Network Rail and TfL have outlined the planned disruptions that will take place over Christmas, with quite a few changes in the London area.
Liverpool Street station engineering works (c) Network Rail
Although there are engineering works, most of the railway will stay open for business as usual, barring the usual Christmas Day closure, and many train companies also run a limited service on Boxing Day.
For Londoners, most of the national rail disruptions take place at Liverpool Street and Victoria stations, plus the London Overground and Elizabeth lines.
UK wide, around 300 projects are planned, and below are the works that’ll affect the London area.
Liverpool Street station
There won’t be any trains between Christmas Day and Monday 2nd January in or out of Liverpool Street station.
During the closure, Greater Anglia trains will run to and from Ingatestone and Billericay, while buses will run between Ingatestone and Newbury Park, and Billericay and Newbury Park. In addition, Cambridge and Stansted Express trains will start and terminate at Tottenham Hale.
This is because they will be replacing a bridge near Bethnal Green, along with the replacement of switches and track maintenance. They are also bringing a brand-new power system into use that will supply overhead lines between Bow and Shenfield.
Victoria, Clapham Junction and Balham
There won’t be any Southern or Gatwick Express trains to or from London Victoria between Christmas Day and Monday 2nd January.
During the closure, most Southern trains will be diverted to run to and from London Bridge instead.
Replacement buses will run between Clapham Junction and East Croydon.
People for Gatwick Airport can catch Southern or Thameslink trains from London Bridge.
Lewisham station
Lewisham station will be closed between Christmas Day and Monday 2nd January, and there will be no trains between New Cross, St Johns and Dartford via Bexleyheath.
A replacement bus service will run along the line and Dartford services will run via Greenwich and Sidcup.
Euston station
Due to engineering work on the West Coast Mail Line at Camden, Harlesden and Wolverton, long-distance services from London Euston will run to a reduced timetable.
TfL Services
Boxing Day
Elizabeth line – no service on the entire line
London Overground
- No service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction
- No service between Sydenham and Crystal Palace.
- No London Overground service to Chingford and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
- No service between Richmond / Shepherds Bush and Stratford
- No service between Euston and Watford Junction.
- No service between Gospel Oak and Barking.
27th December
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
- No service between Willesden Junction and Stratford.
- No service between Gospel Oak and Woodgrange Park.
- Reduced service out of Euston
28th December
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
- No service between Willesden Junction and Camden Road (via West Hampstead).
- No service between Gospel Oak and Woodgrange Park.
- Reduced service out of Euston
29th December
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
- No service between Willesden Junction and Camden Road (via West Hampstead).
- No service between Gospel Oak and Woodgrange Park.
- Reduced service out of Euston
30th December
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
- No service between Willesden Junction and Camden Road (via West Hampstead).
- No service between Gospel Oak and Woodgrange Park.
- Reduced service out of Euston
31st December
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
- No service between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction.
- No service between Gospel Oak and Woodgrange Park.
1st January
Elizabeth line – no service between Paddington and Shenfield/Abbey Wood
London Overground
- No service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction.
- No service between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction.
- No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford.
- No service between Romford and Upminster.
What you’re written re Lizzie isn’t the same as on the TFL forward look for 28th December onwards.
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/planned-track-closures.pdf
Only Liverpool St / Whitechapel to Shenfield is affected those days.
Try the live updates: https://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/?Input=&lineIds=&dateTypeSelect=Future%20date&direction=&startDate=2022-12-28T00%3a00%3a00&endDate=2022-12-28T23%3a59%3a59
National rail enquiries is showing Lizzie operating e.g.Farringdon to Woolwich operating on the 28th – need to use the route that day so I’ve been checking.
And the national rail site is only showing Liverpool Street – Shenfield as being closed.
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/currentAndFuture.aspx?TravelDate=28%2F12%2F2022&TOC=xr
Has anybody checked the Won and the Son to see what engineering works are actually occurring?
Maybe the fellow commenters simply forgot themselves and for me to point this out is equally crass. But time’s never too short for a bit of humanity, so…
Thank you Ian for another year’s worth of dry-as-dust but vital information, all in one place from a trusted source.
Without your hard work collating these things, we confreres of the commentariat would have had to spend our own time fighting with the sub-menus of the rail company websites, for instance.
Not only that, but some this year alerted me to unknown events and prompted me to go and check ’em out. It’s amazing what you can find if you look.
Thank you.
I would like to echo JP’s comment. Ian, your website is one of those that I love checking almost daily for its informative, well-researched and wide-ranging content. Thank you.
I am also stealing JP’s excellent phrase “confreres of the commentariat”!
Thirded! Now where’s that button that contributes to your costs??
RG? JP? Have you pressed it yet?
I travel regular to Liverpool Street but at Xmas I won’t bother with it
It will be the usual chaos at Newbury Park again.
Will probably go by car and park near to London.
I’m fast giving up on train travel,Expensive fares,
Unreliable and uncomfortable trains,annoying and noisy
fellow passengers.