Published on: Tuesday, 3 March 2020
Last updated: Friday, 6 March 2020
Rail passengers are being advised that a small number of services will be cancelled or altered while Network Rail carry out work at Maryland.
Network Rail is replacing track at Maryland, which is a key location on the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich.
Over time, track and points become worn, and in order to keep services on the move, they must be replaced. Once the work to replace track at Maryland is complete, it is expected to last 25 years.
As a result, Greater Anglia can only run trains over the section of track at 20mph. As trains are running slower, fewer trains can run, so some alterations will apply during the morning and evening peaks.
Network Rail anticipate the speed restriction being lifted later this month following a track inspection.
During the morning peak, the following services will be cancelled:
- 07:03 Southend Victoria – London Liverpool Street
- 07:23 Southend Victoria - London Liverpool Street
- 07:52 Southend Victoria - London Liverpool Street
- 08:13 London Liverpool Street - Southend Victoria
- 09:13 London Liverpool Street - Southend Victoria
During the evening peak, the following service alterations will apply:
- 16:53 Colchester - London Liverpool Street will terminate at Shenfield
- 16:30 Southend Victoria - London Liverpool Street and 17:45 London Liverpool Street - Southend Victoria are cancelled
- 16:52 Ipswich - London Liverpool Street will terminate at Colchester & 18:32 London Liverpool Street - Ipswich will start at Colchester
- 18:05 London Liverpool Street - Southend Victoria is cancelled
Jay Thompson, Greater Anglia’s Train Service Delivery Director, said: “We apologise to customers for the disruption caused. This work is essential for the future of the line and will ultimately lead to better reliability and an improved service to customers.
“Customers should check before they travel and allow more time for their journeys.”
Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, Ellie Burrows, said: “We’re carrying out crucial work at Maryland to replace worn out track at a busy key junction near Stratford. Replacing the tracks will prevent future speed restrictions being a regular occurrence. I know how frustrating these cancellations will be for passengers but as a safety precaution it’s usual to run trains at a slower speed after we first renew the tracks. The speed restriction is planned to be lifted for Monday, so I’d ask passengers to bear with us until then when a normal service will resume.”