No trains from Sussex to London Victoria over Christmas period

It said £8.2m works from Sunday, December 23 to Wednesday, January 2 will mean platforms nine to 19 will be closed at the busy London station.

Most Southern trains will be rerouted to and from London Bridge, Network Rail said.

Related stories: These are the weekends a major Sussex to London railway route will be closed

Rail passengers in the South of England could face Christmas travel chaos as London closures affect major UK routes

There will be no Gatwick Express trains but Southern and Thameslink services for Gatwick Airport will run to and from London Blackfriars and London Bridge.

A limited bus service will replace trains for local journeys between Clapham Junction, Battersea Park and London Victoria, Network Rail said.

Passengers were also warned that Clapham Junction is expected to be ‘very busy’ and should be avoided if possible.

The works will see Network Rail install new tracks at the Battersea Pier junction, which will replace infrastructure built in the mid-1970s.

John Halsall, Network Rail’s managing director for the south east, said: “This major investment is part of a much wider programme of works, including the recent improvements at Factory junction nearby in Wandsworth, not to mention the £67m we’re spending on the Brighton Main Line.

“The Battersea works are a critical piece of the jigsaw to help us provide the infrastructure passengers deserve, reducing delays and boosting reliability.

“Of course, we know it’s never a good time to close the railway but doing nothing is not an option either. Not replacing the track at Battersea would risk us experiencing a major fault which could cause huge delays for passengers.

“Doing the work over the Christmas holidays, when the railway is significantly quieter than usual, means we can minimise disruption to passengers.”

For a breakdown of how journeys will be affected over the Christmas and New Year, visit: nationalrail.co.uk/Christmas