Rail passengers face massive delays and cancellations of services over Easter, it emerged today.

Services through Clapham Junction - Britain's biggest railway station - will suffer disruption because of a track replacement programme.

Also badly affected will be the West Coast route from London to Glasgow with Euston Station shut for Virgin West Coast services for three days from Easter Saturday.

Easter work will also be carried out at Liverpool Street which will affect National Express East Anglia services.

Network Rail said the £75 million "improvement programme" was vital and would begin after the Easter Holiday getaway had peaked on Thursday night. More than 6000 engineers and electricians are lined up to replace 20 miles of tracks, overhead power cables, signalling and points.

But bosses are keeping fingers crossed that the work does not lead to a repeat of the debacle that paralysed the network after the New Year holiday.

Network Rail was fined a record £14million for the widespread disruption it caused when it failed to reopen the tracks on schedule following engineering work over Christmas. Tens of thousands of commuters along the West Coast Main Line and routes into Liverpool Street station were delayed.

Large sections of the West Coast line will be closed again, to catch up on work NR failed to do last time.

A senior NR source said: "We know the spotlight will be on us over Easter but we are determined there will be no repeat of the previous problems."

Chief executive Iain Coucher pledged "preparation is more robust than ever", but added: "Because of the volume of work on some key routes this Easter, we're advising people to double-check their travel plans."

• 

  Lenny Henry: 'Maybe one day we can have a black Doctor Who'

  As he wins the outstanding newcomer prize at the Evening Standard theatre awards for his role as Othello, Lenny Henry has come a long way from black and white minstrels

  ---

• 

  Spread of the Jedhead

  Jedward, voted off the X-Factor this weekend, are the most obvious proponents of the sticky-uppy look - but the style crosses boundaries of age, gender, sexuality and taste, says Nick Curtis

  ---

Sky in plot to hire students on the cheap

Sky News is currently recruiting students as reporters for its coverage of next year's general election. However, the opportunity doesn't quite seem so appealing

All stories