Thousands of passengers face significant travel disruption over the coming weekends as Transport for London and Network Rail carry out extensive engineering works across the capital’s transport network.
The Hammersmith & City line will be completely closed on two separate weekends, with no service running on Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18, followed by a second full closure from Saturday, January 24 to Sunday, January 25. According to TfL, both closures are necessary for track work.
The disruption comes just one week after the Piccadilly line was shut for similar track work, indicating an ongoing programme of engineering interventions across the Underground network.
Multiple Lines Affected
The weekend of January 24–25 will see particularly widespread disruption. The Circle line will have no service between Hammersmith and Tower Hill, as well as between Edgware Road and High Street Kensington. The District line will also be suspended between Edgware Road and High Street Kensington during the same period, with both closures attributed to track work.
The Metropolitan line will not run between Baker Street and Aldgate over the same weekend, affecting a central stretch used by many commuters.
TfL has confirmed that Jubilee line trains will not stop at Baker Street during the Friday Night Tube service between Friday, January 23 and Saturday, January 24 owing to maintenance work.
Overground Services Disrupted
London Overground will also see disruption on Sunday, January 25. Both the Mildmay line and the Suffragette line will have no trains running between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction due to Network Rail maintenance work.
Passengers have been advised to use alternative Tube and rail services or local and replacement bus routes. Those unable to stop at Baker Street on the Jubilee line are being directed to bus routes 13, N113 or 139 as alternatives to St John’s Wood or Bond Street.
Gatwick and Brighton Services Hit
Network Rail engineering works on the Brighton Main Line are causing significant disruption for thousands of travellers heading to Gatwick Airport and Brighton. Trains are not running between Brighton and East Croydon, affecting Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services.
Engineering teams are installing new track rails and refurbishing crossings and switches in locations including Purley and Coulsdon to “boost reliability and safety”. The works also include drainage system repairs at Caterham, intended to reduce the risk of future cancellations.
Passengers using these services have been warned to allow an extra 90 minutes for their journeys. Replacement buses are operating between Gatwick Airport and Purley or East Croydon, and along branch lines between Reigate and Redhill, and Redhill and Tonbridge.
A train service is planned to run between Gatwick Airport and Victoria on a diversionary route via Clapham Junction, providing an alternative route into Central London. Additional replacement bus links will connect Three Bridges or Gatwick Airport with East Grinstead, where frequent train services run to and from Central London via East Croydon.
According to TfL, the closures and alterations mainly affect people living in North West and South London, as well as those travelling to Heathrow Airport. The transport authority is presenting these suspensions as part of scheduled engineering and maintenance work across multiple services.
