Rail delays to hit bank holiday

Rail passengers were warned today of disruption on virtually every major rail line out of London over the bank holiday weekend.

Engineering works mean families planning to get away face delays, diversions and bus replacement services.

However, there is better news for those staying in the capital as it is forecast to be bathed in sunshine. The Met Office said temperatures could hit 20C on Monday, well above the average for early May. Saturday should be dry and bright with temperatures of around 18C. Sunday will start dry, but a band of rain is expected to move in from the South West in the late morning.

However, showers should peter out late afternoon and temperatures are due to reach 17C. Monday could see the best of the weather with temperatures of 20C with bright sunshine and a light breeze.

A Met Office forecaster said: "Normal temperatures are around 15C for this time of year so it is warmer than average and mostly warm and dry, which has been unusual in recent bank holidays." People travelling to Scotland or the North West will face the most disrupted rail journeys - and cloudy and wet weather when they arrive.

The West Coast Main Line from Euston to Glasgow, which also serves Birmingham and Manchester, has engineering works between London and Rugby, Stafford and Crewe, and Preston and Scotland. First Great Western services to Wales and the South West will also be affected. Trains from Paddington to Newport and Cardiff will go via Gloucester and buses will replace trains from Bristol to Cardiff and Taunton.

A Network Rail spokesman said 2,000 more train services than usual would be operating over the weekend.

Road congestion blackspots are expected to be the M5 between Bristol and Exeter, the M1 from Nottingham and Sheffield, the M6/M55 interchange between Manchester and Blackpool, the M23 between London and Brighton, and the M40 from London to Oxford.