Skip to main content

Advertisement

No service between London Euston and Watford Junction until 16:00 on Sunday 20 September 

See all service disruptions

Engineering work details

Starts Sunday 20 September 2026 to Sunday 20 September 2026

If you would like to follow this incident on X, please use

Route(s) affected

Avanti West Coast between London Euston and Birmingham New Street / Wolverhampton / Crewe / Chester / Holyhead / Manchester Piccadilly / Liverpool Lime Street / Preston / Carlisle / Glasgow Central

London Northwestern Railway between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central / Northampton / Birmingham New Street / Crewe

London Overground between London Euston and Watford Junction

Lumo between London Euston and Preston / Stirling

Description

Engineering work is taking place between London Euston and Watford Junction, closing some lines.

Avanti West Coast:

Until 16:00, no Avanti West Coast trains will run between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central.

Avanti West Coast strongly recommend you avoid travel to and from London Euston on Sunday 20 September. The West Coast Main Line is closed between London Euston and Watford Junction until 16:00 for an urgent bridge removal by Network Rail. Journeys south of Milton Keynes will take longer and involve a replacement bus, and fewer trains are running on all routes.

An amended train service will run as follows:

  • 1 train per hour between Milton Keynes Central and Scotland

  • 1 train per hour between Milton Keynes Central and Manchester Piccadilly

  • 1 train per hour between Milton Keynes Central and Liverpool Lime Street

  • 1 train per hour between Rugby and Birmingham New Street

  • 1 train per hour between Crewe and Holyhead

Already got an Avanti West Coast ticket for 20 September?

You can use your existing ticket at no extra cost to travel on the dates either side, when the line is open – from Friday 18 to Tuesday 22 September. Even if just one part of your return journey is affected by this late-notice engineering work, you can use both your outward and return on the alternative travel dates, Friday to Tuesday. Alternatively, if your train is cancelled or changed and you no longer wish to travel, you can get a full refund from where you bought your ticket.

Still need to travel to / from London Euston on 20 September?

Avanti West Coast advise avoiding travel on this date if you can, as journeys will be disrupted for most of the day. Journey planners reflect Avanti West Coast’s amended timetable.

Rail replacement bus services will run between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford. To get to and from London, Thameslink and East Midlands Railway trains run between Bedford and London St Pancras International.

Remember, there are fewer trains running on all Avanti West Coast routes - the amended train service is listed above.

After 16:00, trains are able to run to and from London Euston, but are expected to be extremely busy.

If you do need to travel on 20 September, please check before you travel and allow extra time for your journey.

London Northwestern Railway:

Until 16:00, no London Northwestern Railway trains will run between London Euston and Watford Junction.

Trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central will instead run between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central. Trains between London Euston and Birmingham New Street / Crewe will instead run between Milton Keynes Central and Birmingham New Street / Crewe. These services will run to a reduced and amended timetable.

Rail replacement bus services will run between Potters Bar and Watford Junction. Additionally, rail replacement buses will run between Bedford and Milton Keynes Central for direct travel.

It is advised to travel on Great Northern or Thameslink services between London Kings Cross and Potters Bar, and Great Northern, Thameslink or East Midlands Railway services between London St Pancras International and Bedford for connections.

London Overground:

No trains will run on the Lioness line between London Euston and Watford Junction until approximately 18:00 on Sunday. Rail replacement buses will run between Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction.

You can use your ticket at no extra cost on London Underground Bakerloo line between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. Additionally on the following bus services:

  • Route 142 / 258 between Bushey, Watford High Street and Watford Junction

  • Route 246 / R17 between Carpenders Park and Bushey

  • Route 182 / H14 between Harrow & Wealdstone, Headstone Lane and Hatch End

Lumo:

The following Lumo service will run on Sunday:

  • 10:52 Crewe to Stirling

  • 16:19 Crewe to Stirling

  • 16:32 Stirling to London Euston

  • 19:35 London Euston to Preston

Check before you travel:

You can plan your journey using the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner.

You can plan your journey on London Buses / Underground by using the Transport for London Journey Planner.

Replacement bus travel advice:

For helpful advice if you need to travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please use our Rail Replacement Services page.

You can find the pick-up and drop-off location of rail replacement services by checking station signage or by searching for your station on our Find a Station page.

Please be advised that replacement vehicles may be busier than usual, and you should allow extra time for your journey.

Advertisement

Advertisement