NO TRAINS will run on the next three Saturdays as engineers say they still have work to do on the heavily delayed electrification programme.

Weekend services in Bolton were supposed to return in early November but, after a last minute cancellation this Saturday (November 17) Network Rail bosses have admitted that work will have to continue on November 24 and December 1 & 8.

All trains on those three dates will now be replaced by buses.

Duncan Law, one of the project managers on the North West’s electrification scheme, explained that the work was related to tolerances on the overhead wires used to run electrical trains.

Mr Law said: “We sincerely apologise for the very short notice we have given Northern and its customers.

"The additional Saturdays are needed to ensure the project is finished by the end of the year.

"Passengers planning journeys this Saturday are urged to check before they travel at nationalrail.co.uk or directly with their train company. That way they’ll have the very latest information."

Bolton MP Sir David Crausby slammed Network Rail after a phone call with engineers, saying they had not kept to their word after previous commitments to passengers.

"They keep making promises they can't keep," he said.

"It's not acceptable, I would find it more acceptable if they just told us that it's not ready until next May."

The announcement follows apologies earlier in the week from Northern - the company which runs the trains - after a number of vehicles were taken out of service because of damaged caused by leaves on the railway line.

In October, Network Rail announced that its eight 'leaf-buster' trains would cover the North West and blast leaves off the railway line.

Sir David questioned why, with this plan in place, the trains were still damaged.

He said: "Leaves have been falling on lines as long as the railways have existed so I wanted an explanation.

"What I do not accept is that its pretty predictable that the leaves will fall off the trees in Autumn and by now they should know how to deal with it.

"What more can they do? Because it's just not acceptable."

To check train times, visit: www.northernrailway.co.uk.