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Wednesday 22 Apr 2026

North East rail improvement projects will affect train and Metro services

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

Railway improvement work in the North East will change passenger services on Sunday 3 and bank holiday Monday 4 May.

Network Rail teams will be carrying out planned engineering work at three locations to improve the reliability of the railway.

The work includes improving drainage at Sunderland station to help prevent flooding and protect the railway, and upgrading the Tile Shed level crossing at East Boldon.

There will also be new switches and crossings, which allow trains to move safely between lines, installed at Pelaw, Gateshead.

As a result of this work, travel arrangements will change on Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May as follows:

• Buses will replace Northern services between Newcastle and Horden.
• There will be no Grand Central services to or from Sunderland.
• Metro services will not run between Pelaw and South Hylton. A replacement bus – service 901 – will operate between South Hylton and Heworth, calling at all stations. This bus service will extend to Monument from about 8.30pm on 3 May until about 10.30am on 4 May.

Gunnar Lindahl, joint operations director for Network Rail and LNER, said: 

“By upgrading track equipment, level crossings and drainage, we’re helping to reduce future delays and keep services running safely. We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this essential work is completed and encourage them to check their journeys before travelling.”

A spokesperson for the train operating companies said:

“Because of this planned engineering work, some services to and from Sunderland will be altered on May 3 and the bank holiday of 4 May, with replacement buses operating on parts of the route. Customers are encouraged to plan ahead and check journey details in advance.”