The East Suffolk rail line has now reopened following the completion of work to rebuild an embankment which led to the closure of part of the line for 13 days.
Rail passengers experienced disruption on the section between Ipswich and Saxmundham from March 25 to April 6 with buses replacing trains while engineers strengthened a mile-long embankment to the north of Martlesham.
The work was needed because the top of the embankment was slipping away, meaning that important signalling equipment and signage was gradually falling down the bank, potentially affecting the future safe and reliable running of the line.
READ MORE: Buses replace trains on East Suffolk line for two weeks
The project also allowed a footpath to be created to give railway workers better access for essential maintenance.
The stabilisation work means that worn out track on top of the embankment can now be replaced, with the work scheduled to take place over ten days from August 16-25.
Again, buses will replace trains on the route.
READ MORE: Martlesham news
Mark Walker, Network Rail Anglia route infrastructure engineer, said: “We’re really sorry that passengers had their journeys disrupted over 13 consecutive days, but we needed extended access to the railway to stabilise this steep, high embankment and avoid sudden disruption or closures.
"We’ll be back in August to do much-needed track replacement on top of the embankment, which is also crucial to keeping trains on time. We are building an East Suffolk Line that is fit for the future.”
READ MORE: Suffolk news
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for bearing with us during this improvement work, which will help us to continue operating a punctual train service along the East Suffolk Line.
"Our new trains are already providing a very good service on the route and this engineering work will help ensure we can continue to deliver high standards of performance on a consistent basis and provide a more comfortable journey for passengers.”
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