London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services may be subject to delays and alterations today (29 Nov), as a 50-mph speed limit has been imposed on all main line routes. Passengers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and to check their train times.
Work is underway to upgrade platforms to improve access and capacity for passengers using Watford Junction station. Until May 2019, platforms 10 and 11 will undergo a multi-million-pound overhaul to accommodate longer trains, helping to improve passengers’ journeys on the West Coast main line in and out of London Euston.
London Northwestern Railway has won this year’s Golden Spanner award for the most reliable First Generation Electric Multiple Unit in the UK. The accolade was awarded to the Siemens 350/3 units, which are part of a fleet that operates over 80 services a day to and from London Euston.
As shoppers head out for Black Friday bargains, passengers travelling by train are advised to plan ahead allow extra time for their journeys. On Black Friday last year more than 242,000 people used Birmingham New Street station - 70,000 more than a usual Friday. Birmingham Snow Hill and stations across the West Midlands are also expected to see large numbers of people over the next few days.
Birmingham’s famous Frankfurt Christmas market opens this week and passengers travelling by train are advised to plan ahead allow extra time for their journeys. West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway are advising customers to prepare for trains and stations to be busier than usual, by allowing plenty of time and planning their journey options before heading out.
Rail passengers are being encouraged to look out for those around them, in the latest Samaritan’s campaign to reduce suicide on the railway. Small Talk Saves Lives is a joint partnership between Network Rail, Samaritans, the British Transport Police and the wider rail industry, including train operators.
Vivarail has informed London Northwestern Railway that there will be a delay in delivering the Class 230 units for the Marston Vale line. Due to technical issues with the first train the knock-on effect means the three will not be ready in time.
Rail users on the line between London Euston and Birmingham New Street are being advised to allow extra time for this evening’s commute. All lines were blocked for over three hours between Coventry and Northampton earlier today while emergency services dealt with an incident near the railway.
London Northwestern Railway has announced it will be staffing some of its automatic station gatelines from first to last train each day from 31 October. The train operator says this is part of a drive to improve customer service, provide additional reassurance to passengers and reduce ticketless travel on the rail network.
Four specialist trains are working 24 hours a day to blast leaves off the line and keep passengers and freight moving.
There will be additional carriages on many London Northwestern Railway services to and from Liverpool this weekend, as Giants parade through the city for the third and final time. From Thursday 4 until Sunday 7 October, the world-famous street theatre company Royal de Luxe , from Nantes, will visit both Liverpool and Wirral.
Commuters at Watford Junction are being encouraged to consider safety and security on railway this week, as an interactive roadshow heads to the station. London Northwestern Railway’s revenue and security team will be joining colleagues from the British Transport Police, Network Rail and others for the event, which is taking place on the station concourse.