Replacement buses for rail passengers this weekend as 740m of track between Luton and Bedford upgraded

Buses will replace trains between Harpenden/Hitchin and Bedford on Saturday and Sunday May 7 and 8, while there will also be changes to services along the route.

Trains will not run between Bedford and St Pancras International, with buses provided between Bedford and Hitchin to connect with services into London.

Buses will run between Bedford and Hitchin every 15 minutes.

Network Rail is urging people to check before they travel.

This work is part of the Midland Main Line Upgrade and will eventually allow more trains to run at higher speeds under the overhead power lines. It’s the second of several weekends throughout 2022 where parts of the railway need to be closed so that teams can work safely.

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director for EMR said: “We’re encouraging any passengers travelling to or from London this weekend to allow extra time for their journey, as there is a rail replacement service between Bedford and Hitchin.

“We would like to thank our passengers for their patience whilst the overhead line equipment between Luton and Bedford is upgraded.”

The changes in full are:

East Midlands Railway:

Trains will not run between Bedford and London St Pancras International.

Buses will be provided between Bedford and Hitchin, to connect with train services into London.

Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 May

Buses will run between Bedford and Hitchin every 15 mins.

Train services will be amended on the following routes:

Services that normally run between Sheffield/Derby and Nottingham to London St Pancras will terminate at Bedford.

Services that normally run between Corby and St Pancras will run between Kettering and Corby or Bedford and Corby.

Thameslink:

Saturday 7 May

Buses replace trains between Bedford and Harpenden.

Train services will be amended on the following routes:

Services that normally run between Bedford and Brighton will run only between Harpenden and Brighton, to a slightly amended timetable.

Services that normally run between Luton and Rainham will run only between Kentish Town and Rainham, to a slightly amended timetable.

Sunday 8 May

Buses replace trains between Bedford and Harpenden.

Train services will be amended on the following routes:

Services that normally run between Bedford and Brighton will run only between Harpenden and Haywards Heath, to a slightly amended timetable. Thameslink services are unable to run to or from Brighton on this date because of engineering works which are taking place in the Preston Park area. Customers are advised to use Southern train services or replacement buses between Haywards Heath and Brighton.

Services that normally run between Luton and Sutton will run only between St Albans and Sutton, to a slightly amended timetable.

Services that normally run between West Hampstead / Kentish Town and Rainham will run only between Kentish Town and Gravesend, to a slightly amended timetable. There is engineering work taking place between Gravesend and Rainham.