Network Rail

A SMALL village in Oxfordshire could get a new £29million railway station.

The village itself is small, home to around 700 people – but is right next to Bicester Village and a new attraction currently being built nearby too.

Oxfordshire County Council has the potential for a new station on the Chiltern Main Line in a small village called Ardley.

It’s location is a nine-minute drive away from Bicester Village, a luxury designer outlet shopping centre.

A possible location being considered for the new railway is the site of the previous Ardley station, which closed in 1963.

Plans to build the new station forms part of part of the council’s bid to improve rail connectivity across the region.

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The cost of the station is estimated to be between £24-£29million.

If built it would be added to the existing OxRail 2040 proposals, which includes new stops at Oxford Cowley, Oxford Littlemore, Begbroke and Wantage and Grove.

The location of the potential train station will mean it won’t be far from the proposed Puy du Fou theme park.

It’s set to be built on a site north of Bicester near the M40.

Plans were submitted last year for the 370-acre attraction which is set to have four ‘villages’ based on different periods of time, with 13 different live shows.

Three on-site hotels would be part of the theme park and each themed on different periods of British history.

Being primarily outdoors, the park would be open between April and October.

If approved, the first phases of the park will open in 2029, with nearly 1.5million visitors a year.

The theme park is already popular in both France and Spain – it doesn’t have any rides but lots of historical re-enactments and immersive villages.

RAIL commuters have been warned of disruption to services over the bank holiday weekend.

With strike action set to take place, a number of services will be effected on Sunday and Monday.

Travel chaos is expected at East Midlands Railway (EMR) this weekend as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are set to walk out in a dispute over safety.

EMR has confirmed plans for a “significantly reduced” timetable for services to and from London on both days.

It has advised passengers to check details before embarking on their journeys and to only travel if absolutely essential this bank holiday weekend.

This Sunday (August 30) will see even further disruption, with no LNER trains running between London King’s Cross and Peterborough as digital signalling upgrades are carried out by Network Rail.

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EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy on Sunday, with the increase in demand coinciding with the reduced services.

Meanwhile, Sheffield station and Nottingham station will be very busy, with queues to board services set to be in place.

The strike action comes as the RMT continues to voice concerns about safety issues on some trains.

EMR said it is holding “constructive discussions” with the RMT, meeting with the union six times as it works towards resolving the issues.

Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at EMR, said the company recognise “how frustrating this disruption will be for customers”.

“We are very sorry for the impact this will have on August bank holiday plans,” she said.

“We strongly advise customers to only travel to or from London if their journey is essential on Sunday, August 30 and Monday, August 31, and to check their full journey, including first and last trains, before setting out.”

Meanwhile, the RMT said its members have been instructed to refuse to work a Class 810 train if a list of specified faults continue, including lack of air-con, door faults, and non-working toilets.

The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said it would ensure representatives will be permanently involved in discussions with both EMR and manufacturers Hitachi to try to improve the situation.

“RMT is demanding that whilst these faults exist and until these trains are shown to be operating properly, they should be taken out of service,” he said.

“It is now time for EMR management to act on the safety concerns of our members.”

TRAINS to a major UK airport are experiencing major delays or have been cancelled due to a fire near the track.

Anyone travelling to the London Stansted Airport today has been warned of the disruption.

Greater Anglia, which operates the Stansted Express, has been forced to cancel many of its trains this morning.

A fire that broke out between Cambridge Heath and London Fields has damaged signalling equipment causing delays on the tracks.

On X, Greater Anglia issued a travel warning. It explained: “A fire next to the track yesterday, between Cambridge Heath and London Fields, has damaged signalling equipment. 

“Trains are unable to run between London Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs. Network Rail engineers are working on replacing the damaged signalling cables as quickly as possible.”

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The routes affected include:

• London Liverpool Street to and from Stansted Airport
• London Liverpool Street to and from Cambridge North London
• Liverpool Street to and from Hertford East Service

Tickets are being accepted at no extra cost on other lines such as the London Overground Mildmay Line between Stratford and Hackney Central.

