Emergency removal of the Oxhey Grange footbridge will disrupt services on the West Coast Main Line and the adjacent Lioness line from midnight on Saturday 19 September until 16:00 on Sunday 20 September 2026. Network Rail says the footbridge south of Watford Junction was closed on 26 July after routine inspections identified deterioration, and specialist plant and a full line closure are planned to carry out removal work.
Why this matters
The closure affects all four West Coast Main Line tracks plus the adjacent Lioness line for the full period specified. The disruption will affect long‑distance and local services that use the corridor between London and the north‑west, and services that normally call at or pass through Watford Junction and intermediate stations on the route. The planned work requires a full track closure rather than single‑line working because of the size of the plant and the nature of the operation.
Who will be affected
Avanti services for Scotland and north‑west England are planned to start or finish at Milton Keynes Central during the closure, with additional services at Rugby. London Northwestern Railway plans an hourly Milton Keynes Central–Watford Junction shuttle for the period of the closure. Lioness services will be limited, while the Bakerloo line is expected to run normally.
How the removal will be carried out
The operation will use a specialist 100‑metre crane with a stated 1,200‑tonne lifting capacity. That figure is the crane capacity, not the bridge weight. The presence of a large crane and associated lifting operations is the reason for the full closure of all four West Coast Main Line tracks and the adjacent Lioness line during the stated period. Work is planned to begin at midnight on Saturday 19 September and to continue until 16:00 on Sunday 20 September.
Service changes and passenger impact
Passengers on long‑distance Avanti services for Scotland and north‑west England should expect their journeys to start or finish at Milton Keynes Central, with additional services running at Rugby. Local passengers who use London Northwestern Railway services between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction will have access to an hourly shuttle. Lioness services will operate in a limited fashion during the closure. The Bakerloo line is expected to operate normally throughout.
Context, limits and next steps
The footbridge was closed on 26 July following routine inspections that identified deterioration. The removal operation and associated timetable changes are described as planned measures; they may be subject to change depending on circumstances on the day. The crane capacity figure given relates to the capability of the plant rather than the weight of the structure being lifted.
What passengers should note
The closure window runs from midnight on Saturday 19 September until 16:00 on Sunday 20 September. Passengers affected by the planned changes should check travel arrangements in advance and allow for altered start and end points for some services. Timetables for the period will reflect the planned starts, finishes and shuttle provision described, and further operational information will be issued as appropriate prior to the closure.
The removal of the Oxhey Grange footbridge is being treated as an emergency engineering intervention following the inspection finding in late July. The planned use of specialist lifting equipment and the decision to close all tracks and the adjacent line reflect the scale of the operation. Services are scheduled to resume normal running after 16:00 on Sunday 20 September, subject to the outcome of the planned work.
