Families across huge swathes of south London face major delays to journeys during the half-term break.
A £400million investment will see passenger services grind to a halt from Saturday, October 26 to Friday, November 1 so a signalling system and new tracks can be upgraded.
Network Rail’s work is taking place between Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye, closing some London Overground routes as well as busy lines.
Similar upgrades completed between East Croydon and London Victoria in 2022, more than halved the number of signalling delays between the stations.
During the half-term closure on Thameslink, parents and grandparents with children travelling between Herne Hill, Wimbledon and Sutton to visit family, friends or attractions are advised to use buses, trams or remaining London Underground routes.
There will also be no Southern services between Balham and London Bridge, London Victoria and West Croydon - via Crystal Palace - and London Bridge and Streatham on Saturday and Sunday.
No services will run between London Bridge and Streatham nor to Beckenham Junction from Monday, October 28 to Friday, November 1.
Jenny Saunders, customer services director for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “While this major investment in modern signalling is inevitably disruptive, earlier phases of Network Rail’s programme have already brought huge punctuality improvements for our customers on other south London routes.
“We thank passengers in advance for their patience and understanding while the work is under way.”
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, added: “It's vital that we continue to invest to modernise our assets and give passengers the delay free journeys they expect.
“Signalling upgrades between East Croydon and London Victoria in 2022 saw delays cut by more than half and we are expecting this phase of signalling upgrades in the Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye areas to deliver a similarly impressive reduction in delays when it comes into use.
“We know the work means days of major changes to journeys for passengers and we are sorry for the disruption. Please plan ahead, look out for further updates and follow travel advice.”
Rory O’Neill, TfL’s general manager for London Overground, said: “Major investment in modern signalling is key to ensuring we can continue to offer a safe and reliable service while maintaining sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand for our services.
🛑To improve your journey, we’re upgrading signalling in south #London which means that no trains will run on parts of the National Rail and London Overground networks in south London from Saturday 26 October to Friday 1 November.
— Network Rail Kent & Sussex (@NetworkRailSE) October 17, 2024
👷♀️New, modern equipment will mean fewer faults… pic.twitter.com/IkKUAfGBoF
“We would like to thank customers for their patience ahead of these works and would ask them to check before they travel to help minimise disruption to their travel plans.”
Network Rail said there will also be some weekend closures in the same area before and after the October half-term closure.
These are needed to allow engineers to get the new signalling system ready and then to remove redundant equipment that is no longer required.
