Network Rail Advises Passengers to Plan Ahead as Crews Tackle Christmas Jigsaw Project

Passengers looking to travel to and from London Euston have been advised to plan journeys in advance as Network Rail prepares to tackle a project dubbed as ‘Britain’s Biggest Christmas Jigsaw’.

The works, which will begin on Christmas Eve, will see Network Rail teams replace 130 track pieces across Hanslope Junction, which is located 56 miles north of London Euston and seven miles from Milton Keynes.

The junction forms a vital piece of the railway, carrying over 3,300 passenger and freight services per week. Other improvements set to be made as part of the 26 million GBP programme include the strengthening of foundations below the track as well as the overhauling of points, switches and crossings.

Network Rail has stated that the last five years have seen over 11,000 minutes of delays caused by the line’s current state.

As a result of the work, journeys to and from London Euston will be disrupted between Christmas Eve and the morning of 05 January 2026.

In order to make the most of the quiet period; engineers will also be carrying out a number of additional projects, including a 3.66 million GBP renewal project to replace concrete planks and fix uneven surfaces at Milton Keynes Central Station’s Platform 4; 2 million GBP worth of resurfacing works at Wolverton Station’s Platforms 3 & 4; 600,000 GBP worth of upgrades to the track near Roade, including the installation of over 1,500 metres of new rail; and work to upgrade the bridge carrying the A518 over the railway in Stafford.

Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s route director for the West Coast South route, said:

These upgrades to the West Coast Main Line will make the railway more reliable and safer for many years to come.

We appreciate passengers’ patience while this work takes place. If you plan to travel during the Christmas period, I would urge you to plan your journeys as early as possible and check in with National Rail Enquiries for the last information on services.