Full service returns on suspended rail line in Bucks and Beds
The rail service was suspended for almost a year, with replacement buses running ever since
A full timetable returns for a suspended rail service linking Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, over a year after its final journey.
The Marston Vale Line had been suspended after previous owner Vivarail went into administration in December 2022.
New owner London Northwestern Railway (LNR) was finally able to resume a full and operational timetable from today, February 19, following months of training for staff and the purchase of shorter trains.
Public Affairs Manager at London Northwestern Railway, Andrew McGill, said: "The reason for the delay is that, after the previous train company entered administration, we had to find a different type of train to run on the Marston Vale Line."
"Because the platforms are so short at some of the smaller stations in the villages, there are only a few types of trains in the whole country where the train is short enough to use on the line."
A bus replacement service was introduced to link Bedford and Bletchley, with a limited rail service returning from last November with four trains per day in each direction.
"Then we had to train our train drivers to operate them, and we managed to train enough drivers by November to bring in a partial timetable", added Mr McGill.
Throughout the months of suspended service, a bus replacement service took over an hour per journey, compared to 40 minutes on the train.
Over the next three months, LNR are introducing a special offer to welcome passengers back on board, with £1 tickets for adults and 50p tickets for children for every journey.