Disruption between Birmingham and London with rail replacement services after landslip near Rugby

There's disruption on the West Coast Main Line between Birmingham and London on Monday due to disruption following a landslip near Rugby.

One of the two tracks which connect Coventry and Rugby will remain closed while engineers cut back and clear vegetation from the railway embankment.

London Northwestern Railway (LNR) services between Birmingham and London Euston will run between Birmingham-Coventry and Northampton-London Euston only, with half-hourly rail replacement transport running between Coventry and Northampton.

Customers travelling with Avanti West Coast are advised that trains may be delayed or cancelled.

Tickets are being accepted on LNR trains on any reasonable routes, and on CrossCountry trains between Coventry and Stafford. Tickets will also be accepted on Chiltern Trains between Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone; CrossCountry Trains between Birmingham New Street and Reading and Great Western Railway trains between Reading and London Paddington.

Whilst the track from Coventry to Rugby is closed, train services in the opposite direction can still operate, however a reduced timetable is expected and passengers should check their journey before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk

Phil Barnes, operations director for Network Rail, said: “Network Rail engineers are assessing the damage caused by a landslip between Coventry and Rugby and are working on a plan to safely reopen the affected track as soon as possible.

“With one of the two tracks in this area closed to trains, a reduced service is running through the area and we apologise for the disruption to journeys.

"We advise passengers to check www.nationalrail.co.uk or with their train operator for the latest travel advice.”

Jonny Wiseman, LNR customer experience director, said: "This landslip has resulted in a significant amount of earth movement next to the railway, meaning it is not safe to run trains through the area until Network Rail has completed emergency earthworks.

"Customers planning to travel between Birmingham New Street and London Euston on Monday should check their journeys before setting out, expect extended journey times and should consider using alternative routes if possible.