Over the Christmas period Network Rail will be conducting a series of major upgrade works across the Anglian route, leading to potential disruptions for passenger travel.
One of the dominant focuses of these works will be upgrading the lines around Liverpool Street, which will see the delivery of a brand-new power system that will supply overhead lines between Bow and Shenfield, the replacement of an old rail-over-road bridge near Bethnal Green, point refurbishment, and strengthening the Bishopsgate tunnel.
These works will mean that no trains will run into or out of the mainline station from the end of service on Christmas Eve until the start of service on Tuesday 3 January. London Overground services will not run into or out of Liverpool Street mainline station and there will be no Elizabeth line service between London and Shenfield.
The c2c lines will see work conducted in the Grays area, replacing portions of overhead wires which will lead to the reduction of future failures and power outages.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said:
“Work over Christmas is critical for upgrading and maintaining the railway ahead of the new year, with our teams out on track while so many of us are having fun and relaxing in our homes.
“We have a significant Christmas programme this year, particularly on the lines into Liverpool Street. I hope passengers can understand the need for the upgrades and I’d like to reassure them that we’ll be getting a huge amount done while trains aren’t running. I also want to say thank you to our lineside neighbours for bearing with us while we’re out working hard in their communities.”
Other work on Anglia that will affect train services at times over the festive period includes:
- Carrying out a range of maintenance on the Southend Victoria line and the Southminster branch line, including work on the track, overhead lines and signalling equipment
- Refurbishing points near Gospel Oak station to help London Overground trains run reliably on the line to Barking
- Replacing old rails near Hampstead Heath station, as well as putting in new ballast and sleepers which support the rails. This is to minimise the risk of track faults causing delays on the London Overground between Richmond and Stratford.
- Improving the overhead lines inside a tunnel near Stoke Newington which is used by both London Overground and Greater Anglia trains, as well as doing vegetation management and drainage work further up the line
- Maintaining overhead lines and signalling equipment on the London Overground between Camden Road and Stratford
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said:
“We appreciate that this work is inconvenient for passengers, but it is vital for the long-term reliability of our busy network.
“We will make sure that our customers can all complete their journeys, even if part of it is by bus.”
Want to know more about the opportunities to become a key supplier to the UK rail industry? Attend TransCityRail and access an exclusive marketplace of buyers from Network Rail, HS2, Train Operators, Major Contractors, and all other tiers of the supply chain. For more information and to secure your place click here.
