Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Rail passengers travelling from Devon to the Midlands, northern England and Scotland over Christmas are being urged to plan ahead, with a five-day closure of Birmingham New Street set to affect CrossCountry services across the network.
No trains will run to or from Birmingham New Street from 24th to 28th December 2026 while Network Rail carries out essential upgrades to the station’s overhead power lines.
The closure will bring significant changes to CrossCountry services and timetables, with some journeys taking longer than usual. Rail replacement buses will operate for passengers whose journeys start or finish at Birmingham New Street.
CrossCountry operates direct long-distance services from Exeter St Davids towards the Midlands, northern England and Scotland, as well as south-westwards into Cornwall.
Mark Anderson, customer and commercial director at CrossCountry, said the company wanted to give passengers advance notice as they began making their Christmas travel arrangements.
He said: “We know customers will be starting to plan and book their Christmas travel over the coming weeks, so we’re sharing this information early to help people make informed decisions about their journeys.
“This vital engineering work at Birmingham New Street will mean changes for CrossCountry customers between 24 and 28 December, and journey times may be longer than normal.
“While Christmas still feels a long way off, we want customers to be aware of the work and factor it into their plans where appropriate.”
The engineering work is the first stage of a three-year programme to replace overhead line equipment in and around Birmingham New Street. Further work is planned during the Christmas periods of 2027 and 2028.
Martin Colmey, route director for Network Rail’s Central route, said the investment was needed to replace ageing infrastructure at one of the country’s busiest railway stations.
He said: “Birmingham New Street is at the heart of the rail network, supporting millions of local, regional and national journeys every year.
“Much of the overhead line equipment dates back to the 1960s and needs to be replaced.
“This £13m investment has been carefully planned to make the railway more reliable.
“There is never a good time for this type of work and we have done all we can to reduce its impact as much as possible.
“We want to make people aware as early as possible so they can plan ahead.”
Despite the closure, station facilities, including the assisted travel lounge and toilets, will remain open throughout the five-day period.
Full details of rail replacement services and timetable changes are expected to be published in the coming weeks.
Passengers travelling over Christmas are advised to check their journeys before setting off.
( Photo: CrossCountry Trains 📸 )