They are also being taken between Kings Cross and Cambridge and Moorgate and Hertford North, and between Liverpool Street and Kings Cross with London Underground.

On the Stansted Express website, most trains from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport have been cancelled up until midday.

Those scheduled are expected to be delayed.

The majority of services from Tottenham Hale to Stansted Airport have also either been either delayed or cancelled.

Only one route from Stratford to Stansted Airport shows as ‘on time’ before midday with at least four services being cancelled.

TWO of Britain’s busiest trains stations will close again just days after reopening.

The busy London hubs had only been reopened for a week following a £20million revamp.

London Charing Cross and Waterloo East will both be closed on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23.

The stations only reopened on Monday, August 17 after a major 22-day closure for essential engineering work.

Network Rail said the £20million programme saw engineers replace almost 2km of track between Charing Cross and Waterloo East, alongside improvements to platforms and structures.

Engineers also replaced sets of switches and crossings, replacing equipment that had been in use since 1990.

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Drainage at Waterloo East was also upgraded, while platforms at Charing Cross were rebuilt with new foundations and surfaces.

Work was also carried out on the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which carries the railway across the Thames, as well as the pedestrian bridge linking Waterloo East and London Waterloo.

The latest closure is part of the follow-up engineering works linked to the wider project.

Passengers are also being warned that further disruption is planned later in the year, with both stations due to close again on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11.

Passengers affected by the upcoming weekend closure are being urged to check their journey before setting off.

A SMALL UK train station that sees thousands of festivalgoers every year has had a glow-up.

Castle Cary train station in Somerset has had a £835,000 vintage makeover.

The train station is close to Glastonbury Festival, making it the ideal stop to get to the festival.

The inside of the station has now been restored to a classic style, with the original entrance reopened.

Along the platform, travellers will find more seating, a digital departure board and a new toilet.

The ticket office boasts a wooden panelled exterior with a black and beige sign that reads ‘tickets’.

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The walls are then painted in different shades of brown.

There is a new ramp for wheelchair access as well.

Around 350,000 people use the station each year to head to Glastonbury Festival, which is around six miles away and served by a free shuttle during the festival.

From the station, there are numerous services including Great Western Railway services direct to London Paddington.

According to the BBC, Tim Hedley Jones, director of the Railway Heritage Trust, said: “I’m particularly pleased to see the reproduction of the original Great Western Railway benches so that people can appreciate the quality of furniture that was provided in stations, and also the colours that were used.

“Historic stations have character. This project, whilst also bringing back the old heritage at the station, removed the clutter and made it a much more positive experience for passengers in a modern context.”

PASSENGERS are facing travel chaos today after a train caught fire.

Trains running to Gatwick are being cancelled or delayed until further notice.

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel.

A train is on fire between Balham and London Victoria, with some lines between these stations closed as a result.

The Gatwick Express account posted on X: “A train is on fire between Balham and London Victoria.

“Some lines are closed between these stations until further notice.

“Gatwick Express services will still run but may be delayed due to congestion.

“Please check your train before you travel and allow extra time to reach your destination.”

Southern Rail also warned of disruption until 3pm.

“Both slow lines between Balham and Clapham Junction are blocked until further notice.

“We will be unable to stop at Wandsworth Common or Battersea Park until further notice.

“If you are travelling to or from these stations, you will need to use an alternative route for your journey.”

In an update, it said some trains are being delayed by at least half an hour.

VIRGIN Trains has been given the green light to launch European train services from the UK.

The operator will run routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

The announcement comes as the Office of Rail and Road pre-approved the outline for track access via St Pancras and HS1, right up to the entrance of the Channel Tunnel.

This access would contribute to Virgin Trains operating 20 daily return services between the UK’s capital and the three European cities.

The agreement for services will be from October 1, 2030 to December 31, 2040.

Next, Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed will look to make an agreement on services by September 4.

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Then Virgin Trains will need to purchase trains, gain access to other rail networks and make sure safety measures are met.

The operator then hopes to get services up and running in 2030.

While there are no announcements on prices, the launch could see cheaper tickets what with more competition.

