Dolphin Junction upgrade: no trains to / from London Paddington on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 

Route(s) affected

All routes to / from London Paddington

Description

Engineering work is taking place between Maidenhead and London Paddington, closing all lines. Background information on the work can be found below.

No trains will be able to run between Maidenhead / Heathrow Airport and London Paddington all weekend.

Elizabeth line:

The only Elizabeth line trains that will operate throughout the weekend will be a limited service of 2 trains per hour between Reading and Maidenhead.

There will be no Elizabeth line service between Maidenhead and Abbey Wood, or between Heathrow Airport and Shenfield, throughout the weekend.

Replacement bus services will operate between:

• Maidenhead and Slough

• Slough and Ealing Broadway (to connect with London Underground services)

• Stratford and Romford, calling at all stations except Maryland

• Romford and Shenfield, calling at all stations. Buses will start from Newbury Park London Underground station (to connect with London Underground services) and then continue at Romford

Between Ealing Broadway and Stratford - If you have a National Rail paper ticket or e-ticket, you can use your ticket at no extra cost on London Bus and London Underground routes. If you are using contactless payment / Oyster card, you can also use the above alternative travel options but you will be required to pay the normal tap in / tap out fares for your journey.

Great Western Railway:

No trains will run between Maidenhead and London Paddington in either direction. As a result, the following significant changes will be made to train services:

High-speed services:

Bristol area / South Wales - London Paddington: trains will either terminate at, and start back from Reading (see below), or will be diverted between Swindon and London (via an alternative route through Oxford and Milton Keynes Central), and will run to and from London Euston station - journey times will be extended.

South-west England / the Hereford and Worcester area - London Paddington: trains will be amended to terminate at, and start back from Reading (see below).

Cheltenham Spa - London Paddington: trains will be amended to terminate at, and start back from Swindon.

Swindon - London Paddington: trains will be amended to terminate at, and start back from Reading (see below).

Oxford - London Paddington: a very reduced train service will operate between Oxford and Reading only. Alternative services are available between Oxford and London Marylebone with Chiltern Railways.

Oxford - Swindon / Bristol Temple Meads: trains will not run but additional trains will operate between Swindon, Chippenham, Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads.

Newbury - Reading: trains will run to an amended timetable, and some trains will call additionally at Newbury Racecourse.

How to travel between Reading and central London

If your train terminates at, or starts from Reading, there will be a special fast direct Great Western Railway train service running each way between Reading and Guildford. These trains will connect with South Western Railway services between Guildford and London Waterloo.

Please be aware that the South Western Railway trains on the route between Reading and London Waterloo are likely to be extremely busy or restricted due to a rugby event all weekend at Twickenham.

Local services:

• Reading - London Paddington: trains will only operate between Reading, Twyford and Maidenhead

• Didcot Parkway - London Paddington: trains will only operate between Didcot Parkway, stations to / from Reading, Twyford and Maidenhead

• Maidenhead - Taplow - Burnham - Slough: a replacement bus service will operate for onward connections. Slough customers can travel via Windsor & Eton Central, then walk to Windsor & Eton Riverside for stations to / from London Waterloo

• Slough - Windsor & Eton Central: trains will operate normally except that last 2 trains each way will be replaced by road transport

• West Ealing - Greenford: trains will not run. You can use your ticket at no extra cost on London Buses and London Underground services

• Maidenhead - Marlow: trains will run normally

• Twyford - Henley-on-Thames: trains will run normally

Night Riviera Sleeper services on Sunday night:

23:50 London Paddington to Penzance “Night Riviera” Sleeper service will be amended, and will start from London Euston at 23:15.

21:15 Penzance to London Paddington “Night Riviera” Sleeper Service will operate to London Paddington as normal.

Heathrow Express:

No trains will run between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport.

Background information:

Network Rail are replacing and enhancing the eastern side of Dolphin Junction, between Slough and Langley stations, to reduce rail traffic congestion and improve reliability for journeys through the Thames Valley into London. It follows an upgrade on the western side of the junction during Christmas 2025.

Work is taking place to install new overhead electrification equipment. With a new track layout being installed, the position of existing masts and gantries that carry the overhead power lines needs to change, along with some of the signalling equipment. Points operating equipment is being updated to state of the art technology.

Once complete, the new track layout will reduce congestion by allowing trains to enter the junction, change lines and exit at greater speed. Project information on the work taking place is available on the Network Rail website.

Check before you travel:

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

You can plan your journey on London Underground / London Buses 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.