Passengers travelling between Cambridge and King’s Lynn will face timetable changes from Monday 3 August as Network Rail responds to track movement caused by prolonged hot and dry weather across the Anglia region.
After experiencing England’s warmest spring on record and a sustained period of summer heat, the peat and clay soils beneath large sections of the railway have dried out and contracted. The resulting ground movement has caused sections of track to become uneven, requiring speed restrictions to maintain safe and reliable railway operations.
Network Rail says the restrictions are essential to ensure passenger safety while engineers carry out remedial work to stabilise the affected infrastructure.
King’s Lynn Services to Operate to an Amended Timetable
The most significant changes will affect Great Northern services between Ely and King’s Lynn.
From 3 August:
- Trains arriving at King’s Lynn will arrive four minutes later than normal.
- Services departing King’s Lynn will leave four minutes earlier.
- One weekday service in each direction will be withdrawn or amended.
- Additional timetable alterations will apply at weekends.
- Some trains will operate with fewer carriages because of operational constraints created by the speed restrictions.
The revised timetable is designed to reduce the risk of delays spreading across the wider network and provide passengers with greater certainty when planning journeys.
Major Track Treatment Programme Underway
To address the effects of dried-out soil, Network Rail engineers are deploying specialist track maintenance machines known as tampers. These machines lift sections of railway track and pack fresh ballast beneath the sleepers, helping restore a stable foundation and improve track geometry.
The work forms part of a wider programme across the Anglia network.
Last year alone, Network Rail treated around 100 kilometres of railway affected by ground movement. Ahead of the 2026 summer season, thousands of tonnes of ballast have already been installed, with the organisation expecting to place around 49,000 tonnes of ballast during 2026.
Overnight Closures Between Ely and King’s Lynn
As part of the recovery programme, further engineering work will take place overnight on the Fen Line between Ely and King’s Lynn during the following periods:
- Monday 10 August – Thursday 13 August
- Monday 21 September – Thursday 24 September
During these works, late-night train services will be replaced by buses.
Additional overnight engineering activity will also take place on other Anglia routes from 3 August, affecting some Greater Anglia, c2c and Elizabeth line services during late evenings and early mornings on Mondays to Thursdays.
Updated timetable information will begin appearing in online journey planners from next week, and passengers are being encouraged to check before travelling.
Further Restrictions Possible
Network Rail has confirmed that track conditions will continue to be closely monitored throughout the summer. If ground movement worsens, additional speed restrictions and service alterations could be introduced to maintain safe operation of the railway.
The organisation also intends to continue scheduling overnight engineering works whenever required to improve track resilience and reduce the impact of extreme weather conditions.
Industry Reaction
Joe Kennedy, Infrastructure Director for Network Rail Anglia, said:
“We’re taking action to keep running the best possible service despite the significant challenges we’re again facing this summer with our peat and clay soils. Our teams across Anglia will continue to work hard to minimise the impact on passengers, but we’re really sorry for the disruption caused by the service changes. Thank you to everyone for bearing with us.”
Jenny Saunders, Customer Service Director for Great Northern, said:
“We know many passengers will feel disappointed by further timetable changes after the challenges experienced on this route in recent weeks. I am sincerely sorry for the impact this will have on your journey; we do not take that inconvenience lightly.
“These necessary speed restrictions mean we need to make temporary changes to the timetable between King’s Lynn and Cambridge from 3 August. While we regret having to make these changes, they are necessary to help prevent delays building up throughout the day and to provide a more reliable service.
“Our teams will continue working closely with Network Rail to minimise the impact and return to the normal timetable as soon as conditions allow. Online journey planners and our website have been updated with the revised train times, and passengers are encouraged to check before they travel as services will operate differently from the usual timetable.”
Image credits: Network Rail
