Passengers are reminded that a major programme of railway improvements on the East Coast Main Line is taking place over the next two weekends (24-25 October and 31 October-1 November).
The direct line from Leeds to York will also be closed for NINE days too.
The project means changes to some passenger journeys, with buses replacing trains between Doncaster/Leeds and York/Darlington on both weekends.
Engineers will carry out a programme of improvements at various North Yorkshire locations across both weekends, including:
Renewing and replacing points, which allow trains to move between tracks, at Tollerton North, Colton Junction and Northallerton to improve reliability.
Carrying out major track renewals – totalling almost 2.6km – between York, Colton Junction, Holgate Junction and Skelton Junction, including replacing rails, sleepers and ballast for smoother and more reliable journeys.
Renewing 300 metres of drainage near Chapman’s Bridge, near Shipton, to help protect the railway from water-related issues.
Upgrading overhead line equipment between York and Colton Junction and across York station platforms.
Managing vegetation between Tollerton and Thirsk to improve the safety and performance of the railway.
Improving platform infrastructure, including surface works on platform 2 at York station.
Passengers should also be aware that between Saturday 24 October and Sunday 1 November, including weekdays, the Transpennine Route Upgrade will install a new road bridge over the line at Church Fenton and overhead line equipment to provide the power for electric trains in the future.
There will be no trains between York and Leeds (Direct route) during this nine-day period, with replacement bus services running between York and Leeds, and others calling at all stations between York and Micklefield, connecting with trains between Leeds, Selby and Hull.
Passengers using rail replacement services are reminded to only bring luggage they can carry comfortably and be mindful of transfer times between train and bus/coach.
Check details of all parts of your journey with your train operator or National Rail before travelling.
More details for each operatorCrossCountry: Buses will replace trains between Leeds and Darlington all weekend. These buses will run directly between Leeds and Darlington and will not call at York.
Grand Central: There will be no Grand Central service between London King’s Cross and Sunderland. (affects York,Thirsk and Northallerton)
LNER: Buses will replace trains between Doncaster and Darlington, and between Wakefield Westgate and York. Trains between London King’s Cross and Doncaster, and between Darlington and Edinburgh, will run a reduced service of two trains per hour with one train per hour running between Northallerton and Edinburgh.
Northern: No Northern trains will run between Moorthorpe/Leeds/Selby/Poppleton and York all weekend. Rail replacement buses will run between Moorthorpe/Micklefield/Selby/Poppleton and York.
TransPennine Express:
- 24-25 October – No TransPennine Express trains will run between Wakefield Kirkgate/Leeds and Northallerton, or between York and Redcar Central/Saltburn.
- Trains between York and Scarborough, and between Leeds and Hull, are unaffected.
- Rail replacement buses will run between Leeds and York, and between York and Redcar Central/Saltburn.
- 31 October-1 November – Buses will replace trains between Leeds and York. Trains between York and Scarborough will run normally.