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Monday 9 Nov 2026

Plan ahead message as £3m Derbyshire rail upgrade begins this weekend

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Midlands

Passengers are reminded that there will be no trains between Derby and Matlock for nine days from Saturday 14 November as Network Rail renews more than 4.5km of track on the Derwent Valley Line.

Engineers will be carrying out the upgrade work at three sites – Matlock Bath, Cromford and near Whatstandwell station – delivering smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers and freight.

Rail replacement buses will run between Derby and Matlock from 14-22 November, calling at all stations. Services between Derby and Sheffield via Chesterfield are unaffected.

The improvement project will see 4.6km of new rail installed across the three sites, 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 engineering train which lays new rails and sleepers as it travels, allowing a much greater volume of track to be renewed than would otherwise be achievable – maximising efficiency and reducing costs.

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.”

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

Customers travelling by replacement rail bus are advised to allow extra time for their journeys, as some replacement bus stops are a distance from the relevant railway station.

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