Media centre

Monday 15 Nov 2021

Majority of rail network open as improvements are delivered across Anglia this Christmas

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail will carry out a package of improvements, maintenance and upgrades to benefit Anglia’s railways to drive down delays and improve reliability for passengers while the majority of the network will remain open for business as usual.

Most of the upgrade work is planned for when passenger trains don't run – such as overnight, Christmas Day and Boxing Day – to minimise disruption. But some routes will be affected by the essential work taking place, so passengers should plan ahead.

The majority of the work will take place in London between Friday 24 December and Monday 3 January inclusive and includes:

• Replacing the overhead wires at Stratford to prevent delays caused by sagging wires when the weather gets hot.
• Works to the roof at London Liverpool Street station to maintain safety.
• 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 Cricklewood, 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 strengthening works at London Fenchurch Street to maintain safety and reliability and prevent the need for speed restrictions that cause delays.
• 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.
• Work on the Crossrail programme between Stratford and London Liverpool Street.
• The highways authority in Essex will undertake works to remove a bridge at Generals Lane in Essex.

This work will affect the following Greater Anglia services:

Boxing Day – Stansted Express will run between Tottenham Hale and Stansted Airport. Greater Anglia tickets will be accepted on TfL Victoria Line between Tottenham Hale and Kings Cross and on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines between Kings Cross and Liverpool Street.

Bank Holiday Monday 27 & Bank Holiday Tuesday 28 December – Rail replacement bus services will operate between Shenfield and Colchester; Braintree and Witham; Marks Tey and Sudbury. No service between Stratford and Meridian Water.

Saturday 1 to Monday 3 January inclusive – No service between Stratford and Meridian Water.

Work will affect the following c2c services:

Christmas Day and Boxing Day – no service

Monday 27 December – Monday 3 January inclusive – reduced services on all lines. Passengers are advised to check how this affects their journey.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel as rail replacement services will be in operation on some routes while the work takes place. Passengers should check with their rail operator how their journey might be affected.

Rail freight services are also playing a key role in the run-up to Christmas. Working with freight operators and ports, Network Rail has increased capacity for freight trains to run on the network, helping to move key goods such as food, drink and clothes around the country. Just one additional weekly Sunday service between Tilbury and Daventry will transport 4.5 million bottles of wine to supermarkets between 12 November and Christmas Day.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “We’ve got a huge package of work planned this Christmas and New Year that will reduce delays, maintain safety and improve reliability across the rail network and we’ve been able to plan this to keep most of the network open. These works are crucial to keep services running safely and reliably. I’d like to thank our passengers and our line side neighbours for their patience while we carry out this important work.”

c2c’s Delivery Director Laura McEwen, said: “As the railway tends to be much quieter over the Christmas and New Year period, it is a good opportunity for our colleagues at Network Rail to carry out essential upgrade work to our rail infrastructure.

“We will make sure our customers can complete their journeys, although some of our services will be operating differently to normal. We would ask our customers to check before they travel over the festive period.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “We know that this year more than ever our customers will be keen to spend Christmas with their loved ones. We will make sure that everyone can complete their journeys, even if part of it is by rail replacement bus.

“We will make sure we keep customers up to date on our website, app and social media – so I’d like to remind people to check before they travel.”

Passengers can check before they travel with their rail operator or at www.nationalrail.co.uk