Helping you plan your journey during engineering works

Published on: Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Last updated: Tuesday, 14 August 2018

  • Your journey

Helping you plan your journey during engineering works

The next three months sees Network Rail engineers embark on some big engineering projects on the Greater Anglia network to improve the tracks and overhead lines to reduce delays and make services more reliable.

Engineering works will affect weekend services from Norwich to London and Southend to London; as well as some rural services, on selected dates between 25 August until 25 November 2018.

During the August bank holiday weekend there will be work to improve the track between Norwich and London.

The work on the Southend Line is from 1 September until 28 October, when a total of 19km of new overhead wires is planned to be installed as part of a £46 million upgrade.

Scroll to the bottom of this blog for a brief summary of the works taking place or more detail can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk:

You can still travel

While this work is taking place Greater Anglia will be drafting in rail replacement bus services to ensure that you can still travel, so although journeys will take a bit longer than usual, the railway is still open and you can still reach your destination.

We also put on additional staff to point you to the buses and provide information and assistance to make the process as smooth as possible.

Planning a journey during engineering works can feel confusing and to help we have created a handy calendar at www.greateranglia.co.uk/servicealterations which details the works taking place each day and links to a timetable so that you can see all the amended train times, where rail replacement buses are operating and how much longer your journey will take, to help you better plan your journey.

It may feel like this work has all arrived at once, creating unnecessary inconvenience for people in East Anglia so why now?

Well the truth is that a lot of this work is long overdue and it’s great that it’s finally happening because it should result in fewer delays and a more reliable railway, which is want we all want to see.

Our region has suffered from under-investment for many years, so the fact that we are going to receive the latest in railway infrastructure technology is extremely welcome and will put our railway in much better shape for the future.

It could also be argued that a shorter spell of intensive work is preferable to much longer periods of sporadic works. The teams at Greater Anglia and Network Rail spend many hours negotiating together about the timings and duration of works to try to ensure the best outcome for passengers.

This is why most of the work is scheduled to take place at weekends or late at night, because we know that this inconveniences fewer people and enables us to continue to operate busy commuter services during the week, avoiding disruption for those who rely on us to get to and from work and school.

While we do not enjoy disrupting weekend leisure travel, the work has to be done sometime and because weekends tend to be quieter and often people travelling at weekends can be a little more flexible, we hope that this approach inconveniences fewer people overall.

Check before you travel and plan ahead

People often feel that if they travel during engineering works there should be some sort of compensation or discount offered. While we are sorry for any inconvenience caused during engineering works, we do not offer additional discounts other than those already available by booking advance fares and group save deals. Delay Repay compensation is still available if the amended timetables do not go to plan. So if your journey is delayed by 30 minutes or more than that stated in the amended timetables, you can still apply for compensation.

We appreciate that journeys involving a rail replacement bus can be a little longer than usual, but this is planned and stated on the amended timetables and therefore, is not classed as a delay.

We appreciate that this is a long period of engineering works covering a number of different locations. Greater Anglia staff will be on hand to help you during your journey and you can also follow updates on Twitter @greateranglia.

It is a good idea to check our service alterations calendar before you travel and plan your journey in advance. We will do our utmost to help you on the day and we thank you in advance for your understanding and patience while these essential improvements take place.

A brief summary of the works taking place

Norwich – London Mainline Saturday 25th August – Monday 27th August 2018:

Vital track improvements will take place between Manningtree and Witham this August bank holiday weekend, to improve reliability for passengers using over 4,500 services a day.

Over the three-day weekend, Network Rail’s Team Orange will:

  • Install 120 metres of track, one set of points and one new buffer stop at Colchester station
  • Replace 1,200 tons of ballast at Colchester
  • Install nearly 3km of track between Manningtree and Ardleigh on the mainline
  • Rail replacement buses will replace trains between between Ipswich and Ingatestone while the work is carried out.

    Ipswich – Felixstowe Saturday 25th August – Monday 27th August 2018:

    Work will take place during August Bank Holiday weekend between Ipswich and Felixstowe as part of a £60.4m to transform the single track Felixstowe branch line by installing 1.4km track loop near Trimley station.

    This additional track will allow the line to operate more effectively, giving the flexibility needed to run more freight trains as well as improve the reliability of existing passenger services.

    This project began in April and will take place most weekends until autumn 2019. A rail replacement service will operate.

    Southend – London Liverpool Street Saturday 1st September – Sunday 28th October 2018

    A total of 19km of new overhead wires is planned to be installed between Mountnessing and Wickford on the Southend Victoria branch line over the coming months, as part of a £46m upgrade to replace the overhead wiring system.

    The existing wiring system, which was built in the 1950s and is the oldest in the country, is being replaced with a new system that will be more reliable, adapts to temperature and will mean fewer delays for passengers.

    The work will also allow for Greater Anglia’s new trains to run, and allow for more services to run in the future to meet growing demand on the busy line.

    The work takes place at weekends and starts on Saturday 1st September until Sunday 28 October. This means that a rail replacement service will run between Southend Victoria and Shenfield.

    Further engineering work will take place as follows:

    Norwich - London Main line

    Saturday 1 September Marks Tey to Ingatestone

    Sunday 2 September Ipswich to Ingatestone

    Saturday 8 September Marks Tey to Ingatestone

    Sunday 9 September Colchester to Ingatestone

    Saturday 15 September Marks Tey to Ingatestone

    Sunday 16 September Colchester to Ingatestone

    Saturday 22 September Marks Tey to Ingatestone

    Sunday 23 September Colchester to Ingatestone

    Saturday 29 September

    Sunday 30 September Colchester to Ingatestone

    Saturday 6 October

    Sunday 7 October Ipswich to Ingatestone

    Saturday 13 October Norwich to Ipswich

    Sunday 14 October Norwich to Ipswich

    Saturday 21 October

    Sunday 22 October

    Saturday 27 October

    Sunday 28 October Norwich to Ipswich

    Saturday 3 November Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street

    Sunday 4 November Colchester to London Liverpool Street

    Saturday 17 November Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street

    Sunday 18 November Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street

    Saturday 24 November Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street

    Sunday 25 November Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street

    Braintree branch line

    Saturday 1 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Sunday 2 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 8 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Sunday 9 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 15 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Sunday 16 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 22 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Sunday 23 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 29 September

    Sunday 30 September Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 6 October

    Sunday 7 October Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 13 October

    Sunday 14 October

    Saturday 21 October

    Sunday 22 October

    Saturday 27 October

    Sunday 28 October

    Saturday 3 November

    Sunday 4 November Rail replacement Braintree to Witham

    Saturday 17 November

    Sunday 18 November

    Saturday 24 November

    Sunday 25 November

    Southend Victoria

    Saturday 1 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 2 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 8 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 9 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 15 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 16 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 22 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 23 September Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 29 September Shenfield to Wickford

    Sunday 30 September Shenfield to Wickford

    Saturday 6 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 7 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 13 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 14 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 21 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 22 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 27 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Sunday 28 October Shenfield to Southend Victoria and Southminster

    Saturday 3 November Billericay to London Liverpool Street

    Sunday 4 November Shenfield to London Liverpool Street

    Saturday 17 November Billericay to London Liverpool Street

    Sunday 18 November Billericay to London Liverpool Street

    Saturday 24 November TBC

    Sunday 25 November TBC