Engineering improvement works will affect a small number of routes this Bank Holiday weekend
Trains are expected to be particularly busy this weekend(Image: Northern Rail)
Train operator Northern has announced some changes to services this Bank Holiday weekend, which could possibly affect those travelling to Liverpool for Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
Most services will run as normal over the weekend, between Saturday 24 and Monday 26, but there will be some changes to Northern trains due to engineering work.
Northern warned: “If you are travelling over the bank holiday weekend, remember that services may start later or finish earlier than usual. Leave plenty of time for your journey and check train times before heading to the station.”
With a host of events taking place over the weekend – including the Big Weekend in Sefton Park – trains are expected to be particularly busy in a number of areas, so the operator is asking customers to check their journeys online before setting off.
Engineering improvement works will affect a small number of routes. These include lines between Leeds, Manchester Victoria and Chester, where trains will start and finish at Manchester Victoria, with buses replacing trains between Chester and Newton-le-Willows for train connections to Manchester.
Services will also be affected between Leeds, Manchester Victoria and Wigan via Dewsbury. From Monday, May 26 until May 30, trains will be diverted, running instead via Bradford Interchange and Halifax.
Full details of the changes to services over the late May bank holiday can be found on Northern’s website. If your Northern train is cancelled and you still wish to travel to your planned destination, passengers have the option of waiting for another Northern train, or boarding any Transpennine Express or LNER train heading in the same direction, no new ticket required.
Passengers who are not able to do this, or who no longer wish to travel are able to claim a full refund within 28 days of the ticket expiry date.
Music fans are expected to crowd into Liverpool stations as the Radio 1 Big Weekend 2025 welcomes some big names to its vivid Main Stage in the middle of Sefton Park.
The Sugababes, Sam Fender, Lola Young, Tate McCrae, and Liverpool’s very own indie exports The Wombats are all lined up to appear in the three-day festival, which starts tomorrow.
Around 100 acts will perform across four big stages, which include the Radio 1 Main Stage, Radio 1 New Music Stage, Radio 1 Dance and BBC Introducing.
The Dance Music stage is set to host a huge range of emerging and long-celebrated DJs, including some well-loved names from Liverpool. Showing off some of the city’s talent are all-female DJ collective Girls Don’t Sync and Liverpool born-and-raised, Paige Tomlinson, who cut her teeth on the city’s underground club scene
Meanwhile, in Warrington, the Neighbourhood Weekender takes place in Victoria Park on Saturday and Sunday, bringing together an incredible two days of live music across three stages.
Indie band JAMES and Stereophonics will headline the festival, joined by The Wombats, The Lathums, Inhaler, Dizzee Rascal, The Reytons and many more.
In the North East, the Northumberland County Show takes place on Saturday 24, with the showground easily accessible by trains on the Tyne Valley line from Stocksfield station.