Christmas Rail Works Cut Northampton–Rugby Trains for Six Days
Rail passengers travelling between London Euston and the West Midlands face two separate Christmas disruptions. Network Rail will close the Northampton–Rugby line via Long Buckby for six days, starting Sunday 27 December 2026, to replace an ageing bridge over the River Nene. Birmingham New Street will also lose all train services over Christmas, while trains using Euston will follow altered timetables into January.
Routes, Bus Transfers and Travel Restrictions
- 27 December–1 January: Use buses between Northampton, Long Buckby and Rugby.
- London-bound: Trains operate between Northampton and Euston.
- Birmingham-bound: Rejoin trains at Rugby; check their final stop.
- Birmingham New Street: Follow alternative-route instructions for 24–28 December.
- Replacement buses: Check the departure points at Northampton, Long Buckby and Rugby stations before your journey.
- Accessibility: Request Passenger Assist in advance if you need help transferring between trains and replacement buses.
- Bicycles: Non-folding bikes are not accepted aboard replacement buses.
During the closure, London Northwestern Railway will run trains on either side of the affected section. Passengers from Euston can travel as far as Northampton, then take a replacement bus via Long Buckby to Rugby. Northbound trains continue from Rugby to Birmingham International on 27–28 December and Birmingham New Street from 29 December. The six-day works involve replacing a 65-year-old bridge over the River Nene.
No trains will call at Birmingham New Street from 24 to 28 December. On 27 and 28 December, replacement buses will link Birmingham International with New Street, while other routes may divert to Wolverhampton or nearby stations. New Street's building stays open, including access to Grand Central and toilets. Christmas Day has no National Rail services, and Midlands trains will not run on Boxing Day.
"We thank our passengers for their patience while Network Rail carries out this essential bridge replacement to help futureproof the railway. Rail replacement will be in operation between Rugby and Northampton via Long Buckby while the work takes place, and customers are encouraged to check before they travel and leave extra time for their journeys."
Euston itself remains open, but Avanti West Coast will operate a reduced service and London Northwestern Railway will retime trains through 3 January. Some Great Western Railway trains will use Euston instead of Paddington. Avanti's Euston–Holyhead services will generally operate only between Wolverhampton or Crewe and Holyhead. Anyone making connections should check their complete itinerary in National Rail's journey planner, including replacement buses.