Martin Jones, deputy director, access & international, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made.

“While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”

Back in October, the Office of Rail and Road approved Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot – which will help them to launch international services.

Other operators’ applications including Evolyn, Gemini and Trenitalia, were rejected.

At the time, Jones said: “With this decision we are backing customer choice and competition in international rail, unlocking up to £700million in private sector investment and stimulating growth.

“While there is still some way to go before the first new services can run, we stand ready to work with Virgin Trains as their plans develop.”

ANYONE heading to two of the UK’s busiest airports are being warned of major travel disruption until the end of the day.

Trains between central London and both Heathrow and Gatwick airports are are currently disrupted due to train issues.

A tunnel closure between Hayes and Harlington and Heathrow has caused problems this morning.

There are currently no Elizabeth Line trains between the west London station and Heathrow terminals 4 and 5 and there are also a number of delays on other lines heading to Paddington.

National Rail has said that the tunnel has been closed for safety reasons.

The Heathrow Express is also currently running on a reduced service, with two trains per hour from London Paddington instead of four.

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Disruption is also expected until the end of the day.

The tunnel closure is reportedly due to a water leak on the line.

Tickets are being accepted across the Piccadilly Line as well as numerous different buses.

There are two tunnels that link the airport to the main trainline, but with only one remaining open, trains have to wait at the tunnel to get in or out of the airport.

It is bad news for anyone heading to London Gatwick Airport as well, as there has been a fire beside the track causing delays to rail services between London and the South East.

The fire has caused damage to the overhead signalling cables and currently passengers are being asked to allow an extra 30 minutes for their journey to the airport.

Currently, services between London Victoria and Eastbourne are suspended along with Gatwick Express services.

Thameslink services which run between Three Bridges and Bedford are also suspended.

A Gatwick Express statement says: “You should travel on alternative Southern or Thameslink services towards your destination.

“If you’re travelling towards a different London terminal to normal, you will be able to change trains at stations along the route, such as Haywards Heath, Gatwick Airport, or East Croydon, for a train towards your destination.

“Alternatively, you can use London Underground to travel between stations once you’ve arrived in the London area.”

TRAVELLERS are facing a second day of travel headaches after a power outage brought train services across the North West and Midlands to a halt.

If you’re heading out on the rail network today (August 7), you might be wondering if your train is actually going to turn up.

While rail bosses have reassured the public that the worst of the chaos is over, there is still a hangover of delays and cancellations to navigate today.

Here is a guide to what you need to know about the current situation, ticket acceptance, and what went wrong to cause such widespread disruption.

What caused the chaos?

The delays stem from a power cut that happened at 1.40pm on Thursday afternoon.

According to SP Electricity North West, an “incident on our high voltage cable” in Harpurhey, north-east of Manchester city centre, caused a power outage that affected around 5,000 customers.

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While the electricity provider said that power was restored within 90 seconds, that brief window was enough to trigger severe rail chaos.

The outage hit more than 400 Manchester postcodes, including the Manchester Rail Operating Centre, which acts as the main control hub for the entirety of north-west England’s railways.

Network Rail also said that their backup power generators failed to activate immediately when the main grid went down.

The failure resulted in railway signals automatically switching to red for safety, bringing trains to a standstill and sparking widespread cancellations.

Network Rail has confirmed it has now launched an official investigation into why the backup system failed to kick in.

Are trains running today?

The vast majority of trains are running today (August 7), and Network Rail has confirmed that “most operators are running a full service” after signalling systems were restored on Thursday night.

Engineers then worked through the early hours of the morning to get displaced trains back to their correct depots before the start of today’s service.

But don’t assume your journey will be completely smooth sailing just yet.

Because trains and rail crews ended up in the wrong places yesterday afternoon, it may take some time for the complex daily timetable to get back into sync.

Network Rail notes that some disruption remains as “trains and crew return to their normal positions”.

According to National Rail, this residual disruption is expected to continue until at least midday today.

Can I use my train ticket on other services?

If your train is delayed or cancelled, you won’t be left completely stranded.

Various ticket restrictions have been eased by operators to help get passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.

