Passengers are being urged to check before they travel ahead of engineering work this weekend that will see buses replacing Thameslink and East Midlands Railways (EMR) trains between St Albans and St Pancras.

According to Govia Thameslink, engineers will be working between Saturday and Sunday to continue upgrades to the overhead lines which power trains and track south of Bedford -specifically on the St Albans to Luton section of the line.

Further upgrades will be carried out enabling work for the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange alongside other maintenance jobs to improve safety and the reliability of the railway network.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said engineering work will allow "smoother, faster, and quieter journeys" for passengers travelling to and from the East Midlands and London, as well as enabling "more freight" to be transported by rail in the future.

Upgrading the overhead lines south of Bedford between St Albans and Luton will allow EMR to run its new fleet of electric trains up to 125mph in the future.

Read More:

Separate to Network Rail’s work, industrial and logistics warehouse developer, SEGRO, are constructing a new bridge which will be slid underneath the tracks on the Midland Main Line in December, to enable future access between the rail network and the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange.

Part of the preparation for this involves relocating and upgrading overhead line equipment near St Albans and Radlett.

Thameslink and EMR will be operating a revised train service while the work is carried out, with buses replacing all trains between Luton and Mill Hill Broadway, north of St Pancras.

Commuters are advised to plan ahead via National Rail Enquiries as their journeys may be impacted, or via EMR’s and Thameslink's social media channels and website.

Gavin Crook, a spokesperson for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “Upgrading the overhead line equipment between St Albans and Luton is the next stage in our continuous work to bring passengers smoother and faster journeys to and from London.

“We would like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding while we continue with these vital railway improvements," he added.

Thameslink also expressed gratitude to its customers for their patience while "essential" work is being carried out by Network Rail.

Services affected

From October 19 to 20 there will be no EMR trains running between Luton and London St Pancras International.

Rail replacement buses will run between Luton and Hitchin, to connect with alternative train services to and from London.

For Thameslink passengers, no trains will run between Luton and Mill Hill Broadway.

Rail replacement buses will operate between Luton and Mill Hill Broadway, Luton Airport Parkway and Hitchin, Harpenden and Potters Bar via St Albans to connect with alternative Great Northern or Thameslink services to and from London.

Find more information, go to nationalrail.co.uk/engineering-works/luton-london-st-pancras-international-20241019.