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Staff at Network Rail’s Bletchley depot have embraced the festive spirit to raise vital funds for a local hospice this Christmas.

Two brothers from Marple, Stockport, have each sent a Christmas card to a maintenance train driver who they have been waving to every day this autumn.

Railway engineering work means changes to train travel between Christmas and New Year.

Almost 10,000 more passengers chose to travel by rail through Liverpool Lime Street station for Black Friday shopping and leisure than the same period last year.

Buses replace trains between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier from Sunday 22 December with trains returning to service on Monday 6 January 2025

• Key upgrade work at Brookwood, between Farnborough and Woking, will mean significantly longer journeys
• Services between Waterloo and Southampton/Weymouth will be diverted, adding 45 minutes to journeys
• There will be no direct services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids
• Passengers encouraged to check before travelling and plan journeys in advance

 Partially sighted Sarah Willis was given the surprise chance to make train announcements at the station

Rail passengers are being reminded to plan ahead and check before they travel this festive period as Network Rail completes its vital railway upgrades.