Saddlers fans face major rail delays for Wembley trip
Saddlers fans are facing major delays and disruption on the journey to Wembley because of rail line work, it has emerged.
Supporters travelling by train are being warned they will have to switch to buses on parts of the route between Birmingham and London Marylebone.
Hundreds of Walsall supporters are expected to go by rail to the club's historic appearance in the final of the historic Johnstone's Paint Trophy against Bristol City on March 22 and face delays of at least 45 minutes compared to usual.
A huge landslip not far from Leamington Spa has hit the busy line which normally has around 80 passenger and 50 freight trains every day. Repair work is being carried out but Network Rail has said the line is not due to fully re-open until April 2, meaning Walsall fans using the route will be affected.
It is currently expected there will be replacement buses on stretches between Leamington Spa and High Wycombe, although Chiltern Railways will provide updates in the coming weeks.
Amongst the most likely times Walsall fans would travel are from Birmingham Moor Street on the 10.55am, which would normally arrive at Marylebone at 12.44pm. There is then a connection to Wembley to arrive at 1.18pm or the 11.55am which is scheduled to arrive an hour later. But the current anticipated delays could impact on the time they arrive for the 3.30pm kick off against Bristol City.
Travelling back there are trains which set off from Wembley at 7.18pm, with fans getting connections for arrival at Walsall at 10.24pm, or setting off at 7.44pm or 8.18pm. Tickets with return are around £29.
Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, said: "We've been working around the clock to safely re-open the railway as soon as possible. The line provides a vital link for more than 130 passenger and freight trains every day and our engineers are working tirelessly to make the landslip safe."
The Saddlers were granted an initial allocation of 20,000 tickets at Wembley for the first match at the national stadium in their 127 year history, which sold out after unprecedented demand.
