Travel warning issued for West Midlands passengers heading to London on a day in September

Passengers travelling between Birmingham, the wider West Midlands and London are being warned to avoid rail travel where possible on Sunday 20 September, as major engineering works close the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Watford Junction for much of the day.

The disruption is expected to have a significant impact on journeys between Birmingham New Street and London Euston, as well as services connecting Wolverhampton, Coventry, Rugby and other West Midlands stations with the capital.

Network Rail is carrying out urgent bridge removal work, with the railway between London Euston and Watford Junction closed until 4pm.

For passengers in Birmingham and the West Midlands, the closure means the normal direct journey into London Euston will not operate as usual.

Birmingham-London trains severely affected

Avanti West Coast has warned passengers to avoid travelling to or from London Euston on Sunday 20 September if possible.

An amended timetable will operate, with just one train per hour between Rugby and Birmingham New Street. This is part of a reduced service being introduced while the southern section of the West Coast Main Line is closed.

There will also be reduced services elsewhere on the network, including routes serving Wolverhampton, Manchester, Liverpool, Scotland and other destinations.

This means passengers starting their journey in Birmingham and heading for London should expect longer journeys, changes of transport and significantly busier services than normal.

The disruption is particularly important for passengers who would normally rely on a direct Birmingham New Street-to-London Euston train.

Alternative route via Milton Keynes and Bedford

For those who have no choice but to travel, alternative arrangements will be available, but passengers should allow substantially more time.

Avanti West Coast says rail replacement buses will operate between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford. From Bedford, passengers can use Thameslink and East Midlands Railway services towards London St Pancras International.

This effectively shifts the London arrival point away from Euston for part of the day.

For Birmingham passengers, this means that a journey which would normally involve a direct train to central London could instead involve a combination of train, replacement bus and another train before reaching London St Pancras.

Passengers should therefore check their individual journey before setting off rather than assuming their usual Birmingham-London service will operate.

West Midlands passengers face wider disruption

The problems are not limited to Birmingham.

Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton are among the routes affected by the engineering work.

Passengers travelling from Wolverhampton and other West Midlands locations towards London could consequently face similar changes and delays, particularly where their normal journey depends on the southern section of the West Coast Main Line.

The amended timetable also means there will be fewer trains across the network, increasing the likelihood of crowded services and longer waits for alternative connections.

For passengers connecting through Rugby or Milton Keynes, extra care will be needed because services are operating to a reduced timetable.

Euston will reopen after 4pm — but trains are expected to be very busy

The major closure is scheduled to last until 4pm, after which trains will be able to operate to and from London Euston again.

However, Avanti is warning that services after 4pm are expected to be extremely busy.

Passengers who postpone their journey until later in the day should therefore not assume that the return of trains to Euston means normal conditions will immediately resume.

The combination of passengers who delayed their journeys and the reduced timetable could create substantial crowding during the evening.

Ticket flexibility offered to affected passengers

Passengers who already hold an Avanti West Coast ticket for Sunday 20 September have been given additional flexibility.

Tickets can be used at no extra cost on services on the dates either side of the disruption, from Friday 18 September through to Tuesday 22 September.

This applies to both the outward and return portions of a journey where the passenger's travel is affected by the engineering work.

Passengers who no longer wish to travel because of the disruption can also request a full refund from the retailer where they bought their ticket if their train has been cancelled or changed.

London travel will also be affected

The disruption extends beyond Avanti services.

London Northwestern Railway will not operate trains between London Euston and Watford Junction until 4pm, while its services between Euston and Birmingham New Street or Crewe will instead operate from Milton Keynes Central towards Birmingham and Crewe on an amended timetable.

London Overground's Lioness line between Euston and Watford Junction will also be closed until approximately 6pm, with replacement buses operating on affected sections.

For West Midlands passengers travelling onwards through London, these changes could add further complications to already disrupted journeys.

What Birmingham and West Midlands passengers should do

Anyone travelling from Birmingham, Wolverhampton or elsewhere in the West Midlands to London on Sunday 20 September is being urged to:

• Avoid travelling if the journey is not essential.
• Check the latest journey information before leaving home.
• Allow considerably more time than usual.
• Expect changes between trains and replacement buses.
• Consider travelling on another day if possible.
• Be prepared for very busy trains after 4pm when services to Euston resume.
• Check whether an alternative route into London, including London St Pancras International, is more suitable.

The disruption is particularly significant because the closure affects one of the UK's busiest rail corridors and cuts off the normal approach to London Euston from the north for most of Sunday.

For Birmingham passengers, the key message is clear: 20 September will not be a normal Birmingham-to-London travel day, and anyone who can move their journey to another date is being encouraged to do so.

Passengers should use the National Rail Journey Planner and operator journey planners for the latest timetable information before travelling.