Media centre

Tuesday 12 Mar 2024

Planned Easter engineering work to improve reliability for passengers.

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Much of the railway will be open over Easter for passengers to travel across the region and the country. There are some engineering works taking place and passengers are advised to check before they travel.

This Easter, engineers will be working in key locations across Anglia to renew track, signals and infrastructure equipment to improve reliability for passengers and rail users. Work will also continue on the new station under construction at Beaulieu Park in Chelmsford.

While much of the railway will be open, we’re advising passengers to check before travelling and leave extra time to complete your journey if necessary. Our planned engineering work at Easter includes:

• Installing new signalling equipment, and gantry foundations as part of the wider Cambridge re-signalling project between Cambridge and Ely.
• Renewal of points (sections of movable track that allow trains to cross between lines) at the London end of Chelmsford station.
• Continuing construction work for the new Beaulieu Park station on the Great Eastern main line.
• Follow up work at Wymondham after construction of a new subway in October for walkers and cyclists by private developers.
• Bringing replacement treadles (a mechanical or electrical device that detects that a train wheel has passed a particular location) into operation at Suton Lane level crossing.
• Engineering work at Enfield Town on the West Anglia main line to maintain reliability of services.
• Structure repairs at Bethnal Green and overhead line works between Bethnal Green and Hackney Downs. 

Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia said: “This Easter, we are continuing to deliver some of our big key projects at Cambridge and at Chelmsford as well as several smaller renewals projects to keep the railway working reliably. Much of the railway across Anglia will be open but I would encourage everyone to check their journey plans before travelling and leave extra time if travelling via Cambridge or Chelmsford.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said:

“This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway.

“A rail replacement service will run while the work takes place and passengers are advised to check before they travel and allow more time for their journey.

“We would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while this essential maintenance is carried out.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “We welcome these major investments in the rail network and are very grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding while Network Rail carry out the work. Buses will be replacing trains on some routes to help passengers travelling over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and the following two weekends in April, so please allow extra time when planning your journey, and double-check your route before setting off.”

Travel Information:

Routes via Cambridge/Ely and Bury St Edmunds

To facilitate work to renew the existing signalling system, buses will replace trains on Friday 29 March and Saturday 30 March between:

• Cambridge North and Ely
• Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds via Newmarket.

On Sunday 31 March, buses will replace trains between:

• Cambridge North and Ely
• Norwich and Cambridge North
• Bury St Edmunds and Peterborough via Ely

On Monday 1 April, buses will replace trains between:

• Ely and Cambridge North

Routes via Chelmsford/Shenfield

To facilitate the construction of the new Beaulieu Park station and track maintenance between Chelmsford and Shenfield buses will replace trains from Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April between:

• Witham and Billericay (fast service)
• Witham and Billericay calling at Hatfield Peverel and Chelmsford
• Chelmsford and Shenfield via Ingatestone (shuttle bus service)

Connecting train services will operate between Billericay and London Liverpool Street, serving Shenfield and Stratford.

Routes between London Liverpool Street, Enfield Town and Chesthunt                                                                              

Engineering work on structures will be taking place between Liverpool Street and Chesthunt on Sunday 31 March and Monday 1 April. West Anglia and Stansted Express services will be diverted, running via Stratford and Tottenham Hale. Journey times will be extended by up to ten minutes. Trains will depart London Liverpool Street earlier than normal.

Local London buses will be available between Liverpool Street and Seven Sisters. Replacement buses will operate between Seven Sisters and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.

Routes between London Liverpool Street and Chingford

London Overground services between London Liverpool Street and Chingford will be suspended to facilitate engineering work. Passengers are advised to use local London Buses and London Underground connections between Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs. Replacement bus service L3 will operate between Hackney Downs and Chingford via Clapton, St James Street, Walthamstow Central, Wood Street and Highams Park.

Post Easter weekend engineering work (6/7 April and 13/14 April)

In connection with the construction work at Beaulieu Park station, a rail replacement service will operate on the two weekends after Easter as outlined above (see Routes via Chelmsford/Shenfield). 

In connection with the construction of Cambridge South station, a rail replacement bus service will operate on the two weekends after Easter between Audley End and Cambridge North, and between Cambridge/ Cambridge North and Royston.