Mapping the West Coast Mainline Bypass

On the 12th June I reported Virgin Shuttle Service to bypass West Coast Mainline Closure explaining the move by Virgin Trains, Network Rail, EWS, Chiltern Railways and Bombardier to run trains from Euston to Birmingham International via the Chiltern route during the weekend closures of the West Coast Main Line at Rugby.

The London Connections blog, http://londonconnections.blogspot.com, has helpfully reproduced part of the London connections map which has been updated to show the bypass.


Reproduced from http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/2008/06/virgin-block-buster.html

The numbered sections are explained below:

1.The Chiltern Main Line. Used by Chiltern trains from Birmingham to Marylebone.

2. The New North Main Line. Once British Rail's flagship London-Birmingham route, now single track and used only by Chiltern Trains to access Paddington on the weekends when Marylebone is closed, and for one daily barely-advertised train.

3. The Greenford Branch. The local trains crawl along this line due to the poor condition of the track, and it isn't normally used for diversions.

4. The Great Western Main Line. Used by all trains to and from Paddington.

5. Acton East Junction. The only passenger service on this route is the daily Brighton-Kensington Olympia-Reading CrossCountry service. Unlike on the map above, this is actually west of where the New North Main Line connects, hence why Virgin are forced to use the Greenford Branch.

6. The North London Line.

7. Willesden South West Sidings. Also used by the CrossCountry trains mentioned above on their way to/from the West London Line.

8. The West Coast Main Line. Finally, Euston.

Virgin Tear up the London Connections Map