If you’re travelling in and around Greater Manchester, your train tickets are currently being accepted on alternative local transport.

You can use your rail ticket to hop on Bee Network buses and Metrolink trams at no extra cost to complete your journey.

Both Northern and TransPennine Express have temporarily lifted Advance Purchase and Peak restrictions, meaning anyone holding an Advance ticket today can board any available service along their booked route without having to pay an extra fee.

Operators are also accepting each other’s tickets across shared routes.

Passengers affected by cancellations can use their tickets on Northern, TransPennine Express, LNER, and East Midlands Railway trains running in the same direction.

TransPennine Express tickets are also being accepted on CrossCountry services across key eastern routes, including between Sheffield, York, and Newcastle.

Chris Wright, Network Rail’s North West route director, praised passengers for their patience following the disruption.

He said: “While some passengers may still experience disruption, we’re continuing to work closely with train operators to return services to normal as quickly as possible.

“Anyone planning to travel this morning should continue to check before they travel for the latest information.”

If you’re travelling today, use the National Rail Status and Disruptions website, or check directly with your train operator before you leave the house.

How can I get a refund?

If your travel was derailed on Thursday, you won’t lose out either.

Tickets dated for yesterday are being honoured for travel throughout today at no extra charge.

But if your plans were thrown fully into disarray by the disruption, you may be entitled to cash back.

If your train was delayed or cancelled and you chose not to travel at all, you are entitled to a full refund with no administration fee.

You will need to apply for this directly from the retailer where you bought the ticket, such as Trainline, TrainPal, or the station box office.

If you completed your journey but arrived late, you can claim compensation through the national Delay Repay scheme.

In this scenario, you must claim directly from the train operating company that ran the delayed service, rather than the ticket seller.

Claims can usually be submitted online by uploading a photo of your ticket, though paper forms are also available from station staff.

How much you receive depends on the length of the delay to your destination, rather than what time your train departed.

If you need to double-check exact arrival times to support your claim, you can look up your route on tracking websites like recenttraintimes.co.uk.

Season ticket holders are also covered and will receive a proportional refund based on the cost of their pass and the duration of the delay.

Make sure to log your claim as soon as possible, as most train companies enforce a 28-day deadline from the date of travel.

If your claim is initially turned down and you believe you’re still owed compensation, you have up to one month to submit an appeal directly to the train operator for further review.

A HISTORIC UK train station has partially reopened after a massive fire forced its closure last week.

Paignton Station in Devon sits in the heart of the town centre and acts as a gateway to one of the three towns on the English Rivera – a popular summer family holiday spot.

Last week, a fire broke out at the station causing “significant damage”.

Three boys aged 13, 15 and 16 were arrested on suspicion of arson.

Despite the damages, Great Western Railway and Network Rail have confirmed that services returned to the station from 8am.

Services to resume include between Paignton and Newton Abbot.

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However, due to a damaged platform the station cannot currently host nine carriage trains, which provide direct services between the town and London Paddington.

If you are due to travel to London, you’ll need to head to Newton Abbot or Exeter St Davids instead, for the time being.

There are also currently temporary entrances and exits at the station, as well as temporary ticketing facilities.

And the car park remains closed.

According to the BBC, Daniel Parkes from Network Rail said that they are working to restore “services as swiftly and as safely as possible”.

He added that “work to fully rebuild parts of the station will continue for some time”.

GETTING around the capital is about to get harder for three weeks of the school summer holidays.

Charing Cross and Waterloo East train stations will close today until the middle of next month.

It comes as both stations are set to get an upgrade, costing £20million overall.

The stations will then both reopen on August 16.

However, this won’t be the end of closures for the two stations as there will be further closures between August 22 and 23 and between October 10 and 11.

Across the initial first closure, travellers will need to head to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Cannon Street or London Blackfriars instead.

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Though, commuters will be able to use alternative routes, including on the Underground and on buses, for no extra cost.

Works on the stations include repairing the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which trains head over the River Thames on.

A number of commuters have taken to social media to share their outrage at the closure.

