TRAVELLERS heading home for Christmas by rail could face utter misery as ten days of engineering works are set to cause major delays.

Dozens of Network Rail update schemes are due to take place up and down the country in the run up to Christmas.

The shutdowns have yet to be added to any timetables used by officials at the rail giant, but watchdogs have warned that it could be even more disruptive than pre-pandemic maintenance.

Services between London and the South, South-West Wales and Glasgow could be hit by horrendous delays.

Heathrow Airport will also be cut off from the London Underground as TfL undergo engineering services for nine days – plunging international travellers into chaos.

The works are set to take place as an estimated ten million passengers make journeys over the festive period.

It will also include maintenance that was delayed by coronavirus disruption last Christmas and also on bank holidays.

Network Rail will announced the back-log of works in the near future, and is urging passengers to “plan ahead.”

They also claimed that “95 per cent” of their network would be unaffected by the works and any delays.

The programme of works are understood to be costing tens of millions of pounds and will involve up to 20,000 engineers.

The worst-affected lines could be Southern Railway services, which will cease between Victoria and East Croydon for ten days from Christmas Day.

Journeys from London to Scotland will also be plunged into chaos when lines close between Glasgow and Motherwell from December 27 to the New Year.

Trains from London to Wales will also be affected due to work at Swindon and Gloucester.

Some London Waterloo to Portsmouth services will start from Farnborough while buses will replace trains around Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon from December 27.

‘REALLY CONCERNED’

Bruce Williamson, a spokesman for transport campaigners Railfuture, said: “Works need to be communicated clearly with passengers, so they are aware of timetable changes well in advance and have their inconvenience minimised.

“But passengers need to remember the end result will be a better railway.”

Richard Freeston-Clough, from the passenger watchdog London TravelWatch, said: “People have an urge to see family and travel this Christmas after what happened last year, but we are really concerned there will be a problem for people to get to Heathrow Airport.

“Engineering works not yet showing on timetables is an issue.”

Rail Delivery Group, which represents train firms, added that a “considerable amount of engineering work” was planned.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: “We’ve worked with train operators to reduce the impact on passengers as far as possible, so they can spend time with families and friends this Christmas.”