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West Coast delays set to continue West Coast delays for thousands
(about 8 hours later)
Rail services on the West Coast Mainline, already disrupted for two days, are not expected to be back to normal until Thursday. Tens of thousands of train passengers are facing disruption to their journeys after engineering work on the West Coast Mainline continued to overrun.
Network Rail said it has launched an investigation into the causes of the delay to the work which was due to be completed on Tuesday. Network Rail apologised for the delay to the work at Rugby, which means the line being shut between Birmingham or Coventry stations, and Northampton.
Passengers travelling between London Euston and Scotland or the north west of England are affected. There will be replacement bus services on this stretch, but they are expected to add two hours to journey times.
The disruption is caused by engineering works between Coventry and Northampton. Virgin said it was exasperated and advised its passengers not to travel.
We have reached a state of exasperation to be honest Virgin Trains Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, said: "This is a major inconvenience to tens of thousands of our customers returning to work and it is not acceptable."
Network Rail apologised to passengers for the further disruption caused by "this unacceptable engineering overrun". 'Complex' work
The work had originally been expected to be finished by New Year's Eve, as Network Rail had been hoping to complete the works over the festive period, when there were fewer passengers.
Virgin had already lodged a complaint with the rail regulator, after Network Rail announced on 21 December that the works would run into New Year's Eve. They have now run on for another two days.
Network Rail apologised to passengers for the further disruption caused by the "unacceptable" overrun.
It said more than 300 people had been working on the site around the clock, yet it had still not been completed.It said more than 300 people had been working on the site around the clock, yet it had still not been completed.
The "extremely complex" project formed part of the remodelling of Rugby station and its approaches, it added.The "extremely complex" project formed part of the remodelling of Rugby station and its approaches, it added.
A spokesman for Virgin Trains said the company was "greatly disappointed" at the news. Network Rail is expected to give further information, including an estimate for when services would resume, on Wednesday.
"We have reached a state of exasperation to be honest. Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
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"Our customers and staff have shown great patience but I think their patience is running out and so is ours," he said. Coventry - CrossCountry/Chiltern Railways via Leamington to Marylebone
  • Birmingham - Chiltern Railways to Marylebone
  • Nuneaton - CrossCountry/East Midlands Trains via Leicester to St Pancras
  • Rugby - Drive to Kettering then East Midlands Trains to St Pancras
  • North West England - Trans Pennine Express/East Midlands Trains via Sheffield to St Pancras
  • North Wales - Virgin Trains/CrossCountry/Chiltern Railways via Birmingham to Marylebone
  • Scotland - National Express East Coast to King's Cross
    • The rail firm has already lodged a complaint with the rail regulator after Network Rail announced New Year's Eve engineering works at short notice and is advising customers not to travel on Wednesday.
    Passengers using London Midland services are also affected.
    People are expected to return to work on Wednesday and a spokesman for Virgin estimated tens of thousands of people will face disruption to their journeys.
    Chiltern Rail has been accepting tickets from disrupted passengers and bus services have been running between Birmingham and Northampton, calling at affected stations.