Waterloo mainline upgrades
We’re upgrading the railway between Waterloo and Clapham Junction over the festive period, creating more reliable journeys for passengers
Original entrance to Queens Road station, renamed Queenstown Road station in May 1980 to match the change in road name.
Essential work
This Christmas over 350 skilled colleagues will work hard to carry out vital engineering work in the Queenstown Road area.
From Saturday 27 December 2025 until Sunday 4 January 2026, train services will be revised while engineers complete a wide range of critical upgrades for the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.
What work is taking place?
- Engineers will replace 8 sets of switches and crossings (moveable sections of track that guide trains from one track to another and allow them to cross paths) and 1000 metres of track between Nine Elms Junction and Clapham Junction. This work includes excavating and removing the current ballast stone and debris that support the track, then installing new ballast stone, rail, and sleepers.
- Alongside these works, engineers will upgrade signals, signalling equipment and track circuits in the area to enhance the efficiency, and reliability of train movements ensuring trains run safely.
- We’ll also renew 950m of the third rail electrification system to improve power delivery to trains which will mean, fewer faults, less maintenance, and less disruption for passengers
- Alterations will also be made to Platform 2 at Queenstown Road station.
Rail mounted crane
What’s involved?
This work will involve using an array of specialist equipment including 22 engineering trains, 12 road rail vehicles, a rail mounted crane and 2 pneumatic tamping machines. The tamping machines compact the ballast stone and sleepers to ensure the stability, alignment and safety of the track.
How will this work affect me?
Due to the nature of our work, some noise and light disturbance is expected. We will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum. We have sent letters to the communities affected by our work, so they are aware of what we are doing.
We’ll need to close parts of our railway so our engineers can carry out the work safely and efficiently.
On Christmas Day and Boxing Day there will be no train services as normal.
No trains will call at London Waterloo from Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 December with trains terminating at Clapham Junction.
From Monday 29 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January, timetable reductions will be in place. Timetables will be available from 3 October.
If you’re travelling during the festive season, you can take alternative routes into central London:
- Connect with TfL services and take the underground using the District Line at Richmond and Wimbledon
- Connect with Great Western Services from Reading to Paddington for Elizabeth Line services into Central London
- Connect with Southern services at Portsmouth, Epsom and Clapham Junction for London Victoria
- Passengers from Salisbury/Yeovil/Exeter can travel via Westbury for GWR services to Paddington
- Ticket acceptance will be in place on alternative routes
- Queenstown Road station will have no service from Saturday 27 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026
- Vauxhall station will have no service from Saturday 27 December to Tuesday 30 December 2025, and on 1 January 2026. Trains will call at Vauxhall on New Years Eve, and from 2 January onwards
Why is the work needed?
Doing this work over a quieter period with less passengers travelling means less disruption over many weekends in busier periods.
It will be an all-round better experience for passengers once the track is renewed, with less failures and less maintenance required resulting in smoother and more reliable journeys.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please call our dedicated 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or visit our contact us page.