Media centre

Wednesday 29 Apr 2020

The team keeping track of maintenance on Anglia's main railway lines

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail colleagues from across the Anglia region have been working to keep passengers and vital supplies moving in their roles as key workers during the Covid-19 crisis.

Despite the challenging circumstances, colleagues like track section manager, Matt Moorcroft, and his team have continued to deliver critical work to keep the railway safe for those who need to travel. Matt’s team is responsible for keeping the tracks in top condition to enable the running of a safe and reliable service on the lines at Liverpool Street station, Bethnal Green and Stratford station, which run to Norwich and Cambridge.

These lines would usually see hundreds of services a day with thousands of passengers, but fewer services now doesn’t necessarily mean less maintenance. The tracks and equipment still need to be kept in good condition for key workers who are using it now and to prevent issues building up for when the usual service returns. Crucial surveys also need to take place to maintain safety.

The team have recently carried out essential renewal work on a critical junction which is part of the many lines that feed into Liverpool Street station and is vital for running passenger services on the main lines from London to Norwich and London to Cambridge. This helps keep all platforms at Liverpool Street station fully functional.

Matt said: “We’ve changed the way we work to adhere to social distancing guidelines, for example carrying out our briefings and work at a safe distance and working different shifts. It’s a huge challenge when we usually work so close together but we’re committed to our work because we know NHS staff and key workers rely on the rail service and that freight services are needed to keep the shelves stocked. It’s important to maintain the railway for those who rely on it now and to improve reliability for the future.”

Railway staff from across Network Rail have been working hard to keep signal boxes and control centres across Britain open 24/7, while maintaining vital infrastructure. This allows passengers whose journeys are essential, to continue travelling to work and means vital food and medical supplies can be transported across the country via freight services.