One person commented: “All these upgrades they do, and yet their still rail replacement most weekends.”

Another person said: “With Charing Cross and Waterloo East closed for three weeks, this will inconvenience a huge number of passengers.

“The least Southeastern could do is provide more off-peak trains during the morning rush hour to help cope with the increased demand.”

A third person said: “R.I.P. my commute I guess.”

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, previously said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian- era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.

“By consolidating the work into a 22-day closure, supported by preparation and follow-up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five, nine-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

Travellers are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

THERE’S a seaside town in the UK which hasn’t had its own train station in decades – but that is about to change.

Portishead in North Somerset is getting the train station as part of a £200million project.

The town, which is one of the largest in the UK, will open a station in Portishead and neighbouring Pill in winter 2028.

In a video of the new station, it shows that there will be one platform and that it will be an end-of-the-line station.

The new station will have hourly direct services from the town to Bristol Temple Meads, which is around a 25-minute journey.

It will be developed along the existing Portishead Line, which used to run between Bristol and the seaside town, but closed in 1964.

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The route runs under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and through the Avon Gorge, with services due to be run by Great Western Railway.

According to a local councillor, the new station and reopened line will “enable an estimated £43million of economic growth each year”.

Niall Spencer, senior sponsor for Network Rail‘s Great Western route, said: “There’s now visible progress right across the route, from bridge upgrades and site clearance to preparations for the new stations themselves.

“It’s exciting to see this long-awaited railway taking shape and moving another step closer to reconnecting local communities with the rail network for the first time in more than six decades.”

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “I know so many people have been waiting so long for passenger trains to return to the Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads line, and it is great to see work is well underway.

“Through this new £200 million train line, the West of England and North Somerset, alongside our industry partners, can connect more people to work, nature, and leisure.”

In the mean time, make sure to check out the Portishead Open Air Pool which reopened this year after a £1.3million revamp.

IF you were planning to head to the capital this weekend, you might want to check your train journey.

London will see two train stations close this week for major revamps.

Both Charing Cross and Waterloo East train stations will close on Sunday, July 26, for three weeks.

The two stations, which handle millions of passengers between them each year, will undergo a £20million glow-up.

The stations will then both reopen on August 16.

Across the 22-day closure, all services will be cancelled, with commuters instead having to go to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Cannon Street, or London Blackfriars for alternative services.

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Upgrades include structural repairs to the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which trains head over the River Thames on.

Later this year there will also be two weekend closures – one between August 22 and 23 and another between October 10 and 11.

Travellers will be able to use tickets on alternative routes including the Underground and buses, for no extra charge during the closure period.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, previously said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian- era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.

“By consolidating the work into a 22-day closure, supported by preparation and follow-up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five, nine-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

Travellers are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

TWO busy UK train stations will close next week for nearly a month.

Thousands of Brits heading to the capital will have to find different routes next week from both Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations.

The two London stations, which handle millions of passengers each year, will close next Sunday – July 26 – for three weeks.

This is so that both the stations can undergo a £20million makeover.

The stations will then reopen on August 16.

Across the 22-day closure, all services will be cancelled as Network Rail carries out improvements to the stations including replacing a track that dates back to the 1990s.

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Other upgrades include new surfaces and structural repairs to the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge which takes trains over the River Thames.

Later on this year, there will also be two additional weekend closures between August 22 and 23 and October 10 and 11.

For travellers who usually use Southeastern services from Charing Cross, they will now need to head to either London Victoria, London Cannon Street, London Blackfriars or London Bridge.

Passengers will also be able to use their ticket on alternative routes, the Underground and buses at no charge.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, previously said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian- era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.

“By consolidating the work into a 22-day closure, supported by preparation and follow-up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five, nine-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

All passengers are now being urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

A TRAIN strike is set to cause major rail disruptions this week.

Passengers can expect delays, cancellations and reduced services over Friday and Saturday.

London Northwestern Railway services will be scaled back from July 9 to 11, with staff walkouts set to impact the West Coast Main Line routes.

Numerous employees striking will result in fewer trains running from the likes of London Euston, Birmingham, Crewe and Liverpool.

