Avanti West Coast is one of the affected operators on the route (Picture: Getty Images)
Millions of rail passengers have been warned of major disruption on the West Coast Main Line route.
If you’ve ever travelled between London Euston, northern England and Scotland, you have most likely hopped on a train that uses this key line.
It connects London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh and is used by nine different passenger train operators along with freight firms. So any closures – even planned – will upend millions of journeys.
Now Network Rail, the owner of the UK’s railway infrastructure, has said that it will have to carry out ‘disruptive’ works, expected to start next year.
What stations are affected?
This map shows the sections of the West Coast Main Line which will be closed for weeks at a time starting in 2026 (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Network Rail is expected to close parts of the route in blocks each year lasting weeks at a time.
Train stations along the route which are set to be affected include Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle.
Industry sources have revealed that the line will close to train over three blocks of two weeks every year between 2026 and 2028.
In total, the West Coast Main Line connects to 46 stations.
The West Coast Main Line end terminals are London Euston (pictured) and Glasgow Central (Picture: EPA)
Although details of the closures are still to be ironed out together with the industry, engineers are expected to start the mammoth project to replace more than 150 miles of overhead wires which were installed in the 1970s.
As part of the works, the signal equipment will also be upgraded along with tracks, The Times reports.
Chris Coleman, industry programme director for the north, Network Rail, told Metro: ‘Trilink is an industry-wide programme bringing digital signalling to the west coast mainline, north, as well as renewing track and overhead line equipment that are reaching the end of their life.
Passenger train operators on West Coast Main Line
Here is a full list of the operators which use the 399-mile line.
- Avanti West Coast
- Caledonian Sleeper
- CrossCountry
- Northern Trains
- ScotRail
- Southern
- TransPennine Express
- Transport for Wales Rail
- West Midlands Trains
‘Disruptive access will be required to deliver this work, which we will consult and agree with the wider industry over the coming months.
‘The programme is at a very early stage of development and work to refine the delivery programme and confirm the costs is under way.’
Avanti West Coast reportedly said that it is too early to say what the impact of the works will be on its timetable.
It comes just weeks after the first train operators to be renationalised were named as part of the government’s overhaul of UK rail services and the creation of the Great British Railways.
Network Rail carried out major works on the West Coast Main Line between December 24 and January 2. Passengers were urged to avoid travelling over the festive period as the rail upgrades affected services to and from London Euston. This latest round of works concluded on January 4.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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