Passengers travelling between London and Stansted Airport this weekend will face significant disruption as vital maintenance works take place on the railway line. On Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, there will be no direct trains from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport, with holidaymakers advised to travel from King's Cross to Cambridge and change trains to reach the airport at no extra cost.
Overground Weaver line closure and replacement buses
The same track work will result in the London Overground Weaver line being shut between Edmonton Green and Cheshunt throughout the weekend. A replacement bus service will run every half an hour along the route, while trains to Enfield Town and Chingford will remain unaffected by the closure.
GBR Anglia, the government-owned rail company comprising c2c and Greater Anglia, which were recently brought under public control, is carrying out the maintenance as part of a wider improvement project in the area.
Nine-day closure for flood-damaged track replacement
The Hertford East branch will shut for nine days between Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 25 while one kilometre of track that was severely flooded is replaced. Last December, a Thames Water sewage pipe flooded the tracks through Rye House station, which shut the line for a week. Some repairs were made at the time, but Network Rail said the upcoming project to replace rail, sleepers and ballast will mean it won't require further improvements for 50 years.
During this period, trains that would normally run between Hertford East and London will instead start and finish at Broxbourne or Bishop’s Stortford.
GBR Anglia apologises for disruption
Martin Beable, chief operating officer for GBR Anglia, said: “It’s essential that we replace the track through Rye House station following last year’s major floods on our infrastructure. There’s never a good time to close the railway, especially for an extended period, but this is a big job that we must get done to keep providing the best possible service on the Hertford East branch. We’re really sorry for the disruption, and advise that passengers start planning ahead if possible.”
The maintenance works are part of a broader improvement project across North London, Hertfordshire and Essex, and passengers are urged to check their journeys before travelling.
