Media centre

Monday 4 Jan 2021

All the rail improvements delivered across the Anglia region this Christmas

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail’s engineers worked over the Christmas and New Year period to deliver a major package of upgrades throughout the Anglia region to make rail travel safer and more reliable for passengers and freight customers.

The work included improvements to the track, structures and equipment and will lead to fewer delays for passengers across the whole region.

Critical works were completed on the Great Eastern Main Line, which are crucial to running a reliable service between Norwich and London and also impacts some of the branch lines:

• At London Liverpool Street, six points, which allow trains to change from one track to another, were refurbished to prevent failures that lead to delays. Overhead wires and structures were replaced at Stratford that adapt to temperature changes, essential for improving reliability, especially in hot weather, to prevent delays on this busy section of the railway.

• At Colchester station, switches and crossings units were replaced and a crossover was refurbished at Norwich station. These are essential pieces of track that enable trains to change lines and use any of the platforms at each station.

• Wheel timbers were renewed at Trowse on the Great Eastern Main Line in Norwich to strengthen and support the track and prevent faults that cause delays.

• Works were also carried out as part of the Crossrail project, including a power upgrade, and MTR Elizabeth line, who will operate the Elizabeth line on TfL’s behalf, started work to extend platforms 16 and 17 at Liverpool Street, in preparation for the full-length trains that are planned for 2021.

Overhead wire and track maintenance work was also carried out on the Southend Victoria and Clacton-On-Sea branch lines to prevent delays. Wheel timbers were renewed River Cam bridge in Cambridgeshire on the West Anglia Main Line to strengthen and support the track and prevent faults that cause delays.

Finally, structures works were carried out at three bridges including Chalk Farm and Camden Road in London and a full bridge replacement was completed at Postwick in Norfolk. This is vital for running safe and reliable services.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “All of this work, however large or small, has a positive impact across the whole network and is crucial to running a safe and reliable service for our passengers on all lines. I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carried out this important work.

"Further improvements are planned to take place over the coming weekends and I advise passengers to check before they travel."

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: "All of these works will help improve punctuality and reliability on our network.

“We would like to thank customers for their patience while this work was carried out. Further engineering work is planned to take place over the coming weeks and customers should check before they travel. Everyone will be able to complete their journey with us, even if part of it is by rail replacement bus.

“We would like to reassure customers that they can travel with confidence with us during the pandemic. We constantly monitor passenger numbers to ensure people can maintain social distancing on trains and rail replacement buses.

“Although all of our network is in Tier 4, we are here for anyone who needs to travel.”

Work continues on the Great Eastern Main Line at weekends throughout January and February and passengers can check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk or with their train operator. Regular updates are available from @NetworkRailANG on Twitter.