On weekends until the beginning of June, train services on the southern part of the Midland Main Line will be subject to major disruption.

The disruption follows removal of a temporary bridge at Agar Grove in Camden that provided pedestrian access and carried power supplies over the railway when the bridge deck was replaced last Christmas.

Last weekend, Network Rail engineers also upgraded signalling at Clerkenwell, carried out flooding prevention work at Belsize Tunnel and Hendon, and preparatory work in connection with a new Wixams station being built between Bedford and Flitwick.

This will be the third in a series of nine weekends of planned engineering work in connection with the Midland Main Line overhead line OLE125 project that will enable trains to travel up to 125 mph between London and Bedford.

Upgrading the track and overhead power lines is on schedule and is planned for completion this summer.

This weekend, March 15th/16th, signalling at Harpenden Junction will be upgraded and work will continue to construct the new station at Wixams near Bedford and SEGRO’s Strategic Freight Interchange at Radlett in Hertfordshire.

Anyone intending to travel on these weekends should check before travelling at www.nationalrail.co.uk and leave more time for their journey.

Changes to Thameslink services

15/16 March, 5/6 and 12/13 April, 10/11 May

• Buses will replace trains between Luton and Mill Hill Broadway.
• Buses will run from Luton Airport Parkway and Luton to provide connections with services to London King’s Cross at Hitchin, and from Harpenden and St Albans to Potters Bar.

Sat 24 and Sun 25 May

• Buses will replace trains between Harpenden and Bedford.
• Buses will run from Bedford to provide connections with services to London King’s Cross at Hitchin.

Sat 31 May and Sun 1 June

• Buses replace trains between Bedford and Mill Hill Broadway.
• Buses will run between Bedford and Luton, and Luton to Mill Hill Broadway.
• Buses will run from Luton Airport Parkway and Luton to provide connections with services to London King’s Cross at Hitchin, and from Harpenden and St Albans to Potters Bar.

Once this work is complete in early June, there will be further limited disruption on the southern stretch of the Midland Main Line until Christmas 2025.

Changes to East Midlands Railway services

• Further information about changes to East Midlands Railway services can be found by clicking here.

“The vital upgrades taking place during these weekend line closures will deliver big results in the reliability and efficiency of the Midland Main Line, and our work at Agar Grove is set to be fully complete within weeks, following the bridge deck replacement in winter. We’re very thankful to residents living near the site for their continued understanding and patience. We’re also sorry to passengers who are affected by the rail disruption, but we are making the most of this time by carrying out dozens of improvement jobs during this time.”

Gavin Crook, Network Rail principal programme sponsor