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Friday 5 Jun 2026

North West travel update ahead of weekend upgrades

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Rail passengers in the North West have been warned to plan ahead this weekend as upgrade work continues.

On Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June no trains will run between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western.

This is due to ongoing engineering work, including overhead line renewals and track work taking place throughout the weekend.

It is all part of the ongoing £400m investment programme in the West Coast Main Line –  Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway.

This work will improve reliability and reduce disruption on the vital route, which connects major locations including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Over the coming weekend there will be rail replacement buses in place between Warrington and Wigan, calling at Warrington. Avanti West Coast services running to Scotland will be diverting via Manchester.

Pip Hoskins, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “Our teams have been working hard in the North West to improve overhead lines and track in key areas. These projects will improve reliability and keep this vital section of railway running well for years to come.

“We know there is never a good time to close the railway but we have worked with our train operator partners to limit disruption to passengers and keep people on the move as much as possible. People travelling this weekend should check with their operators or the National Rail Enquiries website for the latest information.”

Passengers are advised to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journeys. More information is available via www.nationalrail.co.uk.