Network Rail Improvement Work Means Changes to Virgin Trains' Services Over August Bank Holiday Weekend

Normal Service on Friday and Near Normal Service on Bank Holiday Monday

LONDON, August 17, 2010 - There will be alterations to services over the August Bank Holiday
weekend because of route improvement work but the principal travel days of
Friday and Bank Holiday Monday will see near normal services operating.

On the Saturday, work will be taking place all day at the southern end of
the West Coast Main Line, resulting in a slightly reduced service to and from
Euston, and from 14:00 between Crewe and Runcorn/Warrington Bank Quay. On
Sunday, there will be line closures between Rugby and Euston until 21:00, and
between Wolverhampton and Stafford. Trains will be unable to call at Stafford
station. On Bank Holiday Monday, the route between Birmingham New Street and
Stafford via Wolverhampton is closed.

Friday, 27 August

There will be a normal service.

Saturday, 28 August

Only two lines will be available for trains at the southern end of the
West Coast Main Line, instead of the normal four, which will result in a
slightly reduced service running to and from Euston.

Because of route improvement work from 14:00 between Runcorn and Crewe,
and between Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe, services from Preston to Euston
will be diverted between Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe via Chester. An
hourly service will run between Glasgow and Warrington Bank Quay and a two
hourly service will run between Edinburgh and Preston. Replacement coaches
will run between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe, calling at Runcorn and
between Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe.

Sunday 29 August

Because of route improvement work between Rugby and Euston until 21:00,
services from the Midlands and North West will terminate and start back from
Rugby and include calls at either Nuneaton or Coventry. The hourly West Coast
Replacement Shuttle will operate in both directions from Nuneaton and
Coventry direct to London Euston via an alternative route through
Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. London Midland will be running
some services from the north to Milton Keynes during the afternoon. Trains
serving North Wales and Chester will only run between Holyhead and Crewe
where connections can be made to and from London Euston via Nuneaton.

The route between Wolverhampton and Stafford will be closed and Stafford
station itself will not be served by trains. Services between Birmingham and
Scotland will be diverted via Rugby and Nuneaton. Replacement coaches will
run between Crewe and Wolverhampton and also between Stoke and Wolverhampton
all serving Stafford.

Bank Holiday Monday 30 August

The line between Stafford and Birmingham New Street will be closed,
although Stafford station unlike Sunday will be open for trains. A frequent
replacement coach service will run between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New
Street where the normal timetabled service of trains will run through to
Euston. Scotland to Birmingham services will be diverted via Nuneaton not
calling at Wolverhampton. Replacement coaches will run between Stafford and
Wolverhampton.

For further information passengers should visit nationalrail.co.uk or
telephone 08457-484950.

    Notes to Editors:

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      by Business Traveller magazine.

    - Virgin Trains was awarded the Global Travel Awards 2009 'Best Rail
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For further media information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on +44(0)845-000-3333, or visit our media website at www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com.