Network Rail bosses were yesterday confident that they would complete their work on time and have trains running as normal between London and the region this morning after a two-day track closure at Ipswich.

But they warned there will be another closure next weekend, with trains being replaced by buses until 3pm next Sunday.

Commuters had feared the worst as Network Rail moved in on Saturday night to carry out engineering works over two days in Ipswich over the bank holiday weekend.

When they carried out work two weeks ago it over-ran by nearly two hours causing major rush-hour chaos as commuters struggled to return to work after the weekend.

This time managers were determined to hand it over on time during the early hours of Tuesday morning, and all tracks were due to be re-opened by 3.30am today.

However there is another emergency closure that has been brought in for next weekend.

The line will have to be closed again next Sunday, meaning services will once again be replaced by buses between Stowmarket or Woodbridge and Manningtree or Colchester until mid-afternoon on Thursday.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said the emergency short-term closure next weekend did not seem to be linked with the current work, which was on target to reopen on time.

Late yesterday afternoon she said: “Everything is going to plan at Ipswich and we are planning to hand it back on schedule.”

Two weeks ago the work was due to be finished by 4.30am, so engineers have built-in a larger buffer zone this time. The line needs to be reopened by 5am for the first train movements of the day.