We’re investing about £19m this December working on the railway around the Midland Main Line – so your journeys will be more reliable.
Agar Grove bridge
Between the night of Friday 20 December and the early hours of Monday 29 December, we’ll replace the bridge deck on a road over rail bridge at Agar Grove in Camden.
This work means no trains can run underneath the structure for nine days between Saturday 21 December and Sunday 29 December. The railway will be closed here during that time.
This work is essential. Without it, weight restrictions may have been placed on the road or led to unplanned closures.
Carrying out the work in a single nine-day period is more efficient, cost effective, faster and less disruptive than splitting the work over multiple evenings and weekends.
Electrifying the Midland Main Line
We’re also upgrading the overhead lines on a section of the Midland Main Line during this time.
It’s part of our wider project to electrify this vital route. This will enable the introduction of train operator East Midland Railway’s new bi-mode in 2025.
The electrification work is on track to complete by summer 2025.
Radlett strategic rail freight interchange
Property developers SEGRO will also make use of this time to continue work on the new rail freight interchange near St Albans in Hertfordshire.
The first phase of the project involves creating a rail link to the Midland Main Line. This will help transport goods in and out of the site by train and remove significant numbers of lorries from the roads.
An underbridge has been built alongside the railway. It will be slid into place while the railway is closed.
Shortly after, in 2025, work will begin to build the new rail link on-site, including new tracks and signalling.
Vital maintenance and upgrades
We’ll also be making use of the railway closure to complete about 50 maintenance and renewal jobs. Some of these tasks are routine works like managing vegetation, track inspection and maintenance and renewing overhead power lines.
These will help us keep the railway safe and reliable for you.
Check before you travel
We must shut sections of the Midland Main Line between London and Bedfordshire during this Christmas period to allow our engineers to carry out the work safely and efficiently.
Daniel Matthews, head of operations delivery for Network Rail, said:“We would like to apologise to passengers who will be impacted by this vital work over the festive period. This work is essential, and it will mean smoother, faster, and more reliable journeys for customers.”
Between Saturday 21 and Sunday 29 December, there will be no East Midlands Railway services between London St Pancras station and Bedford station. There’ll be no Thameslink train services between London St Pancras and Harpenden station during this time either.
Passenger services will be severely disrupted while this work is taking place, so please plan your whole journey, including connections, as soon as possible.
For anyone travelling between London St Pancras and destinations on the Midland Main Line, including Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans, Bedford, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield, journeys will take longer and involve a rail replacement bus.
If you’re travelling north from London St Pancras during this time, you will need to use different London stations to connect with rail replacement services.
There will also be no Thameslink train services between London St Pancras and London Bridge from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 December.
For a more comfortable journey please travel before 24 December or after 2 January.
Additional staff will also be on hand at stations to help keep you moving. Stations and roads are expected to be very busy and your journey will take longer than usual.
Thank you for bearing with us during this work and please check before you travel.
