Fans face delays due to rail engineering work

Nine million passengers expected to travel by train over the May bank holiday weekend will have to contend with a series of engineering works.

Travellers hit by disruption will include thousands of Liverpool fans heading to Wembley for their team's FA Cup final with Chelsea at Wembley on May 5.

The rail industry said there were would be 17 per cent fewer replacement bus services than there were for the 2011 May bank holiday weekend.

But nearly every passenger train firm will be operating some replacement bus services over this May bank holiday weekend, with the West Coast Main Line and Great Western routes particularly affected.

In the West Midlands, reduced services will run on CrossCounty and London Midland trains from Birmingham New Street, Lichfield Trent Valley, Lichfield City, Tame Bridge Parkway, Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley.

The West Coast engineering work is the project that particularly affects the Liverpool fans with all but three of Virgin's Liverpool to London trains cancelled that day and the last train home leaving at 8pm, meaning many fans could be stranded in the capital.

The West Coast disruption will also affect passengers travelling on London Midland services as well.

Some London Midland trains between London, Crewe and Birmingham New Street will start and finish at Northampton, with buses replacing trains between London and Milton Keynes Central and Northampton.

Virgin Trains is replacing trains with buses on some services between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street, Carlisle and Glasgow Central, Edinburgh and Crewe and Preston.

Network Rail says its engineers will be working "round the clock" over the Bank Holiday weekend, to lay new track, improve stations and repair bridges "to help deliver a better railway for passengers."