Great Western Coffee Shop

Get ready for a weekend of Bank Holiday misery: Severe rail and road disruption will cause getaway chaos (and it will be cold)

Severe disruptions on the railways and extensive roadworks are likely to bring travel misery to millions over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Train passengers face huge delays as engineering works cut five of Britain^s seven main railway lines.
Temperatures are also set to plummet over the weekend, with the mercury falling to 10c on Sunday. Gardeners are even being warned to be on guard against frosts.
Virgin passengers who would have enjoyed a 1hr 50mins direct train from Cumbria to Edinburgh face a 4hrs 30mins nightmare on two replacement buses this weekend.
Of the UK^s 23 main train operators, 21 have scheduled engineering work between Saturday and Monday.
Trains will be axed and replaced by buses on parts of five of the seven main lines - London to Glasgow, London to Weymouth, London to South Wales, London to Ipswich and London to Derby and Nottingham.
Only two main lines escape unscathed by the swathe of engineering works - London to Edinburgh and London to Penzance.
Railway campaigners and MPs branded Network Rail 'outrageous' for 'hitting holidaymakers.'
Gerry Doherty, who represents 30,000 workers as general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association rail workers^ union, said: 'Network Rail is causing misery to millions of people trying to get away and enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend. Engineering works should be arranged to avoid travel peaks like this. Works should be spread throughout the year, rather than hitting holidaymakers.'
Liberal Democrats transport spokesman Norman Baker said: 'It^s outrageous so much of the network is closed this weekend when so many people want to use trains. Network Rail makes unnecessary line closures. They could do single line closures, keeping one line open, and do more off-site parts fabrication. We^ve been continually promised reduced engineering works - but nothing ever materialises. Network Rail must be penalised. If we^re elected, anyone buying a  train ticket and being forced onto a bus will get a third of the price back - paid for by Network Rail.'
Network Rail spokesman Chris Mitchell said: 'By the end of the Bank Holiday weekend, we^ll have completed significant work letting us run more frequent trains delivering a more reliable service. We apologise for any disruption caused.'

RAILWAY ENGINEERING WORKS
Virgin Trains: Buses Oxenholme Lake District to Glasgow and Edinburgh on Saturday and Sunday. Oxenholme-Edinburgh journeys normally taking 1hr 50mins now take 4hrs 30mins.Buses between Birmingham International, Coventry and Rugby, no London Euston-Rugby trains until 12noon Sunday.
First Great Western: London-Bristol trains diverted and delayed 45mins on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with buses between Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa. Buses on Sunday Swansea-Carmarthen, and between Bristol Parkway, Swindon and Bristol Parkway until 1pm.
East Coast: Trains London-Wakefield rerouted on Saturday and Sunday, taking up to an hour longer. No trains Doncaster -Wakefield. On Sunday, no trains Edinburgh-Glasgow Central.
First Hull Trains: Four trains cancelled London Kings Cross-Hull on Monday.
South West Trains: Buses Basingstoke-Eastleigh with London Waterloo-Weymouth trains diverted via Fareham, journey times 45mins longer.
National Express East Anglia: Journey times doubled London Liverpool Street-Ipswich on all three days as buses rather than trains Liverpool Street-Romford.
East Midlands Trains: Not running London St Pancras-Bedford on Sunday. Buses between Bedford, Luton Airport Parkway and St Albans. Saturday and Monday journey times 20mins delayed.
London Midland: Buses between Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby and Northampton and Nuneaton on Saturday and Sunday. No trains London Euston-Northampton on Sunday until 11.30am.
Northern Rail: On Sunday, buses between Sheffield and York, Darlington and Middlesbrough and, until 4pm,  between Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford Interchange, Halifax, Doncaster and Sheffield.
ScotRail: No Carlisle-Dumfries services Saturday and Sunday.

As you're getting old, deary, I've had a look for you. I said, I'VE HAD A LOOK FOR YOU. ;) :D

Interesting for XC and SWT, at least in my area is that the current usual Saturday engineering work (ie SWT Soton to Wtrloo diverting via Havant and Bomo to ManPic diverting via Romsey and Andover) is moved to the BH Monday to actually ease disruption.

As many of the passengers will be 'leisure travellers' and not First Class business / stressed commuters they are less likely to be put out by diversions, though 'bustitution' is a pain.