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Wednesday 11 Nov 2026

More than 100,000 miles of track treatment to keep Anglia moving this autumn

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

More than 100,000 miles of track treatment is planned across East Anglia and parts of London this autumn and winter as GBR Anglia carries out essential engineering and maintenance work to keep the railway resilient and passengers moving.

With improved weather forecasting and monitoring, Network Rail, c2c and Greater Anglia, are working together as GBR Anglia and with other operators across the region, to combine expertise to identify weather related risks, carry out preventative maintenance and strengthen the railway's resilience ahead of the colder months.

By combining preventative maintenance, investment in infrastructure resilience and preparation by train operators, GBR Anglia is working to reduce the impact of severe weather and respond as quickly as possible when disruption occurs.

Tackling leaves and slippery rails
Fallen leaves can become crushed under train wheels, creating a slippery coating on the rails that affects trains' ability to accelerate and brake safely. Heavy rain, flooding, high winds and fallen trees can also cause disruption.

From early autumn and continuing into winter, specialist Rail Head Treatment Trains (RHTTs) will form a key part of the programme, using high-pressure water jets to clear leaf residue from the rails and help improve train performance.

Across Anglia, the trains are expected to treat an estimated 100,595 miles of track, with 28,419 miles already completed.

 

Through using our Drone Arb technology, to monitor lineside trees, we have identified residential properties with trampolines in the gardens. We have written to these lineside neighbours to encourage them to secure the trampolines, as we have seen in the past how they can get blown onto the railway.  We have also written to neighbours and supply chain partners who are carrying out work near the railway to ask them to secure any materials such as plastic sheeting, which again can be blown onto the railway during storms and high winds.

Train preparation and maintenance
Alongside this, train operators across GBR Anglia are checking that trains can brake safely in wet and slippery conditions, making sure heating and other essential systems are ready for colder weather, stocking up on important maintenance supplies and preparing frontline station colleagues to deal with seasonal challenges.

Work taking place across Anglia 
Using information about current ground conditions across the East Anglia region, and carrying out targeted work across the network based on those ground conditions, will help to reduce the risk of weather-related disruption.

• Cambridgeshire and Norfolk: Following performance challenges on the Fen Line over the summer, GBR Anglia is working with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to improve resilience. Work between Ely and King's Lynn includes drainage inspections and maintenance, infrastructure monitoring and vegetation management to help reduce the impact of heavy rain and other seasonal weather.
  
  
• Suffolk: Drainage inspections and maintenance, alongside vegetation management, are taking place at vulnerable locations across the county. This includes flood-prone areas such as Stowmarket, where drainage assets are being checked to help them cope with periods of heavy rain.
  
  
• North and East London: Vegetation management is taking place at more than 17 locations to reduce the risk of trees and branches affecting the railway. Teams are also carrying out drainage inspections and improvements at flood-prone sites, including Gunnersbury.
  
  
• Essex: Across the region, our train operators are carrying out enhanced inspections and preventative maintenance across their fleet to prepare trains for colder temperatures, heavy rainfall and leaf fall. They are also undertaking additional checks to braking, sanding and other safety-critical systems on its fleet, including trains operating on routes to Southend Victoria and Southminster. 
  
  

Martin Beable, Chief Operating Officer at GBR Anglia, said: “Autumn and winter can bring some of the toughest conditions for the railway, from slippery rails and flooding to fallen trees and high winds. We know how important reliable train services are to the communities and businesses that depend on us.

“Across GBR Anglia, our teams are working together to prepare our trains and infrastructure, tackle potential problems before they cause disruption and respond quickly when severe weather hits.

“While we cannot control the weather, we can make sure we're as prepared as possible. Our priority is to keep the railway safe and resilient, and passengers moving throughout the autumn and winter months.”