News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 402 - 30/09/2026
On Sunday 20th September 2026 at 10:00 Phil Smart appeared on the BBC Politics East programme on BBC One about about rail freight growth targets. He was interviewed me at Felixstowe Port, wearing his Railfreight Group (RFG) hat. Phil is on the Railfuture East Anglia branch committee.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that, from Sunday 20th September 2026, passengers whose trains are cancelled will be able to use services from another DfT train operator (TOC) free of charge, completing their journey at no additional cost — trains from another TOC other cannot depart more than two hours before or two hours after their original cancelled service, and it must be a service that uses a direct or reasonable alternative route. The existing ticket can be used, with no requirement to obtain a new ticket. This flexibility alreayd e4xisted but was limited to just four TOCs, but now aplies to 13 of the 14 DfT TOCs (East Midlands Railway will join the scheme at a later date). See news story.
Network Rail engineers have completed repairing a major mechanical fault on the 123-year-old Reedham swing bridge ahead of schedule. The bridge carries trains over the River Yare is opened for the safe passage of larger boats. There had been problems with its central bearing, which forms part of the main pivot and helps to support the structure as it opens and closes. The old bearing was replaced during the August bank holiday weekend as part of a complex programme of engineering over several weeks during which the bridge could not be swung. See news story.
Network Rail is planning a major renewal of Saxmundham rail junction, which connects the Leiston branch to the East Suffolk line in, autumn 2026. The renewal in an important part of plans to prepare the Suffolk rail network to support the Sizewell transport strategy, and it will improve resilience and reliability in advance of future freight trains delivering construction materials to Sizewell C. It is currently a manually operated junction and will be replaced a powered crossover controlled by an integrated signalling system from Colchester. To take advantage of the closure, engineers will also be working between Westerfield and Halesworth, installing signalling equipment and systems to as part of the overall improvement programme along the line. Engineers will also be working at Bealings crossing to install new future safety equipment. The engineering work is planned to take place over nine days from Saturday 24th October until Sunday 1st November 2026. Buses will replace train services. See news story.
Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) is to replace more than 60,000 standard cllass seats on all of its 115 class 700 trains to provide a more comfortable journey for passengers. The work will be rolled out from 2027 (phased over two years to avoid disrupting services) alongside improved winged backrests, replacing the notorious 'ironing-board' seats that have long frustrated passengers. The new seat cushions have been agreed under a pre-existing contract between GTR and Siemens Mobility, meaning the upgrades come at no additional cost to taxpayers. A further £3.6million is being spent on the fleet to revamp exteriors, alongside refreshing onboard facilities including toilets, with new wall vinyls installed to deter graffiti and anti-social behaviour. So far, GTR has refreshed just under half of exteriors on its full fleet and nearly 300 train toilet interiors. See news story.
A new community lending scheme has opened at Wivenhoe railwat station (on the route between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea / Walton-on-the-Naze), following funding from Greater Anglia. The 'Library of Things' offers household items, tools and equipment for local people to borrow, rather than buying new. It includes items such as power tools, gardening equipment, and household gadgets. Operating like a traditional library, it helps people to save money, free up storage space, and reduce waste. Details about the facility can be found at https://wivenhoe.libraryofthings.co.uk. Also, see the news story.
As mentioned in [Snippets 400], Greater Anglia (GA) class 720 trains are now available to be used on the c2c routes. GA's 720s have PANDAS-V technology equipment (a camera and a sensor) on the top of the trains to look at the pantograph and how it interacts with the overhead line (OLE) recording video and accurate location — something that the c2c trains do not have — so a GA trains will periodically be running on c2c routes to check for OLE faults and also the London Overground 'Mildmay' line. See news story.
STATIONS
Waterbeach station closure consultation likely to be after new station opees
Keywords: [WaterbeachStation]
The September 2026 issue (211) of RAIL EAST had an article on Network Rail's (NR) attitude on Waterbeach (village) station once the new station opened, and it was quite ctritical. NR said that it was not (eaisly) possible to timetable trains to stop at both stations, so the existing one must close.
Network Rail had been adamant that the existing Waterbeach village station would close at the same time as the new Waterbeach town station opens, scheduled for 2028, but common sense seems to have prevailed. A public consultation, led by the Department for Transport (DfT) on the closure will be held after the new station opens, although it is not clear whether the service on the existing station will be reduced — legally, it only needs one train to call in one direction per week to avoid having to close it. The DfT said that Network Rail would weigh the costs and benefits of keeping the station open before submitting a closure proposal to the secretary of state for a final decision to be made.
A BBC news article quoted Village residents as saying the closure plans as "disgraceful", saying it will leave them feeling "isolated" and make life "an absolute misery", with people forced to drive there, which would be a "massive inconvenience". South Cambridgeshire District Council approved up to 4,500 homes as part of the Waterbeach New Town development in 2024 under the condition that no houses would be occupied until a new station opens. Development will be gradual, with homes nearest the new station will not be built until the mid-2030s.
The new station will be 2.4km north of the existing one, with have wider platforms, an accessible footbridge and lifts, 100 cycle spaces and electric vehicle charging points.
News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwyz6vx7kr0o
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/plan-close-station-branded-disgraceful-34625268.
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Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 402 - 30/09/2026
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