Paddington to Close Over Christmas for Rail Upgrade Works
Network Rail says Paddington station will be shut between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve while engineers upgrade the railway. The works will bring disruption across the Elizabeth line and other major routes into London.
What closes at Paddington
Network Rail says the closure is down to work on upgrading a junction and installing new track. Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express trains will not run west of Paddington until December 31.
The link between Paddington and Heathrow comes back on New Year's Eve. The Elizabeth line will not run any further west until January 4, 2027.
Great Western Railway services to Wales and the West Country cannot reach Paddington until January 4. Long-distance services will start and finish at Reading instead, and some will be diverted to London Euston.
The station itself stays open for toilets and other facilities. A deep clean is planned while it is shuttered.
Trouble in the east too
Some passengers heading east on the Elizabeth line from Liverpool Street will also be affected. Elizabeth line and Greater Anglia trains cannot run between Liverpool Street and Forest Gate until January 4, because of a major track replacement project.
The route closes for 10 days from Christmas Day, with engineers replacing worn rails on a busy stretch. Trains will not run between Stratford and Romford, and rail replacement buses are due to be provided. Trains from Liverpool Street to Cambridge via Stansted Airport are not affected.
Other disruption on the map
Trains into Waterloo will be reduced and run an amended timetable on Sunday December 27 and Monday December 28, according to National Rail. Engineers will be working around Queenstown Road.
On the same two days, no Southeastern trains will run to Charing Cross, Waterloo East or Cannon Street, or via Lewisham, because of track work around New Cross. A limited Southeastern service will run to and from London Bridge, and some trains will be diverted to Victoria.
North of London, works in the Doncaster area mean East Coast Main Line services will be heavily disrupted or will not run at all. Lumo, Hull Trains and Grand Central will provide no service. Rail replacement coaches will run between Newark and York, and they could add as much as two hours to journey times.
Network Rail reminded passengers that trains will not operate on most routes in England on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. On Christmas Eve, services are likely to finish earlier than usual.
What Network Rail says
The closures will allow £152 million of improvement works, Network Rail said, with other projects planned at Birmingham New Street and Huddersfield stations. The organisation said most of the network stays open and that it schedules the most disruptive work between Christmas Day and New Year, when fewer people travel.
Passengers are encouraged to check their journey before travelling and allow extra time where needed.
Our view
A closure of a terminus this large may push many travellers onto other London stations, and Euston could feel the diversions. It is not yet clear from the announcement how crowded those alternatives will be. The announcement gives few details on how replacement buses and diverted trains will work.
Source: Evening Standard