Summer is in full swing, and with the August Bank Holiday approaching, Network Rail has released travel advice for those wanting to travel on the Anglia network.
Most of the network will be open over the long weekend, allowing passings in the Anglia region to enjoy the best of what the county has to offer.
However, some engineering work will be taking place, and may affect journeys.
Work is set to continue on the new station at Beaulieu Park, which is set to open by the end of 2025 and become the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line in more than 100 years. Work over the weekend will focus on piling for the overhead wire equipment, track drainage and under track cabling work.
A replacement bus service will run for those wanting to travel between Chelmsford and Witham on both Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August.
No engineering work will take place on the Bank Holiday Monday (28th August), though Greater Anglia will be operating a ‘Saturday-Style' service instead of the usual Monday timetable.
Other engineering work will take place between Woodgrange Park and Grays (via Rainham (Essex)). Here, the work will include new travel at Ripple Lane, new points at Stora Sidings and the removal of an old footbridge at Kennedy Road.
Due to this work, a rail replacement bus will operate between Grays, Purfleet, Rainham and Upminster, whilst on Sunday, a shuttle service will operate, due to the We R Festival, between Grays, Purfleet and Rainham.
Passengers will need to check before travelling with operators Greater Anglia and c2c
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.”
Network Rail should also finish off replacing ageing overhead wires at Prittlewell and Southend Victoria and to start replacing the ageing overhead wires on the LTS line between West Ham-Fenchurch Street as well as replacing overhead wires between Barking-Grays-Pitsea, Upminster-Grays, Barking-Basildon-Southend Central and Southend Central-Showburyness.
And to rebuild the platform 2 at Basildon station before the Class 720/6 trains have entered service. And of course building a new station at Beam Park and Purfleet to replace the existing station at Purfleet.