Media centre

Tuesday 29 Oct 2024

Weekend engineering works on c2c routes: 50-year-old rail to be replaced before Christmas

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Passengers on Trenitalia c2c are being encouraged to check before they travel as essential works are planned by Network Rail over a number of weekends in November and December.

Engineers will be replacing more than 3,800 metres of rail that was first installed in 1967 and 1968. The rail has worn out over time and needs to be replaced to minimise the chance of defects which could cause delays to passengers.

At the same time, Network Rail will be fixing faulty drainage pipes alongside the platforms at Chalkwell station. If the pipes were not fixed, excess water could affect the quality of the track, potentially causing a bumpy ride and the need for speed restrictions on trains.

Teams will also carry out other vital track work along the c2c routes, as well as overhead line and level crossing maintenance.

Simon Milburn, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia, said: “Our work over November and December is vital to keeping trains running safely and reliably in future. We’re really sorry for the disruption to c2c passengers, but our engineers need to get out on track and get these jobs done.”

Laura McEwen, Operations and Engineering Director for c2c, said: “Once installed, the new rail will last another 50 years, so we hope that people can understand why this work is necessary.

“We are sharing details now of exactly how services will be impacted to give people the chance to plan ahead. As ever, we are committed to our customers and our staff will be on hand to give people assistance with their journeys.

“While Network Rail delivers this work, our team at c2c will also be using the time wisely to carry out essential improvement works at stations.”

Engineering work means that rail replacement buses will be in operation on parts of the c2c network on the following weekend dates:

• Sunday 3 November
• Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November
• Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November
• Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December
• Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December
• Sunday 15 December

On the dates listed above, buses will replace trains between Pitsea and Shoeburyness, with the following additions and exceptions:

• Sunday 17 November: rail replacement is between both Basildon and Shoeburyness, and between Ockendon and Shoeburyness via Tilbury
• Sunday 8 December: rail replacement is between both Pitsea and Shoeburyness, and between Grays and Shoeburyness via Tilbury
• Sunday 15 December: rail replacement is between Pitsea and Southend Central, with a train shuttle running between Southend Central and Shoeburyness

The Rainham line will not run on Sunday 3 November, Sunday 17 November, Sunday 24 November or Sunday 8 December, with rail replacement between Upminster – Rainham – Purfleet – Grays. Passengers for Dagenham Dock have ticket acceptance on EL2 and 287 TfL bus services.

While these engineering works take place, trains will only serve London Fenchurch Street rather than London Liverpool Street, and will not call at Stratford but will call at West Ham.