Those intending to travel on strike days are being urged to check their route first, as some routes will be without trains entirely.

Some routes will run one train per hour over Friday and Saturday.

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These routes include London Euston to Crewe, Birmingham to Liverpool plus Birmingham to Euston via Northampton.

The Milton Keynes to Euston and Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey routes are also expected to operate on a one train an hour basis.

Services will stop earlier than usual, with the last train from London to Crewe going at 3:46pm on Friday.

The last LNR service of the day from Euston will be the London to Milton Keynes Central train, departing at 5.09pm.

No LNR trains will run after 7pm on Friday, with no early morning services scheduled for Saturday and trains starting later than usual at 7am.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association Union has called the strike amid disagreements over rest day pay.

London Northwestern Railway’s customer experience director, Jonny Wiseman, said: “We are disappointed TSSA has called further unnecessary strike action which is set to cause significant disruption for our customers. We are working hard to reach a resolution to this dispute and urge TSSA to continue talks.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause our customers and we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact as much as possible. If the strike action does go ahead we will be running a significantly reduced timetable on both dates.”

A MAJOR airport in the UK is launching new overnight weekend trains for the first time.

Late-night airport passengers no longer need to break the bank to hail a cab.

Thousands of travellers heading to and from London Stansted Airport will soon be able to catch trains through the night.

Stansted Express is launching a trial overnight service that will run every Friday night into Saturday morning from July 3.

The new service is aimed at passengers travelling on late-night and early-morning flights during the busy summer holiday season.

During the summer trial, trains will run every 30 minutes between 11.30pm and 5am, linking Stansted Airport with Tottenham Hale and London Liverpool Street.

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Most of the overnight trains will operate between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale, where passengers can connect with the Victoria line Night Tube to continue their journeys across London.

A handful of early morning services will also start from, or continue to, London Liverpool Street.

The journey from Stansted Airport to Tottenham Hale takes around 36 minutes, providing a quick link into the capital.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, said: “These overnight Stansted Express services will make a real difference to people arriving late or travelling for early flights – connecting them straight into London via the Night Tube.

“Alongside contactless ticketing at every London airport, we’re building a railway that works for passengers and drives growth across the country.”

The trial will be running until September 25, giving flyers more transport options during the busy holiday season.

Stansted Express will evaluate how many passengers use the late-night trains during the trial before deciding whether to make them permanent.

TWO London train stations will close to commuters and tourists for nearly three weeks over the summer.

The hubs will undergo a huge £20million renovation which will begin later this month.

Between July 26 and August 16, both Charing Cross and Waterloo East Station will be closed with absolutely no service.

Across the 22 days, Network Rail will conduct major improvements to both hubs like replacing the track that was last changed in the 1990s.

Other upgrades will be to the ‘country end of the platforms’ which will be rebuilt with new foundations and surfaces.

There will be structural repairs to the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge too which takes the railway over the River Thames.

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It’s also the pedestrian bridge between Waterloo East and London Waterloo.

Network Rail said that the improvements should reduce the number of recent faults which “have caused over 21,000 minutes (350 hours) of delays to customers.”

As well as the closures between July and August, the stations will also shut on June 7.

Then there will be two full weekend closures later on in the year.

These dates will be August 22 to August 23 – and again on both October 10 and October 11.

During the closure, Southeastern services that normally run into Charing Cross will be diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street, London Blackfriars or terminate at London Bridge.

Passengers will be able to use their ticket an no extra cost on alternative rail routes as well as on the London Underground and buses.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.  

“By consolidating the work into 22‑day closure, supported by preparation and follow‑up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five 9-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

And urged passengers to “plan ahead and check before they travel”.

A NEW UK train station has finally opened following a £183million building project.

The transport hub has been in the works since 2023 and opened to the public on June 28.

Cambridge South is the city’s third train station and will expand transport links for passengers.

The station will be run and managed by Greater Anglia.

Thameslink, Great Northern, CrossCountry and more services will also run from the station.

This is set to connect passengers to the likes of London, Brighton and Birmingham.

