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Friday 4 Aug 2023

Passengers reminded to check before they travel ahead of Midland Main Line Upgrade

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Midlands

Passengers travelling along the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and the north are being urged to check before they travel as engineering work between Leicester and Kettering will impact on journeys on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 August.

Further upgrade work is taking place to deliver the Midland Main Line Upgrade, which will create a more sustainable railway and help to deliver the UK Government’s 2050 target of net zero carbon emissions.

Demolition work on Warners Bridge in Leicestershire will form part of the weekend’s work, allowing for overhead wires to be installed at the correct height for electric and bi-mode trains to eventually run on the line through the East Midlands.

Drainage work will also be taking place on the route in preparation for the track to be lowered to further accommodate overhead electric wires.

A reduced East Midlands Railway service will operate throughout the weekend. Trains from Sheffield and Nottingham to London St Pancras will divert via Corby and will not stop at Market Harborough. A rail replacement bus service will operate between Leicester, Market Harborough, and Kettering.

Gavin Crook, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail’s East Midlands Route, said: “This work is essential for us to be able to deliver the next stage of the Midland Main Line Upgrade. The electrification of the line will allow for a more sustainable railway and quieter journeys for passengers and those living nearby.

“We’re encouraging passengers to check before they travel with their train operator or via the National Rail Enquiries website, and we want to thank passengers for their understanding ahead of this work.”

Dave Meredith, Customer Services Director for East Midlands Railway said: “We are asking any customers planning to travel to or from London this weekend to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to complete their journey.

“Our trains will be unable to call at Market Harborough station and rail replacement buses will keep passengers moving between Kettering and Market Harborough and Market Harborough and Leicester.

“We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst the engineering work along the Midland Main Line is taking place.”

Elsewhere on Sunday 6 August, track renewal work will take place between Alfreton and Chesterfield. Northern Trains services between Sheffield and Nottingham will be replaced by rail replacement buses which will call at intermediate stations - Dronfield, Chesterfield, Alfreton, Langley Mill, and Ilkeston. EMR services between Sheffield and Nottingham will divert, resulting in no services stopping at Alfreton.

ENDS