Media centre

Tuesday 27 Feb 2018

Rail services to be restored in Anglia after heavy snow hits further south east

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Network Rail and train companies are working to restore services across the Anglia route after heavy snow fall hit further south east than predicted. 

Over the weekend, Network Rail received detailed weather forecasts from the MetDesk which predicted heavy snow over the Anglia route with temperatures rarely above freezing so snow will not melt, with a risk of snow drifts.

Based on these forecasts, Network Rail worked closely with train operators and determined that focusing resources on the main lines and restricting or removing services on the branch lines would enable them to run the safest and most effective service with the predicted conditions.

While there has been snow in parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, the anticipated heavy flurries have fallen further south into Kent, which is suffering from some of the road and rail issues we expected to deal with.

Having assessed the MetDesk latest weather forecasts, restrictions for trains to run across the Anglia network have been lifted and Network Rail is working hard with train operating partners to re-plan timetables, get drivers and trains in the right places and restore as many services as possible for later today.  While conditions are expected to remain very cold with the possibility of some snow flurries, a full service is expected to be able to run tomorrow. 

Meliha Duymaz, route managing director for Network Rail Anglia said: “The forecasts all predicted heavy snow in our region, but for us, it has not been as bad as anticipated, with the latest radar imagery showing the worst of the snow has fallen around 20 miles further south east.  We are now working with our train operating partners to restore as many services as we can and expect to be able to run a full service tomorrow. I’d like to apologise to passengers who have had difficult journeys this morning and thank them for their patience.” 

Network Rail will continue to have engineers on stand-by to respond to any snow and ice-related problems to keep services running as smoothly as possible. 

Passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator for the latest details on how their journey might be affected.