The first engineering train has arrived on the Sizewell C construction site, marking a major milestone for the new nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast and the rail infrastructure being built to support it.
Reaching the project’s Ancillary Construction Area (ACA) on Monday morning, the train travelled via the Sizewell branch line, a route that has recently undergone significant upgrades delivered by Balfour Beatty Rail on behalf of Sizewell C. The enhanced rail connection is central to the project’s strategy to shift the movement of construction materials away from roads and onto rail and sea.
Sizewell C has committed to moving 60% of construction materials by rail or sea, reducing HGV traffic on local roads, cutting emissions, and minimising disruption for communities along the Suffolk coast.
The inaugural engineering train delivered aggregate required for the ongoing build‑out of the site’s rail infrastructure. This will pave the way for increasing volumes of freight traffic to support Sizewell C’s main construction phases in the coming years.
Damian Leydon, Site Delivery Director at Sizewell C, said:
“The arrival of the first engineering train marks a major moment for the Sizewell C project and a clear demonstration of the progress we’re making. This is testament to all the hard work from those involved, from engineers to contractors and stakeholders.
“As rail deliveries increase in the months and years ahead, we’ll continue to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise disruption to the community. This is an important step toward building a power station that will serve the nation for generations.”
Rail freight volumes set to ramp up
Rail deliveries are expected to scale up in phases, with up to four freight trains per day at peak operation. This will include trains using the project’s Green Rail Route, which will create a direct connection from the existing branch line into the project’s Temporary Construction Area, allowing freight to bypass Leiston completely.
Each fully loaded freight train is expected to remove around 50 HGV journeys from local roads, supporting both decarbonisation and community impact commitments.
Tom Emanuel, Project Lead at Balfour Beatty Rail, said:
“It has been immensely rewarding to see the first of two large rail heads at Sizewell C come to life. This new infrastructure will enable the efficient movement of materials via the rail network to help build Sizewell C. It has been realised through the meticulous planning, innovative mindset, hard work and determination of our expert delivery team and supply chain partners who will relish the arrival of this important milestone train.”
Upgrading the Sizewell branch line and East Suffolk route
As part of the rail enhancements for the project, Sizewell C is:
- Renewing 4.5 miles of track on the Sizewell branch line
- Replacing jointed rail with continuously welded rail to reduce noise and improve ride quality
- Upgrading level crossings to meet modern safety and performance standards
- Installing a new signalling system to support higher traffic levels and operational reliability
The project is also upgrading sections of the East Suffolk line, which runs from Ipswich to Lowestoft, to accommodate the increased freight flows linked to the nuclear construction programme.
Historically, the Sizewell branch line has seen very low traffic and has had no daily passenger services since 1966. The current programme of works therefore represents a significant modernisation of an underused rail asset, aligning it with today’s freight, safety and environmental expectations.
Low‑carbon logistics and legacy
Rail has already been used to support the delivery of bulk materials to the Ancillary Construction Area. However, the arrival of Monday’s engineering train represents a step change in the scale and regularity of rail operations as Sizewell C ramps up its use of low‑carbon logistics.
Once construction of the power station is complete, both the Green Rail Route and the rail connection serving the ACA will be reinstated to their original condition, ensuring that the temporary construction railway infrastructure does not leave a permanent mark on the local landscape.
For the UK rail and infrastructure sector, the milestone demonstrates how targeted rail investment on legacy branch lines can unlock major construction programmes while supporting decarbonisation and reducing community impact.
Image credits: Sizewell C
