Network Rail warns customers of upcoming work that will impact some routes in Essex over the first May bank holiday. Passengers travelling on Network Rail trains may be affected from 4-5th May while works are conducted.

While most of the railway network across East Anglia will be open for passengers to travel, some services will be affected by planned engineering work. Network Rail is advising that passengers travelling on specific routes check their plans and allow extra time to complete their journey.

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: "Every piece of essential engineering work carried out over this bank holiday is a step towards enabling a more reliable railway network for everyone across the region.

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“We encourage passengers to check their journey plans in advance and allow extra time if their service is affected, as this work is key to maintaining a dependable service for all those travelling across Anglia."

Martin Beable, Greater Anglia managing director, said, “These works are essential to keep the railway running and make it fit for the future. A rail replacement service will run while Network Rail carry out these projects, 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 work is carried out.”

Laura McEwen, c2c Operations and Engineering Director said, "c2c would like to thank customers for their patience as our line undergoes small but vital engineering works. These works will ensure we are able to offer a better, more reliable network to our customers across our route in the long-term. We encourage all passengers to plan their journeys in advance and to allow extra time if their service is affected."

Services affected by works are listed below:

Sunday, May 4

  • Greater Anglia passengers travelling via Colchester/Chelmsford
    Buses will replace trains between Colchester and Billericay, Sudbury and Marks Tey, and Braintree and Witham.

Sunday, May 4

  • c2c passengers travelling on the Essex Thameside lines

  • Basildon Line: Liverpool Street services will be diverted to Fenchurch Street, calling at West Ham but not at Stratford. Ticket acceptance will be available on the Jubilee line between Stratford and West Ham. Fenchurch Street is a short walk from Liverpool Street.

  • Ockendon Line: Services will start and terminate at Grays, with rail replacement buses running between Grays and Pitsea via Tilbury.

  • Rainham Line: Rail replacement buses will be in place between Upminster, Rainham, Purfleet, and Grays. Passengers for Dagenham Dock will have ticket acceptance on the EL2 and 287 TfL bus services.

Monday, May 5

A Sunday-level service will be in operation, with earlier first trains and later last trains, like a standard Saturday timetable. Specific disruptions include:

  • Basildon Line: Liverpool Street services will again be diverted to Fenchurch Street, calling at West Ham but not Stratford. Ticket acceptance will still be available on the Jubilee line between Stratford and West Ham, and Fenchurch Street is a short walk from Liverpool Street.

  • Ockendon Line: Services will start and terminate at Grays, with rail replacement buses in place between Grays and Pitsea via Tilbury.

  • Rainham Line: These services will not run. Rail replacement buses will be in place between Upminster, Rainham, Purfleet, and Grays, and passengers for Dagenham Dock will have ticket acceptance on the EL2 and 287 TfL bus services.

Planned engineering work will include replacing worn-out and broken concrete sleepers beneath the tracks on the busy Barking to Pitsea freight route to improve track durability and renewal of track at Jurgens Lane level crossing near West Thurrock.

Track and signal work will also be underway to complete modifications following the removal of the Brickhouse crossover at Easter. It will involve renewing tracks in the Chelmsford and Marks Tey areas. Work will include ensuring that the new Beaulieu Park station is ready to open by the end of the year.

The works will also continue over the bank holiday to continue general maintenance and ancillary work including track drainage, power supply renewals, signalling and surveys.