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Passengers are being advised to plan their journey to and from London Paddington as early as possible this Christmas ahead of Network Rail’s biggest ever Christmas upgrade.

Network Rail is advising passengers to plan their journeys as early as possible this Christmas. This is ahead of another huge programme of upgrade work with up to 200 projects being delivered across Britain over this holiday period.

Stunning new timelapse captures the extent of the upgrade work completed by Network Rail’s ‘orange army’ to prepare the Severn Tunnel for electrification.

The Severn Tunnel reopened to rail passengers yesterday (Saturday, 22 October) following the completion of six weeks of upgrade work to prepare it for electrification, which will result in more seats and faster, more reliable journeys for passengers.

Three quarters of Network Rail’s ‘orange army’ preparing the Severn Tunnel for electrification as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan are from Wales.

Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) hosted the second in a series of alliance roadshow events at Reading station on Friday, 14 October, giving passengers the chance to find out more about the ways in which the two organisations are working together to improve rail services for passengers.

Residents in Royal Wootton Bassett are reminded of temporary road diversions from Monday, 24 October while Network Rail carry out work in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of bigger, faster and greener electric trains.