Network Rail will conduct ten days of engineering works across Britain’s rail network during the Christmas period, closing London Paddington and Birmingham New Street stations for five days each. Birmingham New Street will be shut from 24 December to 29 December for overhead power supply replacement, while London Paddington will close over five days amid major upgrades affecting intercity services to the west of England and Wales until January.
Affected Routes and Service Changes
The east coast mainline between London and north-east England and Scotland will be partly closed on Christmas Eve, with rail replacement buses operating from Newark to York, adding around two hours
to journeys. Direct trains from London to parts of Essex and Norfolk will be cut for much of the festive period.
From 27 December until 4 January, most Great Western Railway services will start and finish at Reading, with some diverted around Oxford to London Euston. Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express services west of Paddington will not run until 31 December following Christmas.
Additional Engineering and Service Impact
The Great Eastern mainline from London Liverpool Street will be closed for ten days from 25 December for track replacement, affecting Great Eastern and Elizabeth line trains through east London and halting direct Greater Anglia services between
Norwich and London. TransPennine services between Leeds and Manchester will be slowed for six weeks from Christmas Day due to Huddersfield station closure.
Replacement buses will operate in Birmingham city centre during the New Street station closure. Work at Doncaster will affect east coast mainline services with journeys extended by two hours.
Passenger Disruption and Travel Advisory
Passengers should expect delays, cancellations, and altered schedules during the engineering works. There will be no trains stopping or passing through London Paddington and Birmingham New Street during their respective closures. TransPennine passengers face slower journeys for six weeks starting 25 December, and no direct Norwich to London
trains will run during the Great Eastern mainline closure.
Official Remarks and Project Background
Network Rail’s group director, system operator, Anit Chandarana, said the quieter Christmas period allows essential works to improve reliability and capacity, with £152 million invested in these upgrades. Chandarana noted collaboration with train operators aims to keep services running on busy travel days and provide alternatives when usual routes are affected.
The works include power supply upgrades at Birmingham New Street and Paddington, replacing a junction near Slough on lines into London Paddington, and track replacements on eastern mainlines. The minimal services on 25 and 26 December offer the best opportunity
to complete these projects with reduced passenger impact.
