Rail improvement works affect services to London Paddington

With no trains being able to run to/from London Paddington, long-distance services from across the GWR network will start/terminate at Reading. A limited number of local stopping services will be able to run between Reading and Ealing Broadway, where passengers can connect with the London Underground into the city centre.

To allow for a smoother and quicker journey, GWR advises passengers who are able to travel under present Government restrictions to consider travelling the day before or after the works. Those who need to travel on the Sunday should plan ahead and to check journey times carefully before doing so.

Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director, said: 

“We have been working hard to make sure that people can be confident to travel safely, and that includes running as many trains and carriages as we can to make extra room, as well as enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures.

“Network Rail do however need to continue their planned programme of improvement works and to take best advantage of this time when fewer people are travelling.

“We will continue to keep people moving during these works, but I would encourage those who do need to travel to check beforehand.”

Alternative options into London on Sunday 7 March have been further limited with separate works closing key routes into London Waterloo and London Marylebone from the Great Western network.

Buses will replace trains on sections of routes between London Waterloo and Reading/Exeter St Davids as well as London Marylebone and Oxford.

Scott Pillinger, Network Rail’s programme manager, said:

“We would like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding while we complete these important upgrades to the overhead line equipment.

“The overhead wires are a critical part of the railway that allows us to run faster and greener electric services instead of diesel.

“The work we will be doing to reconfigure the equipment will enable our engineers to fix any issues more quickly and help make this equipment more reliable.”

GWR is operating a reduced timetable during the latest national lockdown and customers should follow Government guidelines, only travelling for work if essential or for other legally permitted reasons. Find out more at gwr.com/safety.

Customers looking for further travel information can visit GWR.com/Paddington

The train operator has been providing rail services throughout the pandemic and has worked to ensure these are as safe as possible. This includes increased cleaning regimes and the use of a virucidal spray; extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible, such as restricting the number of reservations available.   

Notes to editors

Great Western Railway (GWR) provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year - across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England.

We’re currently seeing the biggest investment in the network since Brunel so we can offer more trains, more seats, and shorter, more frequent journeys and continue the network’s heritage of helping connect more businesses to new and prosperous markets. Through a series of initiatives we aim to be a good neighbour to the communities we serve and are committed to making a positive social impact in those regions. Learn how we're Building a Greater West at GWR.com. GWR is a FirstGroup company.