Weekend travellers hoping to head to the capital for a day out should find the rail lines clear after this weekend.

Network Rail are due to complete the last of eight weekends of closures on the main line in Essex this weekend – the closures have meant buses have replaced trains between Manningtree and Billericay on Saturdays and Sundays while track is replaced at Colchester, Witham, and Marks Tey.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said the work had been completed on time on all except one weekend – which had resulted in delays to three early-morning trains.

She said all the planned work should be completed by Sunday night – the engineers are on schedule: “But we are never complacent and will work hard to ensure we hand back the line on time.”