Disruption for Bedford rail passengers as upgrades to Midland Main Line continue

Rail passengers travelling with Thameslink and East Midlands Railway are being urged to check before travelling as Midland Main Line improvements continue.

Work will be carried out to upgrade overhead lines which power trains, between Bedford and St Pancras, while essential drainage work between Luton and Flitwick, as well as near Hendon, also goes ahead.

Over the weekend of April 12-13, engineers will be carrying out further renewal work of the switches and crossings, the specialist equipment used by trains to change from one track to another, near West Hampstead, with work on the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange continuing.

These improvements are part of a large scheme to electrify the line between London and Bedford, allowing bi-mode diesel-electric trains to run up to 125mph. The drainage work is essential in improving the reliability of the rail network, with the switches and crossings renewals contributing to smoother journeys for passengers.

This will be the fifth and sixth in a series of nine weekends of planned engineering work delivering crucial infrastructure improvements.

Gavin Crook, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “These two weekends of essential work are vital steps in our Midland Main Line electrification project, which will deliver more reliable, greener journeys between London and Bedford.”

The closures on the Midland Main Line between London and Bedford will take place on:

> Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April

> Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April

> Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May

> Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May

> Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June

Changes to Thameslink services: Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6

Buses replace trains between Luton and West Hampstead Thameslink all weekend.

Buses will also run across to the East Coast Main Line between Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Hitchin, and also between Harpenden, St Albans and Potters Bar.

Full service information can be found here

> Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13

Buses replace trains between Luton and West Hampstead Thameslink all weekend.

Buses will also run across to the East Coast Main Line between Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Hitchin, and also between Harpenden, St Albans and Potters Bar.

Full service information can be found here

> Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11

Buses replace trains between Luton and West Hampstead Thameslink all weekend.

Buses will also run across to the East Coast Main Line between Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Hitchin, and also between Harpenden, St Albans and Potters Bar.

> Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25

Buses replace trains between Harpenden and Bedford all weekend. Buses will also run from Bedford to Hitchin on the East Coast Main Line.

> Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1

Buses replace trains from Bedford to Mill Hill Broadway all weekend.

Buses will run between Bedford and Luton, and Luton to Mill Hill Broadway. Passengers can use buses to get to the East Coast Main Line between Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Hitchin, and also between Harpenden, St Albans and Potters Bar.

Visit the website to see list of changes to EMR services.

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