Many c2c trains cancelled on weekends as old track replaced

Essex train passengers could face severe weekend delays across the next five weeks as worn-out railway lines that are more than 50 years old will be replaced. Network Rail has said that c2c will be replacing more than 3,800 metres of railway lines that were first installed between 1967 and 1968 from this weekend until the middle of December.

The rail has worn out over time and needs to be replaced to minimise the chance of defects which could cause delays to passengers, Network Rail said. The work is being carried out across the c2c network which connects Southend and Basildon with London Fenchurch Street.

At the same time, Network Rail will be fixing faulty drainage pipes alongside the platforms at Chalkwell station. If the pipes were not fixed, excess water could affect the quality of the track, potentially causing a bumpy ride and the need for speed restrictions on trains. Teams will also carry out other vital track work along the c2c routes, as well as overhead line and level crossing maintenance.

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Engineering work means that rail replacement buses will be in operation on parts of the c2c network from Saturday (November 16) through to Sunday December 15. The full dates affected are:

• Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November

• Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November

• Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December

• Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December

• Sunday 15 December

On the dates listed above, buses will replace trains between Pitsea and Shoeburyness with the following additions and exceptions:

• Sunday, November 17: rail replacement is between both Basildon and Shoeburyness and between Ockendon and Shoeburyness via Tilbury
  

• Sunday, December 8: rail replacement is between both Pitsea and Shoeburyness and between Grays and Shoeburyness via Tilbury
  

• Sunday, December 15: rail replacement is between Pitsea and Southend Central, with a train shuttle running between Southend Central and Shoeburyness
  

The Rainham line will not run on Sunday, November 3, Sunday, November 17, Sunday, November 24 or Sunday, December 8, with rail replacement between Upminster, Rainham, Purfleet and Grays. Passengers for Dagenham Dock have ticket acceptance on EL2 and 287 TfL bus services.

While these engineering works take place, trains will only serve London Fenchurch Street rather than London Liverpool Street, and will not call at Stratford but will call at West Ham.

Simon Milburn, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia, said: “Our work over November and December is vital to keeping trains running safely and reliably in future. We’re really sorry for the disruption to c2c passengers, but our engineers need to get out on track and get these jobs done.”

Laura McEwen, Operations and Engineering Director for c2c, said: "Once installed, the new rail will last another 50 years, so we hope that people can understand why this work is necessary. We are sharing details now of exactly how services will be impacted to give people the chance to plan ahead.

"As ever, we are committed to our customers and our staff will be on hand to give people assistance with their journeys. While Network Rail delivers this work, our team at c2c will also be using the time wisely to carry out essential improvement works at stations."