West Coast Main Line Improvement Work Means Changes to Virgin Trains’ Services Over May Day Bank Holiday Weekend, May 2/3/4

LONDON - There will be alterations to services over the May Day bank holiday weekend because of route improvement work.

At various times though the weekend work will be taking place between Milton Keynes and Rugby, Preston and Lancaster, Carlisle and Glasgow/Edinburgh and in the Stafford area,

The work between Milton Keynes and Rugby will be completed at 12:00 on Bank Holiday Monday allowing West Midlands, Preston and Manchester services to resume running to and from London Euston.

Saturday, 2 May

Because of route improvement work between Rugby and Milton Keynes services from the Midlands and North West will terminate and start back from Rugby including calls at Coventry or Nuneaton. 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. In addition a replacement coach service will run in both directions between Rugby and Milton Keynes connecting with a Pendolino shuttle service running in both directions between Milton Keynes and London Euston and calling at Watford Junction.

Trains will be unable to run between Preston and Lancaster and because of this a replacement coach service will run in both directions between these stations.

In Scotland route improvement work continues to take place between Lockerbie and Edinburgh and coaches will replace trains in both directions between these stations.

Sunday 3 May

Because of route improvement work between Rugby and Milton Keynes services from the Midlands and North West will terminate and start back from Rugby including calls at Coventry or Nuneaton. The 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. In addition a replacement coach service will run in both directions between Rugby and Milton Keynes connecting with a Pendolino shuttle service running in both directions between Milton Keynes and London Euston and calling at Watford Junction.

Trains will be unable to access Stafford station from any direction all day. Replacement coaches will run in both directions between Stafford and Wolverhampton, Stafford and Crewe and between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent.

Trains will be unable to run between Preston and Lancaster and because of this a replacement coach service will run in both directions between these stations. Some of the replacement coaches will be extended through to Carlisle

In Scotland route improvement work continues to take place between Carlisle and Edinburgh and coaches will replace train services in both directions between these stations.

Monday 4 May

Because of route improvement work taking place until 12:00 between Rugby and Milton Keynes services from the Midlands and North West will terminate and start back from Rugby including calls at Coventry or Nuneaton. A replacement coach service will run in both directions between Rugby and Milton Keynes connecting with a Pendolino shuttle service running in both directions between Milton Keynes and London Euston and calling at Watford Junction. After 12:00 direct services to and from Euston will resume running over the normal route via Milton Keynes and Watford Junction

Trains will be unable to access Stafford station from any direction all day. Replacement coaches will run in both directions between Stafford and Wolverhampton, Stafford and Crewe, and between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent. There will be a very limited direct service to and from Liverpool Lime Street and for most journeys customers will need to change at Crewe.

Trains will be unable to run between Preston and Lancaster and because of this a replacement coach service will run in both directions between these stations.

On all three days anyone travelling to or from Scotland is advised to use the East Coast route via York from either Birmingham New Street or London Kings Cross to avoid the various train service alterations on the Euston to Glasgow route.

For further information passengers should visit the following websites - www.virgintrains.com/changeforgood, www.nationalrail.co.uk or telephone +44(0)8457-484950. Customer leaflets summarising the changes will be available at stations.

Notes to Editors

Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available on our online media website www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com. You will need to register to access the Media Resources section containing high-resolution images of our operations.

Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise runs to March 2012.

Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach

Virgin Trains has recently been listed as the Best Train Operator in a survey by the Institute of Customer Service; came joint top of the long-distance train operators for passenger satisfaction in the National Passenger Survey and has been voted Best Rail Company by Travel Weekly magazine

Source: Virgin Trains

For further media information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on +44(0)845-000-3333, or visit our media website at https://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com.