Passengers are advised to check before they travel following significant damage to overhead wires in Essex: Network Rail logo-2-2

Friday 27 Jan 2017

Passengers are advised to check before they travel following significant damage to overhead wires in Essex

Region & Route:
Eastern: Anglia
| Eastern

Greater Anglia passengers travelling between London and Norwich are being advised to check before they travel this evening following significant damage to the overhead wires in Essex.

Network Rail engineers have been on site fixing the problem between Shenfield and Chelmsford this afternoon so that trains can run during the evening peak. Trains will still travel through the area, but there will be a reduced service and delays throughout the evening.

This follows a separate incident reported late on Thursday evening. During an inspection carried out at 11pm, significant damage was found to the overhead wires between Shenfield and Chelmsford. The line was closed overnight while Network Rail engineers worked quickly to carry out repairs and the line reopened at 8:10am this morning (Friday 27 January).

Steve Hooker, Network Rail’s area director for Anglia, said: “I apologise to passengers who were affected by the issues this morning and this afternoon. We have carried out repairs to the overhead wires so that trains can run through the evening peak and passengers can get home tonight. However, there will be a reduced service and passengers are advised to check before they travel.

“Further repairs will be carried out overnight to get the service back to normal as soon as possible. A full investigation will be carried out to find out exactly what caused the problems.” 

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “We are very sorry for the inconvenience today’s disruption has caused to passengers travelling to London on the Great Eastern Main Line throughout the day.

“Any passenger affected by these delays should claim for Delay Repay compensation via the Greater Anglia website or by picking up a leaflet from stations.”

Passengers are advised to check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk or with their train operator.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - Katie Mack
Media relations manager (Anglia route)
0330 8577 132
Katie.Mack@networkrail.co.uk

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