District line passengers face major disruption this weekend as Transport for London (TfL) continues its £5.5 billion modernisation project. No trains will run on the entire Tube line until 10.30am on Saturday, August 22, while the western half of the line – between Embankment or Edgware Road and Ealing Broadway, Kensington (Olympia), Richmond and Wimbledon – will not reopen until 2pm.
Signalling upgrades in West London
TfL has announced a series of closures in West London where signalling upgrades are taking place as part of the Four Lines Modernisation Project. In June, the authority confirmed improvements would be carried out on the Wimbledon branch and between Barons Court and Stamford Brook, with the aim of speeding up journey times.
From 2pm on Saturday until the end of Sunday, August 23, there will be no eastbound service from Stamford Brook to Barons Court and no westbound service from Earl’s Court to Stamford Brook. Trains between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia) and from Fulham Broadway to Wimbledon will also stop at 2pm.
Alternative routes and project progress
Passengers have been advised to use alternative Tube and bus services, along with the Mildmay line for affected parts of West London. These improvements are part of the wider £5.5bn Four Lines Modernisation Project, a major overhaul of the Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith and City lines.
New walkthrough trains with CCTV and air conditioning were rolled out in the 2010s in the first stage of the scheme. The project is now centred on replacing outdated signalling systems, some dating back to the 1940s, with automated or improved processes.
Completion expected by 2029
TfL's most recent update on the project in June confirmed that nine out of 15 signalling projects have been completed so far. The upgrades are on track to be fully complete in 2029, some 14 years after the project began in 2015.
Passengers are encouraged to plan ahead and check TfL's travel updates before setting out this weekend.
