Media centre

Friday 14 Feb 2020

UPDATE: Gospel Oak to Barking line freight derailment – Friday 14 February

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Work on the Gospel Oak to Barking line is progressing really well and the date for reopening the line will be confirmed next week.

Network Rail’s engineers are repairing damage caused by a derailed freight wagon and the work is almost complete. Engineers will be working on some critical works over the next few days which could be impacted by Storm Dennis.  A further update will be provided next week to confirm completion of the work and the return of passenger services.

More than two and a half miles of the route between Barking and South Tottenham was damaged in the incident on 23 January. Network Rail’s engineers are working around the clock on a programme of repairs, clearing the damage, replacing 39 pieces of rail, 5,300 concrete sleepers, 900 wooden sleepers, removing and replacing 10,000 tonnes of ballast during the track replacement and replacing custom-timbers at 10 bridges.

The line will remain part-suspended until the work is complete.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “Our engineers have made huge progress on the repairs so far. We have some critical works this weekend which could be impacted by the forecasted storm and once this work is complete we will be able to confirm when the line will reopen. I’d like to thank our passengers and lineside neighbours as I know this has caused them a lot of unexpected disruption but I’m pleased to say the end is in sight.”

Just after 6am on Thursday 23 January, a freight wagon derailed between Leyton Midland Road and Walthamstow Queens Road on the Gospel Oak to Barking line which has caused extensive damage. An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.

Travel advice for passengers

There is currently no London Overground service between Barking and South Tottenham. Passengers wishing to travel between Walthamstow Central and Barking are advised to continue to check the TfL Journey Planner before travelling. A rail replacement bus service has been provided between Walthamstow Central and Barking calling at Leyton Midland Road, Leytonstone High Road (Harrow Green), Wanstead Park and Woodgrange Park to allow passengers to complete their journey while repairs are underway.

Passengers can check before travelling by visiting tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey and https://www.nationalrail.co.uk for service updates.