\n Network Rail said the clay soil underneath the c2c lines, which run train services connecting east London and Essex,\u00a0has shrunk following\u00a0the driest spring since 1974.\n<\/p>\n
\n This has caused the tracks to drop in places and become uneven, it said.\n<\/p>\n
\n Speed restrictions will be applied from Monday (August 18).\n<\/p>\n
\n Trains will operate at slower speeds, leading to a few minutes’ delay in some journeys.\n<\/p>\n
\n A small number of services will start or terminate early or not stop at some stations, Network Rail said.\n<\/p>\n
\n Journey planners will be updated with the amended timetable by the end of this week.\n<\/p>\n
\n Passengers are advised to check c2c-online.co.uk or nationalrail.co.uk before travelling.\n<\/p>\n
\n Simon Milburn, infrastructure director for Network Rail Anglia, said: “We are really sorry for the disruption to passengers from the timetable alterations, but we need to keep everyone moving safely.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Our teams are working together to keep running the best possible service for passengers, even with the significant challenges we face with clay soil following prolonged dry spells.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Thank you to everyone for bearing with us \u2013 and please do check before you travel, particularly if you\u2019re used to getting the same time train every day.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Network Rail aims to improve the condition of the track using machines called tampers and stoneblowers.\n<\/p>\n
\n These machines will correct the level of the track and create a solid foundation to ensure smooth train operations.\n<\/p>\n
\n In the last year, Network Rail has dropped 12,600 tonnes of ballast across the route in a bid to minimise the effects of clay shrinkage.\n<\/p>\n
\n But it said the exceptionally dry spring this year has made it impossible to eliminate track issues.\n<\/p>\n
\n The combination of engineering work, speed restrictions\u00a0and\u00a0service alterations from Monday\u00a0is intended to prevent more disruptive reductions and changes to timetables and calling patterns.\n<\/p>\n
\n The alterations are expected to be in place for between two and three months, and planned weeknight and weekend engineering work will continue.\n<\/p>\n
\n Stuart Browning, operations and safety director for c2c, said: “We are working closely with our Network Rail colleagues to ensure the safe running of our services for customers.\n<\/p>\n
\n “We are sorry there will be some disruption due to these timetable alterations.\n<\/p>\n
\n “We are hopeful these small amendments will not inconvenience our customers\u2019 journeys but we would urge customers to check before they travel.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Network Rail said the clay soil underneath the c2c lines, which run train services connecting east London and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":349743,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,393,4884,257,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-350716","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-london","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115042021895338633","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=350716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/349743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=350716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=350716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=350716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}