This weekend will see a three-day closure at London King's Cross railway station for engineering work.
The closure paves the way for the next stage of the £1.2billion East Coast Upgrade which Network Rail are starting next week.
Friday will see no Thameslink or Great Northern services south of Potters Bar, New Barnet and Gordon Hill, with more changes over the weekend.
Work on the signalling system is taking place over the weekend which will allow half the station to be closed and allow Great Northern and Thameslink services to continue.
Passengers making essential journeys are advised that no trains will be running to or from London King's Cross, Moorgate or St Pancras International via Finsbury Park this Friday Saturday and Sunday (26-28 February inclusive).
The following changes to services will be in place:
- Friday 26 February – Trains to and from Cambridge and Peterborough will start and end at Potters Bar, where passengers can use replacement buses to connect to alternative rail or London Underground services. Trains to and from Welwyn Garden City will start and end at New Barnet and services to and from Stevenage via Hertford North will start and end at Gordon Hill, with replacement buses running to Alexandra Palace.
- Saturday 27 February – Trains to and from Cambridge and Peterborough will start and end at Stevenage. Trains to and from Stevenage via Hertford North will start and end at Gordon Hill.
- Sunday 28 February – Trains to and from Cambridge and Peterborough will start and end at Hitchin. Services to and from Stevenage via Hertford North will be extended to Letchworth Garden City and will start and end at Gordon Hill.
If you need to make an essential journey this weekend on any of the affected routes, you should check National Rail Enquiries before travelling.
A limited rail replacement bus service will operate on the following routes over the weekend:-
- Hitchin – Luton Airport Parkway
- Potters Bar – Cockfosters London Underground station
- Potters Bar – St Albans City
- Gordon Hill – Alexandra Palace (change at Bowes Park for connections with London Underground at nearby Bounds Green station)
- Stevenage – Potters Bar (Saturday and Sunday only)
Ed Akers, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail's East Coast Upgrade, said: “The work we are doing over the next three months is a crucial piece of the puzzle on the East Coast Upgrade.
“Untangling the complex track layout just outside of King's Cross and reopening a railway tunnel which has been closed for over 40 years will make it easier for trains to enter and exit the station, improving journeys for all those travelling to and from the station.
“This, when coupled with upgrades elsewhere along the route, such as improving the power supply and the construction of a new dive under tunnel near Peterborough, will mean faster and more frequent services, better connecting towns and cities across the country and offering more choice for passengers.
“We continue to work closely with train operators on this industry leading project to make sure that the impact on those who need to make essential journeys is as little as possible.”
Jenny Saunders, Great Northern and Thameslink Customer Services Director, said: “This work at King's Cross will improve reliability for everyone using the East Coast Main Line and enable improvements for long-distance services.”
“However, with no trains running south of Potters Bar, New Barnet and Gordon Hill this Friday and other changes over the weekend, passengers making essential journeys will need to take buses to connect with services into London and this will take longer. Full details are available on our Great Northern and Thameslink websites.”
Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: “The impressive work to not only replace and realign track, but to reopen a tunnel closed 40 years ago, underlines our determination to deliver major upgrades for passengers.”
“As passengers return to our railway, these upgrades will make journeys in and out of one of Britain's most historic stations more punctual and reliable, and I want to thank all those keeping services running as the work is carried out.”
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