​Thameslink travellers advised to plan ahead for August Bank Holiday

- no trains between Mill Hill Broadway and St Pancras from Saturday night until Monday morning

- reduced service between St Pancras and London Bridge on all three days

Govia Thameslink Railway is reminding Thameslink passengers between Bedford and London to plan their journeys in good time before the bank holiday weekend (29-31 August), because services will be revised substantially to allow planned Network Rail engineering work near St Pancras International station.

On Saturday 29 August until 23:30, and from 05:45 on Monday 31 August until 03.45 on Tuesday 1 September, Thameslink services that normally run between Bedford and Gatwick Airport or Brighton will not operate through central London between St Pancras and Blackfriars/London Bridge.

Trains from Bedford will be diverted to terminate at St Pancras’s High Level platforms. These trains will not call at Kentish Town, which will be served by replacement buses running between West Hampstead and St Pancras. Trains from Brighton will terminate at London Bridge.

However, services between Cambridge and Brighton will run as normal. Services between Peterborough and Horsham will also run, calling additionally at Salfords and Earlswood.

From 23:30 on Saturday, through Sunday and until 05:45 on Bank Holiday Monday 31 August, a reduced Thameslink service will operate between Bedford and Mill Hill Broadway, beyond which buses will replace trains to and from St Pancras. Some trains will run only between Bedford and Harpenden.

Buses will also run between Luton and Stevenage to link with alternative Thameslink services to and through St Pancras, or Great Northern services to King’s Cross or Moorgate. However, in the early hours of Sunday (until 07:10) trains from Stevenage to London will terminate at Finsbury Park.

Services that normally run between Luton/St Albans and Sutton will run only between Blackfriars and Sutton.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “We thank customers whose journeys are affected by these vital infrastructure improvements for their patience over the bank holiday weekend.

“We’ll be continuing to help and encourage everyone to travel safely. As well as wearing a face covering, maintaining social distancing and keeping hands clean, please check your route in advance to avoid the busiest times, buy tickets in advance if possible, and allow more time for your journey.”

Gary Walsh, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Midlands Route, said: “Vital work is taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend to improve the track between Mill Hill Broadway and St Pancras International. This will improve journeys for passengers and help to keep the railway running reliably and smoothly for many years to come.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience whilst this work is carried out, and we strongly advise people to check their journeys with National Rail Enquiries or their train operator and allow plenty of time.”

Further details of how journeys will be affected are available at www.thameslinkrailway.com.

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