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Avanti West Coast Rail Engineering Work 27 December to 13 January

There are four different engineering projects affecting Avanti train services from London Euston this Christmas-

27-31 December- All lines closed Milton Keynes Central to Rugby- Trains (Avanti and London North Western) will run from Euston to Milton Keynes, then buses to Northampton then London North Western or one Avanti train an hour (to Manchester) to Rugby for all other train services.

1 to 4 January- The above work continues, also Preston station is closed to all trains (Avanti and otherwise with buses to all destinations). Also the line is closed between Oxenholme and Penrith, and between Carlisle and Lockerbie/Dumfries.

So trains from Rugby will terminate at Wigan North Western.
Buses will run from Wigan North Western to Preston, and Preston to Lancaster (change bus at Preston). From Lancaster to Oxenholme there will be a special Barrow in Furness to Windermere via Lancaster, then buses from Oxenholme to Carlisle and Carlisle to Lockerbie/Dumfries (change bus at Carlisle), for trains from Lockerbie to Glasgow and Edinburgh and Scotrail trains Dumfries to Glasgow.

Avanti will run special Wigan North Western (not calling at Preston) to Carlisle trains via Clitheroe and the Settle/Carlisle line using their Evero fleet.

5 and 6 January The Preston and Rugby work is complete, so trains can now run through from Euston to all destinations, but trains for Scotland will terminate at Preston. Transpennine and Northern will now run from Preston to Oxenholme for the above bus services to Carlisle and Lockerbie/Dumfries. Avanti can now run 3 southbound services only from Lancaster at 0513, 0758 and 0844, and one northbound service from Euston to Lancaster (terminating) at 0530.

Avanti will run special Preston to Carlisle trains via Clitheroe and the Settle/Carlisle line using their Evero fleet.

7 to 13 January The Lockerbie work is now complete, so the buses are now only Oxenholme to Carlisle.

Avanti will run special Preston to Carlisle trains via Clitheroe and the Settle/Carlisle line using their Evero fleet.

14 January Services now return to normal.

The Caledonian Sleeper on the dates it runs between 27 December and 13 January will still run from Euston to amended timings, but will reverse at Wembley then run to Finsbury Park then the East Coast Main Line. Calls at Crewe, Preston and Carlisle are cancelled with no bus replacement.

Posted by
11148 posts

Just a reminder of this very disruptive work starting on Thursday.

Note that traffic on the M6 and through Penrith is also expected to be severe. The Oxenholme to Carlisle buses which initially are running direct up the motorway are scheduled to take 2 hours for the 31 mile journey to Penrith- that time includes a 50 minute 'engineering allowance' ie- recovery time.

Posted by
1769 posts

It should also be noted that the M6 will be closed between junctions 39 and 49 on the weekends of 3rd/4th and 10th/11th January for the same reason as the train line, to replace a railway bridge over the motorway.

Posted by
11148 posts

There is no junction 49 on the M6.

The closure is between 39 (Shap) and 40 (Penrith South- A66).

Northbound traffic is diverting via central Penrith, and southbound traffic via Kirkby Stephen causing anticipated chaos in both towns (Eamont Bridge does not have the capacity to handle such heavy two way traffic).

Local bus services are also heavily affected-
the 104 Penrith to Carlisle will run but with heavy delays. Extra vehicles will be added to try to maintain a semblance of timetable.
the 508 Penrith to Glenridding is diverting via Dalemain, all stops between Penrith and Pooley Bridge (exclusive) are unable to be served.
the 563 is unable to operate between Appleby and Kirkby Stephen, due to expected traffic levels in Kirkby Stephen.
the X4/X5 to Keswick and West Cumbria is diverting via Greystoke (unable to serve Stainton and Rheged). In the Penrith direction the routes are unable to serve the railway station. Stay on the bus at Penrith Bus Station for the Railway Station, with at least a 20 minute delay, maybe more depending what happens in Penrith Town Centre.
the 105 Penrith to Shap is cancelled.
the 106 Penrith to Greystoke is cancelled (replaced by the diverted X4/X5)

Posted by
1769 posts

Slip of the fingers Stuart - I think it’s obvious that I meant junction 40.