Network Rail engineers will be working on the West Anglia main line at weekends from mid February which will help keep the railway operating safely for rail services including Stansted Express.
The mainline between London and Cambridge is a very busy railway corridor and requires frequent maintenance and renewal of the infrastructure to keep services running safely for everyone. Network Rail’s contractors, Murphy, South Rail Systems Alliance and Alstom, will also delivering two key projects for the Cambridge area to renew the signalling system and deliver a new station, Cambridge South.
This part of the railway is also a busy route for passengers heading to/from Stansted airport using the Express service from London Liverpool Street. All of this frequent use wears out the track and equipment much quicker than less busy parts of the railway and maintenance engineers need frequent access to keep all the railway equipment in working order.
Network Rail engineers and contractors will be working to deliver:
- Preparation work for the stage 2 commissioning of a new signalling system for Cambridge South.
- Post Christmas follow up track work and packing the new ballast at Shepreth branch junction and Foxton to check the level of the tracks.
- Renewal of switches and crossings (that allow trains to change tracks) at Broxbourne Jct.
- Maintenance work at Broxbourne station.
- Track renewal work at Cannons Mill Lane.
- Track renewal at Harlow Town.
- Maintenance work inside Stansted tunnel.
Work for the Cambridge re-signalling and Cambridge South station projects, including Shepreth branch junction and Foxton will take place on the weekend of Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February only. This will affect Greater Anglia and Great Northern and Thameslink, and CrossCountry passengers.
Engineering work will affect Greater Anglia and Stansted Express services on the main line between Broxbourne and Elsenham and also Greater Anglia services on the Hertford East branch line, on the following weekends:
- Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February
- Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 March
- Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March*
- Saturday 15, Sunday 16 and Monday 17 March
- Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 March*
On Monday 17 March, weekend engineering work will continue for a third day between Broxbourne and Harlow Mill only affecting services on this part of the route all day.
Passenger information for Greater Anglia, Great Northern and Thameslink and CrossCountry services on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February only,
Buses will replace trains between Royston and Cambridge, between Cambridge North and Audley End, and between Cambridge and Stansted Airport.
Passenger information for Greater Anglia and Stansted Express services from Saturday 22 February for five weekends including Monday 17 March,
Buses will replace trains between affected stations (Stansted Airport/Hertford East and Waltham Cross) on each weekend. Trains will continue to operate between Cheshunt and London, via Waltham Cross (connecting into rail replacement buses).
*Replacement bus services will be extended to run to/from Audley End on specific weekends (8/9, and 23/24 March). This may also occur on some early morning services on a specific day. For example on Sunday 23 February before 9:10am, trains services from Cambridge will terminate at Audley End, after which trains from Cambridge will be allowed to run to Stansted Airport.
On Monday 17 March, buses will continue to operate between Harlow Mill and Waltham Cross.
Passengers are being advised to check their journey plans carefully with National Rail Enquiries, or with Greater Anglia before travelling on these weekends, and to allow extra time for completing your journey.
Lawrence Bowman, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “This is an important route for our customers, connecting London to Stansted Airport and Cambridge. We need regular access to keep the railway running well by replacing the parts that get worn out.
“Our maintenance teams are planning to carry out important repairs to replace worn out sections of track to keep trains running efficiently and passengers safe by maintaining stations.
“I’d like to thank all our passengers and customers for their patience while we carry out this weekend work on the mainline.”
Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said: “This is a very busy part of our network, and it’s vital that this work is carried out to maintain punctuality and reliability, while also making the railway fit for the future.
“We would like to thank passengers in advance for their understanding while this work is carried out.”
Image credit: Network Rail
