There will be no train services between Wickford and Southend Victoria on four consecutive weekends next month because of engineering work.
The work is planned to take place over the weekends of Saturday and Sunday, 9/10, 16/17, 23/24 September, and Sunday, 1 October. During the closure, engineers will carry out various tasks, including:
- Inspecting and maintaining overhead electrification equipment to prevent de-wirements, which can disrupt train services.
- Installing new switches to make them more reliable and reduce delays significantly.
- Maintaining point heaters at Southend Victoria that prevent point switches from freezing in one position during cold weather.
- Drilling boreholes and installing inclinometer tubing at Arnold Wood between Shenfield and Mountnessing Junction, to monitor the embankment during times of excessive rainfall.
- Jet washing station platforms at Rochford and replacing coping stones at Southend Victoria station to eliminate potential tripping hazards. These tasks are part of Greater Anglia's pre-planned cleaning and reactive maintenance programme, which are in place for all stations.
- Clearing vegetation to reduce the risk of leaf fall affecting train services and trees or branches falling onto the track.
When services are suspended, buses will replace trains between Wickford and Southend Victoria up to and including 24 September.
On Sunday, 1 October, buses will replace trains between Shenfield and Southend Victoria and between Wickford and Southminster.
Full details of service changes and journey planners are available online at greateranglia.co.uk or nationalrail.co.uk
Mark Walker, Network Rail Anglia route infrastructure engineer, said: “An efficient and safe railway is a well-maintained railway. While there is never a good time to close a busy and important line, maintenance work is important to keep trains running safely and reliably for passengers and freight journeys. I'd like to thank all our customers for their patience while we carry out these essential maintenance tasks.”
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway – we would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while it is carried out. “A rail replacement service will run while the work takes place and passengers are advised to check before they travel and allow more time for their journey.”
They need to sort out with building a new station building at Wickford and also to replace the footbridge at Prittlewell. And of course minor improvements to other train stations including Billericay, Rayleigh, Hockley, Rochford and Southend Airport. As there has been some improvements at Southend Victoria.
About time that Network Rail should start replacing the last remaining section between Prittlewell and Southend Victoria with brand new overhead wires since the Class 720s have entered service few years ago and have replaced the Class 321.
And hopefully a new station building to be built at Wickford railway station since the old station building was demolished that saw platform 1 extended to allow for the Class 720 train to operate on the Crouch Valley Line (Wickford-Southminster).
That would be replacing existing overhead wires between Prittlewell and Southend Victoria. Perhaps they should also start building a new station building at Wickford since the old building was demolished and platform 1 was extended to accommodate the 5-Car Class 720 Aventra trains.