Media centre

Monday 2 Nov 2026

Passengers thanked following completion of major Saxmundham junction renewal

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Passengers are being thanked after engineers completed a major renewal of Saxmundham junction during a nine-day programme of work on the East Suffolk Line, delivering upgrades that will improve railway reliability and help support future freight services to Sizewell C.

The nine-day project saw engineers work around the clock to renew and modernise the crucial rail junction, at Saxmundham which connects the Leiston branch line with the East Suffolk Line. The complete renewal of the manually operated junction to a powered junction, and installation of modern equipment improves operational flexibility and railway performance, alongside wider signalling and infrastructure improvements across the route.

Balfour Beatty working on behalf of Sizewell completed the junction renewal work safely and on time in collaboration with Network Rail and Atkins engineers working in other locations, allowing Greater Anglia services to resume between Halesworth and Ipswich this morning. 

The successful completion of the work marks another milestone in ongoing investment across the Suffolk rail network delivering long-term benefits for passengers on the East Suffolk line and freight customers serving the future Sizewell C construction worksite. 

Joe Kennedy, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia said: "The renewed Saxmundham junction will help provide a more reliable railway for passengers and freight customers, while also supporting future rail freight services that will help reduce the number of lorries needed on local roads during the construction of Sizewell C.

"I know that closing the railway can be inconvenient, and we're grateful to everyone for their patience and understanding while engineers worked to deliver these improvements safely and as efficiently as possible. I would like to thank customers for their patience while we carried out this important investment in the East Suffolk line."

Damian Leydon, Site Delivery Director at Sizewell C, said: "We’ve made significant progress on East Suffolk’s rail infrastructure this year, and I’m delighted these latest improvements have been completed on schedule. It’s a real credit to the dedication and expertise of our contractors and delivery partners.

“These upgrades will not only support the construction of Sizewell C but also deliver lasting benefits for local communities, helping to improve reliability and resilience for passenger services.

“Transporting materials by rail is a key part of our commitment to move 60% of bulk materials by rail or sea. Each train carries the equivalent load of up to 50 HGVs, and by the end of the year up to four trains a day will be serving our project, preventing thousands of HGV movements on East Suffolk’s roads every year."