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Monday 21 Aug 2023

Reminder: Passengers should check before travelling ahead of the August bank holiday

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Much of the rail network is open over the August bank holiday to allow passengers to enjoy the best tourist destinations across Anglia, but engineering work will be taking place which may affect some rail journeys.

Greater Anglia passengers

Passengers should allow extra time when travelling on the Great Eastern Main line via Chelmsford as work continues to build the new station at Beaulieu Park. Work will include piling for overhead line structures, installation of track drainage and under track cable routes, as well as platform and civils work. A rail replacement bus service will be operating between Chelmsford and Witham on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 August.

On bank holiday Monday 28 August the mainline is fully open, with no engineering work taking place. Greater Anglia will operate a Saturday-style service on this day. Passenger can check www.greateranglia.co.uk for more information.

c2c Passengers

Engineering work will be taking place between Woodgrange Park and Grays via Rainham on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 August. This work includes the installation of new track at Ripple Lane, the installation of a new switch/crossing (that allows train to change tracks) at the Stora sidings and, the removal of an old footbridge structure at Kennedy Road. On Saturday, a rail replacement bus service will operate between Grays, Purfleet, Rainham and Upminster. On Sunday a shuttle will operate between Grays, Purfleet and Rainham owing to the We R Festival. 

Passengers are advised to check their weekend journey plans before travelling by visiting  nationalrail.co.uk, or by via your train operator, greateranglia.co.uk, or c2c.co.uk

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said:  We have planned to keep most of the railway open for the August bank holiday, supporting the leisure travellers and local communities.

We have work taking place at Chelmsford to support the Beaulieu Park station development and on the Essex Thameside route, so we encourage passengers to check before travelling on these routes and allow extra time for your journey.

Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia, said: “The majority of our network is unaffected by engineering work over the August Bank Holiday weekend. In particular, there is no engineering work on Bank Holiday Monday, meaning it’s a great time for people to explore our region and enjoy a day out by rail.

“However, some engineering work is taking place between Witham and Chelmsford on the Saturday and Sunday, as part of the project to construct a new station at Beaulieu Park, with a rail replacement bus service in place so customers can complete their journeys. Customers should check before they travel and allow more time for their journeys.”

Rob Mullen, Managing Director at c2c, said: "We're advising customers to check before they travel as these vital improvements to the network continue over the August bank holiday weekend. We're looking forward to the completion of this programme of work which will improve passenger journeys for the future."