Rail passengers will face even more disruption as further late-night engineering works have been announced.
Network Rail will again be carrying out extra late-night works on the Fen Line between Cambridge and Lynn to improve the condition of the track.
This means that services north of Cambridge will finish earlier than usual on some weeknights in late September and October.
Following the driest spring in 50 years and prolonged dry spells this summer, the Fen Line is still being affected by the shrinkage of peat soil, which has caused the track to drop in places and become uneven.
The ground will start to stabilise as more rain falls, but for now, sections of track still need to be treated to help avoid speed restrictions that would cause significant disruption for passengers.
Engineers will use machines called tampers to lift the track, push ballast underneath and create a solid foundation so that trains can run smoothly. New ballast will also be dropped where it’s needed to help raise the level of the track.
Already this summer and early autumn, Network Rail has made the most of extra engineering hours on the Fen Line to treat about 9km of track and drop 600 tonnes of ballast.
This is in addition to the 25,800 tonnes of ballast dropped on the route in the past two years to prepare for prolonged dry spells like the one this year.
Across the East Anglia railway in the last two months, engineers have treated around 55km of track and dropped 1,750 tonnes of ballast to help minimise the impact on passengers.
Simon Milburn, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia, said: “Thank you so much to passengers on the Fen Line, and across the region, for bearing with us this summer and autumn.
“Our teams are working really hard to limit the need for much more disruptive service changes by treating long stretches of affected track.”
Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Great Northern and Thameslink trains, added: “I’m very sorry that some of our passengers will be affected by these engineering works.
“They are vital to ensure the continued safety and reliability of our services.”
As track work continues on the Fen Line, these services will be affected:
Between Monday, September 19 and Thursday, October 2, after approximately 11pm, buses will replace trains between Cambridge and Ely, with a shuttle train service operating between Ely and Lynn.
For Great Northern on the affected evenings, the last direct northbound train from London King’s Cross to Ely and King’s Lynn will depart at 9.39pm.
The last direct train from Lynn to London King’s Cross will depart at 9.42pm. This is the last service that provides a connection to London.
The last train from King’s Lynn at 10.42pm will run as far as Ely. From there, a replacement bus will run to Cambridge, but this will not arrive in time for an onward connection towards London.
The last direct train from Ely to London King’s Cross will depart at 10.48pm. Buses will run to Cambridge after this time.
The 10.09pm service from London King’s Cross will terminate at Cambridge rather than Ely.
The 10.39pm and the following service from London King’s Cross – which is at 11.09pm on Monday and Tuesday and at 11.07pm on Wednesday and Thursday – will terminate at Cambridge rather than Lynn. The last replacement bus from Cambridge will be extended up to Lynn.
On the Greater Anglia line…
The 10.40pm Norwich to Cambridge service is replaced by a bus between Ely and Cambridge.
Between Monday, October 6, to Thursday, October 9 and between Monday, October 20, and the early morning of Friday, October 24.
On Great Northern services, buses will replace trains between Ely and Lynn after 9.45pm.
