Major disruption set for Chiltern Railways including 10-week Aylesbury closure due to HS2 work

Major disruption to Chiltern Railways services this summer have been confirmed which includes temporarily closing services in Aylesbury for up to 12 weeks.

Network Rail has announced the changes which are due to repair works and the HS2 project in Aylesbury.

Work will begin on the Chiltern Main line in August with engineers repairing the Victorian drainage culvert which passes underneath the railway in Aylesbury.

Network Rail states that faults were discovered in the structure earlier this year, which has affected travel and led to late notice timetable changes.

To fix the issue once and for all, a 10-day railway closure is needed, Network Rail says. This closure has been greenlit for Monday 7 to Friday 18 August.

This will impact all trains between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough and Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville. Replacement buses will run between these stops.

Buses will be in operation from Amersham – Great Missenden – Wendover – Stoke Mandeville – Aylesbury – Aylesbury Vale Parkway (for connections to London Underground).

Immediately after that from 19 August until 30 October, engineers will being working to enable HS2 trains to pass under the existing railway.

This will mean no train services for 10 weeks between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough, with rail replacement buses laid on for passengers, between:

Princes Risborough – Monks Risborough – Little Kimble – Aylesbury

Train users are advised to check services in advance by using the National Rail website here.

Jacqueline Dey, Chiltern Railways' operators director, said: "The damaged culvert has led to numerous short-notice cancellations this year, and we are pleased that a permanent fix will be in place before the end of the summer. Customers should be mindful that Network Rail and HS2 works will close the railway between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury for a further ten weeks after these repairs, with the line reopening again on Monday 30 October. Rail replacement buses will be in operation during this time, and customers should check before they travel.

"We know that this is a significant, long-term closure, but we are confident that the railway between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury will be more reliable as a result of these important works."