Posted 24th October 2019 | 1 Comment
24 October: news in brief
Overhead line damage disrupts Great Eastern
PASSENGERS from stations in Norfolk and Suffolk are being asked not to travel via Colchester this morning, after overhead line damage was discovered between Colchester and Marks Tey. Network Rail workers reported shortly before 04.45 that overhead line equipment was tripping, and a train driver reported ‘visible damage’ to the power lines. No trains are able to run between Colchester and Marks Tey. Network Rail engineers are at the scene to carry out emergency repairs. However, Network Rail is urging passengers to follow the travel advice issued by Greater Anglia, which is that passengers who travel to and from London Liverpool Street via Colchester should not travel. Tickets are valid via Cambridge to London Liverpool Street or London King’s Cross. The cause of the damage is not clear, but National Rail says it expects repairs to have been completed by about 16.00 today.
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Sam Davidson, Buckley
Perhaps I'm naive, but is cancelling everything really the only option? Colchester to Marks Tey is a dual line so why can't a limited service be run on the line that is not affected?
[Network Rail has said 'all' lines are blocked, and although the damage presumably affects only one line, leaving the other open to traffic would complicate (and delay) the repairs, because the OHLE engineers would then presumably be working in a red zone. Biting the bullet and getting the repairs done as quickly as possible with a possession affecting both lines is probably better.--Ed.]