Train services across much of the west will continue to run as normal over the Christmas and New Year period, with rail bosses confirming that disruption will be lighter than in many previous years.
Passengers are, however, being encouraged to plan their journeys in advance and book ahead where possible, particularly on busier travel days either side of Christmas.
As is customary when passenger numbers drop, Network Rail will be carrying out a programme of maintenance and improvement work during the festive period. This year’s schedule has been designed to keep as many routes open as possible.
The most significant work on the Western route will take place at Dolphin Junction near Slough, one of the busiest sections of track on the network. The junction handles between 10 and 14 trains per hour and around 40 million tonnes of rail traffic each year.
From Saturday 27 December to Sunday 4 January, renewal work at the junction will mean only two of the four tracks remain available. As a result, some services to and from London Paddington will run to amended timetables and are expected to be busier than usual.
During this period, there will be no direct services between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa, with passengers advised to change at Swindon or Bristol Parkway.
As usual, no trains will run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
Journey planners have been updated with full festive timetable information, and advance tickets are already available to book.
Marcus Jones, Network Rail’s Western route managing director, said the quieter holiday period offered a rare chance to complete major upgrades with minimal disruption.
“Far fewer people travel by rail between Christmas and New Year compared with a normal working week, which gives us a valuable opportunity to carry out essential work while keeping services running across most of the network,” he said.
“Some services will be affected, so it’s really important passengers check their journeys before travelling.”
GWR’s Richard Rowland added that the rail operator was focused on keeping people moving during the festive season.
“Services will be very busy in the days leading up to Christmas, and we also have engineering work immediately afterwards,” he said.
“Booking ahead offers the best value and helps ensure a smoother journey.”
Additional work will also continue in west London to support the construction of HS2’s Old Oak Common station, including the installation of overhead electrical equipment.
