colleagues by removing fumes from machinery and dust from ballast.

The project means that Northern will have rail replacement buses replacing trains between Sheffield and Nottingham on both days.

East Midlands Railway will have an amended timetable on the Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich route with trains not calling at Ilkeston, Langley Mill, Alfreton and a significantly reduced service for Sheffield. Passengers for these stations can use Northern’s replacement buses. In addition:

• the 06.53 Derby to Sheffield train on Saturday 8 August will start from Derby later than scheduled at 07.20, it will continue to run up to 27 minutes later through to Chesterfield where it will terminate at 07.42.
• the 07.40 Sheffield to Norwich train on Saturday 8 August will start from Chesterfield at 07.47.
• the 09.17 Nottingham to Matlock train on Sunday 9 August will depart Derby earlier than scheduled at 09.51, it will continue to run up to three minutes earlier through to Whatstandwell, where it will return to its scheduled departure time.

Eric Larocque, Network Rail operations director, said:

“This essential work at Alfreton Tunnel will see our engineers renew nearly half a kilometre of track, helping to deliver smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers and freight services through the area.

“We know this sort of rail improvement work can be inconvenient, and we're sorry to passengers whose journeys are affected. We encourage anyone planning to travel between Sheffield and Nottingham over the weekend of 8 and 9 August to allow more time and check their journey before setting off.”

A spokesperson for Northern and East Midlands Railway said:

“We’re working closely with Network Rail while this important upgrade work takes place at Alfreton Tunnel. During the engineering work on 8 and 9 August, rail replacement buses will operate between Sheffield and Nottingham, and some East Midlands Railway regional services will run to an amended timetable.

“We're encouraging customers to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journey, as travel times may be longer than usual. We’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while these improvements are carried out.”

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