East Midlands Railway (EMR), which is operated by Transport UK, is urging customers travelling to this year’s Download Festival to plan ahead and travel light, as engineering work will affect services on routes to and from London St Pancras International over the festival weekend.
Customers are being reminded to only pack what they can comfortably carry, as luggage trolleys are not permitted on services.
Following incidents last year where some customers attempted to travel with wheelie bins filled with beer cans and bottles, passengers are also being reminded that these items will not be permitted on board.
Customers returning from the festival will be able to use boot-cleaning brushes provided at stations to help remove mud before boarding trains.
Engineering work taking place at various locations on the Midland Main Line means some lines will be closed on Saturday and Sunday, resulting in a reduced timetable and some replacement bus services.
EMR services will operate as follows:
One train per hour between Nottingham and London St Pancras International.
One train per hour between Sheffield and London St Pancras International.
Trains will not call at Market Harborough.
Trains will additionally call at Corby.
Sheffield services will additionally call at Wellingborough.
One train per hour will run between London St Pancras International and Wellingborough.
A connecting rail replacement bus service will operate between Kettering and Leicester, calling at Market Harborough.
There will also be a number of other alterations to services, with some trains running at different times or having different stopping patterns.
Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “We’re advising customers travelling to Download Festival to plan their journeys in advance and be aware that essential engineering work will affect services across the weekend. As a result, some services will be reduced or amended, and passengers should check before they travel and allow extra time.
“We’re also encouraging customers to travel light. Last year, some festival-goers tried to board services with wheelie bins or festival trolleys full of beer. While it might seem like a great idea for getting your supplies to the festival, it just isn’t safe or possible to bring them onboard train services.
“Our teams will be on hand at stations to support customers and help them complete their journeys, without their bins or trolleys, as smoothly as possible.”
