Bedford rail passengers urged to check before travelling over festive period

Between 10pm on Christmas Eve and Saturday, January 4, Network Rail engineers will install the final sections of track, completing the construction of the fourth track between Bedford and Kettering before testing and commissioning the new line.

To allow the work - which is part of the Midland Main Line Upgrade - to take place, no trains will be able to run between Market Harborough and Bedford or between Bedford and Corby from 10pm on Christmas Eve to 8am on Thursday, January 2. Instead, bus replacement services will be in place on these routes. A near full train service will resume on Thursday, January 2.

However, between Thursday, January 2 and Saturday, January 4, buses will replace trains between Bedford and Market Harborough and between Bedford and Corby before 8am and after 9.30pm while further minor work is carried out ahead of a full reopening.

Passengers planning on travelling during this time are strongly urged to check beforehand with National Rail Enquiries or with East Midlands Railway and allow additional time for their journey.

As usual, there will be no train services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. There will be no bus replacement services in place on these days. Visit here to see the changes.

And as for Thameslink passengers - a normal timetable will operate on Monday, December 23 with a normal service on Christmas Eve right up until 1pm.

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, there will be no service.

An amended timetable will operate on Friday, December 27; Monday, December 30 and Tuesday, December 31.

And a Sunday timetable will operate on Saturday, December 28 and Sunday, December 29 and New Year's Day, with a normal timetable returing on Thursday, January 2.

For more details, visit here