Media centre

Tuesday 4 Jan 2022

A better railway across Anglia and London after Christmas works programme completes on time

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Passenger and freight journeys will be more reliable following a programme of upgrades and maintenance across Anglia’s railway over Christmas and New Year.  

While the majority of the network was kept open for those that needed to travel, engineering teams in east and north London, Essex and Norfolk carried out essential improvements to keep the network running smoothly for years to come.  

Work completed included:  

• Replacing the overhead wires at Stratford to prevent delays caused by sagging wires when the weather gets hot. 
• Preparation works for the renewal of the roof at London Liverpool Street station to maintain safety and improve passenger experience 
• Replaced a set of points at Norwich and Liverpool St stations, enabling the smooth running of services at two of our busiest stations on the route 
• Replacement of wheel timbers, sleepers and rails and strengthening work at Camden bridge in north London maintain safe and reliable running of services. 
• Replacement of a life-expired bridge in Neasden, London which carries freight lines over London underground lines. The new bridge is expected to last 120 years, reducing the need for further repair works. 
• Bridge replacements at Christian Street and Morris Street near Shadwell station to maintain safety and reliability and prevent the need for speed restrictions that cause delays. 
• Supported the highways authority in Essex to undertake works to remove a bridge at Generals Lane near Chelmsford. 

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “While Santa was delivering presents, our engineering teams did their bit to sprinkle a bit of festive magic over the railway by improving our tracks, stations and bridges so that we can continue to run a reliable railway for passengers and freight users. We know the railway provides an essential service for many, and completing these works means we can continue to do this for years to come.”