Media centre

Monday 20 Jul 2026

Essential track renewals on the Crouch Valley line

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail will replace 50 plus year old rails and sleepers between Battlesbridge and Southminster during a seven day programme of essential renewals in August, helping to maintain a safe, reliable and comfortable railway for passengers.

Customers planning to use Greater Anglia services from Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August 2026 are being encouraged to check before they travel and to leave extra time to complete their journeys.

Track replacement work will take place along the Crouch Valley line, including significant maintenance of the railway and stations while the line is closed:

• Inspecting and maintaining railway infrastructure between Wickford and Southminster, including bridges, overhead line equipment and signalling systems, to help keep train services safe and reliable.
  
  
• Improving drainage along the route to reduce the risk of flooding
  
  

• Clearing vegetation to minimise delays caused by overgrown trees and plants which can create a risk to the safe operation of the railway.
  
  
• Replacing ageing buffer stops at Southminster station to improve safety at the end of the railway line.
  
  
• Repairing part of the platform at Burnham-on-Crouch station, helping to maintain a safe and reliable station environment for passengers.

Rail replacement buses will operate between Wickford and Southminster from Saturday 22 August 2026 to Friday 28 August 2026 from the following locations:

• Wickford: Outside the front of the station.
• South Woodham Ferrers: Hulbridge Road.
• North Fambridge: Fambridge Road, at the junction with station approach.
• Althorne: Fords of Althorne forecourt.
• Burnham-on-Crouch: Station car park.
• Southminster: Station forecourt.

NOTE: Customers wishing to use Battlesbridge station should use the nearest alternative station as rail replacement buses will not operate from Battlesbridge

Joe Kennedy, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia said: "This essential work will help keep trains running safely and reliably on the Crouch Valley line for years to come. We're replacing rails and sleepers that are more than 50 years old, alongside a range of other improvements across the route, to help reduce future faults and disruption for passengers.

"We're sorry to passengers whose journeys will be affected while this work takes place, but replacing track of this age requires an extended closure so our teams can carry out the work safely and efficiently.

"There's never an ideal time to close the railway, but we always plan these projects carefully to deliver the improvements the railway needs while minimising disruption as much as possible."

Network Rail Anglia, Greater Anglia and c2c are working together as GBR Anglia, bringing track and train closer together to improve planning, strengthen day-to-day coordination and deliver a more joined-up railway for customers across the region.