Train services in the region up to speed again after drought repairs
TRAINS are being allowed to go faster on parts of the Fen Line between Littleport and King’s Lynn as repairs to the track continue.
It’s been the wrong sort of drought as far as the railways are concerned.
Peat has dried out making the tracks uneven, meaning trains have to slow down to negotiate the worst-affected stretches.
This week Network Rail said a programme of work was under way to stabilise the line between King’s Lynn and Littleport.
It said the 40mph speed restrictions on trains were gradually being raised.
“This work will cover the whole route between King’s Lynn and Littleport, not just those areas that currently have speed restrictions in place,” the firm said in a tweet today.
“To help stabilise the soil near the track, we are removing a number of trees along the railway. We will also be adding extra ballast and tamping the track to make it firmer.
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“While the work is done we will use a high-tech inspection train to examine the track and identify if any further work is needed.”
Network rail said train speeds between Littleport and Downham were being increased from 40 to 60mph.
“While this is still slower than the usual line speed, it is a step towards removing the restrictions altogether,” said Network Rail.
“Our aim is to remove all speed restrictions in the coming weeks, provided the ground conditions continue to improve as planned.”
Services between Lynn and London are run by First Capital Connect. In a statement, the firm said: “We have been asked why we can’t amend the timetable to include the delays.
“It is a mammoth undertaking to rewrite the timetable; it takes many months to create and agree with other train operating companies, Network Rail and the Department for Transport. This is one of the reasons why we have only two timetable changes a year.”