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A direct route from Cambridge South to London Stansted Airport is also set to run.

The station is located next to the famous Cambridge Biomedical Campus and boasts four platforms that will see up to nine trains per hour pass through.

The site also offers over 1,000 bicycle parking spots, ticket vending machines and lifts that provide step-free platform access.

The arrival of the new station will “deliver better transport options and connectivity for 1.8 million passengers”.

It’s also hoped the transport boost will “grow and level up the economy” by increasing employment opportunities.

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “With up to nine trains per hour and all passing services stopping, Cambridge South will make a real difference from day one. 

“Cambridge South will bring London, Stansted Airport and international markets closer, supporting the investment and skilled people we need, and creating opportunities locally too.”

TRAIN passengers have been told to expect significant delays and cancellations over fears of rails ‘buckling’ in the hot weather.

Hundreds of journeys have been affected as temperatures of up to 40C could be recorded in the UK this week.

Railway operators have begun cancelling services, as red weather warnings have been issued in parts of England and Wales for the coming days.

Network Rail has urged passengers to only take essential journeys to, from or within areas affected by extreme heat, and to prepare for the conditions ahead of time.

They added: “For safety reasons, trains will operate at reduced speeds and to amended timetables, meaning journeys will take longer and there is a heightened risk of delays, cancellations and last-minute alterations.”

Several operators, including Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway and South Western Railway, have planned to run reduced services during the hottest days.

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Between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Chiltern Railways has also ceased more than half its services “to ensure the safe operation of the railway”.

This is over fears of rails “buckling” – a term used to describe steel rails expanding and curving as they heat up – which can occur as temperatures reach 30C.

Lineside fires create another risk to railways, as vegetation near tracks may be set alight from a combination of train sparks and dry conditions.

A number of tube lines, namely the Elizabeth and Mildmay Lines, have been further affected by flooding as a result of overnight thunderstorms as well as the hot weather.

This follows record-breaking temperatures expected this June.

Met Office spokesman, Grahame Madge, said: “The Met Office is flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely for somewhere in London or the South East.

“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C.”

FOR the past eight years I’ve wasted hours on busy, overpriced trains, travelling between London and my hometown of Devon.

But I recently discovered I could skip the sweaty crowds and do the journey in my sleep for the same price.

While you might have heard of the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland, I bet you aren’t familiar with Great Western Railway’s Riviera Sleeper from London to Cornwall.

The full journey from London to Penzance in Cornwall takes eight hours overnight, compared to the daytime five hour journey.

With the normal route being popular (and often packed with chaotic carriages where I arrive home disheveled and sweaty) I thought I would opt for the overnight option to Devon instead.

It takes just over five hours compared to my usual 2hr30, departing at 11:45pm and arriving at 5am.

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I booked the cheapest seats on offer, paying £47.50 with a railcard, although the cheapest without a railcard is £43.

This got me an upright seat – if I had opted for a sleeper berth with a single or twin cabin, this would have set me back an extra £49 or £59, respectively, on top of the ticket price.

(Although for my journey, I couldn’t find any for less than £200).

The major benefit of booking a cabin is that you can use the fancy lounges – which have showers – at Paddington, Penzance, and Truro, with breakfast also included onboard.

I, however, was not one of the lucky ones, and instead boarded my seat shortly after arriving at London Paddington Train Station at around 11pm.

The train itself is weirdly clean – quite different from your standard daytime Great Western Railway train – and devoid of the usual crowds as well.

Replacing the loud beeping mechanical doors are retro-style doors you need to lean out of the window to open.

Then it comes to the part I was both dreading and anticipating – the seats.

The operator claims they are similar to airline seats and at first glance, look a lot nicer than what you find on Ryanair.

But when it comes to the actual comfort – I think I would have preferred a budget flight middle seat.

It felt like sitting on a stack of squashed cardboard boxes, and bizarrely even more uncomfortable than the daytime GWR seats.

The head rest is annoyingly high, and the promise of extra legroom was unfounded.

Just the same as a daytime carriage you get a tray table, and then you’ll find plug and USB sockets by your feet.

