Train Changes Over Chiltern Mainline Work

15 August 2011, 06:00

Heart's been told the final part of a 250 million pound revamp of a train line going through part of the Thames Valley is almost finished.

Over the next two weeks work is being done on the Chiltern Mainline, meaning there'll be some disruption to services.

From Monday 15 August until Friday 19 August trains to/from Birmingham will run to Didcot Parkway for connecting First Great Western (FGW) services to/from London Paddington.  

Passengers from Leamington Spa and Banbury can alternatively use Cross Country services to/from Reading for connecting FGW services to London Paddington.

Trains from Bicester North and south will run into London Paddington direct.

Those travelling on the Amersham line will need to change at Harrow-on-the-Hill during the peak and Amersham during the off peak for connecting London Underground services on the Metropolitan line to/from Baker Street.

Journey times will be increased due to these changes and passengers should check the Chiltern Railways website or specific August timetables for their particular journey.  

From Monday 22 August to Friday 2 there are a couple of changes.

Trains to/from Birmingham will run to Didcot Parkway for connecting FGW services to/from London Paddington.

Passengers from Leamington Spa and Banbury can alternatively use Cross Country services to/from Reading for connecting FGW services to London Paddington.

Passengers travelling to/from Bicester North, Haddenham & Thame Parkway, Princes Risborough, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield will either drive or use a bus replacement service to connect with the Chiltern Railways Amersham line which will run extra rail services.

Some passengers will use a bus replacement service to Hillingdon for connecting LU services on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines.

The Chiltern Railways Amersham line will not be affected during this week.

These works are the final part of the transformational Chiltern Mainline project, a £250 million investment and one of the largest privately-led investments in railway infrastructure for many years.

Ian Baxter, Director of Customer Service of Chiltern Railways said:

"We are always sorry to disappoint our passengers and understand that engineering works are never ideal.  In planning the project we have done all we can to minimise closures, but we can not avoid an extended period of time to complete final elements and run extensive tests of the new infrastructure.  August was chosen as it is the quietest period of the year in terms of passenger numbers and therefore we hope that we will be inconveniencing the least number of people possible."