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Wednesday 20 Apr 2022

Increased reliability for Southend rail passengers

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail continued work on upgrading the overhead wiring system on the line between London and Shoeburyness over the four-day Easter period, improving reliability for thousands of passengers.

The work is part a project to replace the old wiring system with a new wiring system that withstands the heat, resulting in fewer delays caused by overhead wire issues. The four-year project began at Easter last year (2021).

The overhead wiring system on this line was installed between 1959 and 1962 and is vulnerable to the heat which causes delays during the summer months. When the weather is hot, the overhead wires sag. These sagging wires can get caught on the pantograph of passing trains, bringing the wires down which results in long delays and cancellations.

The new wiring system stays taught in all weathers and is generally a more reliable and sustainable system which will require less maintenance. This means less cost to the taxpayer and fewer delays to passengers using the line now and in the future.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “This work is essential to improve reliability on this line for the benefit of passengers, freight customers and communities, for years to come. The Easter period has enabled us to complete a large chunk of this four-year project.”