Upgrades on the West Coast Main Line are heading for Milton Keynes this Christmas and New Year.

The work will be taking place at Hanslope Junction, seeing sections of track replaced and the foundations reinforced. They will be installing over 12,500 tonnes of new ballast, along with 130 new track panels.

During the £26 million upgrade work, journeys to and from London Euston will be affected from 24th December until 5th January.

This work will allow smoother, more reliable services, while also allowing the current speed restriction to be lifted.

While this section is closed and no trains are running between Milton Keynes, Rugby and Northampton, engineers will be carrying out additional work.

Milton Keynes Central station will get a platform 4 renewal, and Wolverton’s platforms 3 and 4 will be resurfaced.

Work on the Newport Bridge in Stafford and track renewal near Roade will also take place.

Passengers are advised that for the 11 days, there will be no trains between Milton Keynes and Northampton/Rugby, with follow-up work planned in January.

Passengers should allow extra time for journeys which involve a replacement bus and check before they travel to ensure they can get to their destinations on time.

Journeys can be checked online.

“This Christmas and New Year we’re investing in major upgrades to keep the West Coast Main Line safe, reliable and fit for the future.

“The work at Hanslope Junction is one of the most significant projects, and by carrying it out during a quieter travel period we can deliver improvements that will benefit passengers and freight for decades to come.

“Our advice for anyone planning to travel between London and Scotland this Christmas is to plan your journeys as early as possible by visiting National Rail Enquiries.”

Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s route director for the West Coast South route