Network Rail's Anglia region has outlined its plans for engineering work over Easter and provided travel advice for passengers.
Engineering workers will be renewing track, signals and infrastructure equipment across the region, to improve reliability of train services.
Workers will also continue to build Beaulieu Park in Chelmsford, the first new station on the Great Eastern main line for a century.
Planned engineering work at Easter includes:
- installing new signalling equipment and gantry foundations between Cambridge and Ely as part of the Cambridge re-signalling project
- renewing points at the London end of Chelmsford station
- work to follow up the construction by private developers of a new subway at Wymondham in Norfolk last October
- bringing replacement treadles into operation at Suton Lane level crossing in Wymondham, which will detect when a train wheel passes
- work at Enfield Town station on the West Anglia main line to maintain service reliability
- repairs to structures at Bethnal Green, and overhead line works between Bethnal Green and Hackney Downs.
Changes to train services
Network Rail is urging passengers to check before they travel and has issued the following detailed advice:
On routes via Cambridge/Ely and Bury St Edmunds, buses will replace trains:
- on Friday 29 March and Saturday 30 March between Cambridge North and Ely; and between Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds via Newmarket.
- on Sunday 31 March between: Cambridge North and Ely; Norwich and Cambridge North; and Bury St Edmunds and Peterborough via Ely
- on Monday 1 April between: Ely and Cambridge North
On routes via Chelmsford/Shenfield, buses will replace trains from Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April between Witham and Billericay (fast service); Witham and Billericay calling at Hatfield Peverel and Chelmsford; and Chelmsford and Shenfield via Ingatestone (shuttle bus service).
Connecting train services will run between Billericay and London Liverpool Street, serving Shenfield and Stratford.
On routes between London Liverpool Street, Enfield Town and Chesthunt on Sunday 31 March and Monday 1 April. West Anglia and Stansted Express services will be diverted, and will run via Stratford and Tottenham Hale. Journeys will take up to ten minutes longer, and trains will depart London Liverpool Street earlier than usual.
Local London buses will run between Liverpool Street and Seven Sisters, and replacement buses will run between Seven Sisters and Enfield Town / Cheshunt.
On routes between London Liverpool Street and Chingford, London Overground services will be suspended. Passengers may use local London Buses and London Underground connections between Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs. Replacement bus service L3 will run between Hackney Downs and Chingford via Clapton, St James Street, Walthamstow Central, Wood Street and Highams Park.
On the two weekends after Easter (6/7 April and 13/14 April), buses will replace trains on the routes via Chelmsford / Shenfield. Also, work to build Cambridge South station will mean that buses will replace between Audley End and Cambridge North, and between Cambridge/ Cambridge North and Royston.
Passengers can check their journey plans on the operators' websites:
- Greater Anglia
- c2c
- Great Northern
- Thameslink
- Cross Country
- East Midlands Railway
- Transport for London
This Easter, we are continuing to deliver some of our big key projects at Cambridge and at Chelmsford as well as several smaller renewals projects to keep the railway working reliably. Much of the railway across Anglia will be open but I would encourage everyone to check their journey plans before travelling and leave extra time if travelling via Cambridge or Chelmsford.”
Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia
This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway.
“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.
“We would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while this essential maintenance is carried out.”
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director
We welcome these major investments in the rail network and are very grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding while Network Rail carry out the work. Buses will be replacing trains on some routes to help passengers travelling over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and the following two weekends in April, so please allow extra time when planning your journey, and double-check your route before setting off.”
Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern
What about finishing off the last remaining section of replacing overhead wires between Prittlewell and Southend Victoria and to start replacing overhead wires on the c2c lines between Grays-Upminster and Barking and Barking-Fenchurch Street.