Railway engineering work over Christmas will cause 10 days of disruption
London Paddington and Birmingham New Street stations will shut for five days but most routes will stay open Passengers travelling on some of Great Britain’s busiest railway lines a
By The Guardian
Rail passengers face disruption over Christmas as major engineering projects close London Paddington and Birmingham New Street at different points during a 10-day period.
Birmingham New Street will have no trains to, from or through the station from Thursday 24 December to Monday 28 December 2026 inclusive. Normal services are due to resume on Tuesday 29 December.
Network Rail said the closure will allow work to begin on a £13 million programme to replace overhead power lines on the approaches to and through the station. Much of the equipment dates from the 1960s.
The project is intended to reduce the risk of faults and improve long-term reliability. Further phases of the overhead line work are planned during the Christmas periods in 2027 and 2028.
Additional work will also take place at nearby Soho, including the replacement of ageing junction equipment and the renewal of 800 metres of track.
The closure will affect local, regional and long-distance services passing through Birmingham New Street. London Euston and Northampton services to Birmingham will terminate or start at Birmingham International on 27 and 28 December.
The wider West Coast route will also be affected, with the line between Northampton and Rugby via Long Buckby closed from 27 December 2026 until 1 January 2027.
London Paddington will face a separate programme of engineering work. Great Western Railway services will not reach the station until 4 January 2027, affecting trains serving the west of England and Wales.
Network Rail has advised passengers to check their journeys before travelling and allow extra time during the Christmas period.
At Birmingham New Street, the station building will remain open while no trains are running, allowing access to Grand Central and Birmingham city centre.