Additions that you don’t get on the daytime trains include an overhead reading light and swish curtain on the window.

So, how did I sleep? Well, I didn’t.

I simply couldn’t get comfortable as the seats are too small to lie across comfortably.

The minutes I did manage to get some sleep was when I put my feet on the seat next to me, I was quickly awoken by someones shouting “FEET” as they walked through the cabin.

I may be just 5″1, but the headrest didn’t help either – I knocked my head a few times just fidgeting and ended up slumping down in my seat to avoid it.

And all of this is without mentioning the disruption of passengers boarding at half-midnight, with the football playing on their phones at full volume.

Even though I saved money compared to a cabin, I definitely would only book this seat again if it was a last resort – I’d rather just stick to the daytime trains (which even in the noise I manage to get quick naps on).

There was one perk to trying this overnight train, however.

My train got into Exeter St David’s around 4:37am and because this was the stop before mine, I was starting to stir.

I also knew what was coming – a section of the track which I believe is home to the most beautiful train journey in the UK.

From Exeter, the train runs past Starcross, Dawlish Warren, Dawlish and Teignmouth with beaches and red cliffs on the left side of the train.

And at this time in the morning, a beautiful summer sunrise adds washes of orange, red and yellow.

While getting up early to see this might not be attractive and of course it depends on the time of year you are on the sleeper train, I would definitely recommend it.

The sea was perfectly calm, with only a couple of people entertaining their dogs on the beach, the sand was untouched and the water reflecting all the bright colours of the sky made it look like something from a postcard.

It almost made the seriously uncomfortable seat worth it… almost.

SINKHOLES found under a railway bridge have caused all trains to and from Gatwick airport to be suspended leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The holes near Purley Bridge in South London required “urgent repairs”, engineers from Network Rail have said and the line isn’t expected to open until tomorrow morning.

All services between Purley and East Croydon were closed while an inspection was carried out by a structural engineer.

This has put a stop to all trains heading to Gatwick Airport and Brighton from London Bridge or London Victoria and left thousands stranded.

Travellers lined the road outside the airport while others waited hours for a rail replacement bus service.

The rail disruption has forced many passengers to drive to the airport resulting in major congestion as hundreds of cars try to get to the terminals.

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Many have taken to social media to express their fury and fear as tempers in the gathering crowds start to flare.

One user said: “Absolute shambles at Gatwick airport! People queuing for over 2 hours to get network replacement coach into London. Tempers flaring amongst crowds. I’m scared!!!”

Others said they were having to fork out for inflated Uber fares back to London.

They posted: “@uber why on earth do you think it’s acceptable to charge people £250 to get from Gatwick Airport to Croydon with all the trains being cancelled? Absolutely criminal!,”

Network Rail explained: “Sinkholes were spotted on the bridge, meaning that ballast, the stones that the track sits on, was falling through the gap, making the track unstable.

“We’ve since carried out a thorough inspection of the bridge and are working to safely plug the gaps so that trains can safely run again.”

Sinkholes appear when rock at the surface collapses and leaves a big hole.

They are often saucer-shaped and can form for many reasons.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “There are currently no trains running between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria or London Bridge due to blocked rail lines at Purley.

“Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to consider alternative routes and allow extra time for their journey.

“For those travelling from Gatwick Airport into London, rail replacement bus services are operating between the airport and East Croydon. 

“Due to high demand, passengers at the airport may experience longer waiting times for rail replacement services, and we appreciate your patience while alternative transport is in place.”

Network Rail later took to X to apologise for the disruption and said the lines had to be closed “for the safety of passengers”.

“Over the course of the afternoon our engineers have carried out thorough inspections on the bridge and have worked to plug the sinkholes, allowing trains to safely run again,” they said.

“Though trains are now running we do expect there to be disruption into the night so we’re urging passengers to check before travelling.

“We will be accepting today’s tickets on tomorrow’s services due to the disruption today.”

However, Southern Rail still urged passengers not to travel, saying: “You are strongly advised to delay your journey. A very limited service is now able to run, however these services are expected to be full.”