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Wednesday 27 May 2026

Three-day Cross City line closure begins this Friday for vital HS2 work

Region & Route:

North West & Central: Central

| North West & Central

Passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys in advance of a three-day closure of the Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, as HS2 engineers carry out major work to install a new viaduct.

No trains will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Friday 29 May to Sunday 31 May, with normal services resuming on Monday 1 June.

Train services will continue to operate as normal on the southern section of the Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove.

To safely carry out the complex installation, services between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway will also be affected. Rail replacement buses will run between:

• Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley
• Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway

Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted and journeys will take longer than usual.

During the closure, HS2 engineers will install a 150-metre-long viaduct deck near the new Curzon Street station. Once complete, the structure will carry HS2 trains over the existing Victorian railway viaduct between Duddeston and Birmingham New Street.

 

The work forms part of a carefully planned and innovative approach, following the success of similar installations. A ‘fully restrained’ method will allow engineers to continue sliding the remaining sections of the viaduct into position even after the railway reopens - helping to reduce further disruption to passengers.

Patrick Cawley, director for On Network Works at Network Rail and HS2, said: “We’re reminding passengers to plan ahead for a three-day closure on the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield to enable the safe installation of a new HS2 viaduct over the existing railway.

“This is a significant milestone in the delivery of HS2 at Curzon Street, and while there will be some disruption, we’ve worked closely with partners to keep people moving and minimise the impact as much as possible.”

Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: “We want to thank passengers for their patience while this major piece of engineering work is carried out and the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. Rail replacement buses will be running during the closure, and passengers are encouraged to check their travel before setting out.”

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